Headwaters Videos Highlight Vital Adirondack Area
Video series takes deeper look at lakes and lake associations in the central Adirondack Park
RAQUETTE LAKE, NY – Several local and regional organizations are proud to announce the release of a video series highlighting the Raquette Lake, Blue Mountain Lake, and Long Lake communities and ecosystems.
As summer proceeds in the Adirondacks, the lake associations of Long Lake, Blue Mountain Lake and Raquette Lake, along with the Adirondack Council, Northern Forest Canoe Trail and the University of Rochester, are releasing four videos that highlight the ecological importance of these headwaters, while also celebrating the stewardship of those who care about these lakes.
“It’s great to see a collaboration like the Headwaters Campaign come together that so directly links the health of Adirondack Park water bodies with key stakeholders,” Raul J. Aguirre, Executive Director of the Adirondack Council said. “We can’t separate the wild lands and waters of the Adirondacks from the people and communities of the park, they are too deeply intertwined. Lake Associations are critical to maintaining our great water resources and these videos highlight the incredible work that they do addressing water quality, managing invasive species, and providing for the recreational needs of their communities. It’s truly inspiring work.”
The videos are part of an effort of the Council and NFCT called the Headwaters Campaign. The idea is to share a message of stewardship for these and other water bodies. By protecting the headwaters of major watersheds, Adirondack groups are making those waters better for millions of people across the Northeast.
"As a volunteer-led organization, the Blue Mountain Lake Association works to address the ever-changing needs of our community. Given the growing challenges before us - from having to protect our lakes from aquatic invasive species, to purchasing a new ambulance for the volunteer Fire & EMS Department, to finding local support to build a new pavilion with changing rooms on the public beach - there has never been a greater need for collaboration and support,” said Michele Curry, head of the Blue Mountain Lake Association. “We are thankful to have been welcomed into the Headwaters Campaign, a group that has provided vital guidance on how to communicate our goals to a broader community and to pursue projects that are not only desirable, but achievable. Working together provides us with the resilience and knowledge we need to face the future, and allows us to succeed in ways we could not alone. Given the daunting challenges before us, the need for such a collaborative effort has never been greater."
“Raquette Lake is the largest natural lake in the Adirondack Park. It is beautiful, and it is pristine in many respects. The Raquette Lake Preservation Foundation exists to try and keep it that way, and to engage in research that will help us prepare for inevitable changes due to climate change. Our community and town depend on the health of Raquette Lake. It doesn’t matter how cute your town is in the Adirondacks if tourists can’t go in or fish in the lake. Stopping the introduction of new invasive species into Raquette Lake is our first priority,” Gail Morehouse, of the Raquette Lake Preservation Foundation said. “Being part of the Headwaters campaign has shown that there is strength in numbers. All of our lakes flow into each other and all are guarded by small volunteer organizations. Recognizing how we are each a small but integral part of such a larger picture helps to hopefully show the state of New York and the guests who visit here how important Clean, Drain and Dry is. For all of us.”
“The Long Lake Association's mission is to preserve and enhance the health and beauty of the lake and to promote its wise use for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations,” said Heather Vecchio. “Long-term preservation of the lake includes taking an active role in securing funds, through charitable contributions and fundraising activities, to complete surveys to identify aquatic invasive species which threaten the health of the lake as we know it. Our association depends on active volunteerism from all residents of our town to contribute to this important mission. Recent weather extremes bring to sharp focus the effects of warming lake water temperatures, flooding and the devastating effects of invasives left unchecked. Our sincere hope is that this message motivates everyone that shares our vision of preserving the beauty of Long Lake for future generations to join us as an association participant or through their charitable support.”
“The greatest accomplishment of the Headwaters Campaign has been strengthening relationships among these lake associations that are inherently intertwined by the watershed and helping build their capacity to do their work more effectively,” said Karrie Thomas, Executive Director of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. “They have greater success when they are not operating in isolation. We are proud to help amplify their missions.”
Much of the video work was completed as part of a Digital Media Studies capstone project through the University of Rochester. The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism graciously provided video footage, and capstone advisors Stephanie Ashenfelder and Nancy Bernardo worked with students Coco Yang, Yike Sun, Yuhan Wang, Renyi Zhang and Stella Fu to produce the completed videos.
The 9,300-square-mile Adirondack Park is one of the largest intact temperate deciduous forest ecosystems left in the world. The Adirondacks are home to about 130,000 New York residents in 130 rural communities.
Established in 1975, the Adirondack Council is a privately funded, not-for-profit environmental advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring the ecological integrity and wild character of the Adirondack Park. The Council carries out its mission through research, education, advocacy and legal action. The Council envisions a Park with clean water and clean air, core wilderness areas, farms and working forests, and vibrant, diverse, welcoming, safe communities.
All four videos can be viewed here: Headwaters Campaign website.
For more information: Justin Levine, 518-605-1591
