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In 1971, the
State of New York passed the Adirondack Park Agency Act. That
legislation created the Adirondack Park Agency (APA) and empowered
them to develop a plan for the proper management of state Forest
Preserve
lands in the Adirondack Park. That plan is titled the Adirondack
Park State Land Master Plan.
The Adirondack
Park State Land Master Plan (SLMP) was first adopted in 1972. However,
it wasn't until 1979 when the amendments to the Master Plan established
a system for the development of specific plans to manage units
of Forest Preserve lands in the Adirondack Park. These Unit Management
Plans (UMPs)
were mandated to be developed by the NYS Department
of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in consultation with the Adirondack Park Agency (APA).
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To view a map of the
unit management boundaries, click here. |
Click
here for a list of Unit Management Plans Being developed
by DEC |
UMPs are five
year plans which must be completed before any recreational facilities
such as trails, camping sites, or parking areas can be built
on the Forest Preserve. They are required to include detailed
inventories of natural resources, ecosystems, public facilities,
and a description of current and future management of the unit.
The Master Plan specifically requires that:
"Unit management
plans will contain:
- an inventory,
at a level of detail appropriate to the area, of the natural,
scenic, cultural, fish and wildlife (including game and non-game
species) and other appropriate resources of the area and an analysis
of the area's ecosystems.
- an inventory
of all existing facilities for public or administrative use.
- an inventory
of the types and extent of actual and projected public use of
the area.
- an assessment
of the impact of actual and projected use on the resources, ecosystems
and public enjoyment of the area with particular attention to
portions of the area threatened by overuse.
- an assessment
of the physical, biological and social carrying capacity of the
area with particular attention to portions of the area threatened
by overuse in light of its resource limitations and its classification
under the master plan.
Each unit management
plan will also set forth a statement of the management objectives
for the protection and the rehabilitation of the area's resources
and ecosystems and for public use of the area consistent with
its carrying capacity.
These management
objectives will address, on a site-specific basis as may be pertinent
to the area, such issues as:
- actions to minimize
adverse impacts on the resources of the area.
- the rehabilitation
of such portions of the area as may suffer from overuse or
resource degradation.
- the regulations
or limitations of public use such that the carrying capacity
of the area is not exceeded and the types of measures necessary
to achieve that objective.
- the preservation
of aquatic and terrestrial habitats of the area.
- the preservation
and management of the fish and wildlife resources (including
game and non-game species) of the area.
- the preservation
and management of the lakes, ponds, rivers and streams of the
area, with particular attention to all proposed or designated
wild, scenic, and recreational rivers.
- the preservation
and management of special interest areas such as the habitats
of rare, threatened or endangered species and the areas with
the potential for the reintroduction of extirpated species, unique
geological areas and historic areas or structures.
- the identification
of needed additions or improvements to, and plans for providing
for further appropriate public use of, the area consistent with
its carrying capacity.
- the removal
of such non-conforming uses as may remain.
- the identification,
in intensive use, historic and appropriate portions of wild forest
areas accessible by motor vehicles, of measures that can be taken
to improve access to and enjoyment of these lands, and associated
structures and improvements by the physically handicapped."
The Master Plan
also requires that each UMP be submitted in draft form to the
public for review and comment. After the DEC has had an opportunity
to review those comments and make changes to the UMP, the final
draft then goes before the APA Commissioners for final review
of compliance with the Master Plan and then onto the Commissioner
of the DEC for adoption.
The UMP process
is especially important right now because in October of 1999,
Governor Pataki announced a plan to complete all remaining UMPs
for the Forest Preserve within five years. The initiative specifically
identified 37 plans for Wilderness, Primitive, Canoe, Wild Forest,
and Historic Areas to be completed. Three years into the initiative,
only three plans have been adopted. And it is feared that in
an effort to meet this quickly approaching deadline, the DEC
will overlook the requirements of the Master Plan and conduct
less than adequate inventories and assessments of the units while
proposing inappropriate recreational development.
The Adirondack
Council is urging the DEC to take the necessary time to develop
quality plans that thoroughly assess units' ecosystems and carrying
capacities while taking into account the ecological integrity
of the Forest Preserve. We are specifically looking to ensure
that each plan is consistent with the mandates of Article 14
the "Forever Wild" Clause of the New York State Constitution,
the Master Plan, and all other pertinent laws and regulations.
The Adirondack Council is also looking to see that no new facilities
are constructed on the Forest Preserve before it is demonstrated
that the natural resources will not be degraded by new facilities
or an increase in public use.
The Adirondack Council is also reaching out to you, the public,
to encourage you to become involved in this important process.
The plans being developed today will guide management actions
for years to come and will develop use patterns that may have
long lasting impacts. When opportunities arise for the public
to review and comment on UMPs, it is very important that you
do. Write a letter or email or make a phone call to the DEC planner
and let them know in your own words that the Adirondack Park
is important to you and that any plan being developed should
protect the ecological integrity and "forever wild"
character of the Forest Preserve. Take a look at our website
to see what plans are being developed, where they are located
and to whom you should send comments.
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