Phyllis Korn, born in Queens, New York, and raised in central Florida, was introduced to the Adirondacks in the 1940s when she attended a summer camp on Paradox Lake. That was the beginning of what would become a lifelong bond to the area, further strengthened by annual visits to the summer home her parents purchased on nearby Schroon Lake.
Today, the Adirondacks are an extension of who Phyllis is. The same is true for her husband, Marty. In 1972, when their three children were young, the couple purchased land of their own, located west of Interstate 87 in the Town of Schroon. They relish time spent there with their children and six grandchildren who range in age from 19 to 30.
Marty and Phyllis reached out to the Adirondack Land Trust to explore conservation options for their land in anticipation of one day passing it along to the next generation.
In December 2025, they donated two conservation easements to the Adirondack Land Trust protecting a combined 321 acres. The newly protected areas are close to each other and adjacent to tracts within the Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild Forest, part of the state Forest Preserve.
Key features include steep slopes with rocky acidic outcrop habitat near the 2,194-foot summit of Beech Hill, in addition to wetlands and tributaries that help to protect the water quality of Schroon Lake. Beech Hill is in the foreground of a northwesterly view from Schroon Lake toward the High Peaks Wilderness.
Marty and Phyllis Korn have transformed their reverence for nature and deep connection to place into lasting conservation. “We hope our actions today inspire future generations to embrace these values and perpetuate what we have preserved,” Marty says.
By keeping 321 acres of forests intact, they are also enhancing the larger, connected landscape’s resilience to threats like climate change, invasive species, and habitat loss.