Building a Wood and Canvas Canoe

Canoeing is one of the best ways I know to experience nature. From a comfortable canoe seat, you can almost always see more than a hiker or driver could. You would see more from the seat of a canoe than you could from a small airplane, or even a helicopter. Since native american times canoes have been widely used in the Adirondacks, but it is not often said what goes into building a good wood and canvas canoe. In high school I built one, and was astonished by the amount of time that goes into building just one.

The first hurdle is finding the proper wood. Cedar is used for the ribs and planking, while the stronger gunwales are made of ash. While the gunwales can be made of other similar hardwoods, there is really no substitute for cedar for the ribs and planks. Cedar is light, very resistant to rot, and above all lightweight. The only problem is that "clear" cedar, cedar without any knots or uneven grains, is extremely hard to come by, and therefore fairly expensive. In the picture below, steamed cedar ribs have been bent around the canoe mold. Of the 48 total ribs, we broke about ten due to grain irregularities.

After all of the ribs have been bent successfully, they need to be evened out on the outside, so that the planking will rest on neighboring ribs equally. Using a home made sanding block, the whole canoe is worked over. The next task is the planking. Planking takes a very long time, since every one of the planks has to be cut and fit perfectly over the complex shape of the hull. The planks are fastened to the ribs with approximately 3,000 canoe tacks. Each needs to be nailed in from the outside then "clinched" or bent over on the inside so that they do not poke the paddlers. Clinching usually leaves a dents all over this ribs, so a thorough sanding of the inside is required. 

At this point, even though most of the wood is already in the canoe, it weighs only about half of what it will upon completion; it is so light that it can be easily picked up with only one hand. After the planking has been completed, the canoe is removed from the mold, and hung in a canvas harness for several days until the canvas takes its shape. Several coats of canvas filler are then worked into hull. These layers will lend the canoe a substantial amount of its weight in addition to keeping out water. 

While the filler is left to dry for a few days in the sun, all the finishing work takes place. Seats are built from sturdy maple and then cained. Thwarts (the pieces of wood that span the gunwales) are fashioned and four coats of varnish are liberally applied to the inside, making the canoe much heavier but giving it a nice glow. After a few coats of classic, dark green canoe paint and the installation of protective metal strips over the stems, the finished canoe is ready to be taken on an adventure. 

There is really no substitute for a wood and canvas canoe. Metal canoes are less comfortable, and make thunderous noises every time they are tapped. They are difficult to repair, and don't look very good on the water. Plastic canoes, although somewhat better, do not feel quite right. Nature should not be experienced from a plastic tub. With proper care, wood and canvas canoes can last many years, and usually only require a re-canvassing to be as good as new. 

Note: This is the final post, revised after writing center appointment on 4/25/15.

Clarence Petty

With the creation of the Forest Commission, the Adirondack Park’s boundaries became more thoroughly regulated. Soon many residents of the Adirondacks found themselves squatting on state land, even though they may have lived there for decades. While we have discussed the issues brought about by the increase in squatters in the early 20^th century, we rarely focused on what happened to these residents after they were evicted. Clarence Petty was born in 1905 and lived with his family in an illegal shanty on the Upper Saranac Lake. (Hevesi). Petty’s dad had been a guide and built his home on the Forest Preserve (Bidell). Petty’s family was evicted from their dwelling and moved to a house without plumbing and electricity in Coreys, New York. While Petty’s family faced opposition from the Forest Commission, this did not stop him from continuing to protect the Adirondacks and increase regulations as he grew up.      

            Petty has worked continuously throughout his life to ensure the Adirondacks are preserved.  Petty worked with the Conservation Department as a ranger and used his flight skills to fight forest fires in the park. He surveyed over 10,000 acres for the state in an effort to increase protection for certain areas. Much like the rangers before him, Petty mapped remote areas of the park and continued to push for additions to the Forest Preserve. Petty later worked for the Adirondack Park Agency where he helped develop land management plans (Bidell). Clarence Petty was a model preservationist and continued to support conservation efforts throughout the decades when many were less concerned about the condition of the park. He had an undying love and respect for the park and worked tirelessly to ensure it was protected. Petty’s efforts have made the park what it is today and his story has inspired many throughout the region.

Special thanks to Rachel for the peer review.

Works Cited

Bidell, Ellen. "Adirondack Inspiration: Clarence Petty." New York State Conservationist. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Feb. 2009. Web. 23 Apr. 2015. <http://www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/51186.html>.

Hevesi, Dennis. "Clarence Petty, Protector of the Adirondacks, Dies at 104." The New York Times. The New York Times, 05 Dec. 2009. Web. 22 Apr. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/science/earth/06petty.html?_r=0>.

The Quadruple Crown.

               The triple crown of long distance hiking: the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail.  However, a fourth National Scenic Trail is on the horizon.  The 4600-mile-long North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) was proposed in the 1980s and would stretch from Crown Point in the Adirondacks to Forestport in North Dakota.  While nearly half of the trail is completed, a debate rages in the Adirondacks over possible routes through the park, and as of 2014, no consensus had been reached (Ingersoll).

               There are three suggestions for a route through the Adirondack Park: a Northern route, a Central route, and a Southern route.  The Northern route would pass through the High Peaks region, but because of heavy traffic placing significant ecological strain on the area, this route was almost immediately vetoed and was completely rejected from consideration in the 1990s (NCNST 2014).  The Southern Route, proposed by Barbara McMartin, has the advantage of passing through the little traveled southern part of the park, but at the cost of extensive necessary trail construction and several major road and river crossings (NCNST 2014).  The Central route (and best candidate for a continuous trail across the Adirondacks) reconciles the problems with the previous two plans.  It avoids the high traffic areas (especially the High Peaks) and mostly follows existing trails without significant road crossings (NCNST 2014).

               A closer examination of the Central route plan, however, reveals that while technically most of the proposal follows existing trails (51% -- 81 miles), the remaining 49% (77.4 miles) requires 38.3 miles of new trails and 39.1 miles of hiking along a road (Ingersoll 2014).  Trail construction, while costly, does not impose a threat to hikers or to the land, but the 39.1 miles of road-side hiking endanger the hikers and place strain on park traffic (Ingersoll 2014).  Further, walking along a road is not attractive and it will encourage potential hikers to skip these sections or discourage them from hiking the trail altogether.

               The Adirondacks represent one of the most exciting landscapes along this new National Scenic Trail, and unless a decent trail traversing the park can be agreed upon, the Adirondack section may never join the rest of the NCNST.  The North Country National Scenic Trail offers a wide array of landscape diversity across the Northern and Mid-Western United States, and the Adirondacks should take advantage of the opportunity join this route and boast about its forests… not its roads.

[Writing Center edits forthcoming]

References:

Ingersoll, Bill.  14 July 2014.  “Routing a National Trail through the Adirondacks.”  Adirondack Almanack.  URL: < http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2014/07/bill-ingersoll-routing-a-national-trail-through-the-adirondacks.html>.

North Country National Scenic Trail: Revised Draft Adirondack Park Trail Plan.  June 2014.  Department of Environmental Conservation.  URL: < http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/39658.html>.

Ti Town

Every time we discuss the readings in class, we get back to the tourism industry and how it both helps and harms the park. When we returned from our field trip, Gaby pointed out that tourists who visit The Wild Center most likely stay in hotels and eat in restaurants in Lake Placid instead of in Tupper Lake, which is a bit run down. In the 1950s, Adirondack businesses fought to have the Northway (Interstate 87) go through their towns when it was being planned because they knew it would increase commerce (Terrie). Accessibility for tourists makes or breaks a town’s economy, as we can see with Tupper Lake, which is far from the Northway, and Lake Placid, which is close to it. However, the Northway isn’t the only factor that affects a town’s tourism. Ticonderoga, New York is close to the Northway but doesn’t depend on tourism for its economy. The people of Ticonderoga depend on International Paper (IP), and when a town depends on one large employer, the company’s business decisions can curse the fate of the town.

IP is the primary employer of Ticonderoga and other surrounding Adirondack towns. IP used to have a mill on the La Chute River, which flows from Lake George into Lake Champlain, cutting through Ticonderoga on the way. The mill employed men from all over the park who would go to the bars in Ticonderoga after every shift, providing a steady flow of money into the town (Bramen). The mill emitted a disgusting stench in the center of town, due to the chemicals used in paper processing, so in 1969, the mill moved 7 miles north of Ticonderoga. On days when the wind blows towards the south you can still smell the horrible sulfur stench from 7 miles away. The original mill in the town of Ticonderoga was within walking distance of the bars; the new mill outside of town is too far from the bars so the employees head home after work to their own towns, like Schroon Lake and Crown Point, and don’t invest any money into Ticonderoga’s economy (Bramen).  Even though the mill is the primary employer of Ticonderoga, it made many Ticonderoga small business owners lose their income when it moved to its new location outside of town.
Bramen, Lisa. "The Last Mill Town." Adirondack Life May 2015: 48+. Print.

Terrie, Philip G. Contested Terrain: A New History of Nature and People in the Adirondacks. Blue Mountain Lake, NY: Adirondack Museum, 1997. Print.

Claire is going to peer edit this for me by Friday

Fish Toxicology

Environmental challenges in the Adirondacks range from obvious sources of environmental degradation such as logging, to less direct forms of environmental degradation such as the effect of acid rain on lakes and streams. I did not find these two trends surprising given that they are directly related to the industry in this region. However, I came across a brochure entitled "Adirondack Region: Health Advice on Eating Fish You Catch", which details the fish that are safe for recreational fishers to consume given the chemicals that are present in their tissues. Considering that the Adirondacks are relatively isolated from areas of high water pollution and deemed "wild", natural lands, by people who visit them, I was surprised to find that the information in this brochure mirrored that of a brochure from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is located along the central coast of California, an area that is more highly populated than the Adirondacks. Among other efforts to educate the public about the health of the planet's oceans, the aquarium has taken it upon itself to help consumers purchase seafood that is fished or farmed in a sustainable way, and contain low levels of toxic chemicals. The guide subdivides seafood into three categories: best choices, good alternatives and ones that you should avoid. Among the fish that consumers should avoided are those that are farmed using malpractice, and large predatory fish, such as swordfish and sharks. These fish have high levels of toxic metals due to biomagnification, a increased concentration of toxin that results as fish higher on the food chain ingest numerous fish that have lower concentrations of toxins. Although it's alarming to see that so many of our ocean's fish are unsafe to eat, it's not surprising given that our oceans are subject to an unlimited amount of pollutants around the globe. 

However, I was more shocked to find that hundreds of locations within the Adirondacks have some sort of advisory against eating fish from local bodies of water. The Adirondack brochure splits its advisory into three main parts, the first is a statewide general advisory that warns against eating more than four meals a month from fish taken from bodies of water, unless there is even stricter advice against certain waters. The brochure then goes on to issue an advisory specifically for women and children, who are more susceptible to the effects of chemicals found in these fish. These chemicals, such as mercury, which accumulates in water due to industrial activity, can build up in a women's body. She can then pass these acquired chemicals on to her children. Mercury has adverse effects on the nervous system, specifically that of a baby that is still developing. The pamphlet strongly advises against eating largemouth bass, northern pike, pickerel, smallmouth bass, walleye and yellow perch under any conditions due to mercury concentrations.

The pamphlet contains a map with even more specific guidelines that detail the safety of numerous bodies of water in the  Adirondack Region. Big Moose Lake, Indian Lake, Racquet Lake, Lake Champlain and Cranberry Lake are among many other locations that have guidelines such as "up to one meal a month of all species" for men over 15 and women over 50 ("Health Advice on Eating Fish You Catch", New York State Department of Health). The New York Department of Health advises women and children against eating any fish from these waters listed.

I personally find it alarming that a region such as the Adirondacks, known for being pristine, has lakes that are under such toxic conditions. Tourists travel here for clean air and water, an escape from urban life. However, the toxicology of the fish is a strong indicator of the subtle risks this park faces as our population grows and the Adirondacks continue to attract tourists and industries. This threat is not as obvious as that of logging; the effects of mercury cannot be seen by the human eye, but we need to continue to keep water quality in mind, and the relative effect this has on the food chain, as we assess the present health of the Adirondacks. 

*Thank you to Chris Bonsqnet from the writing center for his great advice. 

Sources:

Adirondack Region, Health Advice on Eating Fish You Catch. New York: New York Department of Health, n.d. Print.

"Seafood and Your Health." Monterey Bay Aquarium. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2015. <http://www.seafoodwatch.org/consumers/seafood-and-your-health>.

College Programs in the Adirondack Park

Over the past few weeks on our blog, there have been multiple posts about learning and schooling in the Adirondacks.  Anne posted about NOLS and other youth leadership institutes that teach leadership skills to teenagers in the wilderness, and Michaela’s article focused on her thoughts about, and personal experiences with, experiential learning in the Adirondacks.  Although the Adirondack Park is host to a number of learning opportunities for grade school aged students, the park is also home to a number of higher education research institutions.  Although Paul Smiths College is most often thought of as the educational institution in the Adirondack Park, there are several other university-affiliated areas in the park, providing research and experiential opportunities for their students.

SUNY ESF runs several university programs in the Adirondack Park, and thus is a great case study for higher education in the park.  In Wanakena, NY, is the SUNY ESF Ranger School, which plays an important role within the Adirondack Park, as many of the school’s students inevitably end up working for the Adirondack park conservation efforts (SUNY ESF Careers).  This Adirondack branch of Syracuse’s SUNY ESF grants degrees in environmental and natural resources conservation, forest technology, and land surveying technology, all of which are taught with “field-based education” techniques (SUNY ESF Ranger School).  Along with the Ranger School, SUNY ESF’s Cranberry Lake Biological Station (CLBS) provides ESF students with the opportunity to take certain environmental science courses, and perform research in a non-classroom setting (SUNY ESF CLBS).  Along with SUNY ESF, other New York schools such as St. Laurence University and Cornell University have research and learning properties within the Adirondack Park.

Beginning next year, Hamilton will use their Adirondack Semester to promote higher learning in the Adirondack Park.  The program is described as, a “place-based, semester long learning experience that combines rigorous academic study with the skills and understanding gained through field experience” (Hamilton College).  Though slightly different from SUNY ESF’s program, Hamilton emphasizes both the fieldwork, and the fully immersive experience in the Adirondack community.

The Adirondack Park is an extremely unique place from multiple perspectives.  The park’s governance is based solely on an overly ambiguous piece of legislation from 1892, which can be defied only through amending.  Consequentially, this high level of protection is fascinating to the environmentalist and the non-environmentalist alike.   As such, a the unique landscape of the Adirondacks provides a fantastic place for college students to learn, research, and live.  Hopefully, programs like those of Hamilton, SUNY ESF, and other New York schools will inspire other universities to explore, research, conserve, and learn to effectively live with local parks and reserves.

Thank you to Jackson Graves from the Writing Center for your thoughts and edits to this blog post!

Works Cited:

1. "Adirondack Semester." Academic Program in the Adirondack. Hamilton College, n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2015. <http://www.hamilton.edu/adk>.
2. Jenkins, Jerry, and Andy Keal. "10-3 Colleges & Adult Education." The Adirondack Atlas: A Geographic Portrait of the Adirondack Park. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse UP, 2004. 152. Print.
3. "The Ranger School." SUNY-ESF: SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. State University of New York, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2015. <http://www.esf.edu/rangerschool/>.
4. "SUNY ESF Career and Graduate School Opportunities." (n.d.): n. pag. State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. State University of New York. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://www.esf.edu/career/documents/CareerBrochure.pdf>.
5. "2015 Courses." SUNY-ESF: Cranberry Lake Biological Station. State University of New York, n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2015. <http://www.esf.edu/clbs/schedule.htm>.

The American Eel - An Adirondack Solution?

     Our readings, class discussions, and blogs have often touched upon the negative effects that humans have had on Adirondack wildlife. Among other things, hunting, pollution, and the introduction of invasive species, have significantly altered populations and behaviors. Take, for instance, the American eel. As a catadromous species, one that journeys downstream from freshwater to spawn, the eel covers tremendous distances. The American eel is born in the Sargasso Sea, the area of the Atlantic adjacent to the East Coast, and travels north to the freshwater rivers and lakes of the Adirondacks. The large number of dams in New York, though, make this task difficult (Parnapy). Even the presence of fish ladders on some dams does not quite resolve the dilemma. While certainly an issue in Adirondack ecosystems, the lack of eels also detracts from the profitable business of eel fishing.

     As the demand for eel has grown, eel fishing has become particularly profitable. The demand grew noticeably in Asia, particularly after the ban of European eel exports by the European Union in 2010. This caused prices to rise from under $200 per pound in 2010 to up to $2,600 in 2012. With this rise, Maine fisherman have taken advantage of the large populations of eel still present in the rivers and lakes. During the peak of elver fishing, a fisherman can often make between $3,000 and $4,000 a night. Some manage to make up to $10,000.  Thus far, this fishing has been poorly regulated, as only a glass eel fishing license is required to fish an unlimited amount. Nonetheless, American eel fishing certainly seems profitable.

     It is interesting then to consider how this might apply to the Adirondacks. The American eel may contain high levels of PCB and its population seems to be dwindling, particularly as a result of dams. Imagine, though, increasing the amounts of fish ladders and regulating water purity where and when possible. If this were at all possible, the long term benefits, both environmentally and economically, would be immense. The American eel is but one example of a damaged species that could provide huge benefits to surrounding regions.


Thank you to Kate Brouns (writing center tutor) for editing assistance.

Sources

"Adirondack Region Fish Advisories." Adirondack Region Fish Advisories. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

Davis, John. "American Eels in the Lake Champlain Basin." Essex on Lake Champlain. N.p., 01 May 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

Parnapy, Corrina. "Adirondack Fish: American Eel." The Adirondack Almanack. N.p., 18 Aug. 2011. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

Sneed, Annie. "Glass Eel Gold Rush Casts Maine Fishermen against Scientists." Scientific American Global RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

How the Adirondack Railroads Survived

The first railroads in the Adirondack Park were built exclusively for wealthy families to access their land. Both the size of the Adirondack Park and its lack of an efficient transportation system separated Adirondack landowners from their lands. In 1893, Dr. William Seward Webb funded the construction of the Adirondack’s first railroad when he could not access his private land in the heart of the Adirondacks. Seward-Webb’s railroad, the Malone-Mohawk rail line, enabled the landowner to transport timber from Nehasane, his estate within the park, to the market in the Mohawk Valley, south of the Adirondacks (“Adirondack Scenic Railway” 2015). In just 18 months, the railroad spanned over 100 miles and connected the outside world with the heart of the Adirondack Park. Not long after, the state of New York purchased the rail line, renaming it the New York Central Railroad (Maloney 2012). Since then, the New York Central Railroad has been used for utilitarian purposes, such as transporting logs and goods, as well as for commercial purposes like taking Great Camp visitors to and from their lodges.

However, in the early 1900’s, the logging industry slowed and fewer people visited Great Camps. Between the 1920’s and the 1950’s, more middle class families visited the Adirondack Park but drove themselves in super-popular automobiles. The Adirondack railroad system fell into disuse and was nearly abandoned. In 1963, New York Central petitioned the New York state government for a complete shut down of Adirondack railroads (“History” 2015).

Tourism brought the Adirondack railroads back into use. In the late 1960’s, when the Adirondack railroad was at its apex of disrepair, the Olympic Committee announced that Lake Placid would host the 1980 Olympic games. The Adirondack region began preparing for an influx of tourists that would come to watch the games. Between 1973 and 1980, New York State invested over 1 million dollars to fix the New York Central railroad lines (“History” 2015). Not only tourists but also Olympic athletes, families and their trainers then used those railroads to access the training and competition facilities. Trains ran at overcapacity between the Mohawk Valley and Lake Placid during the games. ADK railroads were able to persist and are now provide a vital resource for Adirondack industry.

After the Olympics, increased tourism to the Adirondack region kept railroads running. Tourists continued to ride trains to tour scenic regions in the Adirondack Park. Recently, railroad companies have become ingenuitive with their efforts to continue attracting customers. The companies plan “train robberies” and other fun events for kids and their families. To interest outdoors recreationalists, train companies have River and Rail excursions where tourists can take the train into the Adirondack Park to paddle and camp in the wilderness. For those opposed to paddling, train companies also offer Bike and Rail options where recreationalists are taken into the park by train, dropped off, and bike to camp in the Adirondack Park. In the year 2011, at least 70,000 people rode the New York Central Railroad in the Adirondack Park (Maloney 2012). While their destinations varied, these tourists all contributed to the persistence of Adirondack railroads.

History reveals that the Adirondack Railroads success depends on utilitarian and commercial demand for trains. While private companies still rely on the railroads for transporting raw materials, tourists create the biggest demand for Adirondack railroads. Yet, many people drive through the Adirondacks instead of taking trains. Looking forward, railroad companies in the Adirondacks will have to continue to find creative solutions to influence tourists to ride trains instead of driving through the Park.

***Thanks to Scott for his Writing Center revision***

Tripadvisor.com ~ Adirondack Railroads

Sources

“Adirondack Scenic Railroad. ” Adirondack Scenic Railroad. AdirondackRR.com. 2015. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. < http://www.adirondackrr.com/history.html>

“History.” The Adirondack Rail Trail. The Adirondack Rail Trail. 2015. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. <http://www.adirondackrailtrail.org/trail-history>

Maloney, Leo. “Adirondack Scenic Railroad: On Track For Adventure.” Adirondack Outdoors. Adirondack Outdoors Magazine, 2012. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. <http://www.adirondackoutdoorsmagazine.com/stories/news-story/adirondack-scenic-railroad-on-track-for-adventure/>