Blog

Our schools are an important part of our society, especially in the Adirondack Park. But, regardless of their location, schools cost lots of money. Each year at budget time, the State Legislature and Governor decide how much aid they will provide to school districts around the state. The state's aid formula treats the Adirondack Park's school districts like they were wealthy suburban districts. Read more to find out why.

Last year, Governor Cuomo"s Adirondack Park Agency released the Department of Environmental Conservation's Grass River Unit Management Plan for public comment, which if approved would permit public All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) use on the Adirondack Forest Preserve. This proposed action would run contrary to the policy of the last three administrations. This policy shift represents an emerging threat to our Adirondack legacy.

Celebrate National Invasive Species Awareness Week by learning about invasive species, what they can do to our lands and waters and how we can help prevent them from spreading. We all need to do our part to protect our favorite places from invasive species. Spread the word...not the invasives!

When you think about what the Adirondacks mean to you, remember that the success of the Adirondack Park depends on many different funding sources and policy initiatives. The Adirondack Council has full-time presence in our state capitol to ensure that New York's budget and policies keep the best interests of the waters, wildlife and communities of the Adirondacks.

Earlier this January, the Adirondack Council welcomed a new staff member, Jackie Bowen, to the team as the Grant Conservation Fellow. Jackie will be working with our Conservation Director, Rocci Aguirre.

Over 100 years ago, surveyor and explorer Verplanck Colvin distributed surveying plugs across the Adirondack landscape to locate state land to protect it from rampant exploitation by lumber barons. These points laid the groundwork for a revolutionary form of conservation and preservation. Our guest author Bill Killon has created a new film on Colvin that he describes as a piece of the story. Read on to learn more.

After disappearing from New York State in the 1960's, peregrine falcon populations in the Adirondacks are back on the rise. We talked with John O'Connor, wildlife biologist, and coordinator of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation peregrine falcon program for the Adirondack and Lake Champlain region on how they worked to make this possible.

It's troubling to hear the Trump transition team talk about gutting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and bringing back coal as a fuel for making electricity. Burning coal leads to acid rain, mercury contamination, and climate change. New York has some of the best clean air laws in the nation, but they aren't enough to protect the Adirondack Park from smokestacks in the Ohio Valley, if they start burning coal again.

As we enjoy the holiday season, reflect on the year that has passed and look forward to the next, will you do one more thing for the Adirondacks? There's still time to send a letter to the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) and tell them that you want motor-free Wilderness for the Boreas Ponds. The APA will accept your comments until Friday, December 30.

The Adirondacks are covered in a beautiful blanket of fresh snow. The weather outside is cold and blustery. As you walk though the woods, you may notice the distinct scent of balsam, or hear a bird quietly flutter by. The Adirondacks sure are a beautiful place this time of year. It's peaceful and quiet outdoors, yet communities are bustling with holiday shoppers and skiers.