Blog

Adirondack Conservation News is a collection of the most current events taking place in New York’s Adirondack Park, a unique national treasure and legacy we inherited over 100 years ago, that we must protect for future generations. Adirondack Conservation News aims to highlight both threats and opportunities concerning the Park’s ecological integrity, wild character and community vibrancy.

We are happy to introduce you to our new “Behind the Loon” series. There are so many reasons our Adirondack Council team is great, and we want to give you a chance to meet every one of them and their talents, quirks and passions. We will be highlighting a member of our team each month. It’s so nice to meet you! 

In the 2020 New York State Budget, Governor Cuomo and the Legislature authorized sending the $3 billion Restore Mother Nature Bond Act to the polls in November, where it requires final approval by the voters. This is an extraordinary chance for the state to invest in Adirondack water, wildlife and wildlands, and create jobs that will support local communities and protect public health.

This blog is the second in a series that will examine the potential impacts and changes in the Adirondacks that will result from the implementation of New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. How will the law impact our farms? Where will new renewable energy projects be sited? How will communities need to adapt? What can you do to help? This blog series will examine these questions and more, with the goal of shedding light on the challenges and opportunities the Adirondack region will face in mitigating and adapting to climate change under New York’s revolutionary new climate law.

Adirondack Conservation News is a collection of the most current events taking place in New York’s Adirondack Park, a unique national treasure and legacy we inherited over 100 years ago, that we must protect for future generations. Adirondack Conservation News aims to highlight both threats and opportunities concerning the Park’s ecological integrity, wild character and community vibrancy.

Even though the weather is turning warmer, we still need to think about wintry roads and road salt. Because, while road salt melts away the challenges presented by wintry conditions, its use is negatively impacting the waters, communities, wilderness, and wildlands of our Adirondack Park all year long.

A recent study from Harvard University shows a clear link between counties in the US with higher levels of air pollution and COVID-19 death rates. Yet the Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been quietly rolling back environmental regulations.

In the Adirondacks, mud season occurs between the beginning of April and the beginning of June. (Dates vary depending on elevation and the weather.) Sunshine thaws the surface, but it takes time for the frozen ground below to soften. Snowmelt and rainwater can’t seep into the frozen ground, so the surface turns to mud. For trails and hikers, this is a problem. Read Julie Goren's blog to find out what hikers can do to protect the trails at this time of year.

Adirondack Conservation News is a collection of the most current events taking place in New York’s Adirondack Park, a unique national treasure and legacy we inherited over 100 years ago, that we must protect for future generations. Adirondack Conservation News aims to highlight both threats and opportunities concerning the Park’s ecological integrity, wild character and community vibrancy.

Wetlands are incredibly important in protecting our lands from eroding during floods and filtering out pollutants to help keep our waters clean and clear. Seasonal wetlands or vernal pools occur only when water levels are high during spring and winter and disappear completely come summer and fall. Vernal pools are especially important in providing both breeding and foraging areas for certain species, but unfortunately, they are often overlooked.