More than two decades had passed since Mike Patten and his son John set foot on Galloo Island. Yet both continually obsessed about their island. Although the nearly 2,000-acre sanctuary sits six miles off New York’s northern shores on Lake Ontario, it was always front and center in their minds. In the 1980s, Galloo belonged to a Patten family company. As impressive as that may sound, it’s a distinction that can be applied to hundreds of thousands of acres in 40 different states. Patten Realty Corporation was America’s first national land development company.

The Pattens and their partners consider themselves stewards of this magnificent island. As conservation buyers, they are not the least bit interested in pursuing the various wind energy schemes that have been proposed by recent owners. To the contrary, they have already begun to restore hundreds of acres of farmland and native habitat for the Eastern wild turkey, whitetailed deer, and flocks of waterfowl that gather on this ground. Above all, what matters most to Mike and John Patten is that they have returned to Galloo Island.

Michael S. Patten, of Naples, FL., and his son, John, said Tuesday that no development of any kind is planned for the island, with the goal being to restore and conserve the land. “This place has been near and dear to us over the years,” Michael Patten said. “We’re going to continue to bring the farmland back to use as we go. We’ll restore the farmland, which is important for the sustainability of the land and the environment.”