Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center buys Adirondack land

What happened

In March 2026 the Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center (6NICC), a nonprofit in Onchiota, New York, took ownership of about 600 acres of forest in the Adirondacks. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) announced the return on March 9, 2026, calling it one of the largest private land return initiatives in what is now New York State.

TNC's release says the Cultural Center purchased the land from Paul Smith's College for $1.1 million with TNC's assistance and funding. Paul Smith's College describes the mechanics a little differently: TNC bought the 600 acres from the college and then transferred ownership to the Cultural Center. The college adds that the Adirondack Land Trust had already transferred 300 acres of adjoining land to the Center, making a 900-acre tract. TNC says the Center already had 330 adjacent acres under its care.

The Cultural Center says what it plans. Its director, David Fadden, said in TNC's release that the acquisition will serve as a classroom to share and learn Indigenous ecological knowledge. TNC reports the combined land will be managed according to Indigenous traditions and scientific ecological principles and will be home to an extension of the Center, a Haudenosaunee gathering space and an Indigenous youth camp.

TNC says the Center was founded in 1954 by Ray and Christine Fadden. TNC calls this its first land return in New York.

Good to know. Sources differ on who bought the land: TNC says the Center bought it with TNC funds; the college says TNC bought and then transferred it. The neighboring parcel is given as 330 or 300 acres, so the 900-acre total is approximate.

Summarized with AI assistance from 4 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error