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2024 Winter Appeal
This November’s election makes Adirondack Wild more grateful than ever of the enduring strength and beacon shining from our state constitution’s Article XIV that “the lands of the state…constituting the forest preserve…shall be forever kept as wild forest lands.”
Thanks to the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserve and Article XIV, New Yorkers continue to leave as much room for permanence in the preservation and benefits of our public land system as we do for change. The wisdom of placing (since 1894) and reaffirming (as recently as 2021) these public watershed forests, lakes, rivers, wetlands, birds, and other wildlife within our state constitution is envied by many states and countries. That does not mean we can take the Forest Preserve for granted or shirk from our responsibility to be its wise stewards, careful guardians, and active watchdogs. Adirondack Wild is your strong conscience, guardian, and active watchdog of the Forest Preserve, so at this time of year we ask for your continued, generous financial support.
$1,000,000 Defamation Lawsuit Continues in Court:
Adirondack Wild was sued for $ 1 million in the spring of this year by a developer for simply commenting that his proposed private boat marina expansion was far too large for the small pond (Lower Fish Creek Pond) it is on, and for urging the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to conduct a study of this waterway’s capacity to withstand increased new motorboat use before issuing permission to expand at this scale.
Fortunately, on August 22nd the State Supreme Court in Malone dismissed the developer’s case against us and the Adirondack Explorer for attempting to silence our voice about this matter in the public interest.
However, the developer now plans to appeal the Judge’s ruling to a higher state court.
Meanwhile, the state Adirondack Park Agency (APA) and DEC have permitted this out-of-scale marina without studying its impacts on adjacent Forest Preserve wetlands and shorelines. With your help, we will continue to speak out about this latest failure of State agency stewardship.
Elk Lake. Photo by Ken Rimany.
Wilderness Resources Threatened:
Adirondack Wild is also speaking out against the APA for its fall proposal to weaken the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan in ways that could authorize power-driven mobility devices as large as ATVs and golf carts on Wilderness and Wild Forest trails.
The Americans with Disabilities Act does not require this weakening of wilderness values and law; to do so, after 52 years of the Master Plan, is a betrayal of the state’s legal responsibility to protect the natural resources of the Forest Preserve. You will find our comprehensive comment letter to the APA at our website, adirondackwild.org.
If necessary and with your help, we will take our case to Governor Hochul who must sign-off on all amendments to the State Land Master Plan.
Conserve and Protect Whitney:
Whitney Industry lands in Long Lake, with its 36,000 acres, 22 lakes and ponds, hundreds of wetlands, and miles of streams and wild shorelines, is up for sale. Adirondack Wild has just signed a group letter (enclosed) to Governor Hochul urging her and the DEC to protect this magnificent landscape in the heart of the Adirondack Park. Thanks to our Environmental Protection Fund and Bond Act, the state has the resources it takes to conserve all of Whitney forever, as a buffer against climate change, for its wildness, and for public recreation. We need your help to ensure that NYS will negotiate with Whitney’s private trustees for this landscape’s conservation in 2025.
We cannot do this work without you!
We thank all our wonderful supporters for coming to our aid to defend us in the lawsuit against our public participation at the motorboat marina. And we also thank those who came to our 2024 Fall Meeting celebrating the National Wilderness Act’s 60th anniversary and the “forever wild” New York State constitution which inspired the federal 1964 Wilderness Act.
We appeal to you to help keep Adirondack Wild working for you and for your children’s and grandchildren’s opportunities to experience, value, and safeguard the wild Adirondacks in 2025 and beyond – as our founder, Paul Schaefer, would often remind us, “To help benefit the youth of distant tomorrows.”
Thank you very much for your consideration, as we extend our heartfelt thanks and well wishes to you and your families this Season.
In forever wild friendship,
David Gibson, Managing Partner
Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve