By Brandon Loomis The Adirondack Explorer heads into 2021 the same way we and inquiring readers begin every year: with lots of questions. What will the Department of Environmental Conservation do about managing hikers and trails in the High … [Read more...] about Exploring questions for the year ahead
2020explored
2020 EXPLORED: Outdoor recreation
If nothing else, this year’s pandemic reinforced the importance of getting outside. Recreating was considered one of the safest things to do, and its physical and spiritual benefits were valued more than ever. As a result, people flocked to the … [Read more...] about 2020 EXPLORED: Outdoor recreation
2020 EXPLORED: Harmful algal blooms
Our first cover story of the year was about algal blooms, the harmful outbreaks of bacteria that have been plaguing Lake Champlain and other lakes around the world. We reported on the conditions that made those blooms a menace: runoff from dairy … [Read more...] about 2020 EXPLORED: Harmful algal blooms
2020 EXPLORED: Invasive species
Bait buckets. Canals. Boat bottoms. Firewood. Boots. Packaging. The ways that invasive species get into the Adirondacks are countless. The damage they then cause is too. This year, the Explorer looked at several major invaders and the … [Read more...] about 2020 EXPLORED: Invasive species
2020 EXPLORED: Road salt
For 40 years, since the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid, highway crews dumped salt all over this wilderness to clear roads of snow. The cleared roads were obvious, but came with hidden dangers to people and places. Researchers, regulators and … [Read more...] about 2020 EXPLORED: Road salt
Five wild stories from 2020
No doubt about it, 2020 was a wild year. In the spirit of "wild" we bring you 5 wildlife-themed stories that ran on the Explorer website this year. STOP THE SPREAD?: A group of scientists studying the effects of human recreation on wildlife finds … [Read more...] about Five wild stories from 2020