Ooms Conservation Area at Sutherland Pond is a 180-acre preserve located in the town of Chatham, New York, that is home to spectacular views and over 2 miles of trails. Sutherland Pond, the 35-acre centerpiece, is excellent for fishing, canoeing and kayaking. A special permit from the Columbia Land Trust in the Village of Chatham is required to fish here.
As the trails run along the rolling hills and grassy fields, visitors will find views of the Catskill Mountains and surrounding hills of Columbia County. There are a number of man-made birdhouses throughout the preserve. A variety of birds may also be viewed, making this a prime location for bird-watchers.
The 2.9-mile trail system consists of three trails; the 1.8-mile Green Trail, the 0.6-mile Yellow Trail and the 0.5-mile Red Trail. All trails are interconnected and return to the parking area. The trails are mostly easy with slight elevation gain and only a couple places where the incline is somewhat steep.
The conservation area is named after the Ooms family, who arrived from the Netherlands and set up a dairy operation around the pond in the 1950s. The pond is named after the Sutherland family that lived across the road in the 1800s. In 2001, the Columbia Land Trust, in conjunction with the Open Space Institute, purchased the land from the Ooms family.
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