The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced new updates at the agency’s Adirondack and Catskill campgrounds ahead of the Independence Day holiday, which kicks off the busy season at State campgrounds. Changes include updating swimming policies for the 2023 camping season to specify unsupervised swimming at DEC campground beaches and extending the seasons at the popular Moffitt and Lewey Lake campgrounds. Lifeguards will continue to supervise swimming at DEC’s Lake George “Million Dollar Beach” and Hinckley Reservoir Day Use Areas.
Posts Tagged ‘Hamilton County’
Record numbers compete at Hamilton County Envirothon

An Envirothon team identifies coniferous and deciduous tree species at the Forestry station.
Record numbers competed at the twenty-ninth annual Hamilton County Envirothon held May 3, where eight teams of high school students took tough, science-focused tests and battled for first place. The Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District organizes and hosts the event annually.
“The Hamilton County Envirothon provides an interscholastic competition in an academic setting,” said Nicole Curtin, Long Lake Envirothon adviser. “My teams gain exposure to other students from our county, and great, real-life applications of science concepts.”
Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism Conducts Local Tourism Impact Survey
LAKE PLACID, NY – The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is seeking feedback from residents and business owners within Essex and Hamilton counties, along with the villages of Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake regarding their perception of how tourism affects the region.
The survey will capture business owners’ and residents’ perceptions and opinions about a number of topics as they relate to tourism within the region. It seeks to better understand sentiment regarding tourism-related activities and impacts that contribute positively to the local economy and social environment within the region, along with topics that may be a source of concern.
ROOST Releases 2021 Leisure Travel Study Results
LAKE PLACID, NY – The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism has released the results of its 2021 Leisure Travel Study, which analyzes non-business travel to Lake Placid, Essex and Hamilton counties, along with the adjacent communities of Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake.
The leisure travel study is conducted each year to identify travel trends, gauge the impact of marketing initiatives and implement data-driven decisions.
“We base our marketing decisions on available data, insights and trends so that we can optimize results,” said James McKenna, CEO, Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism. “This survey continues to provide information that allows us to better understand leisure travelers in our region.”
Hiking with Grandma Beth: Old Forge resident shares coverage of Loon Census, Moose River Plains
As another extension of our initial post about an Old Forge grandmother, Beth Pashley, avid hiker and talented photographer, The Adirondack Almanack will be featuring snippets of Pashley’s hiking adventures on a year-round basis including her visually-striking and artistic nature photographs. Pashley was inspired to embrace the great outdoors with her grandchildren starting at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, dubbing the family bonding time as “The Grandma Chronicles.”
Our last Hiking with Grandma Beth post was published in April, so we thought it was high time to reintroduce her photography to readers, this time by covering her recent excursion to Moose River Plains, as well as to highlight her involvement in the 2022 NY Loon Census.
Community Health Needs Assessment Meeting set for July 19 at Old Forge Library
The Herkimer County Public Health Department, in conjunction with local community healthcare advocates from LivingADK’s Healthcare Committee and the Old Forge Library, are asking for community feedback identifying key health and social needs in the community.
There will be a townhall-style forum at the Old Forge Library on July 19, at 10 am. Residents, community leaders, fire department members, ambulance volunteers, seniors and healthcare professionals, everyone with a stake in health issues in the Town of Webb, are encouraged to attend and provide feedback.
Hamilton County residents who feel they have a stake in regional health issues are also welcome to provide ideas and feedback. Herkimer County Public Health Department is required to create and submit a Community Health Needs Assessment to the NY State Department of Health.
The Hyde Collection Announces 31st Annual High School Juried Art Show & Showcases Winners

Best of Show: Kyla McByrne, Queensbury High School, “Sticky Situation,” acrylic painting.
The Hyde Collection is excited to announce its 31st Annual High School Juried Art Show showcasing the artistic talent of young artists from Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Hamilton, and Essex counties. This year’s high school artists employ diverse media, including drawing, painting, digital illustration, photography, jewelry, sculpture, and ceramics. The Hyde Collection is honored to
support promising young artists and students in the capital region.
“The High School Juried Art Show is an amazing opportunity for area high school student artists to learn and experience the finer points of a professional competitive exhibition process. As one of the nation’s longest-running high school juried shows, we are proud to continue providing this opportunity for our region’s amazing young artists,” said The Hyde Collection’s Director of Curatorial Affairs, Jonathan Canning.
In an extensive jurying process, judges selected 100 pieces of artwork for the exhibition from 443 submissions from 182 students in 13 schools. The entries were judged by a panel of jurors featuring three professional artists from our region: Anne Diggory, Doretta Miller, and Victoria van der Lann, each of whom has a work in The Hyde’s permanent collection.
Winners were announced May 7 at the opening reception, attended by 170 people in The Helen Froehlich Auditorium. Awards were given to the artwork in categories of Best of Show, Curator’s Award, Juror’s Awards, and Honorable Mentions. The Visitor’s Choice Award will be awarded at the conclusion of the exhibition. All winners received a $250 scholarship for an art class at SUNY Adirondack and every student artist received a prize pack.
Successful year for Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District
The Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District closes out 2021 with the release of their Annual Report. The document details the District’s 2021 programs, projects, and events.
“The accomplishments listed in our 2021 Annual Report would not be possible without the steadfast support from our Board of Directors, the Soil and Water Conservation Committee, Association of Conservation Districts, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Hamilton County, and local organizations and agencies” said District Manager Caitlin Stewart. “Technicians Lenny Croote and Jaime Parslow, and Clerk Marj Remias provided expert and excellent service to landowners and municipalities year round.”
Highlights from the District’s Annual Report include:
Hamilton County hosts successful Conservation Field Day for kids
Christine Campeau, Adirondack Experience the Museum on Blue Mountain Lake, details The Beaver Fur Trade.
Area school kids learned about conservation during the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District’s annual field day on October 7. The autumn weather was sunny and warm as ninety fifth and sixth graders hiked the Adirondack Ecotrail to six stations, learning about natural resources from the experts.
The Lynn Galusha Memorial Conservation Field Day turned forty-two this year. I organize the event annually, and was thrilled to return to in-person after last year’s virtual videos, and it was fantastic to see the kids, teachers, presenters, and volunteers.
Twigs donates $57,700 to Hamilton County causes
LAKE PLEASANT — Hamilton County Twigs has voted to award $57,700 in grants to six non-profits within its service area of southern Hamilton County.
The vote took place during the group’s annual membership meeting Wednesday, Oct. 13, at Lake Pleasant Fire Hall.
Wells Youth Rec goes wild for bats
Wells Youth Rec went wild for bats during a talk and game I presented on July 20. Kids discovered that while bats may seem scary, they are misunderstood, important, and super cute.
I explained to the Youth Rec campers that bats are quite like humans. Both have hair, eat fruit or meat, and sing.
Hamilton Healthy Food Connections Grow
The Hamilton Healthy Food Connections program, offering financial assistance for fresh foods at local farmers markets, is returning in 2021.
“We see this as an extension of that neighbor who sneaks onto your porch and leaves you a couple of whatever they’re growing,” says Ben Strader, Director of the Blue Mountain Center. “It’s local food and local people, sharing.”
In 2020, Hamilton Healthy Food Connections program began with funding from the Adirondack Foundation’s Sudden and Urgent Needs Fund – a Covid-19 relief fund dedicated to meeting immediate, pandemic-related needs here in the Adirondacks. The program, organized by Blue Mountain Center’s Hamilton Helps Project and the Indian Lake Community Development Corporation (ILCDC), was intended to help Hamilton County residents access fresh and healthy food at nearby farmers markets. It offered $20 “farmers market certificates” redeemable for any fresh produce or meat at Hamilton County farmers markets.
Progress made in Hamilton County following 2019 Halloween Storm
Since the Halloween Storm raged through Hamilton County on October 31, 2019, excellent progress has been made to mitigate damage. In the wake of the storm, departments worked unceasingly to make roads passable. Then, they spent the spring, summer, and fall repairing infrastructure and stabilizing streams. Work continues, with more projects on tap for 2021.
Greg Boyer, Hamilton County Department of Public Works Road Supervisor II, reported that when the storm first hit, crew members spent countless hours making the roads passable.
“Crews were fabulous as far as getting together to get the work done, and making roads accessible for people to get in and out of their houses,” Boyer said. “Everyone worked together really well.”
The Hamilton County DPW completed the following flood mitigation projects:
Hamilton Co. program connects people to fresh food
Farm fresh fruits and vegetables are a highlight of the Adirondack summer, but for those with limited incomes, this source of produce may be entirely inaccessible. A new offering at no cost to eligible seniors and individuals in need has been launched by a partnership of community groups this summer.
The Hamilton Healthy Food Connections program offers $20 nutrition certificates to all Hamilton County seniors who currently rely on delivered meals from the Warren/Hamilton County Office of the Aging meal sites. Hamilton County Community Action food pantry clients are also eligible.
Take a Survey About Hiking Trails in Hamilton County
Public input is sought for the selection of 5-10 priority hiking trails within Hamilton County for inclusion in a trail maintenance plan as the primary goal of the Hamilton County Trails into Prosperity project. The project will enhance recreational opportunities, bolster local economies, and improve natural resource user experience by designing comprehensive trail maintenance and sustainability plans for key Hamilton County hiking trails. Those who hike in Hamilton County are encouraged to complete a brief survey regarding priority trail selection.
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