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The state's High Peaks Wilderness Overuse Advisory Group (HPAG) released its final recommendations calling for immediate actions to manage overuse to preserve wilderness and protect public safety in the Adirondack High Peaks. These consensus recommendations are wide-ranging, covering topics from specific suggestions for education efforts already underway to long-ranging plans to build infrastructure, stakeholder engagement, and increase funding and staffing across the High Peaks.

In the 2020 New York State Budget, Governor Cuomo and the Legislature authorized sending the $3 billion Restore Mother Nature Bond Act to the polls in November, where it requires final approval by the voters. This is an extraordinary chance for the state to invest in Adirondack water, wildlife and wildlands, and create jobs that will support local communities and protect public health.

Guest Author, Brendan Wiltse Science & Stewardship Director for the Ausable River Association, discusses the potential water quality impacts of recreational use in the High Peaks Wilderness Area.

Wild Thoughts is a three-part blog series on wilderness ethics and management written in anticipation of the 2020 Adirondack Wilderness Symposium. Organized in part by Adirondack Council, the Symposium (dates TBD) will be open to the public and will feature programming on such varied topics as the legal status of wilderness in New York State, wilderness management in the era of climate change, and the more intangible, philosophical character of wilderness. Similarly, each segment of this summer-long blog series will tackle a different, broad wilderness-related question. Together, the Symposium and this series will attempt to offer a comprehensive, 21st-century consideration of wilderness as a legal concept, an ecological condition, and a cultural phenomenon.

Watch our video "Living in Harmony with Wilderness, the first in a three-part series.

For over 40 years, the Adirondack Council has been an effective, non-partisan advocate for the Adirondacks. In both Albany and the Adirondacks, our conservation advocacy and education is ongoing. Looking back over this past fiscal year, we’ve accomplished a lot of good for the Adirondacks. We owe thanks to our tens of thousands of advocates across the nation who support our mission and vision and count on the Council to be the watchdog for the Adirondack Park.

From April 10 through 18, Adirondack Park visitors and residents are likely to notice military training exercises happening around them. The exercises involve several types of military aircraft and hundreds of soldiers on the ground. Army officials said it is the largest such training exercise it has ever conducted in the Adirondack Park. After heeding the advice of the Adirondack Council, the Army will avoid sensitive environmental locations, including known wildlife areas and – to the extent possible - designated Wilderness Areas in its training missions.

Last Wednesday afternoon, the Adirondack Council went to court in Albany to fight a lawsuit that threatens the future of wilderness preservation in the Adirondack Park.

As we enjoy the holiday season, reflect on the year that has passed and look forward to the next, will you do one more thing for the Adirondacks? There's still time to send a letter to the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) and tell them that you want motor-free Wilderness for the Boreas Ponds. The APA will accept your comments until Friday, December 30.

Hundreds of people from across New York State turned out at hearings hosted by the Adirondack Park Agency in November and December to express their opinions on how the state should classify the Boreas Ponds tract. We would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone that has taken the time to write and speak up for Wilderness!