DEC Seeking
Your Input to Help them Prepare the
Unit Management Plan for the Debar Mountain Wild Forest
The New York State Department
of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has begun the development
of a unit management plan (UMP) for the 61,000 acres of Forest
Preserve lands in the Debar Mountain Wild Forest in the Towns
of Brighton, Duane, Franklin, Santa Clara, and Waverly in Franklin
County. This area also includes the Santa Clara Tract of the
Champion easement lands and 18,000 acres of unclassified Forest
Preserve land.
A UMP must be completed for this
area before significant new recreational facilities, such as
trails, lean-tos, parking areas or tent-sites can be constructed.
The UMP that will be developed for the Debar Mountain Wild Forest
must balance any recreational uses with the protection of the
natural resources of the area.
Please contact the DEC and
in your own words and using any personal experiences or expertise
you may have in this area, tell them that when it develops the
UMP:
- DEC must make sure that
it is consistent with Article XIV, the Forever Wild Clause, of
the New York State Constitution, with the State Land Master Plan
and with other pertinent laws and the DEC's Rules and Regulations.
- The DEC must conduct thorough
natural resource studies to identify rare and endangered species
habitats, critical wildlife areas and other sensitive places
in these areas.
- The DEC should include appropriate
recreational opportunities in these areas where those activities
will not harm the natural resources.
Please submit your
written comments to:
Steven Guglielmi
PO Box 296
Ray Brook, NY 12946
(518) 897-1286
e-mail: sjguglie@gw.dec.state.ny.us
Also a special e-mail
address has been established for receiving public comments on
any UMPs being developed by DEC in Region 5, which encompasses
central and eastern Adirondack counties. The address is
r5ump@gw.dec.state.ny.us
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