KEENE, NY — The Adirondack Land Trust recognized two scientists as 2021 Volunteers of the Year for their work to engage people in conservation through natural history.
Friends Ray Curran, of Saranac Lake, and Dan Spada, of Tupper Lake, (pictured here) are volunteers together in many endeavors, including the Northern Forest Atlas, Adirondack Botanical Society, Adirondack Orchid Survey, New York Flora Association, Northern Current music festival, and the Adirondack Land Trust.
Acquisition Increases Public Access and Recreational Opportunities
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Adirondack Land Trust today announced the addition of 250 acres to the Forest Preserve on Moxham Mountain between Minerva, Essex County and North Creek, Warren County. The acquisition will increase public access to the south side of Moxham Mountain for hiking and rock climbing.
The Adirondack Park is known for its Forever Wild Forest Preserve, but a good majority of conservation efforts are done by private landowners themselves.
At 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 2nd, three landowners who have put in the effort to conserve their land will talk about their motivations, the methods they used and the challenges that they face in doing so. They will also discuss some of the benefits of private conservation.
This winter the Adirondack Land Trust is hosting an online discussion and a field trip showcasing the Northern Forest Atlas, a collection of graphic tools for naturalists of all abilities.
At 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, Northern Forest Atlas Director Jerry Jenkins will present a virtual introduction to the atlas’s free online resources, including photographs, videos and other digital tools. Jenkins will also give a brief botany lesson from northernforestatlas.org.
The Adirondack Land Trust has purchased 17 acres of land on the Thirteenth Lake’s 4.5-mile shoreline, marking the conservation of the last unprotected shoreline on Thirteenth Lake. The Lake is a headwater of Upper Hudson River and the largest body of water within the Siamese Ponds Wilderness.
New York State Forest Preserve borders the land on one side, while the Garnet Hill Property Owners Association borders the other. The latter is taking advantage of restrictive use covenants to ensure its lake shore property is protected.
The Adirondack Land Trust will be working along side the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to integrate the Thirteenth Lake land into the 114,010-acre Siamese Ponds Wilderness, allowing for it to become public, and thereby protected under the Forever Wild clause of the NYS constitution.
Continuing my hikes and bushwhacks to various peaks in the Adirondacks and exploring their history, I paid a visit to Coon Mountain in the Town of Westport, Essex County. From the trailhead located off a dirt road called Halds Road, I made the short, 0.7-mile hike along the leaf-littered trail to the bare-rock lookout point. From the lookout, I found a nice view of Lake Champlain and North West Bay (below), and the Green Mountains of Vermont across the lake. I should note that the true summit of Coon Mountain is about 0.25-miles north-northwest of the lookout point and requires a bushwhack to get to.
The Adirondack Land Trust has announced three live, virtual programs to be held in August. The programs will feature land-protection staff, scientists studying the Adirondack Forests, and a conservation intern who will discuss the ups and downs of conservation fieldwork during COVID-19. The events will be free and open to the public. If you wish to register, or view more information you may do so by visiting the Adirondack land Trust Website.
The schedule is as follows:
The Adirondack Land Trust invites everyone to get outside this spring and summer. While the organization had planned a volunteer work event for National Trails Day on Saturday, June 6, instead they offer a few ideas to recognize the event in a more socially distanced way:
—If you don’t feel safe clearing heavy brush or downed trees, simply take gloves and a trash bag with you to collect litter next time you walk in your local natural space.
—Learn how to identify and remove invasive garlic mustard.
—Conserved green spaces don’t protect themselves; consider making a gift to your local land trust.
The Adirondack Land Trust purchased five acres of forest along the shore of Upper Saranac Lake to ensure that a mile-long stretch of shoreline between Indian Carry and Indian Point remains forever wild.
The tract features 570 feet of rugged lakeshore edged by boulders and northern white cedars. The Adirondack Land Trust is expected to work with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to transfer the land to the state to close a gap in the Saranac Lakes Wild Forest, which is protected under the “forever wild” clause of New York’s constitution as part of the Adirondack Forest Preserve. » Continue Reading.
The Adirondack Land Trust has announced the addition of three new board members who bring expertise in private land conservation, farmland access for young farmers, and communications.
The mission of the Adirondack Land Trust is to forever conserve the forests, farmlands, waters and wild places that advance the quality of life of our communities and the ecological integrity of the Adirondacks. The land trust has protected 26,628 acres since its founding in 1984. » Continue Reading.
The Adirondack Land Trust has hired two conservation professionals to fill the new positions of philanthropy assistant and land protection manager. Kathy Woughter is expected to play a role in building support for the Adirondack Land Trust’s mission and work to connect people to conservation work, with a focus on young and diverse constituents.
Before moving to the Adirondacks this year, Woughter worked in higher education in Western New York, most recently as Vice President of Student Affairs at Alfred University. Woughter has won awards as an ally for diversity and cultural unity. Her husband Bob is the principal of Keene Central School. » Continue Reading.
An expanse of 2,434 acres of Adirondack foothills at the headwaters of the Boquet River, including streams, ponds, and mature forest, has been protected.
The new Eagle Mountain Wilderness Preserve part of a large, intact forest that connects the High Peaks to lower elevation lands near Lake Champlain. Surrounding protected areas include New York State’s Jay Mountain Wilderness and Taylor Pond Wild Forest (home to the local landmark, Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain), as well as other privately conserved lands.
The New York State Conservation Partnership Program has awarded the Adirondack Land Trust a grant of $23,535 to improve trails at Coon Mountain. The grant was made possible by a private matching grant of $6,000 from the Fields Pond Foundation, $1,000 from the Ellen Lea Paine Memorial Nature Fund, and $4,490 in donations from 21 individuals. » Continue Reading.
The Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, has announced that the Adirondack Land Trust has been awarded accreditation, a distinction signifying that the organization meets national standards for land and water conservation.
The Adirondack Land Trust is celebrating its 35th year of protecting farms and forests, undeveloped shoreline, scenic vistas, and lands and waters contributing to the quality of life of Adirondack communities as well as the wildness and rural character of the Adirondack Park. The land trust has protected 23,887 acres to date. » Continue Reading.
250 acres of the south face of Moxham Mountain have been protected by private sale to the Adirondack Land Trust. There is no recreational access presently. The Land Trust and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation are working to transfer the land to the Adirondack Forest Preserve, at which time it will become public.
Moxham Mountain is located between Minerva and North Creek and is part of the Vanderwhacker Wild Forest. It’s lofty cliffs have been eyed by climbers, although no public access to the face of Moxham was possible.
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