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I enjoyed your story on eastern cougars. Regarding reintroducing new species, how about another try at restoring elk to the Adirondacks. Even better, European red deer, which are halfway between elk and white-tailed deer in size. They are majestic and a great game species and adapt easily. Terry Wespestad, Pequannock, NJ
Thank you for the piece about your editor’s annual March ski up Mount Marcy (“A skier’s rite of winter”). It provided the inspiration I needed. While I have climbed almost all of the forty-six, I was never keen on bagging Mount Marcy, due primarily to the crowds (kind of defeats the purpose of a true…
For too long there have been too few women in leadership positions in the Adirondack conservation movement, but Olivia Dwyer’s important story in the March/April issue (“Where are the women?”) reveals how this historical imbalance is being rectified. I was surprised, however, to see some notable achievements missing in Dwyer’s account. To name a few…
I do not believe reintroduction in northeastern states would be successful in the long run unless all states with significant wildlands participate. Trying to introduce cougar by creating a single “island” of breeders in one state would likely have poor long-term results. But if several islands in different states are created throughout the Northeast that…
Back in 2012, when Saratoga & North Creek Railway applied for an exemption to operate the rail line, they received an overwhelming voice of support from state lawmakers, the Department of Environmental Conservation, and other local and public officials. Although I was not directly involved with local government at the time, I have read the…
Alongside the photographs accompanying John Thaxton’s otherwise unobjectionable article about crossbills in the January/February edition of Adirondack Explorer, I found this appalling claim: “Crossbills have bills that are designed to pry apart spruce cone scales to get at the seeds inside.” Now even some biologists will occasionally make the mistake of referring to evolutionary outcomes…
The long-awaited Boreas Ponds land classification decision by the Adirondack Park Agency in early February is worth celebrating. The classification will split the 20,543-acre tract into 11,412 acres of Wilderness, 9,118 acres of Wild Forest, which allows some motorized access, and a small Primitive Area. Another aspect that deserves notice: the vast public participation in…
I would like to dispute some information in Larry Master’s article about coyotes in the January/February issue of Adirondack Explorer. Coyotes do, indeed, need to be “managed” like any other wild game and/or furbearers. The current seasons for coyotes in most of New York State are from October 1 to March 25 for hunting and…
People go to the woods for all sorts of reasons. Still, I think it’s a reasonable expectation that your reason to visit not unduly impact my or anyone else’s reason to visit. Tossing a drone up in a peaceful place enjoyed by thousands pushes that, in my opinion. Expecting that your aerial photography is OK…
As a longtime fan of your magazine, I would like to comment on your recent report titled “Hemlock pest found in Park.” The article seemed to minimize the danger from the woolly adelgid, an invasive insect that has been killing hemlock forests elsewhere and was recently discovered near Lake George. My wife and I have…