Too Many Turkeys?

      One of the most well known cases of eradication and then massive repopulation growth for a species within the park has been the beaver, but few people know about how the same thing happened to the turkey. It's funny to think how something that was on all of our tables last weekend could have ever been scarce. Turkeys were everywhere when Europeans first arrived because there was plenty of forest. Forests are vital for turkeys because their main source of food is acorns and other nuts. As the logging industry boomed in the United States, more and more of the turkey's habitat was being destroyed. Soon the animal that was found everywhere was no where to be found, and in 1844 the last wild turkey was spotted in southwest part of New York. As the logging industry continued to grow in New York, to the point where 75% of the state was logged, there was no where for the turkey to live, and there was no effort to reintroduce them until logging was past its hey day. Turkeys had naturally started to migrate from Pennsylvania into the southern part of the state and were living in places where abandoned farms had turned back into forests. The Adirondack Park however continued to lack turkeys. At first, the state attempted to breed turkeys in captivity and release them in the wild in 1952, but this project did not have much success because the turkeys were too tame to survive. The next project, lead by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), proved to be more successful when wild turkeys in the southern part of New York were captured and then released in the park and other parts of the state. In 1959, the turkey population was 2000, and by 1990 it had grown to over 65,000 birds. Scientists were skeptical if turkeys could even withstand the brutal Adirondack winters, but to their surprise the birds have successfully been able to live in the mountains. Turkeys are now a common sight in the park, especially in our lifetimes. It's strange to picture our landscape without turkeys because they're everywhere now.
        The reintroduction of species in the park continues to be a hot topic in the Adirondacks. Beaver and turkeys were so successfully reintroduce, they are almost considered to be pests, especially beavers. As more species reintroductions are considered in the park, what has happened with the beavers and turkeys should be noted. Moose are slowly starting to come back and reintroducing wolves has been talked about (even though it won't be discussed during the Cuomo administration it could happen in the future, after all he won't be in office forever). What if wolves are brought back and experience the same population growth? As important as it is to bring back species, at certain point the DEC can only control these animals so much. I know this is an extreme example but not completely out of the question. Maybe it's just best to let things take their course and not reintroduce lost species.

       

Sources Cited

Rathbone, Ellen. "Adirondack Wild Turkeys Were Once A Rare Sight"Adirondack Almanack December 2nd, 2015. http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2015/12/57356.html

Winter in the Adirondacks

            The Adirondacks is well known for its fall foliage, but winter in the Adirondacks necessitates just as much enjoyment. From November, through early march, visitors can celebrate the season with traditions that are fun for everyone and connect visitors to the rich history of the park.

            One of the oldest events is the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival. The event will be celebrating its 116^th anniversary this year. Beginning in the late 1800s, the Carnival became established during the time when Saranac Lake served as a health resort for Tuberculosis patients. It started as a small, two-day event offered to the patients as a way to break up and celebrate the long winter by engaging in winter sports and recreation. The Carnival eventually grew, becoming a two-week celebration filled with activities and events unique to the region. These include the Women’s Fry Pan toss, musical and theatre performances, a highly anticipated parade, and opening and closing firework ceremonies. What most visitors anticipate the most, however, is the building of the Ice Palace. This sculpture is built using two-ton blocks of ice, and is formed into a maze of tunnels. The tradition began in 1898 and has become the central focus of the entire event. The palace is designed by a group of volunteers every year who meet to sketch out the palace design based on a selected theme. The sketch is then converted into the blueprint for the actual structure and built during the month of January and February.

            Many Adirondack communities offer celebrations similar to the Saranac Lake Carnival. During the month of February, the Lake George Winter Carnival becomes a popular destination for tourists and fellow Adirondackers alike. The event hosts many fun activities, including the Polar Bear Plunge, ice golfing, and ATV ice races.

            Other winter celebrations in the Adirondacks include the Long Lake Winter Carnival, Frozen Fire and Lights, and WinterFest. Clearly Adirondack communities have taken advantage of the season and made the cold, long winter a little more enjoyable for all.

Sources:

http://visitadirondacks.com/attractions/winter-carnivals

http://www.saranaclakewintercarnival.com/history/ice-palace

Go Rangers!

Each year, thousands of people travel to the Adirondacks for the purposes of outdoor recreation. Despite the inherent danger of hiking, canoeing, rock climbing, etc., there have only been a few deaths in the Adirondacks as a result of these activities in recent memory. However, the actions taken to prevent deaths and to keep the park safe are often overlooked. The people who are responsible for the safety of recreationists in the Adirondacks are forest rangers. There are only 43 rangers responsible for monitoring all 6.1 million acres of the Adirondack Park. Though this may seem like a low number, there are fewer than 150 forest rangers throughout New York State, meaning that almost 30 percent of all the rangers in the state are stationed in the Adirondacks.

            A typical day for a forest ranger in the Adirondacks can involve anything from checking hunters’ licenses to maintaining trails. The three main responsibilities of these rangers are search and rescues, wildfire prevention and support, and service as a public land steward.  The defining factor of a forest ranger’s job however, lies in the constant possibility of emergency action. At any point during a ranger’s workday, he or she may be tasked with helping an injured visitor, or in some cases, saving someone’s life. Rescues can range from simply finding a lost hiker, to helping someone who is injured down a mountain so they can receive medical attention. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation reported that in 2014, New York State forest rangers carried out 164 search missions, 100 rescues, and 9 recoveries. In addition to their everyday responsibilities, these emergencies keep forest rangers quite busy.

            Each emergency requires a different plan of action. Forest rangers face many different situations for which there are no set protocols, so when a ranger responds to an emergency, he or she must create a unique plan of action. A ranger must consider the weather, time of day, and location among other variables when determining a plan of action. Despite the myriad obstacles rangers face in emergency situations, their success rate is incredibly high. Without their help, the Adirondacks would be far less safe, and likely a less popular option for outdoor recreation. Though many people may not even know that forest rangers exist, they continually work hard, both as stewards of the land and as protectors of the visitors. So next time you are in the Adirondacks, think about those who play an instrumental, though often overlooked, role in keeping the park a fun and safe place.

Sources

http://www.pressconnects.com/story/news/2015/11/13/adirondacks-rescuers-must-ready-anything/75737346/

Peter Bauer and the Painful Truth

Attending Peter Bauer’s lecture altered my perspective on the Adirondacks and on our class. Prior to taking this course, I believed that most of the Adirondacks were protected from development, motorized vehicles, and anything else that could conceivably have negative environmental effects. After learning so much about the region and its history, it has become clear that many parts of the park are not completely protected from harmful human activity.  However, before Peter Bauer’s talk, I was blissfully unaware of the extent of the environmental issues caused by humans throughout the park, specifically in regions protected by law. I was previously under the impression that environmentally focused legislation effectively did its job in the Adirondacks. It troubled me to find that that assumption was incorrect. Peter Bauer seemed to argue that this is largely because of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo

            Peter Bauer focused more on the influence of Governor Cuomo than I thought he would, which I believe he did to show the dangers of a governor unconcerned with the natural resources of the Adirondacks, and to show that legislation is not always effective, especially when the politicians who theoretically back it do not enforce it. According to Bauer, one unfortunate reason for environmental issues within the park is that many people simply do not pay heed to the laws. This would ordinarily be inconsequential, as these lawbreakers would be punished, but Bauer explained that often officials do not care enough to carry out these punishments. Due to this lack of oversight, laws are bent and broken within the Adirondacks relatively consistently, and there is very little that can be done about it. Additionally, destructive changes are being legally made in the park, such as the lengthening of the hunting season for various different animals, the expansion of hunting land, and the creation of snowmobile paths to link towns. Peter Bauer seemed to relate this all back to Governor Cuomo, as he cited various projects supported by Cuomo that were and are detrimental to the Adirondack’s natural resources.

            It was incredibly disconcerting to hear about the environmental issues currently being faced in the Adirondacks, especially since our course seemed to be building towards an overwhelmingly positive future in the region. Nonetheless, Peter Bauer’s presentation gave proof that environmental protection in the Adirondacks continues to be an uphill battle. Just as the park has been preserved for many years however, I believe it will continue to be wild, thanks to the efforts of conservationists and advocacy groups. I hope, just as Peter Bauer predicted, I will one day be able to show my children the park just as it is today.

Thanks for Giving Us All This Great Food, Nature!

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it seemed appropriate to write about wildlife that is iconic for the holiday - turkeys and cranberries!  We all know that no Thanksgiving meal would be complete without an oven roasted turkey and a side of cranberry sauce. As it turns out, both of these Thanksgiving staples have a presence in the Adirondacks.

Cranberries! (Source: http://www.adirondackalmanack.com)

Typically when we think of cranberries, we imagine an industrial sized harvest, with tiny red orbs floating on the surface of a flooded field, ready for canning and selling.  While these cultivated berries are grown on “carefully managed upland fields,” wild cranberries tend to grow in bogs.  Cranberry Lake, for example, earned its name from the extensive cranberry bogs that it contained.  Once harvested, cranberries can be used in breads, juices, and sauces. In addition to being a tasty Thanksgiving treat, cranberries also contain many vitamins such as Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and antioxidants.  The berries provide a range of health benefits from prevention of kidney stones to lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol.  So, don’t feel guilty about taking that extra helping this year!

A Wild Turkey (Source :http://www.dec.ny.gov)

During the time of European colonization, wild turkeys were prevalent throughout the state of New York. However, with habitat loss (due to creation of agricultural land) and hunting (which was unregulated), wild turkeys disappeared from the state in the mid-1840s. Turkeys only returned to New York in 1948 when a population living in Pennsylvania crossed the border. In 1959, the State Conservation Department began trapping turkeys where there was an overabundance, and dispersing them throughout the state of New York. Today, there is an estimated 250,000 to 300,000 turkeys in the state. Having learned from the past, wild turkeys are now a legally protected game species in the Adirondacks and the rest of New York.

Sources:

http://www.cliftonfineadk.com/#!cranberrylake/c20r9

http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2015/11/native-foods-cranberries.html#more-57096

http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7062.html

Adirondack Architecture

Throughout our course, we have discussed symbols and characteristics that make up the park, including art, music, and recreation. We have also touched on the architecture that makes up the park, but because architecture is so ingrained in our daily lives, I will go into further detail here about architecture in the park.

As with most regions around the world, buildings and landscapes are often influenced by local natural resources. Additionally, shipping materials into the park is quite expensive, so architects have even greater incentive to use local resources. The two main resources are timber and stone. Whole, split, or any other type of log is quite common, as logs are abundant in the Adirondacks and they allow for a simple, yet rustic look without having to ship materials. Stones, albeit less common and more expensive, are aesthetically pleasing and can help support the foundation of buildings. Outside many buildings, cedar logs are often used as railings for docks or walkways. These logs typically lack ornate decorations, adding to the main stylistic aspects of Adirondack Architecture: naturalistic and simple. These two main materials are also used to harmonize with their surroundings as much as possible because of the belief that the architecture was a part of the landscape and connected to nature.

Most of our perceptions of Adirondack architecture come from Great Camps, as Great Camps are the most well known buildings in the park and most other buildings are modeled after the camps. These Great Camps were modeled after the Arts and Crafts style of architecture, which emphasizes solid shapes and an asymmetrical composition. The Arts and Crafts style highlighted wide porches, brick fireplaces, steep roofs, and wooden fittings. Great Camp’s encompass all of these features, along with their local resources to combine to form what is now known as Adirondack architecture. This is where the idea for an Adirondack Porch came to be. The Adirondack architecture has been altered throughout the years, but its defining features have remained intact. It is these features that have made it an everlasting style that is ecologically friendly and aesthetically pleasing.

Works Cited

Russell, Tom. "Mountain Architects: Hendricks Architecture Idaho." Mountain Architects

Hendricks Architecture Idaho. N.p., 23 Nov. 2011. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.

Controversy with the APA

          In his talk last night, Peter Bauer brought up the issues presently occurring in the Essex Chain Lakes region regarding snowmobile trails. I found a few articles about the issue on the Adirondack Almanac, one written by Bauer, and another written by Phil Brown.  

The Adirondack Park Agency approved the plan for the Essex Chain Lakes, sparking controversy over the plan’s proposal to cut a new snowmobile trail through the western part of the Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild Forest area. The trail would use the Polaris Bridge and connect the Indian Lake and Minerva communities. However, as Bauer mentioned in his talk, these communities are actually already connected by a snowmobile trail. In 2009, the APA and DEC approved a Snowmobile Guidance plan that documented the details by which snowmobile trails in the park should be managed. It clearly states that trail “redundancy” should be avoided and they should not be built in wild areas. Bauer points out that the Essex Chain Plan then violates the Snowmobile Guidance plan. The DEC argue that the longer mileage of this first trail is “not practical” and that creating this shorter route over the Polaris Bridge would be better, only 20 miles rather than 31. However, this route would involve cutting a new trail through five miles of the Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild Forest Area. Snowmobile riders are used to riding 30 or so miles. Bauer says, “it makes no sense for a new snowmobile trail to be cut through a wild trail-less part of the Forest Preserve simply to provide a shorter connection”. He compared the idea to hiking to make his point. Hiking trails are not made for the shortest route from parking lot to mountaintop, but for minimal impacts on nature. In the same way, snowmobile trails should not be made for the shortest route possible, but the smallest environmental damage possible.

Another controversy regarding this plan that Phil Brown highlighted in his article was the decision to keep an iron bridge over the Hudson River as a snowmobile trail in the future. In the bridge area the Hudson is classified as a Scenic River. The State Land Master Plan outlines what can and cannot be done on each classification of river—wild, scenic, or recreational. Scenic rivers generally have fewer restrictions than wild rivers, but more than recreational ones. Usually, scenic rivers are prohibited from having motorized vehicles and large bridges visible from the water. Clearly having a large iron bridge with snowmobile use would violate this. However, the DEC claims that the use of motorized vehicles over the river on that bridge existed before the law did and thus it is allowed to continue.  Many argue that the DEC needs to amend the Rivers Act if they are going to make it legal.

            This is just an example of the many controversies that face the Adirondacks, and the conflicts that often arise between the APA and the locals. It’s unfortunate that nothing could be done about the unnecessary cutting of a new trail through wilderness area. It seems that often times economic interests seem to outweigh the environmental ones.

Sources:

http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2015/11/apa-approves-controversial-essex-chain-plan.html

http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2015/11/essex-chain-plan-violates-state-snowmobile-policy-plan.html#more-57092