Today, in class we pondered large and abstract questions on Article XIV of the Constitution. My group focused on the aspects of private land ownership inside the blue line. We talked about the interests and rights of private land owners. This sparked me to look into private land ownership on the New York Department of Environmental Conservation website. On the site, under the Land and Water tab, then under the Forest tab, I found a tab titled Private Forest Management. Here's what I found after doing some browsing:
74% of New York's forest land is owned by a diverse and large group of approximately 700,000 private landowners! - Although this fact isn't necessarily for the Adirondack Park, it is still an astounding fact nonetheless. According to the website, "these private forest lands provide many public health benefits including clean air and water, forest products, wildlife habitat, jobs, scenic beauty, and outdoor recreation opportunities." In my discussion group in class, we mainly discussed how the private landowners' interests were conservation, efficiency, and sustainability. There is definitely some overlap in our thoughts and those mentioned on the website.
After doing some more exploring, I came upon a tab called "Forest Management Assistance." The DEC has a Forest Stewardship Program in which they can provide free, one-on-one assistance and guidance to help you create a tailored plan in order to protect and improve your woodland. I was unaware that programs like this were out there for private landowners. There really is a wealth of information and services out there targeted for the private landowners in order to keep their land the best it can be. It kind of makes me want to go out to the 'daks and get my own plot!
Ally, this is very interesting! As we talked about in class there are so many regulations in regards to private property in the Adirondacks. I wonder if this actually ever deters anyone from moving into the area.
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