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In ARL Summer Research Fellowships

Abstract

This paper explores the longstanding debate over what should be done with the lands of the Adirondack Park. Within the park exists vibrant cultures of development for tourism, and conservationism. They are what determine the outcome of this debate. In order to avoid too broad a topic, my research will focus on the land allocation debate of the Adirondacks from the late sixties to the present. It is around this time, from the 50s-70s, that we notice an economic switch from resource extraction, such as timbering, to more hotel and second home development which propels the touristic economy. Over the past 40 to 50 years, the debate in the Adirondacks has been between land use restriction, and development of this touristic economy. The Adirondack Park Agency, which was formed in 1971, is in charge of two plans: one to manage state land, and the other to control how private property in the park is controlled. There are many who disagree with the APA's goals and presence. This is mainly due to the debate of whether APA's form of conservationism is democratic. Some stakeholders understandably do not like having extra restrictions on their private or public land.

Type of Resource

DigitalDocument

Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

The Adirondack Park is the largest protected area in the contiguous United States. The primary agency charged with its protection is the Adirondack Park Agency which was created in 1971. Traditionally, the APA has been viewed as an agency aligned with conservation and preservation. However, in recent years the Agency has approved enormous resorts, implemented changes to its guiding documents, and is plagued by a dysfunctional board. These recent changes are of major concern to conservationists who have spent the last 50 years fighting to protect the park. Is the Adirondack Park Agency the weakest it's ever been? This presentation will examine the history of the APA and its shifts over time in the broader contexts of land use regulation in the US. I will discuss the administration of Governor Andrew Cuomo, under which these changes seem to have peaked. Governor Cuomo has pushed an aggressive developmental agenda and has consistently neglected his duties towards the APA.

Type of Resource

VideoObject

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms