APA at 50: The forever wild fight

“Regulators and Rebels”

This is a nine-part series that tells the story of the at-times contentious campaign to create the Adirondack Park Agency, which marks its 50th anniversary this year. Adapted from the new book “A Wild Idea: How the Environmental Movement Tamed the Adirondacks,” author Brad Edmondson interviewed more than 50 people who fought for and against the APA, some of whom have since died. 

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Abbie Verner’s head-on collision

Tempers flared at the Adirondack Park Agency’s birth, with a clash between environmentalists and developers.

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Clarence Petty’s three years of survey work

From squatter’s cabin to trekking 2.2 million acres, Petty’s work laid foundation for State Land Master Plan

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Harold Jerry takes on a Rockefeller

Adirondacks as a national park? The idea proposed in the late 1960s achieved consensus: Everyone hated it

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George Davis’s lucky break

How the forever-wilders took charge of the Temporary Study Commission.

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Harold Hochschild’s big score

In the showdown over passing the APA Act, Hochschild faced off with NYS Assembly speaker Perry Duryea.

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George Davis, a big project and a tiny budget

The new APA had a little over a year to write two huge land use plans.

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Push for the plan

As the APA worked to develop its land use plan, backlash against agency continued to grow.

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The Rebellion

The APA rolled out its master land use plan, and developer Tony D’Elia and others led a call to abolish the agency.

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Reimagining the APA

How should the APA position itself for the future? Former APA Board Member Chad Dawson weighs in on the topic.

About Adirondack Explorer

The Adirondack Explorer is a nonprofit magazine covering the Adirondack Park's environment, recreation and communities.

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Comments

  1. Young Contrarian says

    Part 9 says it’s available but it’s not. Clicking on the link for Part 9 just opens another page for the whole series.

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