For Release: Monday, September 18, 2006
DEC Issues Draft Unit Management Plan for Raquette Boreal Unit
Public Meeting Scheduled for September 28, 2006 in Colton, St. Lawrence County
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 Raquette Boreal Unit in the Towns of Colton, Piercefield and Hopkinton in St. Lawrence County.
"We are continuing to make progress on completing unit management plans in the Adirondack Forest Preserve," Commissioner Sheehan said. "The release of the draft UMP for the Raquette Boreal Unit 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 extremely valuable throughout the planning process to date, providing us with important information and recommendations incorporated into the draft UMP."
A public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 28, 2006, at the Colton-Pierrepont School in Colton. Staff will be available to discuss the draft plan with the public from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. A presentation on the draft UMP will be given by DEC staff at 7 p.m., followed immediately by a public comment period on the draft plan. The meeting will provide the public with an opportunity to learn more about the proposed management actions in the draft UMP and provide comment. The DEC will also accept written comments on the draft UMP until October 20, 2006.
The Colton-Pierrepont School is located on State Highway (SH) 56 in the Village of Colton. The public meeting is wheelchair accessible.
The unit is bounded on the North by Stark Road, Joe Indian Road and Joe Indian Pond, on the East by the West Branch of the St. Regis River and the St. Lawrence County line, on the south by SH 3, and on the west by SH 56.
The Raquette Boreal Unit is a mix of State owned Forest Preserve lands and privately owned lands subject to conservation easements. The Forest Preserve portion of the unit includes the Raquette-Jordan Boreal Primitive Area (11,936 acres) and the Raquette River Wild Forest (3,057 acres). The following conservation easement lands are included in this unit: Lassiter Easement (15,617 acres), Conservation Fund Easement (13,268 acres), International Paper Easement (4,185 acres) and Niagara Mohawk Easement (1,057 acres). The proximity of these lands to each other, the similarities of their natural resources, and current and potential interconnected recreational opportunities provide a strong rationale for combining these lands into one planning unit, thereby providing for planning over a broader landscape. However, ownership and classification differences necessitate the need for somewhat different management objectives and strategies for each sub-unit. For example, in some instances, certain recreational uses may be compatible across the entire unit while other recreational uses may be limited to specific portions of the unit, based on the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan (APSLMP) requirements for Forest Preserve lands and requirements or restrictions of the easement agreement on conservation easement lands.
The draft UMP contains proposed management activities including:
- Designating primitive tent sites in appropriate locations;
- Identifying alternatives for providing public access by motor vehicle to portions of the unit laying east of the Carry Falls Reservoir;
- Analyzing alternatives for a potential snowmobile trail connection across the unit; and
- Protecting populations and habitat of the endangered spruce grouse.
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 APSLMP 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. Implementation of the UMP management actions will provide protection of the natural resources of the Forest Preserve and outdoor recreational opportunities for the people of the State.
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), 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 Potsdam, Herkimer, and Lowville regional sub-offices. The plan will be available for review at the town offices of Colton, Piercefield and Hopkinton in St. Lawrence County. The plan is available in a CD format from the DEC Potsdam office, which also has a limited number of printed copies. A copy of the document will also be available on DEC's Unit Management Plan website.
Comments will be accepted until October 20, 2006 and may be sent to: Keith Rivers, Senior Forester, NYSDEC, 7327 State Route 812, Lowville, NY 13367 or emailed to r6ump@gw.dec.state.ny.us .
