Adirondack Forest Preservation Article in NYTs

[Tom Rankin]

The slide show in this NYTs article, which is beautiful beyond words, states that the Adirondack forest is so large, it has global significance.

 

[Peakbagr]

The article summarizes the dilemma that The Nature Conservancy finds itself in. Big loan to pay off, large taxes. An Organization traditionally seen as a protector of land and wildlife buys huge tract of land that folks expect will ultimately be protected.
IMHO it will be unlikely that TNC's traditional donors will pony up big bucks given the vagueness of Carr's statement as to which land and how much of it will be ultimately protected. I think he's got a tiger by the tail.

Very thought provoking. Thanks for posting this, Tom.

Alan

 

[Chip]

Interesting article and great narrated slide show. Interesting ironies here in that this land was more protected under the ownership of the logging company than it may be by The Nature Conservancy, but I guess the logging company could have sold the land to Disney.

 

[Peakbagr]

There are already voices being raised about TNC's 'change in policy' as respect's Carr's comments. The large donors that TNC usually relies on will most likely sit on the fence until the Adirondack Chapter's head clarifies his position.

 

[HH1]

I guess the Adirondack Council has changed its tune. Here's a quote from a Schenectady Daily Gazette article last June:

"The spokesman for the largest protectionist group, John Sheehan of the Adirondack Council, said it will be best for the Adirondacks if most of the land does remain in forestry. He said the council would prefer to have four specific, but relatively small areas, sold to the state, including the Boreas Ponds near the High Peaks, Wild Rivers Wilderness and White Spruce-White Cedar Swamp, both in Newcomb. Essex County, and the Hudson River Gorge near North River in Warren County."

In any event, if traditional donors do cut out, ultimately causing this deal to fail, then those formally owned Finch-Pruyn lands could well be headed for fragmentation and development.

It seems all vested interests in this incredible Nature Conservancy transaction are going to have to put a little water into their wine to make it succeed.

 

[Peakbagr]

I certainly don't want to see the Clubs disbanded.
There are other models that could be applied to keep the longstanding and loyal clubs from being harmed.

The sale of higher elevation land and a conservation easement thru some of the AMR land is one example.

Allowing DEC to purchase narrow conservation easements to access adjacent DEC land or some mountain summits is another.

Canoe easements already exist where navigable waterways now allow boaters to paddle through private land and then portage around obstacles without stopping, camping or bothering the landowners thru which they travel.

I'm a strong advocate of not disturbing the Clubs, keeping the gates in place, and combining some or all of the above as compromises that TNC, DEC and the long-time sportman's clubs might be able to live with. No one gets everything they want and no one goes out of existence.