For Release: Wednesday, August 10, 2005
DEC Issues Draft Unit Management Plan for Silver Lake Wilderness Area
Public Meeting Scheduled for September 7, 2005, in Wells, Hamilton County
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 106,770-acre Silver Lake Wilderness, the 206-acre Cathead Mountain Primitive Area, and the 4.2-acre Sacandaga Primitive Area located in the Towns of Lake Pleasant, Benson, Wells, Arietta and Hope in Hamilton County.
"DEC continues to make progress on completing unit management plans in the Adirondack Forest Preserve and we are committed to developing quality plans," Commissioner Sheehan said. "The release of the draft unit management plan for the Silver Lake Wilderness 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, September 7, 2005, at the Community Hall in Wells, Hamilton County. 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 September 30, 2005.
The Silver Lake Wilderness is the fourth largest and southern most wilderness area in the Adirondack Park. It is roughly bounded on the north by Route 8 and private lands near Piseco Lake, Oxbow Lake, Hamilton Lake, Sand Lake, and Lake Pleasant; on the east by Route 30; on the south generally by the Hamilton County line; and on the west by Route 10, the West Branch of the Sacandaga and Piseco Outlet. Both the Sacandaga and Cathead Mountain Primitive Areas are relatively small sections of State land which provide access to private lands that are totally enclosed by the wilderness area.
The famous Northville-Lake Placid Trail (NPT), which was established in 1922, has its terminus at the southern edge of the area and runs through the center of the unit in a northerly direction, crossing the northern boundary near Piseco Lake. Silver Lake is the principal attraction near the center of the unit, mainly for brook trout anglers. Big Eddy and the West Branch Gorge along the West Branch of the Sacandaga River are two of the more popular hiking destinations.
The draft UMP contains proposed management activities including:
- improving trail information and recreational opportunities for people with disabilities, including the development of accessible camping sites;
- maintaining the suspension footbridge over the West Branch of the Sacandaga River;
- removing a number of non-conforming structures, such as one of the chimneys near Whitehouse, which poses a safety hazard;
- rerouting the Northville-Placid Trail through the forest and away from the road;
- working cooperatively with the Town of Wells to bring into compliance with the State Land Master Plan the last 0.7 miles of the West River Road before the end of the 5-year period covered by this draft UMP;
- enacting special regulations to manage public use, such as group size restrictions, consistent with current regulations in other wilderness areas; and
- establishing and maintaining several quality wilderness fisheries for brook trout.
An 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 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, 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 Lake Pleasant, Benson, Wells, Arietta and Hope. 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 September 30, 2005, and may be sent to: Eric J. Kasza, Senior Forester, NYSDEC, PO Box 89, 225 N. Main Street, Herkimer, NY 13350 or emailed to r5ump@gw.dec.state.ny.us
The Community Hall, a large white building with a red roof, is located on the east side of Route 30 in the Hamlet of Wells. Coming from the north it is on the left, a 1/4 mile past the bridge over Algonquin Pond. Coming from the south it is on the right, a 1/2 mile past Buttermilk Road.
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