The Adirondack park represents, to most of us, an idyllic haven composed of “forever wild” forests, lakes and mountains.  In many parts of the park, this is in-fact the case.  Aside from sparse dirt roads, rare hiking trails and the occasional cabin, about 2.6 million acres within the Adirondack park must stay “forever wild”.(NYSDEC)  The other end of that agreement however, represents privately owned tracts of land within the park.  The majority of private lands within the Adirondacks belong to 140,000 residents and small-scale landowners, most of whom reside within the 105 small towns and villages within the park.  On these smaller tracts of land, especially in the Champlain Valley, some landowners try their luck with small-scale farming or livestock raising. Although the Adirondacks are not exactly a high density area in terms of population, the people who reside there year round must have reliable jobs. While the mining industry has mostly faded out, workers in the Adirondacks have found jobs in some of the more successful industries.  Even throughout the current COVID pandemic, industry in the Adirondacks has proven to be resilient and effective in capitalizing on its natural potential.  The significance of both the logging and tourism industries in the park allow residents to have reliable jobs and industry to flourish.

The mining industry, which is no longer a major player in the Adirondack economy, once represented a great deal of economic possibility for both new companies and many migrant workers.  Immigrants fresh off the docks in New York were often recruited, despite nationality which for a time, added a great deal of diversity to the park.  Unfortunately, when the state began to close down the mining operations in the state, many of these workers were forced to return to the city in search of work.  Thus, much of the diversity left with them. Many of those who stayed behind joined the logging industry.

A large portion of the private land is owned by large logging companies.  The two largest players in the industry are a Mississippi company called Molpus Woodlands Group and Lyme Timber, based out of New Hampshire.  While these companies must abide by a slew of tight regulations set in place by the park and State, they still have annual quotas that need to be made.  Combined, these two groups alone own approximately 500,000 acres of land.  The timber industry in the state of New York directly employs at least 40,000 people and indirectly employs another 55,000 workers.(NYSDEC)  Many of the workers directly employed by the timber industry live in the Adirondack park and rely on the industry to retain a livelihood. The need for wood products is a never-ending reality which is why the industry has become so successful. Unfortunately, this livelihood which sustains many small towns is dependent on the destruction of a mixture of secondary and tertiary growth.  Most forested areas used for timber are regulated and watched carefully so that regrowth occurs faster than logging.  In some areas however, regrowth barely occurs at a 1 to 1 ratio.

Alongside logging, the tourism industry in the Adirondack park is a massive source of economic activity.  Ski mountains, hotels, boutique shops, rafting, fishing, hunting and restaurants all depend heavily on tourists from all over.  Most of the tourism industry relies on the Winter and Summer months to produce enough cash flow to last through the mud season.  Each year, more than ten million tourists visit the park and more importantly, spend their money! The tourism industry in the park represents a whopping 17% of the labor force, compared to only 9% in the city.(Adirondack Base Camp)  

Again however, the question of “forever wild” arises.  Tourists do not only bring money, they also bring their crap.  Trash being left on trails, destruction of natural lands, and increased need of infrastructural maintenance are all results of so many folks visiting areas that simply are not built for thousands of people at a time. During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, local officials considered limiting the number of people entering the park and using trails because maintenance could not keep up-especially with an endangered labor force. 

Despite many of the shortcomings industries in the Adirondacks face, the logging and tourism industries have been able to provide consistent and stable jobs to tens of thousands of Adirondackers.  While the chopping down of trees by loggers and stomping about on trails by hikers may cause damage to the idyllic haven of the Adirondacks, those trees and those tourists allow residents of the park to live everyday lives.  

NYSDEC. “New York’s Forest Preserve.” New York’s Forest Preserve – NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4960.html. 

Tourpro. “Tourism Impact in the Adirondacks.” Adirondack Base Camp, 30 Mar. 2011, https://www.adirondackbasecamp.com/2008/09/tourism-impact-adirondacks/. 

NYSDEC. “Economic Value of New York’s Forest Resource.” New York State Wood Products, https://woodproducts.ny.gov/economic-value-new-yorks-forest-resource. 

Clean water is a treasure in the United States.  Until it’s not. We often forget the value of clean water as a resource until that water has been ruined. Despite the vast number of protections bodies of water in the Adirondacks have, some are in better condition than others.  

The Village of Lake Placid, which many people fail to remember, has been the stage for two Olympic games, most recently in 1980.  Upon my first visit, I noticed how “old” everything felt.  For one thing, that sense of “oldness” was a good thing. The vibe allows for an immersion into 1980’s Adirondack culture.  On the other hand, much of the town infrastructure is in all but utter decay.  The roads are shot, the homes are teetering on 2×4’s and the school has not been renovated in decades.  The poor construction of the roads, parking lots, and sidewalks however has been especially consequential when observing local water quality. The combination of intense road salt application due to high winter road traffic and the construction of roads right on the edge of Mirror Lake have caused great detriment to Mirror Lake’s water quality.  Luckily, the Town of Lake Placid has worked on several game-changing infrastructure solutions to prevent further damage to the lake.

Porous pavement demonstration.

Mirror Lake on the other hand, gets direct runoff from a downward-sloping town full of old roads.  In the winter months, Lake Placid deals with nasty road ice and several feet of snow with intense road salt and sand application.  While this keeps roads safe for drivers, the effects of salt entering the water systems have such negative effects that many parks in the Western U.S like Yellowstone and Teton have banned road salt entirely. Water testing in Mirror Lake displays a salt level higher than 97% of other lakes in the Adirondacks.(Ausable River Association 2020 Water Quality Report)  Higher sodium and chloride levels, paired with higher levels of phosphorus increase the likelihood for algal bloom in the lake.  Luckily, in that regard, Mirror Lake is relatively nutrient low or oligotrophic, so algal bloom is unlikely.(Jennifer Graham, United States Geological Service)  The 2019 Mirror Lake water report states that “Significant long-term upward trends in conductivity, sodium, and chloride remain. Elevated bottom water chloride concentrations were documented and evidence exists that this is impeding the natural turnover of the lake in the spring. The disruption of this important physical process has the potential for the greatest negative effect on aquatic life. The highest chloride concentrations ever reported for the lake (129 mg/L) were observed in February and March.”(Ausable River Association)  At its highest level, the Chloride concentration nearly resembled brackish water. In terms of salinity however, the concentration remains at a lower safety.

If the Adirondacks do not ban the use of road salt however, several questions arise as to what can be done.  This summer, with New York state funding, Lake Placid has begun construction of a $15 million dollar infrastructure plan.  There are two main focuses that may help the salt situation in Mirror Lake.  The first is permeable and porous pavement. Porous pavement allows liquid runoff to enter the soil beneath the pavement instead of running in large amounts directly into reservoirs and lakes. By allowing the water to seep into the soil, the earth purifies much of the groundwater as it travels. This step is key in using the soil as a natural filtration system.  What little water makes it into lakes and streams ends up being significantly cleaner than direct runoff.  While most of the permeable pavement being added right now is in the form of sidewalks and parking lots, roads are expected to be replaced within the next few years as well.  The other half of the Lake Placid infrastructure plan involves new pipe and sewage systems under the road.  The old pipes were badly corroded and in need of replacement to prevent seepage.  Modern and larger plumbing systems are crucial in allowing for future development and overflow control. Using new and creative methods to limit water quality deterioration will be the future of human coexistence with our main sources of water and marine life. Such methods will keep the treasure of water an Adirondack token for decades to come.

“Hochul Touts Environmental, Economic Projects in the Adirondacks.” Adirondack Explorer, 24 Sept. 2021, https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/hochul-touts-lake-placid-stormwater-project. 

“Mirror Lake.” Ausable River Association, https://www.ausableriver.org/watershed/lakes/mirror-lake. 

“Porous Pavement.” Megamanual.geosyntec.com, https://megamanual.geosyntec.com/npsmanual/porouspavement.aspx.

As old rail lines fall out of use across the nation, towns and counties face questions about what the cleared paths can be used for.  Many towns have embraced the uses of rail trails for biking, walking and even snowmobiling during the winter.  The conversion of old railways has become especially popular in the Adirondacks as a way to give bikers a safe place to ride without being on major roads.  With 34 miles of bike trail and 56 miles of winter snowmobiling track from Lake Placid to Tupper Lake, to Old Forge(Adirondack Rail Trail) folks are able to use free and easily accessible trails away from noisy streets.  Rail trails are also powerful because concentrating people on a low grade trail is beneficial in preserving wilderness trails elsewhere.  The stretch of rail from Lake Placid to Old Forge however is not the only railway that could be redone for pedestrian use.  The Chateaugay railway for example, ran from Saranac Lake to Plattsburgh and was initially built in 1883 mainly for transporting iron ore.(Nashua City Station) Due to the high variability of use and range of benefits to both people and wilderness, towns and organizations in the Adirondacks should consider the idea of converting more railways into trailways.

In the past several decades, concerts about folks using snowmobiles and ATVs in wilderness areas have been raised due to the noise and polluting nature of such vehicles.  Drivers and bikers in the Adirondacks have also often been at odds.  Many roads in the park are incredibly narrow meaning that bikers can create long chains of cars unable to pass.  By giving bikers and snowmobilers alike a safe place to enjoy, with minimal environmental impact, everyone wins. Thus, taking advantage of other old, unused trailways for this purpose could be extremely beneficial. One famous example of a successful rail trail system goes from Pittsburgh all the way down to D.C.  The Great Allegheny Passage is known for its scenic routes, with challenging enough terrain, and plenty of places for long distance bikers to stop. One of the most impressive successes of this rail trail is the economic rebound of old mining towns along the trail.(Amy Kapp, Rails to Trails Conservancy)  By catering specifically to bikers and large groups, many small businesses such as bakeries and cafes and hostels have been able to stay afloat.  This system could be exponentially more beneficial in the Adirondacks where millions of folks already come each year. It would be tougher due to the disconnectedness of railways, however, with some significant work, many of the slowly dying towns in the park could be connected and given a possible economic boost during the warmer months.  And who knows? Maybe a hot chocolate stand for snowmobilers would be a hit! These conversions are not cheap by any means, but they can have rebounding economic successes so rail trail systems should definitely be considered by local governments.

Kapp, Amy. “How the Great Allegheny Passage Transformed a Region: Rails to Trails Magazine.” Rails To Trails , Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, https://www.railstotrails.org/trailblog/2020/may/12/how-the-great-allegheny-passage-transformed-a-region/. 

 Cosgro, Matthew D. “The Chateaugay and Lake Placid Railway Company.” Nashua City Station Railroad History, 2021, http://nashuacitystation.org/history/the-chateaugay-and-lake-placid-railway-company/. 

Last friday, a few friends and myself drove out to RASTA which is a network of backcountry trail systems located at Brandon Gap in the Green Mountains. We took on the expedition in search of possible areas to backcountry ski near the college.  This particular mountain spot is going to be perfect. With roughly 1,500 ft of elevation gain, an impressive temperature change, and several wide glade style downhill trails, Brandon Gap could be a gamechanger.  Backcountry skiing, while requiring a hefty initial investment, ends up saving hundreds of dollars throughout a season due to pricy lift tickets.  Having a place so near to skin up is an incredible resource, but it begs the question, how do trails affect the topography of an area?  As we hiked up I noticed two major faults in the construction and maintenance of the trail.  Before I go on I want to say I am by no means complaining about such a valuable resource-just iterating two issues that may cause issues in the future. These issues also happen to be extremely problematic in the Adirondacks.  Both the trail network at Brandon Gap and trails in the Adirondacks can have negative effects on the surrounding ecosystems if the trails are built straight upward instead of a traverse style, and if large obstacles such as fallen trees are not promptly removed.  

In some of the early sections of the hike, we encountered some very steep uphill trails.  These sections were all narrow, but clear of any natural obstacles.  The first thing we noticed was that water was running down these trails, even though it was not raining.  On days when it does rain, these trails turn into narrow streams of gushing water. This quickly becomes an issue during the warmer months because the trail and its immediate surroundings experience significant erosion.  The erosion on this trail was especially evident toward the bottom where we started.  Large pools of water and piles of soil meant that the running water was carrying soil and nutrients to the bottom of the trail from where they had nowhere to go.  In the upper sections of the trail however, we encountered mostly traverses.  Traverses are better not only for the topography of an ecosystem, but they also last much longer without need of repair.  This is because the amount of erosion is much lower. When erosion is not as much of an issue, trailbuilders are able to spend much less time adding soil and rocks to the trail bed so that hikers can get footholds.  

While trees or rocks falling onto a trail are not a huge issue by themselves, the problems are compounded by human laziness. Instead of walking over the tree and therefore staying on the created trail, people walk around falled trees.  In doing so, a new side trail is created around the obstacle. Over time, this is a major cause of trail widening. This becomes an issue because a trail that only needs to be six feet wide ends up being twenty feet across, thus encroaching on wildlife territory.  Over time, trail systems begin to take up way too much space for no good reason.  Fallen trees can be especially bad during the winter because uphill skiers cannot go over, they must travel around, and in the process destroy wildlife. When trailbuilders keep these issues in mind, they can not only preserve more wildlife, but also decrease the necessity for constant trail maintenance. 

Council, Adirondack. “Overuse Degrades Adirondack High Peaks Trails: Redesigning and Rebuilding Trails Can Help Solve Problem.” Adirondack Council, https://www.adirondackcouncil.org/page/blog-139/news/overuse-degrades-adirondack-high-peaks-trails–redesigning-and-rebuilding-trails-can-help-solve-problem-1166.html. 

USGS. “Sustainably Designed Trails: Recent Recreation Ecology Findings on Design Factors Affecting Soil Loss.” Sustainably Designed Trails: Recent Recreation Ecology Findings on Design Factors Affecting Soil Loss, https://www.usgs.gov/centers/pwrc/science/sustainably-designed-trails-recent-recreation-ecology-findings-design-factors. 

Driving up Rt. 87, it’s easy to dismiss the fact that the Adirondacks once represented an international mining hub and even that the park continues to be a major source of raw wood product. Driving into the adirondacks along any major highway, feels quite similar to driving along any other highway in the mountainous East Coast.  Lots of trees, lots of hills, a few mountains, the occasional massive rest stop and of course, lots of cars.  When I drive up Rt. 87 either to ski at Whiteface or Gore, or to come to school in Vermont, the last thing I consider is that the Adirondacks and much of upstate New York both above and below Albany once represented one of the largest mining operations in the world.

In peak years of production, more specifically during the second world war, the Adirondacks supplied as much as 5,000,000 tons of crude iron ore.  In addition to iron, mines in the park took advantage of other metals and nonmetals such as graphite, magnetite, hematite, titanium, zinc, silver, bluestone, granite, and slate amongst many others.  Thus, after the early years of speculation in the park, mines popped up all over. With those mines, came small mining towns in which the economy solely revolved around one industry.  If the mining industry were to fail, which in almost all towns it did, so did the grocery store, the hardware store, and the local school.  

A place that has always felt eerily similar to much of the Adirondacks is lower Appalachia.  Old coal mining towns litter West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina.  Schools are run down and decrepit along with the towns that surround them.  This is arguably one of the most significant failures of the extractionist economical mindset.  Coal mining companies mined coal en masse throughout southern Appalachia until the domestic economy no longer wanted to burn the nasty substance.  So instead, they packed up their trucks, equipment and executives and began drilling for the next big thing:oil.  In doing so, companies left their lymphatic and fibrosis riddled workers behind, with no economy to support them.  

Even though there is certainly no less need for iron and steel today, mines across the Adirondacks have closed, or at least cut production significantly.  There are a variety of reasons for this shift.  Not only is it harder to reach untapped areas, but it is also tough to extract raw materials from the mountainous regions.  At the end of the day however, it’s cheaper for companies like Imerys to pay Mexican workers 10 USD a day to do the same work that American workers charge 150 USD.  

Back to not being able to tell there are mines… There certainly were.  Since the end of the war, mines have steadily closed and many that promised to generate more jobs such as the NYCO transfer simply went nowhere.  Open pit mines are now filled with water and look like deep blue lakes, while the areas around the pits have completely grown back in the decades since their use.  Mining shafts and giant blast furnaces are covered with growth and sit in decay.  And unfortunately, so do many towns.

Anderson, Sven A., and Augustus Jones. “Iron in the Adirondacks.” Economic Geography, vol. 21, no. 4, [Clark University, Wiley], 1945, pp. 276–85, https://doi.org/10.2307/140996.

Odato, James. “NYCO Land Swap Has Failed to Save Jobs.” Adirondack Explorer, 30 Oct. 2018, https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/nyco-land-swap-has-failed-to-save-jobs.

Protecting water in the Adirondacks

The Adirondacks represent a complex system of land, water, and wildlife in which humans in the 21st century must coexist.  The inevitable result of intermingling between wild Adirondack ecosystems and humans, is the destruction of that wildlife. There is much debate on how to better protect land based wildlife in the park, but significantly less focus is spent on water even though it may well be more important.  This lack of focus from the general public likely stems from an approachable appreciation for large land mammals such as bears and moose.  These giant roamers are popularized by American culture which results in a strong “Protect the bears!” mentality while giving way on a “Protect the trout!” mentality. Adirondack lakes and  ponds are in some cases highly protected from human traffic and interaction, but in the majority of cases, see a duality of natural and man-made harm.  

Most of  the natural harm that comes to bodies of water in the adirondacks is the result of algal bloom.  A bacteria called cyanobacteria can rapidly multiply and expand in relatively-still water such as lakes.  During the warmer months, cyanobacteria can take advantage of decomposing or soon to decompose matter as a nutrient source. Although cyanobacteria is photosynthetic, nitrates and phosphates which often come from man made fertilizers boost its growth exponentially.  In the case of highly isolated lakes and ponds, algae can use decomposing natural matter as that same boost.  While fertilizer use during the winter months is prohibited, there is little to no legislation regarding the use of nitrogenous fertilizers during the warmer seasons.  Therefore, some of the lakes bordering more populated towns are at higher risk for fertilizers harming water quality. When lakes have significant algal bloom, fish and plant populations within the water may die off because the water becomes toxic.  Even though not all cyanobacterial blooms are toxic, they always offset the nutrient balance within an ecosystem.  

The other end of the spectrum comes from direct human sources.  Even though the Adirondack Park was initially created to be a wildlife preserve with economic extraction on the side, the reverse is true in many places. Out of the 100 largest lakes in the park by acreage, 77 allow for general public use.  This means that all of these lakes have roads, infrastructure, and most importantly, boat launches.  Both visitors and locals have the ability to use motorized boats on the water.  This not only depletes the obvious serenity of a lake, but boats also leak oil and other nasty fuels from their motors.  Over time, this can generate an adverse effect on wildlife dependent on a lake.  Of the remaining 23 lakes, 13 are privately owned, 5 are motorless lakes, and 3 are motorless but completely inaccessible. This means that out of the 100 largest lakes in the park, only 8 are remotely close to being fully forever wild.  Another major detriment comes from road  salt application.  Thousands of tons of road salt are applied to roads each winter in the adirondacks. When snow and ice melt, the runoff water goes straight into drainage systems and lakes.  The increase of salinity in lakes begins to create a toxic environment for wildlife. Protecting lakes and other bodies of water in the park is crucial in retaining equilibrium of wildlife.  Land species, not to mention humans, use lake water to drink  and plants rely on lake water to keep the water table high in drier months.  Protecting water should be just as high of a priority as protecting land wildlife.  

Covill, Kimberly. “Water in the Adirondacks.” St. Lawrence University Magazine, 20 Apr. 2017, https://magazine.stlawu.edu/spring-2017/water-adirondacks. 

Protect the Adirondacks. The Myth of Quiet, Motor-Free Waters in the Adirondack Park. Protect the Adirondacks, May 2013, https://www.protectadks.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Motor-free-Waters-Report-web-version.pdf. 

“Harmful Algal Blooms – a Toxic Hazard in the Adirondacks.” Adirondack.net, https://www.adirondack.net/invasives-harmful-plants/harmful-algal-blooms/. 

The Village Of Lake Placid has been the stage for two Olympic games, most recently in 1980.  Having been a frequent visitor to the town, it is clear that much of the town is stuck in the 80’s.  This is largely due to an aging population and little desire to revamp the town’s infrastructure.  As a result, the town, which sits next to Mirror lake, has had several negative effects on local water quality.  The much larger Lake Placid remains comparatively uninhabited except for homes and cabins along the water. This has prevented any major damage to the wildlife and water quality in the Lake. 

Mirror Lake on the other hand, gets direct runoff from a downward-sloping town full of old roads.  In the winter months, Lake Placid deals with nasty road ice and several feet of snow with intense road salt and sand application.  While this keeps roads safe for drivers, the effects of salt entering the water systems have such negative effects that many parks in the Western U.S like Yellowstone and Teton have banned road salt entirely.  The result is the legal requirement for all road vehicles to be equipped with expensive snow tires, and on many canyon passes, four wheel drive.  Water testing in Mirror Lake displays a salt level higher than 97% of other lakes in the Adirondacks.  Higher sodium and chloride levels, paired with higher levels of phosphorus increase the likelihood for algal bloom in the lake.  Luckily, in that regard, Mirror Lake is relatively nutrient low or oligotrophic, so algal bloom is unlikely.  The 2019 Mirror Lake water report states that “Significant long-term upward trends in conductivity, sodium, and chloride remain. Elevated bottom water chloride concentrations were documented and evidence exists that this is impeding the natural turnover of the lake in the spring. The disruption of this important physical process has the potential for the greatest negative effect on aquatic life. The highest chloride concentrations ever reported for the lake (129 mg/L) were observed in February and March.”(Ausable River Association)  At its highest level, the Chloride concentration nearly resembled brackish water. In terms of salinity however, the concentration remains at a lower safety.

If the Adirondacks do not ban the use of road salt however, several questions arise as to what can be done.  This summer, with New York state funding, Lake Placid has begun construction of a $15 million dollar infrastructure plan.  There are two main focuses that may help the salt situation in Mirror Lake.  The first is permeable and porous pavement. Porous pavement allows liquid runoff to enter the soil beneath the pavement instead of running in large amounts directly into reservoirs and lakes. By allowing the water to seep into the soil, the earth purifies much of the groundwater as it travels. This step is key in using the soil as a natural filtration system.  What little water makes it into lakes and streams ends up being significantly cleaner than direct runoff.  While most of the permeable pavement being added right now is in the form of sidewalks and parking lots, roads are expected to be replaced within the next few years as well.  The other half of the Lake Placid infrastructure plan involves new pipe and sewage systems under the road.  The old pipes were badly corroded and in need of replacement to prevent seepage.  By adding in quality piping, the town can be sure that no leaks occur out of sight.  

Porous Concrete

“Hochul Touts Environmental, Economic Projects in the Adirondacks.” Adirondack Explorer, 24 Sept. 2021, https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/hochul-touts-lake-placid-stormwater-project. 

“Mirror Lake.” Ausable River Association, https://www.ausableriver.org/watershed/lakes/mirror-lake. 

“Porous Pavement.” Megamanual.geosyntec.com, https://megamanual.geosyntec.com/npsmanual/porouspavement.aspx. 

The Adirondack park represents, to most of us, an idyllic haven composed of “forever wild” forests, lakes and mountains.  In many parts of the park, this is in-fact the case.  Aside from sparse dirt roads, rare hiking trails and the occasional cabin, about 2.6 million acres within the Adirondack park must stay “forever wild”.  The other side of the coin however, represents privately owned tracks of land within the park.  The majority of private lands within the Adirondacks belong to small-scale landowners, most of whom reside within the 105 small towns and villages within the park.  On these smaller tracks of land, some landowners try their luck with small scale farming or livestock raising.  

Another large portion of the private land is owned by large logging companies.  The two largest players in the industry are a Mississippi company called Molpus Woodlands Group and Lyme Timber, based out of New Hampshire.  While these companies must abide by a slew of tight regulations set in place by the park and State, they still have annual quotas that need to be made.  Combined, these two groups alone own approximately 500,000 acres of land.  The timber industry in the state of New York directly employs at least 40,000 people and indirectly employs another 55,000 workers.  Many of the workers directly employed by the timber industry live in the Adirondack park and rely on the industry to retain a livelihood.  Unfortunately, this livelihood which sustains many small towns is dependent on the destruction of a mixture of secondary and tertiary growth.  Most forested areas used for timber are regulated and watched carefully so that regrowth occurs faster than logging.  In some areas unfortunately, regrowth barely occurs at a 1 to 1 ratio.

Wood Products Development Council Of New York

The mining industry, which is no longer a major player in the Adirondack economy, once represented a great deal of economic possibility for both new companies and many migrant workers.  Immigrants fresh of the docks in New York were often recruited, despite nationality which, for a time, added a great deal of diversity to the park.  Unfortunately, when the state decided to close down the mining industry in the state, many of these workers were forced to return to the city in search of work.  Thus, much of the diversity left with them. Many of those who stayed behind joined the logging industry.

Alongside logging, the tourism industry in the Adirondack park is a massive source of economic activity.  Ski mountains, hotels, boutique shops, rafting, fishing, hunting and restaurants all depend heavily on tourists from all over.  Most of the tourism industry relies on the Winter and Summer months to produce enough cashflow to last through mud season.  Each year, more than ten million tourists visit the park and more importantly, spend their money! The tourism industry in the park represents a whopping 17% of the labor force, compared to only 9% in the city.  

Again however, the question of “forever wild” arises.  Tourists dont only bring money, they also bring their crap.  Trash being left on trails, destruction of natural lands, and increased need of infrastructural maintenance are all results of so many folks visiting areas that simply arent built for thousands of people at a time. During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, local officials considered limiting the number of people entering the park and using trails because maintenance could not keep up-especially with an endangered labror force.

New York Regional Tourism Employment Rates

Heller, Marc. “Timber for Profit: Clearcutting Fight Erupts in Adirondacks.” Subscriber.politicopro.com, E&E News, 29 Oct. 2020, 1:42PM, subscriber.politicopro.com/article/eenews/1063717351.

Tourpro. “Tourism Impact in the Adirondacks.” Adirondack Base Camp, 30 Mar. 2011, www.adirondackbasecamp.com/2008/09/tourism-impact-adirondacks/.

“Economic Value of New York’s Forest Resource.” New York State Wood Products, Wood Products Development Council, woodproducts.ny.gov/economic-value-new-yorks-forest-resource.

Rowland, Tim. “Molpus Woodlands Is the Park’s Largest Landowner.” Adirondack Explorer, 8 Feb. 2021, www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/molpus-woodlands.

Depalma, Anthony. “Logging Is Part of a Plan to Preserve Adirondacks.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 29 Oct. 2007, www.nytimes.com/2007/10/29/nyregion/29adirondacks.html.