Within the millions of acres of protected land, scientists are studying our changing environment. We, too, have been following these changes: The emergence of invasive species that threaten the health of our trees and waters. The shifts in migrating birds returning to the Adirondacks. And the return of moose, wolves and other mammals.
The thread that weaves through all our reporting is the balance between the man-made environment and the natural world. That plays out with debates around how to manage the close-to 3 million acres of state-owned land in the Adirondack Park.
Dams: An investigation
A look at the park’s aging dams
Explorer investigation spotlights safety needs of Adirondack dams
Explorer investigation spotlights safety needs of Adirondack structures
Do dams belong in places meant to be ‘untrammeled by man?’
Old dams present inherent tension in wilderness areas
Can dams weather climate change?
Dams have historically helped create drinking water, power and food. In an era of a warming planet, dams could create havoc.
Hard-earned lessons to improve dam safety
Sometimes it takes a disaster to get the policy gears in motion
DIVE DEEP INTO ADIRONDACK ISSUES
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WATER QUALITY
How preserving land protects Lake George’s waters
State grants will help the Lake George Land Conservancy protect undeveloped property in an effort to protect water resources.
State unveils plan to clean up Lake Champlain
Initiative targets key pollution sources in Lake Champlain Watershed, including agriculture and wastewater, to prevent harmful algal blooms
Herbicide treatment coming to Brant Lake
Brant Lake in Warren County will be the third weed-plagued Adirondack lake to receive the treatment, joining Lake Luzerne and Minerva Lake.
In Lake George, a continued fight around herbicide
The push for a permit heads back to court
CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate report hones in on impacts on recreation
The Adirondack Rail Trail held up for providing accessible recreation year-round
Report: More 90-degree days ahead
First installment of state report points to more 90-degree days in the Adirondacks
Study: 95% of Adirondack lakes could lose brook trout habitat
Study finds just 5% of Adirondack lakes may have the right conditions to sustain brook trout habitat in a warming climate.
Adirondack climate change forecasts by the numbers
Research shows a steady climb in temperature and precipitation
WILDLIFE
Adirondack Park’s role in animal migration
Warming temperatures force many species to migrate northward
Tracking signs of spring
30 years of nature journals document annual robin sightings
Deer vs gardens
Although deer numbers are sparse overall in the Adirondacks, they are gaining ground in populations centers
How birds handle the ‘lights out’ during an eclipse
When day becomes night, wildlife responds accordingly
INVASIVE SPECIES
Dispatches from a buckthorn assassin
Adirondack Garden Club tackles invasive plant problem at Essex Quarry trail
Park agency approves Lake Luzerne’s plan to kill lake weeds with herbicide
The Adirondack Park Agency approved a plan to use herbicide to battle invasive water weed on Lake Luzerne
Lake communities line up for herbicide approval from APA
As the state appeals a court decision vacating a Lake George herbicide permit, a line of other interested communities is forming at APA
Meet the beetles
Researchers release bugs in strategy to save Adirondack hemlocks