New York is the largest city in the United States, with the city proper's population more than double the next largest city, Los Angeles (or roughly equivalent to the combined populations of Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston, the United States' second, third, and fourth most populous cities respectively).
Comprised of 2.6 million acres in the Adirondack Forest Preserve and 286,000 acres within the Catskill Forest Preserve, these lands represent a majority of all state owned property within the Adirondack and Catskill Parks.
To do this, land conservancies use the following suite of tools to protect and steward land forever: 1  Nature Preserves or Sanctuaries - Lands are acquired through donation or purchase to be used as a nature preserve or sanctuary. Often, these lands are open to the general public to visit and enjoy.