By Nick Rose
The Old Forge Library will be the site of a workshop to gather local knowledge in support of regional recreation and tourism planning for the southern third of the Adirondack Park.
The workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, February 25 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the library’s Community Room and is being hosted jointly by the Great South Woods (GSW) and the Adirondack Community Trails & Lodging System (ACTLS) projects.
During the workshop, participants will use large format maps to share their knowledge of recreation destinations and existing infrastructure on public and private lands.
Participants will be asked to sketch out and propose improvements to existing trails, new trails and other infrastructure that would connect recreational opportunities on State lands with community-based lodging and other regional amenities and features.
This information will be incorporated into a computer based mapping system, and will be used to generate regional scale recommendations for recreation planning to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
The Great South Woods project is an effort to enhance and diversify access to Forest Preserve and Conservation Easement lands, while improving connections among communities via recreation networks and protecting the region’s ecosystems and natural character.
The project is a collaboration between SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry (ESF), the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), local government, and the Adirondack Park Agency (APA).
ESF is leading the participatory process and computer mapping aspects of this project, which seeks to identify a system of trails and associated recreational infrastructure that could significantly enhance outdoor experiences for recreation in this region of the Park.
The Great South Woods planning region encompasses over two million acres and includes the entire Adirondack Park south of Routes 28 and 28N and stretching to Route 9 eastward.
The Adirondack Community Trails & Lodging System (ACTLS) is an initiative funded by the NYS Department of State (DOS), and seeks to identify opportunities to connect communities by trails for self-powered users and identify existing lodging facilities, as well as strategic locations for future lodging.
Modeled after such trails as Great Walks in New Zealand, Norway Trekking, and the Camino de Santiago in Spain, the ACTLS proposes that the unique assets and amenities of the Adirondack Park can be coordinated and developed to attract a global market of outdoor recreation enthusiasts and thereby provide economic revitalization for the entire region.
We ask that you please make time to attend this important public discussion. CAP-21 is assisting SUNY ESF and the ACTLS project with meeting logistics and will be providing refreshments.
For planning purposes, please contact CAP-21 at (315) 369-3353 or at info@cap-21.org to confirm your participation and whether you need any specific accommodations.