Protect the Adirondacks

Suggestions In Wake of Historic Adirondack Legal Decision

July 20, 2021 by Peter Bauer Leave a Comment

The May 4th, 2021, decision by the New York Court of Appeals ruled that Class II Community Connector Snowmobile Trails violated Article 14, Section 1, of the New York Constitution.

This ruling capped an eight-year legal challenge by Protect the Adirondacks against the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Adirondack Park Agency (APA). In the end, eight of the twelve judges who looked at the evidence found that Class II trails were unconstitutional. [Read more…] about Suggestions In Wake of Historic Adirondack Legal Decision

John Caffry, Claudia Braymer Being Honored With Adirondack Award

July 15, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Protect the Adirondacks has announced that the Howard Zahniser Adirondack Award for 2021 will be awarded to attorneys John Caffry and Claudia Braymer. The Howard Zahniser Adirondack Award is being presented in honor of John Caffry’s and Claudia Braymer’s efforts over eight years to lead the successful lawsuit Protect the Adirondacks v. Department of Environmental Conservation and Adirondack Park Agency, decided by the New York Court of Appeals on May 4th, 2021. [Read more…] about John Caffry, Claudia Braymer Being Honored With Adirondack Award

Plans To Dam The Upper Hudson Would Have Been Catastrophic

June 21, 2021 by Mike Prescott Leave a Comment

On almost every stream, pond or lake in the Adirondacks there is still evidence of lumberman’s dams and lumbering operations. In the mid-to-late 1960s however, there was a controversial plan to dam the Upper Hudson River in order to supply water and hydro-electric power to the parched, urban, metropolitan area of New York City.

In the early 1960s there had been a severe drought along the entire northeastern seaboard. One of New York City’s answers to the drought problem was to tap the Upper Hudson to supply its seemingly unquenchable need for water. [Read more…] about Plans To Dam The Upper Hudson Would Have Been Catastrophic

36k Acres in the Adirondack Park Faces Development; Advocates Seek Legal Protection

June 3, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

When John Hendrickson, the widow of recently deceased Saratoga civic and philanthropic leader Marylou Whitney, announced last July that the 36,000-acre Whitney Park lands were for sale an alarm was raised by advocates for wild lands concerned the sale would subdivide one of the largest privately held contiguous properties in the Adirondack Park.

Last week, Hendrickson said he will apply to the Adirondack Park Agency to do just that – fragment the tract into eleven estate lots for the uber-wealthy. [Read more…] about 36k Acres in the Adirondack Park Faces Development; Advocates Seek Legal Protection

NY’s Highest Court Rules Big Snowmobile Trails On Forest Preserve Violate Constitution

May 4, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

The New York Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, has issued a 4-2 decision today in favor of Protect the Adirondacks that upheld Article 14, Section 1, of the New York State Constitution, the famed “forever wild” clause.

In 2013, Protect the Adirondacks sued the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Adirondack Park Agency (APA) alleging that construction of “Class II Community Connector” snowmobile trails on the Adirondack Forest Preserve violated Article 14, Section 1, due to excessive tree cutting and destructive changes to the land. [Read more…] about NY’s Highest Court Rules Big Snowmobile Trails On Forest Preserve Violate Constitution

Advocates Divided Over Tree Cutting In Adirondack Park

February 2, 2021 by Editorial Staff 2 Comments

The Open Space Institute (OSI) and the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) have moved to jointly file an amicus brief in support of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in a case now being heard at the New York Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court.

Protect the Adirondacks (Protect) was recently granted a 4-1 decision by the Appellate Division, Third Department, that Class II Community Community snowmobile trail construction resulted in an unconstitutional destruction of trees on the Adirondack Forest Preserve. Protect is now defending that decision against an appeal by the state. [Read more…] about Advocates Divided Over Tree Cutting In Adirondack Park

Army Proposal For Air, Ground Training On Forest Preserve Problematic

October 28, 2020 by Peter Bauer Leave a Comment

In June, the 10th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army, based at Fort Drum in Jefferson County, released a draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) that outlined ambitious “air and land-based training activities” to possibly take place across nine counties in Upstate New York, including four (St. Lawrence, Lewis, Oneida, Herkimer) that are partially within the Adirondack Park, and two (Hamilton, Essex) that are entirely within the Adirondack Park Blue Line. [Read more…] about Army Proposal For Air, Ground Training On Forest Preserve Problematic

Petition Circulating Calling To Make Whitney Park Forest Preserve

September 8, 2020 by Peter Bauer 2 Comments

The 36,000-acre Whitney Park is up for sale. This tract, which includes 22 lakes and ponds, and over 100 miles of undeveloped shoreline, has been at the top of New York State’s land protection priority list for 50 years.

Over the decades, the property has been lightly developed by the Whitney family, which maintains a large complex of buildings in a mountain estate called Deerlands on Little Forked Lake, and two inholdings totaling around 400 acres on Forked Lake and Plumley Pond at the south end of the tract. [Read more…] about Petition Circulating Calling To Make Whitney Park Forest Preserve

50 Adirondack Places To Visit Outside The High Peaks This Holiday Weekend

September 3, 2020 by Editorial Staff 1 Comment

For Labor Day Weekend, Protect the Adirondacks has published online hiking trail guides for 50 hikes that lead to great destinations outside of the heavily-used High Peaks Wilderness. [Read more…] about 50 Adirondack Places To Visit Outside The High Peaks This Holiday Weekend

36,000 Acres of Adirondack Park for Sale

July 30, 2020 by Editorial Staff 7 Comments

The family of recently deceased Saratoga civic and philanthropic leader Marylou Whitney announced today that the 36,000-acre Whitney Park lands in the center of the Adirondack Park are for sale.

John Hendrickson, the husband of Marylou Whitney, stated in the Wall Street Journal that his asking price is $180 million. Whitney Park is located in the Town of Long Lake, in Hamilton County and is one of the largest privately held contiguous tracts of land in the 6.1 million-acre Adirondack Park. [Read more…] about 36,000 Acres of Adirondack Park for Sale