Blog

Governor Andrew Cuomo traveled to the Adirondacks on May 10 to celebrate the state's recent acquisition from the Adirondack Nature Conservancy of the Boreas Ponds tract. The Adirondack Council has been preparing for this announcement knowing that it would present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to expand the High Peaks Wilderness Area and create 280,000 acres of contiguous Wilderness in the heart of the Adirondacks.

Wilderness is what sets the Adirondack Park apart from all other protected forests in the Northeast. But does wilderness preservation harm economic growth? Do people shy away from buying homes and businesses inside the Adirondack Park? How about near Wilderness Areas? According to a recent study by Clarkson University, the answer is: No!

The is an account of how New York State purchased the Essex Chain Lakes parcel by Joe Martens who was the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation at the time.

ATVs are a persistent problem in the "forever wild" Adirondack Forest Preserve, where they can cause severe damage to trails and off-trail areas. The Adirondack Council supports a general ban on ATV riding in the Forest Preserve, but also supports the establishment of legal riding areas on private lands and on lands where the state has purchased recreation rights.

We are at a tipping point in the Adirondack Park. Both threats and opportunities seem greater than ever, with excitement swirling over the state acquisition of the Boreas Ponds tract and recent concerns expressed by Adirondack Park Agency (APA) board member Dick Booth about the trajectory of the agency.

Read Ray Johnson's blog on climate change and how, in this past February, we set a record. But it wasn't for anything good.

Please enjoy Parts 3 and 4 of one of Dan Wolk's stories from his blog "Tales of Finding - Wit and Wisdom from Brant Lake," in which he talks about the general store and the impact it had on the community and the people who shopped and gathered there.

Please enjoy one of Dan Wolk's stories from his blog "Tales of Finding - Wit and Wisdom from Brant Lake," in which he talks about the general store and the impact it had on the community and the people who shopped and gathered there.

I participated in the 2016 Adirondack Research Forum at the Adirondack League Club in early March. This is the second in a two-part series on the studies I learned about at this forum. Such studies help us convince policymakers to create science-based policies to better protect Adirondack wilderness, waters, wildlife and communities from acid rain, and climate change.

I had the privilege of participating in the 2016 Adirondack Research Forum at the Adirondack League Club in early March. Scientists came from as far away as Oregon and Ohio to explain their work. Studies like these help us convince policymakers to create science-based policies to better protect Adirondack wilderness, waters, wildlife and communities from acid rain, and climate change.