State voters approve land bank proposal to amend Article 14 to streamline projects that infringe on Forest Preserve. The town of Horicon has been unable to replace this bridge over the Schroon River. Photo by Carl Heilman II By Phil Brown New Yorkers narrowly passed in November a constitutional amendment to establish a “land bank” for the Adirondacks and Catskills that will enable counties and municipalities to undertake highway and utility projects that impinge on the forever-wild Forest Preserve. More than 10 percent of the 3.5 million people who took part in the November elections did not cast a ballot either >>More
Buzz Over Helicopter Tours
A local company has started helicopter tours in the High Peaks region, raising concerns about trips over wilderness areas.
Potential Constitutional Convention Raises Article 14 Fears
Every two decades, New Yorkers go to the polls to decide whether they want to rewrite the language in their state constitution.
DEC Working On Drone Regs For Forest Preserve
The state Department of Environmental Conservation is working on new regulations to address drone use on the Forest Preserve. Some fear the airborne devices will diminish the wild character of the Forest Preserve
On the law’s cutting edge
Protect the Adirondacks lawsuit could clarify state constitution’s mandate against destroying trees in the Forest Preserve. By PHIL BROWN A rose is a rose is a rose, Gertrude Stein said. Defining a tree is not so simple. That question—what is a tree?—has emerged as a central issue in a long-running dispute over the construction of “community-connector” snowmobile trails in the Forest Preserve. These trails, which link hamlets, are nine feet wide (twelve feet on curves) and graded to make them smooth. Peter Bauer, executive director of Protect the Adirondacks, contends they resemble roads more than trails. Since 2013, Protect has >>More