GREENPORT – Regional environmental group Scenic Hudson Friday announced it has purchased 102 acres adjacent to the Olana State Historic Site in Columbia County to safeguard the spectacular views.

The acquisition protects unspoiled woodland on the summit and along the ridge of Mount Merino, a hill directly north of Olana, the 19th century estate of artist Frederic Edwin Church.

Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan said the $1 million purchase is part of the organization’s Save the Land That Matters Most campaign.

“It’s key parcels of land along the Hudson that will protect the ecological, scenic and agricultural integrity of the very Hudson Valley, and this is one of the really important parcels of land that if improperly developed, could have desecrated the view shed that has now been protected for generation,” he said.

The purchase adds to the 122 acres previously protected on Mount Merino through conservation easements by the Columbia Land Conservancy.