For Release: Wednesday, August 16, 2006
DEC Issues Draft Unit Management Plan for White Hill Wild Forest
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan today announced the release of a draft Unit Management Plan (UMP) for the White Hill Wild Forest and adjacent easement lands in the towns of Colton, Hopkinton, and Parishville in St. Lawrence County. The Wild Forest Unit consists of 9,856 acres of State Forest Preserve lands and two conservation easements (Lassiter and Niagara Mohawk) totaling 5,046 acres.
"We are continuing to make progress on completing unit management plans in the Adirondack Forest Preserve," Commissioner Denise Sheehan said. "The release of the draft UMP for the White Hill Wild Forest is yet another significant milestone in our efforts to improve public access and ensure the protection of the Adirondacks for future generations. As always, the public's participation has been extremely valuable throughout the planning process to date, providing us with important information and recommendations which have been incorporated into the Draft UMP."
A public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday September 21, 2006, at the Colton-Pierrepont Central School, located on State Highway 56 in the hamlet of Colton. The meeting will provide the public with an opportunity to comment on the proposals in the draft UMP. DEC will also accept written comments on the draft UMP until October 6, 2006.
The unit is bounded on the west and north by the Adirondack Park Blue Line, on the east by the St. Lawrence-Franklin County Line, and on the south by the West Branch of the St. Regis River, the Stark-Joe Indian Road, and State Route 56. Unit Management Planning for the Champion Easement (Santa Clara Tract) that falls within St. Lawrence County will be addressed in a separate Recreation Plan that will include all of the Champion Santa Clara Tract Easement acreage on both sides of the St. Lawrence-Franklin County Line.
The White Hill Wild Forest is located in the northwest corner of the Adirondack Forest Preserve. The area offers many recreational opportunities, including, but not limited, to hiking, hunting, trapping and fishing. Several snowmobile trails also pass through the area and link to a larger network of trails. The publicly owned land also has five beautiful, wild ponds - some that require an hour-long hike to access. These ponds have been described as among the quietest waters in the entire Adirondack Park.
A partial list of recommended management actions in the draft UMP include:
- Improving recreational opportunities for people with mobility impairments, including the development of an accessible camping site and accessible waterway access site;
- Construction of new parking areas and foot trails;
- Rehabilitation of campsites and closing of unsuitable sites at Clear Pond;
- Survey and boundary line marking to adequately identify public lands;
- Various measures to manage illegal public motor vehicle use, including the installation of barriers; and
- Facilitating snowmobile access among local communities.
An UMP must be completed before significant new recreational facilities, such as trails, camping sites, or parking areas can be constructed. The plan includes an analysis of the natural features of the area and the ability of the land to accommodate public use. The planning process is designed to cover all environmental considerations for the unit and forms the basis for all proposed management activities for a five-year time period.
UMPs are required by the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan for each unit of State land in the Adirondack Park. The plans integrate the goals and objectives of the Master Plan, related legislation, and resource and visitor-use information into a single document.
Governor George E. Pataki's strategic plan to complete unit management plans for all State Forest Preserve lands in the Adirondack and Catskill Parks is continuing. Governor Pataki's initiative is the first comprehensive attempt to complete all outstanding management plans in both the Adirondack and Catskill parks to ensure that the public's longstanding investment in the acquisition of public lands is maximized through careful planning and implementation of those plans. This effort, coupled with allocation of funds for the stewardship of these lands from the State's Environmental Protection Fund and the Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act, will dramatically improve the State's ability to manage these lands.
The draft UMP will be available for public review at DEC headquarters in Albany, DEC regional offices in Watertown and Ray Brook, and at the DEC's Northville, Warrensburg, Herkimer, Lowville, and Potsdam regional sub-offices. The plan will be available for review at the town offices of Colton, Hopkinton, and Parishville. Copies are available in electronic format for distribution on Compact Disc from the DEC's Potsdam Office and may be requested by calling (315) 265-3090. A limited number of printed copies are available as well.
DEC will be accepting public comments until October 6, 2006. Written comments should be sent to: John Wood, Senior Forester, New York State DEC, 6739 US Highway 11, Potsdam, NY 13676, or emailed to: r6ump@gw.dec.state.ny.us .
