5 Things You Need to Know | November 2021 ADK Conservation News
By: Justin Levine – Adirondack Council Communications and Outreach Assistant
Friday, December 3, 2021
Adirondack Conservation News is a collection of the most current events taking place in New York’s Adirondack Park, a unique national treasure and legacy we inherited over 100 years ago that we must protect for future generations. Adirondack Conservation News highlights threats and opportunities concerning the Park’s ecological integrity, wild character, and community vibrancy.
‘Forever Adirondacks’ Director Attends COP26 Summit
The Adirondack Council’s Forever Adirondacks Campaign Director Aaron Mair spent the early part of November in Glasgow, Scotland attending COP26, officially known as the United Nations Conference of Parties on Global Climate Change. He met with national and international leaders in conservation and climate change and was interviewed by international media outlets. Mair shared ideas about the Adirondack “Green New Deal” and Civilian Climate Corps. Mair also attended COP21 in 2015 when he was President of the Sierra Club.
At the beginning of November, the Adirondack Council released its VISION 2050, which offers dozens of ideas, paths, and suggestions for improving the management of the Adirondack Park while protecting wilderness and wildlife, and bolstering the communities within the Blue Line. The Council has already begun working with partners to implement some of the changes outlined in the plan. VISION 2050 focuses on three main pillars: maintaining ecological integrity, fostering vibrant human communities, and comprehensively managing the Park as a whole. The Council released its first 30-year VISION plan in 1990.
OSI Makes $1.5M Bid for Tahawus Rail Line
Continuing its investment in the Tahawus area, the Open Space Institute (OSI) made an offer of $1.5 million to purchase the abandoned Tahawus Line of the Saranac North Creek Railway. OSI’s offer included a provision that would protect the rail line for three years in case a viable rail customer comes along. In the meantime, it would also allow recreational use of the corridor. OSI purchased much of the abandoned town of Adirondac and the surrounding Tahawus area in 2003. Since then, much of the land has been sold to the state and added to the Forest Preserve. Also, OSI added historical signage and upgraded buildings on the remaining property, and improved access to the area.
Uninvited: The Spread of Invasive Species
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation recently released a movie about the state’s battle against invasive species. Unfortunately, the movie, having been filmed in 2018, is a touch out of date with several new invasive species, such as the Spotted Lanternfly that have appeared in the last couple of years. However, the film does a great job explaining the importance of preventing invasive species introduction and highlights the many ways that the Department of Environmental Conservation and its state and regional partners battle for the ecological integrity of the Empire State.
In late November, a Boy Scout Council in New Jersey announced that it sold its 1,250-acre Sabattis Adventure Camp in Long Lake, Hamilton County. The buyer was an unknown adjacent landowner who wants to expand their current property. Under the sale’s agreement, the Scouts will still be able to use the camp for five years, but this could be extended if the Scouts and the buyer agree at a later date. This property is just one of the assets being sold by the Boy Scouts of America to help pay for its national sexual abuse settlement.
Justin Levine joined the Council staff in 2021 as the Communications and Outreach Assistant. He previously worked as a regional marketing manager for the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism and was an award-winning journalist and photographer for the Adirondack Daily Enterprise and Lake Placid News. Since graduating from Paul Smith’s College in 2004, Justin has worked in the environmental field in various roles in both the Adirondacks and Florida. When not working, Justin loves spending time with his family, running, and doing all the outdoor things the Park has to offer.
