The New York constitution was missing a statement that protects the state’s Environment, and most importantly, clean air and clean water. On November 2nd of this year, a vote was cast on the proposal to “add a right to clean water, clean air, and a healthful environment to the New York Constitution’s Bill of Rights,” (Ballotpedia, 2021). The legislation passed with not much backlash and New York State will now join six other states that have also made this leap. (Gutierrez, 2021) Publicly, the idea had a lot of support, and the only backlash was from Republican political figures. The ironic part about the backlash is that many of these Republican lawmakers work inside the Adirondack Park, the most serene and natural piece of the state. (Craig, 2021) While this amendment may not have a direct impact on the Adirondacks, it is a step in the right direction for the state and now that the law has been passed it makes it easier to pass future environmental policy legislation, which would have an effect on the Park.

On November 2nd, the amendment was put into effect immediately after the overwhelming majority voted for it. (Gutierrez, 2021) How does this amendment constitute change? The biggest impact the amendment has is the regulations that are put on new developments and the emissions from large factories and plants. The executive director of Environmental Advocates, Peter Iwanowicz, says that the amendment “could help prevent pollution and environmental damage before it happens,” (De Socio, 2021). The law for clean air and clean water promotes human health and works to prevent climate change and protect the land. It generally would be beneficial to all citizens and has been successful in other states where it has been implemented. So who was against the proposal?

The backlash came from the more conservative legislature seen in upstate New York. According to Mike De Socio of the Adirondack Explorer, “some Republican lawmakers cited concerns that the amendment would lead to a flood of litigation” (De Socio, 2021). The argument coming from these lawmakers does have some validity to it. One piece of their argument is that the definitions of what is clean in the amendment are quite ‘loose’ (Craig, 2021). Loose legislation leads to a higher frequency of lawsuits, which makes it hard to get anything done in the state. 

It is important to see both sides of the argument on amendments such as this because of factors that are not obvious like the word clean having a loose definition, resulting in a higher frequency of lawsuits. This clean air and water law was certainly worth the trouble for New York State and will help out a lot in the future when it is time for further environmental regulations within the Adirondacks. Since the proposal passed with an overwhelming majority, it can be assumed that N.Y. citizens support environmental policy and will work to protect their state’s 6 million acre park.  

Literature Cited

BallotPedia. (2021). New York Proposal 2, Environmental Rights Amendment (2021). https://ballotpedia.org/New_York_Proposal_2,Environmental_Rights_Amendment(2021)

Craig, G. (January 2021). Adirondack lawmakers wary of adding clean air and water to state bill of rights. Adirondack Explorer. https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/adirondack-lawmakers-wary-of-adding-clean-air-and-water-to-state-bill-of-rights

De Socio, M. (September 2021). On the ballot this fall: Adding clean air and water to state bill of rights. Adirondack Explorer. https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/green-amendment-before-voters

Gutiérrez, Nydia. (November 3, 2021). Environmental Rights Amendment Passes In New York. Earth Justice. https://earthjustice.org/news/press/2021/environmental-rights-amendment-passes-in-new-york

Everyone remembers the childhood field trips and camps that took them into nature and allowed them to explore the world around them. But what if you grow up in a place where you are constantly surrounded by pristine landscapes and wilderness? Do you still need school programs that help you to appreciate and understand nature? Or is that ingrained in your mind from the day you were born? For this blog I wanted to explore the accessibility of outdoor engagement opportunities for kids in the Adirondacks. The region, like many rural areas, has a variety of summer opportunities that are designed to keep kids busy when school’s out, but what separates the Adirondacks is the outdoor engagement programs that are available within the curriculum of many public and private schools. 

The summer opportunities within the park are great, but programs like the Marie L. Haberl School Outreach Program forces kids to get the exposure they need without wasting any summer time and at no cost. The Haberl program is run by the Adirondack Mountain Club and is used by thirteen different schools in the Adirondacks. Schools participating in the program include the Keene Central School, Lake Placid School, and Long Lake Central School, which all have vast trails and mountains around them to explore. (Newell, 2020) Adirondack Mountain Club educators work both within the classroom and in the outdoors with 4th graders. The learning goals that the educators have line up with the science curriculum of New York State, and help students to learn material on the state science exam. (Newell, 2020) I think that this program is so impactful on nine to ten year olds because it is accessible to all, and because it is weaved into their science class. It requires no extra effort by parents and balances classroom learning and nature exploration.

The Northwood School offers a special opportunity for students to learn by putting an emphasis on outdoor learning, community engagement, and outdoor recreation. The Northwood School is a private boarding school right on Lake Placid. The school is not quite as accessible as the Haberl program, but for those with the resources, it offers high schooler kids a chance to get outdoors with a purpose. The school holds a mountain day every year (in which all students hike different peaks in the area) and offers a variety of classes on outdoor recreation and conservation that utilize the area for learning. (Northwood School, 2021)

Technology today makes it easier than ever for kids to spend their time indoors, on a screen, instead of outside–even if they live in the Adirondack Park. However, with active efforts by outdoor educators, especially in younger grades, kids will get excited to utilize their new knowledge and show it off to others. After researching this topic, it is apparent that efforts are made in the Adirondack Park to teach kids about the natural world, but it also led me to believe that the majority of the state lacks this aspect of education. If Adirondack schools have to make an extra effort to teach their students about the outdoors, are the kids outside the blue line missing out?

Literature Cited

Adirondack Mountain Club. (2020). Three Seasons At Heart Lake. https://www.adk.org/explore-adk/three-seasons-at-heart-lake/

Northwood School. (2021). Outdoor Recreation. https://www.northwoodschool.org/campus-life/outdoor-recreation

In October 2021, Elk Lake Lodge owner John Ernst was appointed chair of the APA. Although John Ernst may be an outsider to the Park because he resides in NYC, he has done more to preserve the high peaks area than any local, and for that reason he deserves his appointment as chair of the APA.

The Adirondack Park Agency has been operating without a chair for 2 and half years and henceforth, has not been able to conduct the same level of planning for the region. The APA is a state funded program that “is responsible for maintaining the protection of the forest preserve, and overseeing development proposals of the privately owned lands” (Adirondack Park Agency, N.D.). The agency has been missing a chair since the previous one left in May of 2019. Much has happened in the region since then and the APA has had no one to ‘lead the charge’ on projects. 

There are some obvious reservations about Ernst from APA board members and locals because of his age and where he lives, but everyone can agree he is committed to protecting the Park and has the experience to do it the right way. Ernst has been active in countless Adirondack organizations as well as different roles in the APA itself. (Craig, 2021) However, some people are upset with Ernst’s appointment because he primarily lives in New York City. An executive director of the Park’s review board did not approve of Governor Hochul’s decision, “I’m extremely disappointed that this new precedent is being set, that somebody who lives and works outside the park now gets to have so much power over the people in the park” (Craig, 2021). The director, later in his interview, added “‘I’m glad the countdown is over,” Delaney said. “The Adirondacks have suffered from not having a chair’” (Craig, 2021). While Ernst may seem like a strange choice to some locals, he brings the experience that is necessary to move the Adirondacks forward.

The Elk Lake Lodge, owned by John Ernst, has donated his property as a conservation easement, ensuring that the property can never be developed further. A conservation easement means that while the lodge will still be allowed to operate, and forestry will still take place on the property, the property rights that allow the owners to develop further have been stripped away. (Knight, 2013) Mike Carr, who represents the Nature Conservancy in the Adirondacks commented on the significance of the easement, “It’s a gift to the people… you look at it on a map and you see the context and the continuity across Elk Lake, Boreas Ponds, the High Peaks Wilderness and the AuSable Club to the north” (Knight, 2013). 

Those who live within the boundaries of the Adirondacks often feel as though they are being controlled by an outside source. In many cases, this results in negative outcomes for the locals, as outsiders are concerned primarily with the profits they can accrue from the land. John Ernst is not one of these people though, and he has proved this through his generosity and volunteer time donated to the park.

Literature Cited

Adirondack Park Agency. (N.D.). Overview of APA Responsibilities and Mission. New York State Government. https://apa.ny.gov/About_Agency/responsibilities.htm

Craig, Gwendolyn. (October 20th 2021). Hochul appoint John Ernst APA chairman. Adirondack Explorer. https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/hochul-appoints-john-ernst-apa-chairman

Knight, Chris. (January 2013). Elk Lake preserve protected with easement deal. Adirondack daily Enterprise. https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/local-news/2013/01/elk-lake-preserve-protected-with-easement-deal/

While the closed border between the U.S. and Canada has had significant economic costs in Upstate New York, it increased the region’s exposure to local U.S. citizens; so–in the long run– businesses will benefit when Canadians come back. 

Canada’s border is reopening in November for the first time in 19 months and it will result in a boost to the economy of Upstate New York and the Adirondack area especially. The Adirondacks will be impacted because of the natural wilderness and mountains that cover 6 million acres of land. For many Canadians, the Adirondacks is a haven of wildlife and wilderness that they have been visiting for their entire lives. Opening the border between the two countries is long overdue and something that Republicans and Democrats have been pushing for. Due to the high vaccination rates and low COVID numbers within Canada it makes no sense for the U.S. to keep the border closed. The only issue once Canada does open the border is that they will require a covid test for when citizens come back into the country. The test seems minor, but in reality, it will deter many day-trippers simply looking for a nice hike or ski day at Whiteface. However, I believe that this safety measure will be lifted soon. In the meantime though, many Canadiens will still be itching to get to the Land of the Free for family, friends, views and lower taxes. 

Summer generally brings the most Canadiens into the Park because of hiking and other recreational activities, but the fall and winter seasons also have some pull for Canadians. The true impact of the border opening may not be seen until the summer, but the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism in the Lake Placid area says that they are hoping to market the winter appeal. COO of ROOST, Mary Jane Lawrence, told the Adirondack Explorer that she plans to “promote the region, via social media marketing, to travelers from Quebec and Ontario as a “winter wonderland”” (De Socio, 2021). It does seem a little flawed to market the Adirondacks as a ‘winter wonderland’ to Canadian neighbors, who generally receive more snow and have larger ski areas closer. However, this marketing move shows that the region is confident that Canadiens will be determined to visit even with the safety measures and inconveniences. Whether they actually will come is yet to be determined, but Adirondack locals are ready to accept them.

The decrease in Canadian visitors in the last two years has caused Adirondack businesses to change course from purely tourist destinations to embracing the local communities. The loss of visitors from the north does not mean that there were no tourists in the area, but the loss of that revenue forced many business owners to rethink who their consumers were. Now, with the border open again, businesses will prosper as they now serve locals, U.S. tourists, and Canadians.

Literature Cited

De Socio, Mike. (October 2021). Business leaders, attractions and politicians hail Canadian border reopening, yet keep cautious outlook. https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/border-boom

McKinley, Jesse. (October 2021). Border With Canada to Open, and North Country ‘Could Not Be Happier’. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/14/nyregion/us-canada-border.html

In the past year the Department of Transportation in New York has limited the parking along Route 73, a road that goes right through arguably one of the most beautiful part of the Adirondack Park. The restrictions were enforced make the road safer, but it helped to reduce the number of hikers in an area where trails are starting to erode. I believe that limiting the parking for visitors of this area will be beneficial because it will allow trails to be more sustainable and hikers to feel more immersed in nature.

As I turned on to Route 73 in late June of this summer I rolled down the windows to breathe in the crisp air that I can never find at home. The journey along Route 73 to Keene Valley is brief, but it is the most interesting part of the drive as the scenery of the Adirondacks opens up more with each turn of the tire. Normally I expect to see the highway lined with cars, but when I passed by the turnoffs, I saw metal poles lining the shoulder of the highway instead. Once I got to Keene Valley I asked my brother why there were metal posts in the parking areas. He told me that they were to reduce visitors in the area and force people to use the well marked but small parking lots instead. Upon further investigation of the topic I found out that while there is a push to limit visitors in the high peaks region from both the DEC and APA, the parking restriction came from the Department of Transportation. The parking restriction is actually a matter of pedestrian safety although it helps to accomplish what the DEC and APA have been pushing for years–limiting hikers in the high peaks area. The irony of this restriction is that Department of transportation was able to shortcut the politics that the DEC and APA juggle between conservationists, hikers, and locals.

There is certainly pushback from some groups of hikers and locals that want easy access as well as business. For now, however, it seems the conservation groups have the upper hand, but I would not be surprised if the pendulum swings back to the hikers and locals in the future.

I believe in these restrictions on visitors because I think it will help to keep trails safer and in better condition and will also help to enhance each hiker’s experience. However, my views on this topic are probably fairly biased since I spend a lot of time in the area and selfishly would like to see less people in the place I visit. Like nearly all issues that we have discussed so far about conservation in the Park, there is no clear “correct” answer on whether there should be restrictions on visitors. My opinion is yes, but I would like to hear all of yours. What would you like to see happen in the high peaks region?

Literature Cited

Brown, Phil. (April, 2021). Route 73 pull-off closures cut parking for hikers, climbers. https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/route-73-pull-off-closures-cut-parking-for-hikers-climbers

Matson, Z. (September, 2021). Adirondack Council calls for state investment sustainable backcountry trail design. https://dailygazette.com/2021/09/27/adirondack-council-calls-for-state-investment-sustainable-backcountry-trail-design/

The raid of the armory in Harpers ferry, Virginia led by John Brown is incredibly well known and a date to remember for most U.S. History students. However, John Brown’s personal journey as an abolitionist is less well known, and his dealings in the Adirondacks even less so. Brown lived on a farm in the town of North Elba, located near Lake Placid, between 1849 and 1855 (and kept the land even after he moved). John Brown, along with a wealthy social reformer named Gerrit Smith, helped get black residents from New York land in the Adirondacks. John Brown’s story and energetic fight against slavery is still powerful today, and his farm attracts visitors to the Lake Placid area in the Adirondacks, but his and Gerritt Smith’s story in the Adirondacks is largely forgotten.

Gerrit Smith was a real estate baron in the Adirondacks who wanted to give land to black New York residents for a couple different reasons. The first reason Smith was donating this land to black residents is because of the New York State law that required African-Americans to own $250 of real estate in order to vote. So even if black residents who got this land did not use it, they could still keep ownership of it in order to secure their vote. Smith handed out free land was to encourage black residents to move out of urban areas and give them the chance to enjoy the beauties of the Adirondacks, while learning how to farm and survive in the climate. Three years into the project, Smith gave a plot of land to John Brown and his family with the agreement that he would help settle the black families moving into North Elba. Brown had yet to complete any violent raids that he is famous for such as the Pottawatomie Massacre or Harpers Ferry. Even before these famous acts of violence, John Brown was still an active and committed abolitionist who was looking to help out African-Americans in any way possible. 

Unfortunately, Smith’s vision in North Elba was not successful as the new residents found it difficult to adjust to life in the Adirondacks. By 1855, nine years after the project was started, pretty much all of the people Smith had recruited were gone. 

Gerritt Smith and John Brown’s project in the Adirondacks is not displayed or advertised well by the Park. Adirondack.net comments on Smith’s project commonly called Timbuctoo, “Today, Timbuctoo is mostly a lost part of Adirondack history. There are no remnants of settlers’ cabins, no historic markers, and no signage,” (Adirondack.net, 2021). It is hard to tell whether Timbuctoo is “lost” because it was just an insignificant part of history, or because no politician or person of power in that area has wanted to promote the story. Whatever the case is, I think this is a story that the Adirondacks and Lake Placid should be celebrating because it shows the Adirondacks has been a haven for minorities, and not just an area that was taken from Native Americans.

Literature Cited

Adirondack.net . (2021). Timbuctoo. https://www.adirondack.net/history/timbuctoo/

Figura, D. (October, 2020). Abolitionist John Brown’s ties to the Adirondacks, why it matters today. https://www.newyorkupstate.com/adirondacks/2020/10/abolitionist-john-browns-ties-to-the-adirondacks-why-it-matters-today.html

National Park Service. (2021). John Brown https://www.nps.gov/hafe/learn/historyculture/john-brown.htm

New York state is currently missing a statement in their state constitution that gives citizens the right to clean air, clean water. Most likely, this will change on November 2nd when a vote is cast on “adding a right to clean water, clean air, and a healthful environment to the New York Constitution’s Bill of Rights.” If this is passed New York state will join 6 other states that have also made this leap. Publicly, this idea has a lot of support, but there is some backlash primarily from Republican political figures. The ironic part about the backlash is that many of these Republican lawmakers work inside the Adirondack Park, the most serene and natural piece of the state. While the amendment, if passed, may not have a huge impact on the Adirondacks, it is a step in the right direction for the state and makes it easier to pass further legislation in the future.

On November 2nd the amendment just needs a majority from voters and it will be put into effect immediately. How will this amendment constitute change? The biggest impact the amendment would have would be the regulations it would put on new developments and the emissions from large factories and plants. The executive director of Environmental Advocates, Peter Iwanowicz, says that the amendment “could help prevent pollution and environmental damage before it happens.” The proposal for clean air and clean water is both a matter of human health, as well as preventing climate change and protecting the land. It generally would be beneficial to all citizens and has been successful in other states where it has been implemented. So who is against the proposal?

The backlash comes from the more conservative legislature seen in upstate New York. According to Mike De Socio of the Adirondack Explorer “Some Republican lawmakers have cited concerns that the amendment would lead to a flood of litigation.” The argument coming from these lawmakers does have some validity to it. One piece of their argument is that the definitions of what is clean in the amendment is quite “loose.” Loose legislation leads to higher frequency of lawsuits which makes it hard to get anything done in the state. 

It is important to see both sides of the argument on issues like this one because of the factors that are below the surface, such as the higher frequency of lawsuits. This Clean air and water proposal is certainly worth the trouble for New York state and will help out a lot in the future when it is time for further environmental regulations.

Literature Cited

BallotPedia. (2021). New York Proposal 2, Environmental Rights Amendment (2021). https://ballotpedia.org/New_York_Proposal_2,Environmental_Rights_Amendment(2021)

Craig, G. (January 2021). Adirondack lawmakers wary of adding clean air and water to state bill of rights. Adirondack Explorer. https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/adirondack-lawmakers-wary-of-adding-clean-air-and-water-to-state-bill-of-rights

De Socio, M. (September 2021). On the ballot this fall: Adding clean air and water to state bill of rights. Adirondack Explorer. https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/green-amendment-before-voters

The Adirondack Park is one of 63 National Parks in the United States. The Park is unique because it has both public and privately owned land within the 6 million acres of land. Figure 1 shows the breakdown of how this land is distributed. I believe that the private and public ownership seen in the Park benefits the Adirondacks as a whole, even with the conflicts it may cause.

Figure 1. A pie chart depicting land distribution in the Adirondacks. https://wildadirondacks.org/forever-wild-the-adirondack-park.html

Public lands and private lands are sometimes not clearly distinguished in the Adirondack Park, and can cause visitors confusion while hiking, biking, or swimming. Kevin Kelley says, “Public and private lands are not neatly separated in the Adirondack Park, which encompasses an area about the size of the entire state of Vermont.” Land that is private may seem obvious in some residential areas or towns, but in the majority of the Parks areas it would be impossible to tell if someone was to walk through private property. 

Figure 2. A map showing land distribution in the Adirondack Park.

https://apa.ny.gov/gis/

The overwhelming majority of National Parks are exclusively under public ownership and the laws and regulations within them are made by congress. The Adirondack Park on the other hand is guided by the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) which is a segment of the New York state government. The APA is particularly important in defining zoning rules for towns within the park which protects animals, land, and controls the number of visitors. Up until 1971, when the APA was created, laws within the Adirondacks were actually made by local governments. Kevin Kelley of Seven Days, a Vermont Business magazine, commented on the importance of switching to state regulations from local: “The move to empower the state to regulate development in towns inside the park represented a historic shift, McKeever points out. Previously, New York allowed its localities to set their own zoning rules.” With the state government creating these regulations it allows for more continuity within the different communities. In general, this helps to keep communities in check so that they do not make zoning decisions based on potential economic benefits.

It is difficult to avoid conflict between developers and APA in the Adirondack Park, where there are full time residents that are given specific laws about what they can build and use in communities. A group called the Adirondack Landowners Association helps to protect landowners in disputes against the government. In the ALA’s website they have a section about property rights which outlines why conflict comes up between groups in this Park specifically: 

“Private property within a park is an unusual arrangement.  Unfortunately, it periodically results in challenges to the property rights that form the foundation of stable ownership and long-term stewardship, which benefits all who love the Adirondacks. The ALA is a leader in protecting the property rights of Adirondack landowners.” 

Despite these conflicts that come up, the Adirondacks is a good representation of man and nature coexisting in a way that benefits both. The Adirondacks does not regulate to the extreme of some of the other national parks which contain no private land or have harsher laws, but in many ways it is a system that works better and encourages more visitors while still maintaining the wilderness. 

Literature Cited

Adirondack Park Agency. “Laws, Regulations, and Standards” . 2021 . https://www.apa.ny.gov/Documents/Laws_Regs_Standrds.html

Adirondack Landowners Association . “Issues” . 2018 . http://www.adklandowners.org/issues

Kelly, Kevin J. . “WTF: With Both Private and “Forever Wild” Land, How Does the Adirondack State Park Work?” . 2014 . https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/with-both-private-and-forever-wild-land-how-does-the-adirondack-state-park-work/Content?oid=2401947

National Park Service . “Laws, Policies, and Regulations” . 2021 . https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/lawsandpolicies.htm