Possible New Rail Trail Between Lake Placid and Tupper Lake

        The newest item on the agenda for the Adirondack Park Association (APA) is the proposal to turn the railroad between Tupper Lake and Lake Placid into a trail. The job for the APA is not to necessarily change the proposal but to decide if it follows the rules of the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan (SLMP). As we discussed in class week, there are different types of land in the Park that determine what can and cannot be done on and/or to the land. The plan for the rail trail is to turn 34 miles of track into a path for "snowmobiling and skiing in winter, and for biking, hiking, roller-blading and other pastimes in other seasons."Adirondack Scenic Railroad has been the only company to use the railroads in recent years and has been given until November 2016 to stop services to Lake Placid.
         Discontinuing the rail way service has raised concern for some APA members. Lani Ulrich, APA chairwoman, made the point that closing service to Lake Placid will continue to restrict access to the park because there will be less options for people without cars to travel to Adirondacks. She did however acknowledge in her comments to the Adirondack Almanack that the proposal looks like it follows the SLMP. Historic Saranac Lake and other historical societies do not agree. They believe that the trail way will break historic preservation laws because removing the train tracks counts as altering land on state and federal property along the rail corridor that are on the registers of historic places. Robert Davies, who is the director of the DEC's Division of Lands and Forests, says the trail is not going against the SLMP and "has the potential to be truly transformative." He points out the State Historic Preservation Office hasn't complained and the DEC plans to restore historical sites and put up educational signs to make up for the removal of the tracks. Even Ulirch admitted that the scenic train will still run up to Tupper Lake and if there are no violations the APA will probably support the trail way.
         The proposed trail way is a good example of how the APA works. They don't want to change the proposal, they just want to make sure it follows the SLMP. The APA doesn't even seem to question the uses for the trail, which is intriguing because if snowmobiles are allowed, I wouldn't be surprised if ATVs would be allowed as another "pastime in other seasons." This point would need further research but it is strange ATVs were not brought up since they are such a hot topic in the park. It seems as far as the APA is concerned, as long as the Historic Land Area rules aren't broken and no problem comes up in the public forums, the trail way will happen.


Sources
Phil, Brown. "APA Seems on Board with Rail Trail" November 12th, 2015.
http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2015/11/apa-seems-board-rail-trail.html

Urban Myths

Urban legends have been around for as long as story telling has left its mark on civilization. They tend to fascinate audiences and captivate all ages alike, which is the main reason they stick around and are so popular. The Adirondacks have a share of urban legends that have been passed down for generations. I will detail a couple of my favorite ones.

            Champ: The Monster in Lake Champlain. This urban legend is not a unique one (it is more commonly known in Scotland), yet that does not diminish from its popularity. The lake, which separates New York and Vermont, has been rumored to host the monster since 1609. Rewards have been offered for the monster, dead or alive, in the 19^th century and over 300 sightings have been reported. Most crypto zoologists do not deny the existence of the monster, rather claim it to be a gigantic fish or what was thought to be an extinct creature. Most of the sightings can be explained by schools of fish or rocks, signaling that the chance of the monster’s existence to be quite low.

            Bigfoot: Another large, mythical creature has captured the hearts and minds of people in the Adirondacks, however, this one is a land creature. Bigfoot, or Sasquatch, has reportedly been seen near Saranac Lake, the high peaks region, and Whitehall with as many as 200 reported sightings. Some of the claims stem from random rock throwing, including rocks the size of basketballs being hurled at people. Additionally, large footprints of unknown creatures have been found throughout the region. These could be a result of two footprints combining, or a whole new creature. Despite the popularity of the myth in the west coast, inhabitants of the Adirondacks claim the real Bigfoot lives in their region, and they are determined to prove it.

            The Indian Lake Project: This lesser known myth is more along the lines of a conspiracy theory. In the 1990’s, a hiker stumbled upon a box that contained photographs of children in what seemed to be a government run experiment. After the hiker’s death, his nephew took possession of the box and started to look into the photos, including discovering CIA experiments run in the 1950’s that targeted mind control and its similarity to the photos. The hiker’s nephew visited Indian Lake in the mid 2000’s, only to find cement structures hidden in the woods which he believed to be remains of the experiment that was shut down in the 1990’s.  The hiker’s nephew set up a blog to discuss his findings, but soon shut it down due to mysterious phone calls and threats. The investigation ended shortly after it began due to his belief that he was being watched. The root of the photographs and cement structures remains unknown.

http://www.crushable.com/2011/07/16/entertainment/creepy-things-that-seem-real-but-arent-the-indian-lake-project/2/

http://lite987.com/indian-lake-project/

http://lite987.com/5-unexplained-urban-legends-from-upstate-new-york/

http://www.saranaclake.com/blog/2015/03/bigfoot-adirondacks

Adirondack Construction Controversy

          The progression of three hotel projects in the Adirondacks has raised controversy over the impacts their development they might have on the local communities. These projects include a top-to-bottom renovation and restoration of Hotel Saranac, a new Marriot Hotel in Lake George, and a new Lake Flower Inn on Lake Flower in Saranac Lake. Each project differs in the impacts they could have on natural resources and the character of the communities.

            The Hotel Saranac is a project mostly for the renovation and restoration of an already existing historic building landmark. The Hotel Saranac “is the icon of Saranac Lake. And…it was a benefactor to every downtown business in the region…it was a place of gathering” (Mann). Seven years ago when Paul Smiths College decided to stop using the hotel as a training site for students and sold it, the hotel slowly fell into decline. However, a few years ago, Roedel Companies purchased the property and have since been given a $5 million grant from the state for the renovations and restoration. Many have a positive outlook on this project, hoping that the restoration will return it to its former glory and attract business to the area. Unlike the positivity toward the Hotel Saranac, the Lake George Marriott project faces some controversy from locals. A local developer received approval to build a six-story, 120-room Marriott Hotel. The street the hotel will be located on is largely dominated by a string of one and two-story buildings. Thus, many fear that the hotel being almost three times as tall as most of the building will disrupt the character of the community. Locals complain that it would simply be too large and would not fit in with the rest of the village. Additionally, the construction of the hotel could have some impacts on the quality of the water that it would be constructed near. Like the Lake George Marriott, the Lake Flower Inn project has also raised local concerns about its changes to community character. The proposed Lake Flower Inn was granted $2 million for the construction of a luxury hotel that would replace three motels that are squeezed together on the shores of Lake Flower. Some argue that a four-story building that would be over 250 feet in length is out of scale with the area and would look out of place. Additionally, many complain that the size of it would wall off the lake and cause pedestrian and traffic issues.

            All of these projects raise interesting questions about the preservation and development of historical areas. I think any construction or restoration should keep to the character of the area so as to preserve it. I found it interesting that the APA actually gave permits for the construction of the Marriot and the Lake Flower Inn, even with all the controversy over the disruption of character of the community. The idea that the APA was and is not a complete success in preserving the Adirondacks is definitely present in this issue.  

Sources:

http://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/22489/20130806/investor-plans-to-revive-historic-hotel-saranac

http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2014/03/considering-three-hotel-projects-adirondacks.html

Adirondack Adult Beverages

            The American Craft Beer revolution over the past several decades has shifted the focus away from big beer companies towards small family owned microbreweries.  The emergence of microbreweries has lead to innovation in taste, style, type, and overall beer drinking experience.  The development of a beer’s story along with its brewery and the surrounding area has become a quintessential part of beer drinker’s decision process when choosing what to drink.  The introduction of grass roots activism and education to beer marketing has revitalized the industry and created tourism destinations in areas such as the Adirondacks (craftbeer.com).  Similar to how sportsmen and the tourism boom in the early 20^th century stimulated the economy of the Adirondacks, craft breweries are creating another layer of attraction.

             Aside from the influx of tourism revenue, microbreweries are a very good source for jobs in areas of need.  Scott Metzger, a professor of economics at the University of Texas, attributes the job supply to the labor inefficiencies of craft breweries.  The need for more labor for low production levels makes craft breweries a good aid to economies with high unemployment (brewbound.com).  Local economies often rely on cash, grants, and tax abatements to incentivize breweries to set up shop in their area (brewbound.com).

            Amidst the craft brewery craze it is pretty obvious why the Adirondacks would stand out as a prime location for breweries to succeed.  After enjoying a day exploring the scenic wilderness, hunting, or coming off of the slopes the breweries provide a place to have a good meal and take in the tastes of the Adirondacks.  Many breweries take great pride in supporting local business and make efforts to locally source all ingredients and materials that go in to brewing, bottling, and packaging.  A recent study by New York State has found that the craft beverage industry has brought in $450 million in tourism dollars, $277 million in revenue, and $748 million in state and local taxes (adkcraftbev.com).  The small businesses of the craft beverage industry have clearly made a positive impact on the economy of New York state.

            For those who like to skip the recreation and get right to the good part here is an option to base your day around tasting all of the beer, wine, and small batch liquors the Adirondacks have to offer.  After noticing the increasing amount of local breweries, wineries, and distilleries popping up in the region a couple decided to find a way to create a network and connect all of the great destinations.  They renovated a bus and now run the Hoppy Trails Brew Bus Company that tours all 14 breweries, distilleries, and wineries in the area (hoppytrailsbrewbus.com).

            The Adirondack Chamber of Commerce has recognized the opportunity created by the popularity of boutique style adult beverage distributors.  In an effort to facilitate tourism the Chamber of Commerce has developed the Adirondack Craft Beverage Trail.  Available in app form at the App Store the app serves as a unique platform for beverage enthusiasts to view the “trail map”, read about the destinations, and even share there own experiences along the trail.  The app incentivizes visitors by offering awards for the collecting of badges from every destination in the region.  Efforts like this prove that the craft beverage industry has come along way and will continue to expand in the Adirondack region.  The emergence of the craft brewing industry is another chapter in the ever-changing history of the Adirondack economy.

Sources:

http://www.brewbound.com/news/craft-beers-impact-on-local-economy-discussed

http://hoppytrailsbrewbus.com/

http://www.craftbeer.com/the-beverage/history-of-beer/the-revival

http://adkcraftbev.com

Photos:

adkcraftbev.com

Instagram @hoppytrailsbb

Tamaracks

          If you've walked across the bridge connecting the sides of Light and Dark, you've seen the huge tamarack across the stream from the diner.  If you've seen me making this walk, you've probably seen me stop and look at the tree for a minute before continuing on my way, or seen me mention the tree to a friend (for the fifth time) and receive protests in response.  In the warm months it looks like many other conifers with its bright green, short needles.  However, now that fall has come and almost gone, the tree's needles have already changed from green to orange-brown, and fallen, leaving the naked tree to withstand the winter cold.  
          The Tamarack (Larix laricina), also known as the Larch, is a rare conifer tree that sheds its needles deciduously.  It grows abundantly in the Adirondacks and loves the wetlands of the park.  Its needles grow in bunches of ten to twenty and form short spirals around the twigs.  Tamaracks can grow to 75 feet tall and average 40 feet tall at full height, though many that grow in peatlands will never reach past 6 feet.

A tamarack tree growing in a bog at Paul Smith's College

          Tamaracks have a huge range across North America, ranging from Newfoundland and Labrador in the east to Alaska in the west, and northern lower-48 states in the south like New York, Maine, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.  It loves cold and wet conditions, like bogs, swamps, lakes, ponds, and streams, especially of boreal forests.  Hamilton's campus is lucky to have tamaracks growing here, as tamaracks rarely grow on upland sites without an abundance of water.  They love nutrient-poor acidic peatlands and are often the first trees to inhabit land after the land has encountered fires.  Even though they are so tolerant of more extreme conditions, they are intolerant to heat, shade, and pollution.  Because Black Spruce prefer similar climates, they are often found nearby one another.
         Tamaracks are used by humans for their wood, bark, and needles.  They are harvested for pulpwood and their wood can make good posts and timbers.  In Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's epic poem The Song of Hiawatha, Longfellow writes of native Americans using tamaracks as material for their canoes: "Give me your roots, O Tamarack!  Of your fibrous roots, O Larch Tree!  My canoes to bind together; that the water may not enter."  The bark has some tannin that can be used for tanning leather.  The needles and roots can be made into a tea.  The Algonquin, along with other native American tribes, used the bark and roots to cure coughs, as well as the needles and inner bark to treat burns and infections.  John Josselyn, the Massachusetts Bay Colony's naturalist, said of the tamarack: "the turpentine that issueth from the tamarack is singularly good to heal wounds and draw out the malice... of any Ach rubbing the place therewith."

Tamaracks near the shore of Wolf Pond

            The secret of the popularity of the tree among non-naturalists lies in its fall color.  Only after most other trees have already lost their leaves does the tamarack's needles begin to change, giving forests a second wave of vibrant fall colors.


http://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/20/travel/after-the-maples-the-golden-tamarack.html?pagewanted=all
http://www.adirondackvic.org/Trees-of-the-Adirondacks-Tamarack-Larix-laricina.html
http://wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-plants.html
http://www.lakeplacidnews.com/page/content.detail/id/522270/Unlocking-the-mysterious-tamarack.html?nav=5059

Adirondack Treat

            While Adirondack maple products flood the shelves of stores year round, the early spring offers a chance for park visitors to procure the sweet treat themselves. The tapping of maple trees is one that’s been around for centuries. Local lore says that the Iroquois stumbled upon this method in the 1500s when an errant tomahawk throw stuck into a maple and unlocked the tree’s secret. Following the accidental discovery, the Iroquois continued to perfect the art and shifted towards using stone taps that funneled the sap into buckets of heated rocks that cooked and purified the sap. European settlers of the 1600s learned from the Natives and joined in, although the labor-intensive process resulted in only small yields. The process of tapping trees remained relatively small scale until the Civil War. Then, the use of tin cans and other storage containers enabled the expansion of syrup production and the practice became much more widespread. Additionally, the organically produced syrup served a social function as it provided an alternative to slave-produced sugar cane. Abolitionists of the era used this dynamic to take a stand against the institution of slavery.

   Depiction of Maple Sugar making in the Adirondacks

http://www.adirondack.net/things-to-do/maple/

          Today, New York is the third largest producer of syrup in the world behind Canada and Vermont. Because of the heavy forestation in the Adirondacks, the region serves as the state’s leader in production. Sap starts to flow as the seasons transition from winter to spring and the warmer temperatures unlock the ooze from its season-long hibernation. Hundreds of locals harvest their own syrup but many visitors come to the park to try their hand at the craft. Many maple farms are open to the public and the tourists that come to see the production process bolster the regions economy. Similarly, the production and sale of syrup in the Adirondacks accounts for a large portion of the local economy and some say that there is room for expansion.

However, as the ecological minds of the Adirondacks often are, residents and tappers are concerned by the implications that climate change presents for the industry. As we’ve discussed in class, there has been a northward migration of trees and plants in response to the warming climate. For the Adirondacks, this means a possible northward migration of the maple. Of course, this tree species is essential for the production of syrup and so its migration could translate into trouble for syrup producers. On top of the economic loss that accompanies reduced syrup production, there will without a doubt be a loss of tradition that may be viewed as more important. With such a storied tradition, the absence of sugaring in the region represents a cultural loss and movement away from the olden ways of the Adirondacks.

Works Cited

Adirondack. "Enjoy Maple Sugaring in the Adirondacks." Adirondack.net. 2015.Web. <http://www.adirondack.net/things-to-do/maple/>.

Anonymous. "Adirondack Maple Sugaring." Visit Adirondacks. 2015.Web. <http://visitadirondacks.com/attractions/maple-sugaring-the-adirondacks>.

Museum. "Maple Syrup in the Adirondacks." Adirondack Museum. 2015.Web. <http://www.adkmuseum.org/about_us/adirondack_journal/?id=140>.

Paul Smith's College

Paul Smith’s College is the only private four year institution in Adirondack Park. It has an unusual history for a college – Paul Smith’s was originally a lakeside hotel getaway in the Adirondacks during the peak in tourism during the second half of the 19th century. After Paul Smith, the original founder of the hotel, died in 1912, his son, Phelps, took over operation until it was destroyed by a fire in 1930. Finally, when Phelps died, he left money to the founding of a college in his father’s name. In 1937 Paul Smith’s College was established on the site of the old Paul Smith’s hotel with its first class entering in 1946.

Paul Smith's College sits on the shore of Lower St. Regis Lake (www.paulsmiths.edu)

Due to its unique location, Paul Smith’s boasts that is it able to provide students with a hands on education that will be applicable in the real world. In their mission, they state that they, “actively educate students to  become productive citizens by combining experiential and traditional instruction” and that their unique location, “promotes economic, social, and environmental sustainability” (paulsmiths.edu).

To do this, they offer a wide variety of courses in many different disciplines – many of which benefit from proximity to the park. They offer a variety of two and four year programs in six main areas: land, plants and timber, the great outdoors, culinary arts, life science, and leadership/business. Under each of these umbrella categories, there are more specific majors for students to choose from, and students even have the option to create their own interdisciplinary major.

While some students may hesitate to attend college somewhere as rural as the Adirondacks for fear of boredom, Paul Smith’s offers a variety of clubs and things to do. Many of their clubs are clearly related to their location in the Adirondacks, such as the Forestry Club, or the Fish and Game Club; however, there are also many opportunities for students with other interest as well, such as the Medical Emergency Response Team or the Cycling Club. Beyond this, since almost all of their students live in on campus housing, there are always other students to grab a meal with or socialize with.

Paul Smith’s College is in a position to offer the best of both worlds when it comes to a college experience. Students are still able enjoy many of the traditional college experiences like joining clubs and living in dorms; while they also have access to the experiential learning opportunities of the Adirondacks right at their fingertips. For anyone who loves the outdoors and is looking for a different kind of college experience, Paul Smith’s is definitely a great institution to explore!

Works Cited:

http://www.paulsmiths.edu

Where are the Wild Things?

     It is increasingly apparent that human's search for unexplored natural spaces in this world is becoming a harder task to take on than ever before. This is due largely to the small number of places that have avoided the creeping hand of human dominance over the centuries of human exploration. In the face of this shrinking pool of unknown discoveries, there has become a cultural surge in nations like the United States to spend time communing in nature, ideally in areas previously untouched.

A broad depiction of the world's population density

     Here presents a deeply frustrating Catch-22. People are demanding an unending supply of the previously unexplored only so that they may 'conquer' these areas themselves. The concept of finding new places to explore is not necessarily impossible, but since many of these modern day explorers are not working on a geologic timescale, it is an impractical demand to make. Simply, this cycle is wholly unsustainable.
     When this desire to explore is placed in the context of the Adirondacks, conceptual understandings of wilderness are called into question. When these tourists are looking to have these unique experiences, do they need to summit a previously untouched mountain, or are they seeking out unfiltered interactions with the natural world? The answer to this question carries weight given the contentious "forever wild" clause that makes the ADK what it is today. When the fundamental understanding of what wilderness is changes, how does antiquated legislation fit? Does "forever wild" become a promise of state maintenance of the Park in the name of tourism, thereby rationalizing actions such as that of the rotenone treatments described in Schneider? If this is the case, this constitutes a fundamental shift in how individuals should see the park. What this issue is essentially about is who nature is for. Individuals such as Glenon would argue that nature needs no excuse to exist. However, many private land owners would contest that there is no real reason for humans to inhabit land they have access to. An indication of the deeply entrenched belief that American land is a commodity.

Even Wilderness Areas in the Park are well documented

     As more individuals seek time in the natural world, these questions must be answered by the stake holders of places like the Adirondacks so that there may be some type of unified vision of what the future of human involvement in the natural world will look like.  Looking to the past, environmental catastrophes have occurred because of a lack of clear vision. As we head into the future, it becomes imperative that we are conscious inhabitants of our environments, however wild they may be.

Works Cited

Schneider, Paul 1997. The Adirondacks: A History of America’s First Wilderness. Henry Holt & Co.
Porter, W. F., Erickson, J. D., and Whaley, R. S. (eds), 2009. The Great Experiment in Conservation, Syracuse University Press, Chapters 19, 24, 26,31, 32 and Conclusion, Afterward. pp. 451-82; 517-540.
http://a.files.bbci.co.uk/bam/live/content/zg6b87h/large
http://blog.cycleadirondacks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Adirondack-Park-Map.jpg