Two-lane rural highways choked with cars. Traffic winding along remote country roads. Miles long backups fill the mountain air with acrid exhaust. For many, this is the reality of traveling to the Adirondacks in the summer months, especially during weekends and holidays. However, driving to the Adirondacks was an impossibility until the expansion of state and federal highway systems in the mid twentieth century. Before then, railroads were the main avenue of transportation for tourists. Comparing railroads and highways as forms of transportation in the Adirondacks, railroads first opened up the region to tourism but declined steeply in usage, while highways expanded rapidly in the 20th century and serve as the main means of accessing the region today.

The expansion of railroads in the 19th century first opened up the Adirondacks from relative isolation to tourism. Up to the mid-19th century, the Adirondacks were populated with mostly subsistence farmers and hunters. (Pulling, 2014). Railroads expanded into the Adirondacks in the 19th century, with the completion of the Adirondack Railway in 1871. The Adirondack Railway brought wealthy tourists up from New York City to summer homes and resort hotels, establishing the Adirondacks as a major vacation destination (All Aboard For A History Of Train Transportation In The Adirondacks, 2019). Empowered by the ease of rail travel, the number of tourists increased dramatically in the Adirondacks at the turn of the 20th century. However, railroad use as a whole reduced significantly in the latter half of the 20th century. The decline of industry in the Adirondacks, including logging, mining, and tanneries, led to the shuttering of many rail lines (Smith, 2013). Today, there is only Amtrak service through the Adirondack Park. The Adirondack Train is an Amtrak route that runs from New York City, through Albany and the Adirondack Park, and up to Montreal (Adirondack Train, 2021). There are several stops on the route in the eastern portion of the Adirondack Park along Lake Champlain. The annual ridership for the Adirondack Train is 132,000 people (Anderson, 2012). Although its role in the Adirondacks has diminished, rail travel to the Adirondacks is still possible, albeit in a limited capacity.

Highways and other roads facilitate the vast majority of transportation in the Adirondack Park today. Private cars and buses use highways, especially the Adirondack Northway, for transportation in the Park. The Adirondack Northway is the stretch of Interstate 87 that runs through the Adirondack Park from Albany to the Canadian border. The construction of the Adirondack Northway began in 1957 with the creation of the federal highway system. Construction was completed in 1967 (About the Adirondack Park, 2021). The Adirondack Northway made the region accessible to modern American tourism. The Adirondack Northway serves an estimated 10 million people that visit the Adirondack Park annually, providing access to the Park from New England and downstate New York (Pulling, 2014). The Adirondack Northway’s usage dwarfs the Amtrak annual ridership. The New York State Highway system is another crucial road network for tourists in the Adirondacks. State Highways, like New York State Route 30, provide access to more remote tourist destinations that the Northway does not. Also, sections of New York State Highways in the Adirondacks are labeled as “scenic byways,” meaning the roads themselves are tourist destinations. Scenic byways often provide stunning mountain views or lead to other unique attractions (VisitAdirondacks.com). It is clear that roads, especially the Adirondack Northway, are crucial to the transportation of tourists to the Adirondack Park. 

Tourism has been an integral part of the Adirondack story. Both railroads and cars brought tourists to the Adirondacks, but the decline in railroads was mirrored by the creation of road networks that continue to bring tourists to the region today.

References

About the Adirondack Park | Adirondack Council. (2021). Www.adirondackcouncil.org; Adirondack Council. https://www.adirondackcouncil.org/page/the-adirondack-park-19.html

Adirondack Train | Amtrak. (2021). Www.amtrak.com. https://www.amtrak.com/adirondack-train

All Aboard For A History Of Train Transportation In The Adirondacks. (2019). Adirondack.net. https://www.adirondack.net/history/automobiles/

Anderson, E. (2012, October 12). Amtrak sets new ridership record at 31.2M. Times Union; Hearst. https://www.timesunion.com/business/article/Amtrak-sets-new-ridership-record-at-31-2M-3941044.php

Pulling, J. (2014). Transportation and Tourism in the Adirondack Park: How the historical development of transportation and tourism shaped the culture of the Adirondacks Transportation and Tourism in the Adirondack Park How the historical development of transportation and tourism shaped the culture of the Adirondacks. INTRODUCTION. In Union Digital Works. Union College. https://digitalworks.union.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=summerfellowships

Smith, P. (2013, September 7). Adirondack Wilderness. Wildadirondacks.org. https://wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-wilderness.html

The Adirondack Northway – History Of Construction And Opposition. (2019). Www.adirondack.net. https://www.adirondack.net/history/adirondack-northway/VisitAdirondacks.com. (2021). Scenic Drives & Byways | Official Adirondack Region Website. Visitadirondacks.com; Adirondack Regional Tourism Council. https://visitadirondacks.com/what-to-do/scenic-drives-byways

“Wolves … change rivers.” I had been trying not to doze off as the bright October sun flooded into my Earth Systems classroom, my friday-afternoon-brain already enjoying its weekend respite. How. How can wolves change rivers? I sat up. Looked at the projector – rushing Yellowstone water and a munching moose – as George Monbiot carefully explained wolves’ ability to change ecosystems. To change abiotic features, not just biotic interactions.

That class carried me to Middlebury–ecological research and wild spaces–where my eyes absorb the vast High Peaks wilderness. Could wolves live there? Wolves are ecosystem engineers with vast impacts on ecological communities; wolf-reintroduction could contribute to rewilding the Adirondack State Park.

The foundations of Adirondack other discourses shape conversations about wolf-reintroduction in the Adirondack State Park. Adirondack disputes over ecological facts, property rights, and beliefs about nature’s role within a mostly-domesticated planet provoke intense debates regarding all conservation efforts in the area, including wolf restoration (Enck & Brown). These discussions often involve questions over the State’s right to institute high-impact (ecological and economic) policies without resident input. The delocalized model of management has caused conflict since the Park’s formation in 1892. Wolves manipulate large swaths of territory – in the park, they would do so irrespective of official land designations. Official land designations, specifically the minute differences between different classifications of wild lands (e.g. primitive area vs wilderness), although they might effect the expectations of human visitors. Wolves would impact human activities as they passed between parcels of land. The DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) claims that a decision to reintroduce wolves would require an “‘awful lot of analysis and evaluation and public engagement,’” (Lynch) making it impractical to consider given staff shortages and a focus on protecting already-present species.. 

Community views of wolf reintroduction may be more moderate than the DEC forecasted. A 2002 study found that 41.3% of the Blue-line population would be opposed to a wolf reintroduction program (Enck & Brown). These results reflected the general trend that “nearness of residents to a proposed restoration site” affects their willingness to consider wolf reinstatement. The study found 60.2% of state respondents in favor of restoration (Enck & Brown). Respondents outside of the Blue Line focused on conservation benefits rather than human-community impacts. These data are surprisingly favorable to wolves, given that only 50% of study respondents knew that wolves do not kill livestock and pets when they have access to abundant wildlife prey (Enck & Brown). There are an estimated 60,000-80,000 white-tailed deer in the Adirondack Park (Adirondacks Forever Wild) – an abundant food source for wolves – meaning wolves wouldn’t kill domesticated animals. Instead, they would stay in wild areas, hunting deer and shaping ecosystems. As they were always meant to. An education campaign highlighting wolves’ non-interference in society could improve willingness to consider reintegration.

While wildlife experts hope wolves may return to the Park (Lynch), data suggest that they could not make a return without human facilitation. The Park meets wolf habitat requirements and limitations as determined by peer-reviewed study of wolves and their niche, and could potentially become a “core habitat” of Eastern Timber Wolves (Harrison & Chapin). The landscape, with their presence, would return to a form closer to the original, natural version. Lake Champlain, the Saint Lawrence River, and expanses of agricultural and urban land separate the Park from existing wolf populations. Wolves often die when they cross highways and move through non-wilderness; there are no suitable wildlife corridors between wolf populations in Canada or the (fledgling) Maine population and the Park (Harrison & Chapin; International Wolf Center). Human assisted reintroduction would likely be based on the Yellowstone model of reintroduction which involved radio collars for tracking and an acclimation period.

Fostering the return of wolves would return the park to a more organic state (wolves roamed the park until ~1900). Opinions on the positivity of that change depend on the relationship between individuals and the biological community. Wolf reintroduction would boost local economies– tourists visit other parks specifically for the opportunity to see and hear wolves (Lynch). For others, perceived moral and environmental obligations justify the minimal risks of reintegration.

Any wolf return would be complex and require the agreement of and participation by numerous stakeholders with varying perspectives. Wolves may change rivers, but human communities and opinions may have to change first.

Source

References

Enck, J. W., & Brown, T. L. (2002). New Yorkers’ Attitudes toward Restoring Wolves to the Adirondack Park. Wildlife Society Bulletin (1973-2006), 30(1), 16–28. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3784631

Harrison, D. J., & Chapin, T. G. (1998). Extent and Connectivity of Habitat for Wolves in Eastern North America. Wildlife Society Bulletin (1973-2006), 26(4), 767–775. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3783550

Lynch, M. (2015, March 16). Will Wolves Return To The Adirondacks? Adirondack Almanac. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2015/03/will-wolves-return-to-the-adirondacks.html

Maine at a glance. (2021). International Wolf Center. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://wolf.org/wow/united-states/maine/

Mammals of the Adirondacks: White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus). (2021). Adirondacks Forever Wild. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-mammals-white-tailed-deer-odocoileus-virginianus.html

Monbiot, G. (2014, February 13). How Wolves Change Rivers [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysa5OBhXz-Q

(Rewrite of post from 9/26)

Walking out to the Knoll on a brisk fall day, it’s impossible not to notice the aggressive winds that dominate the treeless landscape. As summer rushes away, winter floods in to fill the seasonal vacuum. It feels wrong for so much energy to race across the fields, unimpeded and unharnessed. In theory, New England’s valleys and mountains would be the ideal location for windmills. 

Wind energy is the epitome of engineering’s potential to mitigate the effects of climate change. Vermont embraces nuanced solutions to climate change, so it seems fitting that wind energy would be an example. Contradicting supposed environmental values, the state has a moratorium on windmills for aesthetic reasons. The nearby Adirondacks, however, have none of the state restrictions prohibiting wind power, and all the same suit-abilities for wind power as Vermont. However, the aesthetic dilemma associated with 300-foot tall structures remains. To combat climate change, aesthetics can’t become a limiting factor. Places like New York and Vermont must fully embrace wind power as a weapon in the fight against climate change, despite its visual displeasure. 

As a state, New York has a considerably greater need for renewable energy. In 2019, New York legislators passed a law promising zero energy emissions by 2040. The state’s population is significantly urban, which means renewable energy relies on its rural regions, like Adirondack Park. However, a 20-year-old Adirondack Park Association policy prohibits structures over 40 feet without special approval (wind turbines reach about 300 feet.) This means that the only wind farms in the area are outside the park’s boundaries. 

Aside from bureaucratic obstacles, Park residents and environmental groups have presented many other worries about wind energy. Windmills would be most successful on mountain tops, which requires land to be cleared and results in views being obstructed. Doing so would decrease the tourism appeal of the area, hurting an already struggling economy. Further, wind farm employees would likely have to be brought in from outside the area, since residents aren’t trained in the field. 

The arguments against windmills are valid concerns, especially considering the vulnerability of rural mountain economies. While it’s important to honor the views of locals, some of their claims are provably false. The arguments against implementing wind energy farms in Adirondack Park could have made sense 30 years ago. Recent studies on windmills across the US have shown that their presence doesn’t actually decrease property values. Today, the climate crisis has never been more urgent. It’s time to concede hopes of preserving romantic rural landscapes for the sake of our earth. By making use of pre-existing natural processes, places like the Adirondacks can be preserved long term.

Taxidermy – conserved animal remains hung on walls because they are pleasing to the eye? Let me reword. Hunted animals, killed and gutted to be hung and used as a decoration. Many find taxidermy weird and unsettling. I would agree. As a Mexican, I am obviously biased. Mexican taxidermy is a beautiful aspect to Mexican culture that reflects a new beginning.

When it comes to cow skulls, meanings and decorations vary from different cultures, backgrounds, and even families. My family specifically, has a very moral way of preserving and celebrating animals. In Mexico, my family owns a great plot of land, una parcela, where we have a wide variety of animals ranging from cows to chickens to horses. Our form of taxidermy is controversial in the aspect that some, mainly Americans, wouldn’t consider it under the American term and meaning of taxidermy. Our process differs in many ways.

First and foremost, we do not hunt or kill these animals. We wait for the animals to peacefully pass on their own. We allow for the cycle of life to continue by bringing the animals to a place where their bodies will decompose and help flourish the land around them. This allows for the bones to be the remains left. This is often done in a remote area. My family owns multiple parcelas, which allows us to carry out this tradition.

Our taxidermy consists of bringing the remains- the bones- in to clean them and decorate them. There are many ways to decorate them, with paint being the most common. Decorations also often include personal and valuable belongings and/or symbols that further elaborate on the importance and impact the deceased animal has had in our lives. We do this as a way to appreciate the beauty of our animals who throughout their lives, have provided us with resources to survive. Oftentimes, a family receives the remains of another family’s cow to decorate. However, a cow’s skull will never be decorated if the cow was not treated with dignity throughout its lifetime. This is because our objective is to appreciate the beauty and positives in life, in the lives that were cherished. 

Overall, the Mexican and American views of taxidermy are incredibly different. Both cultures have meanings behind their actions. However, I strongly believe that Mexican Taxidermy values much more meaningful concepts and morals compared to the traditional ways of hunting and gutting. It’s incredibly important to admire the beauty around us which is what my culture successfully expresses.

When we visit Lake George, my family often spends time driving up and down the sides of the Lake just to look at all of the houses. It is interesting to see just how much they vary, between the areas that have been completely cleared to show off a gigantic, white vacation home, to an equally large but more obscure brown house tucked away in the trees. Adirondack architecture certainly has some variety to it but most houses are also tied together by a common theme: that of rustic elegance. The camps that define Adirondack architecture, those same camps built by the Durant family centuries ago, are unique due to their rugged exterior, cozy interior, all while maintaining the finest, most delicate craftsmanship. 

Important to note is that this was the style of the wealthy people who inhabited the area,  not your average Adirondack resident. More traditional Adirondack homes were smaller and far less elaborate, though they shared some of the same characteristics as larger camps. They were made mostly from lumber that was local and easily accessible, sometimes with the outer walls showcasing the stereotypical look of overlapping logs. Like their more elaborate counterparts, they were designed more to blend in with the environment rather than stand out, which would become a key characteristic of Adirondack architecture. The theme of rustic elegance came from the fact that they were very minimalistic, and efficiently made use of whatever materials were most commonly available. They certainly had great influence on the camps that would come with the influx of tourists.

Image 1: An example of a more modest Adirondack residence. This specific cabin rests on the outskirts of Lake Placid. Notice the interlocking logs and simplistic style.

The Adirondack camps that have truly defined the style were those used by wealthy people as a vacation home and part-time residence, most often located on the shores of some lake or body of water. They often resemble ski lodges in style, with sharp, triangular shaped roofs, high ceilings, and in some cases, vast fireplaces. Most exterior colors are earthy, with some maintaining the finish of the wood from which they are made, and others opting to be painted in darker tones. The true Adirondack style blends in with the environment, and is meant to be integrated into the area around it. This is the reason why many houses are sheltered in the trees, and the ones in the open tend to share fewer characteristics of the Adirondack style. 

Image 2: Another cabin in Lake Placid, though much larger and more elaborate than the last. The design is more modern, incorporating larger windows and carefully layered brick. 

These days, Adirondack architecture has spread far outside only the Adirondack region. It has become a common staple in all sorts of mountainous areas, and possibly the most recognizable aspect is the popular Adirondack chair, which is found all over the country. This style has had a significant impact on lodging and hotels, especially out west, hence why Adirondack camps can sometimes feel like ski lodges. Modern architecture has generally evolved to be more minimalistic and elegant, and like fine wine, Adirondack architecture has only become more elegant with the passage of time.

Works Cited
Smith, Stephanie, “Adirondack Architecture” [lecture], Architecture IV [class], Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Fall 2018.

The end of an era has come for one family within the Adirondacks. The Adirondack Wildlife Refuge had to shut its doors on October 25th, 2021(Gwendolyn  2021). Wendy Hall has been operating a wildlife refuge within the Adirondacks for many years (Gwendolyn 2021). But, more recently there has been significant issues and regulations being improperly followed by Wendy Hall within the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge(Gwendolyn 2021). Therefore, it is apparent that by improperly caring for  Wildlife Refuges then there will be negative consequences to both the community and populations of animals. 

First, it is important to briefly discuss the issues occurring within the Adirondacks pertaining to the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge. The Adirondack Wildlife Refuge has been operated by Wendy Hall. However, in the past 7 years there have been allegations of improper licenses being used  pertaining to this refuge, as well as allegations of animals not being properly rehabilitated into the wild, and finally certain animals escaping the refuge(Gwendolyn 2021). All of these issues are quite concerning for both the animals and the community. This is why it is essential that a wildlife refuge must follow all proper regulations in order to operate. 

Some people have rallied to allow Wendy Hall’s refuge to not be shut down. However, having a wildlife refuge improperly run within the Adirondacks can lead to significant issues to both the animals and the community. First off, there are concerns that Wendy Hall was not releasing birds back into their habitats and instead had left more than a dozen birds on display to the public when they should have been rehabilitated (Gwendolyn 2021). Clearly, this is a significant issue to the birds. By keeping the birds in a form of captivity, it causes them to not be able to properly reproduce, grow, and be free within their environment. Additionally, there have been reports of animals escaping the refugee. For example, the DEC noted that a bear escaped from the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge in 2019, as well as a bobcat in 2021, and the same two bears again in 2021 (Gwendolyn 2021). If large predatory animals are escaping these refuges then it can have very negative effects on the community and the animals itself. Animals that escape their refuge enclosures will be unaware of their new public environment and could easily harm the public due to the stress of the new environment. Also, it is obvious that a bear and bobcat should not be roaming in public areas as that puts their own health and survival at increased danger. It is evident that the malfunction of care of a wildlife refuge will result in poor consequences to both the population of those animals and the human community. This is why it is essential that wildlife refuges like the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge be held accountable and follow all proper regulations to ensure the proper safety for both the animals and Adirondack community.

In conclusion, it is obvious that the failure to obey certain regulations and care for animals within a wildlife refuge will result in poor outcomes making it easy to understand why the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge must close its doors. It is not to be taken lightly, caring for a wildlife sanctuary is incredibly challenging. However, the significance of a wildlife sanctuary is also incredibly important which means that it is essential that a wildlife sanctuary be cared for properly. It is no wonder that because the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge was improperly cared for it resulted in poor outcomes. Maybe if the operators of the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge properly operated their refuge then they wouldn’t have had to close the doors of this animal sanctuary… 

Works Cited: 

Explorer, Gwendolyn Craig Adirondack. “Wildlife Refuge’s Animals Leaving after Licenses Surrendered.” Times Union, 10 Oct. 2021, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Wildlife-refuge-s-animals-leaving-after-licenses-16520604.php.

says, Sarah, et al. “Violations and Health Complications Temporarily Shutter Adirondack Wildlife Refuge.” Adirondack Explorer, 7 Oct. 2021, www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/adirondack-wildlife-refuge-closes-temporarily. 

This was my week to meet with the writing tutor so I met with Nhan this week to discuss this blog post.

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/

You are guilty and I know it. I don’t have to know where you come from or anything about you, we are all guilty of something, rule breaking. There have been times in everyone’s life where they have been under circumstances where they feel they can break rules imposed upon them. Although experiences are different, the reasoning for breaking those rules may be more similar than you think. People have very common thought processes when it comes to breaking the law, and this can be applied to all types of situations, including the Adirondacks.

The first order of business is to contemplate why rules are even broken. Most people try to follow rules to the best of their ability. This is no surprise. We are taught to obey laws. Supposedly, laws make things better for everyone and provide order to a world of chaos. If people have this basic understanding of laws and how they are good for us, why do they get broken. The answer is very simple and intuitive. They can be hard to follow. It may seem obvious but it is the truth, and there is evidence to back this claim up.

We know that rules can be hard to follow, but what makes them so hard to follow? Complexity. Harvard Business Review did research on hygiene rules in Los Angeles County and came to this conclusion. They measured the complexity of the rules in two ways. One way was how many components there were in the rule, and the other one was the number of connections for each rule, meaning how much they related to each other. You could have a rule that stood alone, or one that had connections to 5 other regulations.

The findings of this research was what I explained before. The harder and more complex rules were much more likely to be broken “Because organizations rely on routines for following rules, complex rules would require complex routines, which would be harder to execute reliably” (Lehman, Cooil, and Ramanujam). These findings just make sense because everyone wants things to be easy, and when you have a complex set of rules, it creates a difficult process to follow them.

To put this into terms of the Adirondacks, we must think of what we have going for ourselves. The constitution is supposed to keep the land “forever wild”, yet we have all of these additions that create complexity within this rule. What does this lead us to? Rules will be broken. When you have additions to the constitution, it creates more complex processes that must be put into place to keep the integrity of a forever wild land. How can we hope to cure this problem? It is a great question, and there is no easy answer. Our instinct may be to cut back on the laws, but then what is the point of them in the first place?

Works Cited

“Why Some Rules Are More Likely to Be Broken.” Harvard Business Review, 7 Oct. 2019, https://hbr.org/2019/10/why-some-rules-are-more-likely-to-be-broken. 

The summer of 2018 was the first time I calculated my carbon footprint. Disheartened I was, knowing that the world would need 2.1 Earths if everyone had a similar carbon footprint to mine. Carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases produced through our daily activities and mitigating the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions through buying offsets, which will help reduce emissions somewhere else in the world, known as carbon offsetting. For example, suppose a steel company in New York City wants to reduce the impacts of their greenhouse gas emissions. In that case, they can buy an offset for shares of a project that would reduce a comparable amount of carbon dioxide in the Adirondack Region. Implementing some form of carbon offset scheme is extremely important in the Adirondack region.

One may wonder why a firm would purchase carbon offsets rather than reduce its emissions. After reaching low levels of carbon emissions, reducing carbon emissions comes at a hefty cost. Rather than using the money to cut negligible emissions, the firm may use that amount to purchase offsets for projects that would reduce higher levels of carbon dioxides.

In the Adirondack region, carbon offset projects could exist in three types: Forestation, Green Energy, and Energy-from-Waste[ 4 Types of Carbon Offset Projects, 2020]. To offset their GHG emissions, industries in the Adirondack region can invest in forestation projects to increase the carbon captured by new trees. Similarly, enterprises can also invest in projects that build solar, hydro, or other renewable energy sites to decrease the overall dependence on fossil fuels and the GHGs emitted by their use. Energy-from-Waste projects also help offset carbon emissions by converting gases released as a byproduct to energy. For example, biogas digesters can convert the greenhouse gases emitted from landfills in the Adirondack region into electricity[ 4 Types of Carbon Offset Projects, 2020].

The Adirondack Council has a carbon offset scheme known as the Carbon Reduction Certificate Program. Under this scheme, the Council will retire a carbon emission allowance for every purchase of a carbon reduction certificate of $25[“Carbon Reduction Certificate Program.”, n.d. ]. Reducing a carbon allowance means that the industry will permanently lose its right to produce a certain amount of carbon dioxide, ultimately decreasing the C02 emissions. Implementation of such schemes forces industries to consider alternatives such as green energy to be within their carbon limit.

Carbon offset provides an opportunity to industries that want to mitigate their contributions to climate change. It is also a cheaper alternative to offset the overall greenhouse gas emission in a particular region. The New York State has aimed to reduce 15% of emissions through offset projects to achieve net-zero emissions by 2015[Roberts, 2019]. Carbon offsets schemes in the Adirondack region will play a vital role in achieving this aim, mainly because it covers 34% of the state. Thus, it is undeniable that such schemes are needed to protect the environment of the Adirondack Forest and the entire state of New York.

Calculate your carbon footprint: https://www.footprintcalculator.org/home/en

Citations:

Carbon Reduction Certificate Program. Adirondack Council. (n.d.). https://www.adirondackcouncil.org/page/carbon-reduction-certificate-program-189.html.

4 types of carbon offset projects. EIC. (2020, December 2). https://www.eic.co.uk/4-types-of-carbon-offset-projects/.

Roberts, D. (2019, June 20). New York just passed the most ambitious climate target in the country. Vox. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2019/6/20/18691058/new-york-green-new-deal-climate-change-cuomo.

“Love is like wildflowers; it’s often found in the most unlikely places”, written by Ralph Waldo Emerson, is one of my favorite quotes in the past nineteen years of life. In my opinion, it is courage and forever optimism that allow wildflowers to create serendipity. The wildflowers in the Adirondacks, as one of the unique features of the Adirondacks, attract tons of tourists.

Unlike wildlife or bird watchers, wildflower watchers in the Adirondacks usually go home with greater satisfaction. To this point, you might be curious about why do I make such an interpretation. Wildlife watchers may hike for many days in hopes to catch a fleeting glance of a moose. Bird photographers may take multiple trips to a specific habitat to catch an admirable view of some precious species. However, wildflowers do not fly away. Different arrays of wildflowers sit on the forest floor, waiting for inspection, identification, and photography. As a result, “viewing / photographing wildflowers” was the fastest-growing category of all outdoor reaction activities in the Adirondacks.

Let me show you a few beautiful wildflowers of the Adirondacks. The picture below is Buckbean (also called Bogbean), one species native to the Adirondacks. In spring and early summer, it produces clusters of star-like white flowers. Thin silk wound on the petals so that the flower appears a fancier sense. When I saw the insect resting on the flower petal, I felt the strong emotional bonding between organisms living harmoniously in the environment. As for living conditions, Buckbean flourishes in “wet soil or shallow water on the edge of ponds, blogs, and marshy ground”, from which we could interpret that it relies on watery conditions to survive and prevail.

Another wildflower that I appreciate is Grass Pink. It often springs from peat or sphagnum moss, and the bearded lip easily recognizes its petal and long, narrow, grass-like leaves. Plus, it is famous for its sweet-smelling when it generally blooms in late June or early July. The petals of the flower have a delicate fragrance, said to be reminiscent of red raspberries or sweet violets. The lower lip petal is deeply fringed in the center with yellow bristles. Nevertheless, this plant is listed by the US Department of Agriculture as “exploitably vulnerable” in New York State, leading to my awareness that more conservation actions are needed to protect wildflowers like Grass Pink from getting harmed.

As for me, whenever I experience a low point in life, flowers usually bring me hopes as they bloom and create beautiful moments of life in whatever weather conditions. The Adirondack wildflowers, at the same time, give me surprise, and I look forward to meeting serendipity in my future hiking in the Adirondacks.

Work cited:

1. (September 2008) Outdoor Recreation Activity Trends: What’s Growing, What’s Slowing?  A Recreation Research Report in the IRIS Series1.
2. Lawrence Newcomb. (1977) Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Little Brown and Company.
3. William K. Chapman. (1997) Orchids of the Northeast, A Field Guide. Syracuse University Press.