Lands and Forests Guidance, Policy, and Planning Documents
Health and Safety
New York State Constitution
- Article XIV (leaves DEC website)
- Article XIV amendment - established land bank for health and safety projects (PDF)
Statewide Plans
State Land Master Plans
- Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan (leaves DEC website)
- Catskill Park State Land Master Plan (PDF)
Management Plans (UMPs and RMPs)
- For a list of completed and draft management plans, please visit our UMP page.
- Master Travel Corridor Unit Management Plan for State Highways in the Adirondack Park (PDF, 9 MB)
Commissioner/Department Polices
- Administrative Use of Motor Vehicles in the Forest Preserve (CP-17) (PDF)
- Cooperating Forest Management Services Policy (DLF-98_2)
- Cooperating Forester Policy (CP-36)
- Forest Preserve Roads (CP-38) (PDF)
- Landowner Forest Stewardship Plan Format (PDF)
- Motorized Access Program for People With Disabilities (MAPPWD) (CP-3) (includes application form)
- Snowmobile Trails - Catskill Forest Preserve (ONR-2)
- Temporary Revocable Permits for State Lands and Conservation Easements (ONR-3) (includes application form)
- Volunteer Stewardship Agreements (CP-58) (includes application forms)
Additional Guidance Documents
- Shuttle Feasibility Study for the Adirondack High Peaks Region (April 2021) (leaves DEC website)
- Fire Tower Study for the Adirondack Park (PDF)
- Conservation Easement Road and Trail Sign Guidance Manual (PDF)
- Primitive Tent Site Guidance for Adirondack Forest Preserve Lands (PDF)
- Forest Preserve Bicycle Trail Guidance (PDF)
- Inter-Agency Guidelines for Implementing Best Management Practices to Control Invasive Species on DEC Administered Lands of the Adirondack Park (PDF)
- Minimum Requirements Approach Guide for Construction of Trail Bridges in Wild Forest Areas in the Adirondack Park (PDF)
- Snowmobile Trail Siting, Construction, and Maintenance on Forest Preserve Lands in the Adirondack Park (PDF)
Additional Policies, Plans, and Application Forms
- Procedure for the Modification or Extinguishment of a DEC-Held Conservation Easement (6 NYCRR Part 592) (PDF)
- DEC and APA Memorandum of Understanding for State Owned Conservation Easements (PDF)
- Program Policies Affecting the Management of State Forests
- DEC's Statement on Power Driven Mobility Devices
- Marine Regatta Permits
- Marine Regatta Permit Application (PDF)
- Rapid Response for Invasive Species: Framework for Response (PDF)
- Catskill Forest Preserve Public Access Plan (PDF) (8.5 MB)
- Conceptual Plan for a Hut-to-Hut Destination-Based Trail System (PDF) (7.1 MB)
- Part 1 (PDF) - Introduction, Concept, Destination Trails, Lodging, Proposed Conceptual Routes
- Part 2 (PDF) - Proposed Conceptual Routes (continued)
- Part 3 (PDF) - Proposed Conceptual Routes (continued), General Recommendations, Summary, Appendix
- Great South Woods Complex Plan (PDF) (19.4 MB) - This is a very large file and may take a long time to download. As an alternative, you may download individual sections below.
- Cover through page R-15 (PDF) - Introduction; GSW Regional Network
- Pages R-16 through R-22 (PDF) - Symbology; Map 1: Five Towns Area
- Pages R-23 and R-24 (PDF) - Map 1 (continued)
- Pages R-25 through R-29 (PDF) - Map 2: Minerva, North Hudson, Schroon Lake
- Pages R-30 through R-38 (PDF) - Map 3: Fulton Chain Area; Map 4: Indian Lake and Cedar River Flow
- Pages R-39 through R-43 (PDF) - Map 4 (continued); Map 5: North Creek, North River, Indian Lake
- Pages R-44 through R-49 (PDF) - Map 6: Black River; Map 7: West Canada Lake Wilderness
- Pages R-50 through R-53 (PDF) - Map 8: Lake Pleasant, Piseco, Speculator
- Pages R-54 through R-58 (PDF) - Map 9: Wells, Hope, Gilmantown, Stony Creek
- Pages R-59 through 71 (PDF) - Map 10: Northville and Caroga Lake; Strategy; Challenges
