Francis’ peace prayer: A gift from Paul Schaefer Famed Adirondack wilderness conservationist Paul Schaefer gifted many prints of Saint Francis’ peace prayer during his life By Dave Gibson The Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City reminds me that on this Oct. 4, the Feast Day of St. Francis, the world commemorated…
Arthur Crocker: Adirondack environmentalist and peacemaker Arthur Crocker began a lengthy campaign of protection of the Adirondack Forest Preserve at the Tahawus Club By Dave Gibson Tim Rowland’s fine Explorer article Inside the Rich History of the Tahawus Club celebrates the club’s interesting 150-year history in Newcomb, and the strong sense of stewardship felt by…
A Common Adirondack Public and Private Stewardship By Dave Gibson Keith McKeever, retiring Public Information Director at the Adirondack Park Agency (APA), accepted much-deserved recognition at their recent meeting for his many years of admirable public service. In his short acceptance remarks, Keith implored all listening “to hold the line” for the Adirondack Park’s open…
Environmentalists Have Big Stake in Finch Pulp Mill Closure By Dave Gibson The purely economic decision by Finch Paper in Glens Falls, now part of a global company, to stop purchasing Adirondack regional trees for its pulp to paper operation and to instead acquire its pulp from far beyond New York’s borders is serious –…
COMMENTARY: Chainsawing in wilderness? National Wilderness Act violated By Dave Gibson As an advocate for the “forever wild” Forest Preserve, Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve periodically reviews NYS DEC work plans to ensure that activities such as trail maintenance on the public’s Forest Preserve are undertaken in compliance with Article XIV of the…
High Peaks Wilderness Visitor Use Management By Dave Gibson In 2019, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) sponsored a well-attended High Peaks Stakeholder Meeting in Keene Valley. All concluded that better data was needed to inform management decisions for this Wilderness. Questions posed to stakeholders that day included: “how many people are using the trails?…
The price we all must pay for the Adirondack Park The price we all must pay for the Adirondack Park In the aftermath of the 30th Annual Conference on the Adirondacks, David Gibson reflects on what more the state could do for the region Having returned from the 30th Annual Conference on the Adirondacks, hosted…
Thoreau, wilderness and our community of life A section from Ed Zahniser’s 2004 lecture explores the impact of Thoreau and the wilderness on communities “Henry David Thoreau” aired on PBS. This renewed focus, courtesy of Ken Burns films, on Thoreau’s life reminded me of a presentation by Ed Zahniser entitled “Wilderness and Our Community of…
COMMENTARY: DEC mobility device policy for state lands requires immediate oversight In a letter, the nonprofit wilderness advocate Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve is asking the Adirondack Park Agency’s State Land Committee to immediately review and comment on the new Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) policy draft affecting the state’s wilderness areas and…
Coming of age in the Adirondacks Paul Schaefer grew to become a highly influential Adirondack wilderness conservationist. This chapter of “A Force for Nature: Paul Schaefer’s Adirondack Coalitions” reveals a truth: Family units often discover the healing and teaching properties of Adirondack landscapes and Adirondack people together. In the case of the Schaefer family, Adirondack…