With spring approaching, conditions for wildfires will become heightened, and residential brush burning is prohibited March 16th through May 14th across New York State. [Read more…] about NYS Burn Ban In Effect
DEC
Comments Sought On Plan To Tear-Up Historic Rail Line
The Adirondack Park Agency has announced a public comment period for Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan conformance on proposals from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to amend the 1996 Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor Unit Management Plan.
The State is planning to tear up part of the historic Adirondack Railroad line between Tupper Lake and Lake Placid for a multi-use trail.
[Read more…] about Comments Sought On Plan To Tear-Up Historic Rail Line
New York’s Outdoors Are Open
During the current COVID-19 public health crisis, getting outdoors and connecting with nature is a way to help maintain our mental and physical health.
Scientific studies show that time outside in nature, especially among trees, significantly reduces stress and anxiety, lowers blood pressure, improves mood, energy, and sleep, and boosts the immune system. [Read more…] about New York’s Outdoors Are Open
Oneida Lake Historic Dock Restoration Underway
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced that a major restoration and rehabilitation of the historic Cleveland Dock Fishing Access Site is expected to begin this winter.
Cleveland Dock, located at 69 State Route 49 in the village of Cleveland, Oswego County, provides unique access to the excellent fishing on Oneida Lake and also helps connect boaters to the Erie Canal system. [Read more…] about Oneida Lake Historic Dock Restoration Underway
Dept of Environmental Conservation Marking 50 Years
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) was established in 1970 on the first-ever Earth Day.
In the 50 years since, New Yorkers have seen a revolution in the way we interact with our environment. The Clean Air Act was passed in 1970; in 1971 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was established, followed by the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972. The Adirondack Park Agency Act was passed in 1971, and the State’s Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) in 1980, the same year as the Superfund Law. In 1993 the Environmental Protection Fund was established.
[Read more…] about Dept of Environmental Conservation Marking 50 Years
Ski, Snowshoe Into Adirondack Great Camp History
While the grounds of Great Camp Santanoni in Newcomb are open to visitors 365 days a year, the buildings are not typically open to the public during winter months.
The exception are designated Winter Weekends, when the rustic historic site is staffed with guides, and snowshoes are provided at the gate for the ten-mile round trip.
[Read more…] about Ski, Snowshoe Into Adirondack Great Camp History
Celebrate Historic Sites With A First Day Hike
New Yorkers can greet 2020 with a choice of 85 guided hikes at state parks and public lands, including the state’s historic sites.
Now in its ninth year, the annual First Day Hikes program includes a variety of events, from hikes to fire towers in the Adirondacks/Catskills, along parts of the historic New York City drinking water system in the Hudson Valley, waterfalls in the Finger Lakes region and historic forts along the Great Lakes, and more. [Read more…] about Celebrate Historic Sites With A First Day Hike
Final Hudson Estuarine Research Reserve Plan Released
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the release of the Final Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve Management Plan. The Hudson River National Estuarine Reserve is operated as a partnership between DEC and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The plan provides a foundation to help manage four federally designated and state-protected sites along 100 miles of the estuary. [Read more…] about Final Hudson Estuarine Research Reserve Plan Released
Historic Saranac Lake Awarded Smart Growth Grant
Historic Saranac Lake has been awarded a Smart Growth grant from the State of New York Department of Environmental Conservation to support site plan design for their expanded museum campus in downtown Saranac Lake.
In 2019, Historic Saranac Lake acquired the Trudeau Building at 118 Main Street for expansion of their existing museum at the adjacent Saranac Laboratory building. The Smart Growth grant will support integrated site planning in order to create a museum campus that will promote Smart Growth principles and attract arts and culture tourism to the village of Saranac Lake. [Read more…] about Historic Saranac Lake Awarded Smart Growth Grant
State Issues New Plan For Historic Adirondack Rail Line
The New York State Departments of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Transportation (DOT) have announced the release of a draft Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor Unit Management Plan (UMP) Amendment/Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS).
The amended proposal comes after the operators of the Adirondack Scenic Railroad, which ran on the line between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid, successfully sued the state. They successfully argued that the State’s plan to turn the historic railroad line into a rail-trail did not comply with state historic preservation law or the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan.
The decision was handed down by State Supreme Court Judge Robert Main Jr. in 2017. In December, 2018 the state Adirondack Park Agency changed the “travel corridor” definition in the State Land Master Plan to allow for the removal of the rails. [Read more…] about State Issues New Plan For Historic Adirondack Rail Line