Introduction by Dave Gibson, Managing Partner – Adirondack Wild In celebration of Earth Day 2024, Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve is pleased to make Paul Schaefer’s timeless and pioneering documentary films about the Adirondack Park digitally available here. Noted Adirondack wilderness leader, and founder of Friends of the Forest Preserve Paul Schaefer (1908-1996)…
The nonprofit advocate Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve has written to Governor Kathy Hochul asking her to strengthen the make-up of the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) this spring. The organization asks the Governor to nominate individuals who will add urgently required legal, planning, and environmental perspectives, expertise, independence, and competence to APA decisions…
By David Gibson Earlier this century, a group from the State University College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) were asked by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, or DEC, to begin to tackle the problem of determining the carrying capacity of Adirondack lakes and ponds. It had been four decades since the 1972…
by David Gibson Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve welcomes the announcement this month of new conservation easements at the historic Follensby Pond, providing public recreational access off the Raquette River, long-term ecological research, guided and managed visitation to the historic Pond, and stewardship of the Pond which includes applied indigenous knowledge guided by…
by David Gibson When it comes to the Adirondacks and the “forever wild” provision of our state constitution, a number of us just lost a great, very determined, and very influential teacher in that field of green. Charles C. “Charlie” Morrison died this week in his mid-90s. After a long career as a natural resource…
by David Gibson Beaver lodge near North CreekPaul Schaefer once told me that his mentor, “Forever Wild” advocate and organizer John Apperson, would occasionally dress in fur to be more noticeable when, during lobbying of the state legislature, Apperson opposed threats to Lake George, the Forest Preserve and its constitutional protection. Schaefer learned from Apperson…
By David Gibson, Managing Partner, Adirondack Wild During the APA’s October 12 meeting, I noted with appreciation the Adirondack Park Agency members who asked pertinent questions about the staff’s proposed permit for Carver Sand and Gravel in the town of Ephratah, Fulton County (Project 2022-0037). These questions and concerns included but were not limited to…
By David Gibson, Managing Partner, Adirondack Wild Oct. 20, 2023, at Gore Mountain This year’s CGA meeting had a different feel from those in the past in that it was much better attended by current and past local government elected leaders – town supervisors, etc. One reason is that the co-sponsor of CGA this year…
By David Gibson, Managing Partner, Adirondack Wild Newcomb, NY – The Adirondack Interpretive Center in Newcomb played host this month to Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve’s annual meeting and 2023 award presentations. The Paul Schaefer Wilderness Award, named after 20th century wilderness preservation leader Paul Schaefer, was presented to Steven Englebright. Englebright represented…
By David Gibson, Managing Partner, Adirondack Wild Adirondack Explorer’s reporter and writer Gwendolyn Craig has authored a fine article this month titled “The Long Wait for Forest Preserve Plans,” referring to the lack of unit management plans (herein, “UMP”) for some significant Forest Preserve Wilderness areas, like West Canada Lake and William C. Whitney, and…