For Release: Thursday, July 7, 2005

DEC Issues Draft Unit Management Plan for St. Regis Canoe Area

Public Meeting Scheduled for August 10 at Paul Smiths College

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan today announced the release of a draft unit management plan (UMP) for the 18,000-acre St. Regis Canoe Area in the towns of Santa Clara, Brighton and Harrietstown, Franklin County.

"While we continue to make progress on completing unit management plans in the Adirondack Forest Preserve, we are committed to developing quality plans," Commissioner Sheehan said. "The release of the draft unit management plan for the St. Regis Canoe Area is another step 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, and will continue to be, invaluable throughout the planning process."

A public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday August 10, 2005, at the Freer Science Auditorium at Paul Smith's College. The meeting will provide the public with an opportunity to learn more on the proposed management actions in the draft UMP and provide comment. The DEC will also accept written comments on the draft UMP until August 26, 2005.

The only designated canoe area in New York State, the St. Regis Canoe Area is an area where the watercourses and the number and proximity of lakes and ponds make remote and unconfined water-oriented recreation possible in a wilderness setting. The 18,000-acre area includes St. Regis Mountain, St. Regis and Long ponds, sections of the east and west branches of the St. Regis River, and 56 other waterbodies. The area is bounded by private property on the north, the Santa Clara town line on the west, the Lake Placid-Remsen Railroad Corridor on the south and the Upper St. Regis Lake and the Santa Clara town line on the east.

The canoe area is part of a network of recreational waterways in New York State that attract canoeists and kayakers from across the country. In addition, the area offers excellent opportunities for hiking, cross-country skiing, hunting and fishing.

The draft UMP contains proposed management activities including:

Allowing mountain bike use on the Fish Pond truck trail;
Imposing maximum group size limits of eight for overnight use and 15 for day use;
Prohibiting drive-in camping, closing off this traditional use along Keese Mills Road;
Designating a hiking trail from Upper St. Regis Lake to St. Regis Mountain;
Increasing recreational opportunities for people with disabilities;
Retaining the St. Regis Mountain Fire Tower until reclassification of the area surrounding the tower to Historic has been considered; and
Taking measures to protect mountain summits and scenic views.

A UMP must be completed before significant new recreational facilities, such as trails, lean-tos, 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 continues. 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 UMPs. This, coupled with allocation of funds to the stewardship of these lands from the State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and the Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act, will dramatically improve the State's ability to manage these lands.

The draft UMP is 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 suboffices. The plan will be available for review at the town offices of Santa Clara, Brighton and Harrietstown. The plan is available in a CD format from the DEC Ray Brook office as well as a limited number of printed copies. A summary of the document will be available on DEC's Unit Management Plan website.

Public comments will be accepted until August 26, 2005, and should be sent to: Steven Guglielmi, Senior Forester, NYSDEC, P.O. Box 296, Ray Brook, NY 12977 or emailed to r5ump@gw.dec.state.ny.us

Paul Smith's College is located at the intersection of State Routes 30 and 86 approximately 12 miles northeast of the Village of Saranac Lake. Directions to the Freer Science Building: Enter the campus through the main entrance; turn left at the first stop sign; follow this road until it enters a large parking lot; and park in this area. The Freer Science Building is on your right and the auditorium is on the first floor across from the main doorway.

05-77