Planning the Park's future

In October 1999, Gov. George Pataki ordered the state Department of Environmental Conservation to complete unit management plans (UMPs) for all Forest Preserve tracts in the Adirondack Park within five years. The initiative affords the public an unprecedented opportunity to help shape the Park’s future.

The UMPs for the Wilderness, Wild Forest, Canoe and Primitive Areas will determine, among other things, whether new hiking trails will get built, whether more ponds will be declared off-limits to gas motors, whether fire towers will be removed from summits and whether Forest Preserve roads should be open to all-terrain vehicles.

The state is soliciting public input as it drafts the UMPs. We’ve highlighted four questions below that you might want to respond to by e-mailing the appropriate DEC officials.

QUIET WATERS

The Adirondack Explorer’s Campaign for Quiet Waters proposes that a number of waters in the Park be declared off-limits to gas motors. They include the interconnected ponds south of Floodwood Road (and hence south of the existing St. Regis Canoe Area). All of the ponds are in the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest.

Click here for the full story. E-mail Steven Guglielmi, who is writing the UMP for the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest, at sjguglie@gw.dec.state.ny.us

For more information on the Campaign for Quiet Waters, click here.

HUDSON GORGE RAFTING

Thousands of people raft through the Hudson Gorge every year. The town of Indian Lake opens the Lake Abanakee dam to create a “bubble” that rafters ride down the Indian River and into the Hudson. Some fly-fishermen contend that the water releases are damaging trout habitat. Commercial rafters say their business cannot survive without the releases.

Click here for the full story. E-mail Rick Fenton, who is writing the UMP for the Hudson Gorge Primitive Area, at rtfenton@gw.dec.state.ny.us

WAKELY FIRE TOWER

A one-mile trail leads to the 3,760-foot summit of Wakely Mountain. Although the summit is wooded, hikers can enjoy a marvelous view of the surrounding wilderness from the fire tower. Environmental groups disagree on whether the tower should be removed.

Click here for full story. E-mail Charles Butler, who is writing the UMP for the tiny Wakely Mountain Primitive Area and adjacent tracts, at cabutler@gw.dec.state.ny.us

EASTERN SUMMITS TRAIL

Tony Goodwin, author of the Adirondack Mountain Club’s guide to the High Peaks, proposes creating an 80-mile hiking trail from Lake George to Poke-O-Moonshine, crossing about two dozen summits in the eastern Adirondacks. He sees it as an alternative to the Park’s only long-distance route, the Northville-Placid Trail, which sticks to low terrain. Critics argue that the trail would spoil the wild character of peaks that now can be reached only by bushwhacking.

Click here for full story. E-mail Regional Forester Tom Martin at r5ump@gw.dec.state.ny.us

OTHER ISSUES

Do you have other suggestions for managing the Forest Preserve? Any that relate to tracts in DEC’s Region 5, which includes the eastern two-thirds of the Park, can be e-mailed to r5ump@gw.dec.state.ny.us Those that relate to tracts in Region 6, which includes the rest of the Park, can be e-mailed to r6ump@gw.dec.state.ny.us

For more information about the UMP process, visit the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation here.

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