Information attributed to NYSDEC is taken from press releases and news announcements from New York State's Department of Environmental Conservation.
Holiday weekends are a convenient time for everyone to explore outside. But with more people on the trail, it’s important to share them properly. Be considerate of others and follow these tips so that everyone has a great time outside this Labor Day weekend.
Town of Arietta
Hamilton County
Fugitive Search: For the last five months, Forest Ranger Lieutenant Kerr and Rangers Hamm, Nally, and Thompson assisted the U.S. Marshals Service in the search for a wanted fugitive from Gloversville. The 35-year-old had been living in the woods on state land with minimal outside contact. On August 22 while on patrol, Rangers Hamm and Thompson spotted the subject camping near Chubb Lake.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is spreading awareness about the exotic insect pest called the elm zigzag sawfly (Aproceros leucopoda.) Please see below for information on how to identify the insect, locations in New York where it can be found, how the pest is affecting forests, DEC efforts to research/help manage the situation, and how others can participate in the process.
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information.
NEW THIS WEEK
On Aug. 7, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced that DEC Forest Rangers and expert wildland firefighters were being deployed to assist with efforts to contain the Ridge Creek Fire in the Idaho panhandle and the Niarada Fire in northwestern Montana. The latest Forest Ranger deployments come as a team of DEC engineers recently returned from performing dam safety inspections in Vermont after being directed by Governor Kathy Hochul to assist in the recovery from the devastating flooding that inundated the Northeast last month.
New York State often deploys highly trained wildland firefighters to help battle wildfires as part of interstate and international firefighting compacts. The DEC Forest Ranger assisting in Montana will serve as a Task Force Leader and help coordinate the response to a fire that is currently estimated at 10,400 acres and zero percent contained. The fire on Bureau of Indian Affairs lands 12 miles west of Elmo, Montana, is currently threatening several structures. A pair of Rangers are also deploying to Idaho to assist with efforts to contain the Ridge Creek Fire north of Coeur D’alene.
Town of North Hudson
Essex County
Wilderness Search: On Aug 16 at 8:50 a.m., nine Forest Rangers responded to a call for three missing hikers on the Dix Range who were supposed to meet the rest of their hiking party the night before at the Slide Brook lean-to. The teenagers from Troy, West Sand Lake, and Wynantskill were well-trained hikers with headlamps, food, water, a map, and a compass.
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information.
NEW THIS WEEK
Town of Indian Lake
Hamilton County
Wilderness Rescue: On Aug. 9 at 11:20 a.m., Forest Rangers responded to a call for a hiker with an injured ankle approximately 1.4 miles in on the Watch Hill Trail. Rangers reached the 69-year-old from Gansevoort in less than an hour. With the help of Indian Lake Rescue, Rangers provided care and packaged the subject to carry her to the beach. From there, Ranger Miller transported the subject by boat to the Indian Lake Islands Campground. Indian Lake EMS drove the patient to the hospital at 2:20 p.m.
The following are only the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry webpages for a full list of notices, including seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information.
NEW THIS WEEK
Town of Hope
Hamilton County
Law Enforcement: On July 29 at 9 p.m., while patrolling Wilcox Lake Wild Forest, Forest Ranger Nally stopped a truck driving illegally on State land. The driver provided his name and date of birth, but due to poor radio and cell service, Ranger Nally couldn’t check it until back in communication range. At that time, Ranger Nally learned the license plate didn’t match the subject’s personal information. Ranger Nally returned the next day to check the license plate again and learned the subject had active felony warrants out of Virginia. Rangers Kerr and Nally arrested the fugitive and turned him over to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office. The subject was also issued tickets for illegal motor vehicle use on State land and depositing rubbish on State land.
DEC is excited to announce Round 2 of the Community Forest Conservation Grant! This grant opportunity aims to provide municipalities with financial assistance in purchasing forest land for the purpose of creating community forests. Community forests can provide many benefits:
In addition, community forests help meet the state’s net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goals outlined in New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.
For more information, visit the Community Forest Conservation Grant webpage, or email Molly Hassett with any questions.
High Peaks Wilderness – Starting Thursday, July 27, Marcy Brook Lean-to will be unavailable for use. The lean-to is being repaired over several weekends by the Adirondack 46ers Volunteers. Campers can utilize existing tent sites across the hiking trail from the lean-to or camp at nearby lean-tos.
A high-water and muddy trails advisory is in effect until further notice: Recent heavy rains have washed out numerous roads, bridges, and trails. The extent of damage is still being assessed. More thunderstorms bringing potential heavy rain are forecast throughout the remainder of the week. Users are advised to:
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced DEC is seeking hunters to participate in a multi-year study of non-lead ammunition impacts on the State’s eagle conservation efforts. DEC is partnering with the New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Cornell University, U.S. Geological Survey, and Conservation Science Global on the study to determine the reduction in bald and golden eagle deaths that can be achieved from increased use of non-lead ammunition for deer hunting.
Eagles can ingest lead bullet fragments when scavenging the remains left behind after a hunter field dresses a deer. While the bald eagle population is doing well in New York, research has shown that lead-related mortality has slowed population growth. The golden eagle population in the eastern U.S. is relatively stable, although vulnerable to a potential population decline due to lead poisoning. This study aims to determine whether this source of mortality can be reduced by increasing the proportion of hunters using non-lead ammunition.
To help recruit hunters to participate in the study, DEC’s research partners will be offering rebates of up to $60 for the purchase of certified non-lead ammunition and participation in pre- and post-hunt surveys. Administration of the rebates will be fulfilled by Conservation Science Global. Participation in the rebate program is voluntary and will be available to hunters issued a Deer Management Permit (DMP) in the following Wildlife Management Units (WMUs): 3H, 4F, 4G, 4H, 4O, 4P, 4R, 4W, and 6G. These WMUs were selected based on greater abundance of eagles and deer harvest success. Focusing eligibility to these areas will concentrate the impact of non-lead ammunition use, allowing for a greater ability to estimate the effects on eagle populations.
The first year of the study will be implemented during the 2023-24 hunting season. DEC expects to continue offering rebates during the 2024 and 2025 hunting seasons. For more information and where eligible hunters can participate, visit the Hunters for Eagle Conservation website.
This research was identified as a high priority in DEC’s report, “Minimizing Risks to Wildlife and People from Lead Hunting Ammunition.” Since the release of this report in April 2022, DEC and partners have taken several steps to implement recommendations in the plan towards minimizing the risks associated with lead ammunition for hunting. For more information, visit DEC’s website.
DEC photo
Recent NYS DEC Forest Ranger actions:
Town of North Elba
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On July 24 at 5:37 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about a hiker with an unstable ankle injury on the Van Hovenberg trail just below the junction with Phelps Mountain. Forest Ranger Lewis served as incident commander, leading a team of seven Rangers on a carry-out mission. Rangers reached the 60-year-old from Auburn by 7 p.m., stabilized her ankle, and packaged her into a backpack carrier. Rangers carried the subject approximately one mile to Marcy Dam and then drove a UTV three miles to the intersection of South Meadows and Adirondack Loj roads where she was met by her husband, who drove her to the hospital. Resources were clear by 9:30 p.m.
Rescue on Phelps Mountain
Village of Tupper Lake
Franklin County
Law Enforcement: On July 30, Forest Ranger Corey issued 10 tickets to an individual who had two illegal encampments on State land at Underwood Bridge and Big Tupper Lake. Rangers Bronson and Russell assisted Ranger Corey in evicting the subject. The tickets included camping for four or more nights without a permit, storing personal property on State land, cutting down trees, leaving rubbish, and leaving a fire unattended. Each ticket carries a maximum fine of $250.
Illegal camp at Tupper Lake
Illegal camp at Tupper Lake
Illegal camp at Tupper Lake
Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s Hike Smart NY, Adirondack Backcountry Information, and Catskill Backcountry Information webpages for more information.
If a person needs a Forest Ranger, whether it’s for a search and rescue, to report a wildfire, or to report illegal activity on state lands and easements, they should call 833-NYS-RANGERS. If a person needs urgent assistance, they can call 911. To contact a Forest Ranger for information about a specific location, the DEC website has phone numbers for every Ranger listed by region.
With boating season upon us, it’s important to remember to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) using the “clean, drain, dry” method for boats, as well as disinfecting fishing gear. Boat stewards are available at more than 200 launches across New York State to educate and assist boaters in practicing these techniques every time they come off the water and prior to launching.
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