Should the Adirondacks Be a National Park???

[@neckenwiler]

The park works great as is. No need to change things. Just keep buying up land for preservation, and work with the towns to ensure they stay within their boundaries and don’t pollute. I kind of like that there are little towns dotted around the park - it means better food and lodging options than you’d get in a national park. Also, the towns help make it easier to get to more remote places: it would be much more trouble to get to, say, the CL50 if the town if Cranberry Lake weren’t there for you to spend the night at before and after your trip - you’d have to do a couple hours of driving before and after your hike, which is annoying. More towns also makes for a better through-hiking or through-paddling experience, since it’s easier to re-supply. Speaking of through-paddling, the Northern Forest Canoe Trail starts in Old Forge in the southwest part of the park, and goes 700+ miles to the northern tip of Maine. I’d love to do it someday.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Appreciate the perspective. I also like that there are towns within the park. Makes it more of a living landscape and reinforces the concept that humans and nature can coexist peacefully. Agreed on access!

[@grumpyoldstudios]

"and work with the towns to ensure they stay within their boundaries and don’t pollute" Most of the pollution in the ADK's comes from the mess the hikers leave behind. The trail heads have gotten so bad with hikers crapping just off the trail its locally referred to as Chamin Gardens. It is not the residents or the towns that are the issue.

[@here_we_go_again2571]

@@grumpyoldstudios >"The trail heads have gotten so bad with hikers crapping just off the trail its locally referred to as Chamin Gardens. It is not the residents or the towns that are the issue."< Yep! 😒😒

[@OccamsToaster]

Yup. Despite NY coming up with the concept of "The Adirondack Park" (and "The Catskill Park", FTM) it's very much not a park in the usual sense. It's simply an area that the state chose to protect way back in 1892. If it was a "real" park and administered like our national parks there would be services within the park, but they'd be much more limited, run by a small number of large corporations, and more expensive than the options available now. In some cases there's too much exploitation or environmental damage, but mostly it's a pretty good mix of governmental administration and private enterprise.

[@eyes4eve]

Great video! I've lived in the ADK my entire life. No human system is perfect, but I'm extremely proud to call this area home. As many others have said, the people that live here feel a deep connection to the land and nature itself. Just as the Iroquois, it's part of our identity. Most of us grow up hunting, fishing, gardening, felling trees and processing them into firewood, etc. It's almost instinctual to protect this land if you've ever lived here. Part of the beauty of this area is regulation only goes so far. At a certain point, the individuals and communities themselves regulate each other. This is the kinda place you could get beat up for littering, seriously...

[@NationalParkDiaries]

I certainly got that sense during my research! It's so nice to know the communities of the Adirondacks care so deeply for such a wonderful place.

[@MrZcar350]

Absolutely. I may live in Kentucky now, but the Adirondacks will always be home.

[@sandy_sd10]

I grew up on the edge of the ADK and made a lot of memories in that park. Appreciate nature and our connection to nature it has shaped my values being so close to nature.

[@Brandon-vj8ik]

I don't think the Adirondacks should ever be a national park. Between the two different ski mountains, rv parks, water park, hotels, and the tens of thousands of private homes, it would be a disaster if the state ever took it over. I would like to add though that the state still regularly tries to buy up private land to add to public area of the park. And the state has some pretty tight regulations on what the landowners can do. Not to mention that the state has agreements with many private landowners to let the public use areas of their land.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Yes, good point. New York State (and other land conservancies as well) still do acquire land in the park.

[@ke9tv]

@@NationalParkDiaries There are also collaborations with the conservancies. Sometimes Open Space Institute or Nature Conservancy can move fast when a parcel comes on the market, with the intent to transfer the land to the state when the legislature approves the budget. (If they waited for the legislature, the land would sell before the state could make the offer.) That's also sometimes a way to circumvent some legal traps. When the Santanoni Great Camp came on the market, the state paid a conservancy to acquire it and run it as a historic site. If the state had acquired it in fee, they'd have been required to tear it down and return it to wild forest - something that nobody, even the most ardent conservationists, wanted.

[@brandon9172]

Let's go Brandon!

[@NationalParkDiaries]

@@ke9tv Great point!

[@dapeach06]

The Federal Government would take it over if it was a National Park, not the state. But yeah, it shouldn't be one.

[@ke9tv]

The Adirondacks were largely the model for the National Park Service. (Yellowstone predates the Forest Preserve, but it became a national park by accident, because Wyoming wasn't yet a state.) In large measure, New York got the idea first, and Theodore Roosevelt took it to Washington with him. In the length of time that they've been protected, it's not that much of a surprise that the policies surrounding them have evolved to be more nuanced than what we see coming out of Washington. The constitutional protection also gives them an unmatched level of stability. None of our National Parks - and most certainly not our National Momuments, National Forests, etc - have nearly that stability - the Congress, and in some cases the President, can erase them with the stroke of a pen. Most of the people arguing in favor of the Adirondacks being a National Park seem to think that the forest would enjoy a higher level of protection, but I don't believe that's correct. Worthy of note is that the portion that's owned by the state is still bigger than any of the 'classic' National Parks. (Death Valley, some parks in Alaska, and the marine reserves are larger, but they're recent developments and really still being sorted out.) The nuanced management and enormous size also means that there's a greater sense of freedom. I live an hour from the Blue Line, and if I want to hike the Park, I pretty much can pull on my boots, hop in my car and go. (I keep an already-loaded backpack in the car!) No fussing about with permits, and very few restrictions. About a third of my trips are cross-country, departing from the established trails. I can make camp basically anywhere I find a big enough flat spot. (Well, within reason. I can't camp above 3500 feet elevation, nor within 200 feet of a trail or a waterway.) The detailed trip planning that I always do is for my own safety, not for dealing with bureaucrats. Where else, well, practically anywhere, could I go for a 140-or-so mile backpack and meet maybe a dozen people (except at the two town stops I made to reprovision)? And without having a paperwork nightmare to arrange it? Everyone inside the Blue Line hates the APA. Half believe that the APA is out wantonly to rape the land for development, and half believe the APA is out to depopulate the Adirondacks entirely. As long as it's hated equally by the pro-conservation and pro-development zealots, I think it's probably doing a pretty good job. One thing that a lot of people overlook is that the state continues to pay property taxes on the Blue Line land that it acquires, at whatever rate per acre is assessed on private undeveloped forest land. This is a big fraction of the local government budget in those areas.

[@picasso7721]

I've been there it's beautiful. It should be saved.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Yes, I think you're right. I don't know that the level of protection would significantly increase under federal ownership and overall less land would be under some form of protection (including the private land)

[@xp7575]

​@@picasso7721it's been saved for centuries

[@guitarhiker4449]

My back yard! Just finished a 6 day camping trip in the ADK's! Love it up here! I used to wonder why it wasn't a national park just based on size its huge!! The 46 high peaks can get a bit overcrowded but its somethings they have been working on alot lately. But their is soo much more to the dack's than just the high peaks! Tons of history here "Fort william henry on lake george. For ticonderoga on Lake champlain! Great camp santanoni! St. regis canoe area is awesome too! Good trout fishing on many rivers! The wildlife is awesome! People down to earth as long as you treat the land well. I'm 42yrs old and have lived here my whole life and barely touched all that's here. Good topic! ADK's for life!

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching!

[@VeganHiker]

Wow! Very well done video. I had no idea about any of this! I live in Colorado and have never made it to the northeast. This park would certainly be worth visiting if I ever make it up to that neck of the woods. Thanks for sharing.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching Anne! I hope you make it up there someday!

[@MyLifeOutdoors]

I got to do a 3 night trip in the high peaks back in 2018. It’s an amazing park! I didn’t know any of this about the park. Great video! Thanks

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Sounds awesome. I was REALLY trying to make a trip up there to film this video, but it just wasn't in the cards this time. Oh well, now I have an excuse to plan a trip. Thanks for watching!

[@MyLifeOutdoors]

@@NationalParkDiaries I saw your request for footage. Unfortunately I did that trip pre-channel. Otherwise I would have been happy to share.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

@@MyLifeOutdoors No worries, I appreciate it! Maybe we can work on a collaboration at some point in the future?

[@maerten9517]

I went to summer camp there as a young kid called Adirondack Woodcraft Camp, and I still remember the mist on the pond in the early morning and the natural beauty as though it were yesterday whereas now I can't remember what I did last week. Without the public and private divide there, I would not have had that experience and I think that can still exist for people who experience the area. Though I am a preservationist at heart, the park has been managed so well in the past 100 years, that I think is should remains as it is, to say nothing of my opinions on eminent domain the sanctity of private property. I hope the park can continue to feel like a wilderness for ages to come.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for sharing your experience and perspective!

[@phillipg7315]

Great video! Well thought out and appreciated the historical cliff notes. I LOVE this park and frequent it, it’s truly a unique and cared for space.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching Phillip, glad you enjoyed it!

[@sarathejapanesefrog]

I'm so thankful this just popped up randomly on my feed. I live in the Adirondacks (15 mins from lake George). 6 years ago I bought a house here... Well actually 2. An acre of land with 2 houses on it. The mortgage company made us separate the land first and dealing with the APA was such a hassle. It took 7 extra months to close. This video really helped me understand the reasoning for it. Well done.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Glad I could help, thanks for watching!

[@SeamusMcGillicuddy0]

The Bronx, should be recognized as America’s First National Dump !

[@brentOhlookAsnake]

Living in the park is a way of life. Much of the architecture and styles of towns mesh well with the surrounding mountains and wilderness. The winters, even with modern living are still incredibly harsh at times, but, and even winter itself is generally full of small town festivals. It’s a beautiful place, with many amazing communities. Small towns where the firehouse is still a gathering place, you know your neighbors and you’re outside enjoying nature because it’s just how it is. Hiking the trails, fire towers, or the 46 high peaks in different seasons brings a view of nature that is missed by most. The milky way being visible in the night sky and the stars seeming bigger and brighter. People living in the Adirondacks welcome tourism, as long as you respect the land. Hiking, carry out what you carry in. Camping, respect the areas of the high peaks where no camp fires are allowed, even when overnight hiking. Please come, hike, fish, kayak. Enjoy the mountains, see the amazing and diverse eco systems and wild life. Get a look at what New York truly is.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

🙌🙌🙌

[@flyonwall360]

I used to live in the Adirondack park and truly miss the area. NY State screws enough things up on their own and the Federal Government would ruin it. The Federal Government owns way too much land as it is.

[@MrZcar350]

For a lot of people out there, 6 million acres isn't very easy to get you head around. For people outside the US the Adirondack Park is about: - 18% bigger than Wales - 4% smaller than Sicily - 5% smaller than Crimea - 19% bigger than Israel - 6% smaller than Rwanda - 1/8 the size of Senegal - 1/3 the size of Tasmania - 1/6 the size of Bangladesh - 2/5 the size of Sri Lanka - 2/3 the size of Kyushu - 1/2 the size of Costa Rica - 1/7 the size of Uruguay It's pretty big for a park.

[@markpimlott2879]

That's a wonderfully broad geographical perspective about what six million acres constitutes upon the contemporary world 🌎 stage! Thanks very much! 😀 PS Algonquin Provincial Park in central Ontario is approximately two million acres in size. However, this famous (and first) Provincial Park in Canada (established in 1893, only 21 or 22 years after the first National Park in the world,.YNP), consists entirely of ''Crown Land'' (Ontario Provincial Public Land) with only about 300 small leasehold cottages, six youth camps, and three small historic lodges! UNFORTUNATELY however just over half of it is still open to INDUSTRIAL SCALE COMMERCIAL LOGGING! 😔 😟 🙁 😥 🌳 🏡 🌲 🌳 😔 😟 🙁 Fantastic Algonquin Park trail cam compilation is linked below; kzbin.info/www/bejne/p323eJWCprp3qZIfeature=shared A book about the story of the historic fight to end logging in Algonquin Park is also linked here: www.algonquinpark.on.ca/news/2021/2021-09-16_newbook_douglas_pimlott.php 🫎 🫎 🫎 🫎 🫎 www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/douglas-humphreys-pimlott 🐺 🫎 🐺 🍁 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 🌎 🇺🇲 🍁 🇨🇦 🐺 🫎 🐺

[@A10914]

My family settled in the Adirondacks in the 1850s our Homestead still stands I’ve lived here all my life my grandfather frequented, the hills by hunting there’s no shortage of state land or protected land, but I think the private land needs to stay private

[@CanoeCampClimb]

What a well researched and presented video. Thank you. The way the Adirondacks are managed may not be perfect... but it is about as close as you can get. The balance of preserving nature and personal freedoms is indeed a difficult task. Like many who live and frequent here... once the Adirondacks get into your blood... it penetrates your soul and never leaves you.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching, appreciate the kind words!

[@esleyhamilton4056]

Your deliberative style works so well here to explain the balance of aspirational and practical that makes the Adirondacks so different from our national parks. This is quite an achievement.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks so much!

[@sunnygirlishappy]

I agree with you. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching!

[@iseewood]

We had similar discussion regarding creating a National Park in the Columbia Gorge outside Portland, Oregon. It is a beautiful place with many large waterfalls, sheer cliffs and the largest river on the West Coast of the Americas. But too much land was private and recreational. Government ultimately decided to make it a National Scenic Area and work with private land owners on managing the land.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Read about that recently. Don't know too much about it, but seems like a lot of people like it? What are your thoughts?

[@lisacable1392]

LOVED this video! I feel like each time I watch one of your videos, I learn more and more about what goes into becoming a National Park and why some state parks should not always become one. After watching this video, I now support your opinion as to why the Adirondacks should not be a National Park. Keep up the great work!

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks, glad I could help!

[@genericalfishtycoon3853]

Another bit of salt I've got for people is here In Maine, you often can't breathe on weekends in the woods around national forests and parks in the areas where smoke accumulates, because so so so many people with campfires going just smoke it right to heck. I'm talking 30 minutes from any kind of store or civilization, and you can't even breathe because of all the smoke from tourists at campgrounds in the national forests. In places I could sit as kid twenty years ago and not see anyone for weeks no less. The idea that national forests are natural in any way is horribly mistaken.

[@genericalfishtycoon3853]

Oh for crying out loud, this comment was just the addendum. I wrote a whole book of a comment without any foul language or naughty opinions and KZbin still automatically hid it. I'm so disgusted with every aspect of government, from forest regulations to social media. This isn't even America anymore.

[@naughtonbynature]

The comment isn’t hidden

[@genericalfishtycoon3853]

@@naughtonbynature Nah, not this one. I wrote one that's at least five times as long as my above follow-up comment that starts with "another bit of salt" and mentions the smoke. The other was by far the more informative and comprehensive of my comments too, figures the AI didn't like it. I checked from a different IP and account. Shows up for me on this account only. The platform has always had it's issues with censorship especially after the original ADpocalypse, but recently they've really ramped it up. I uploaded a screen recording a couple of months ago featuring a few examples from my own notifications feed highlighting these "vanishing" comments that show up sometimes to one or two people, but not to the entire audience that is engaged with the thread. How often do people engaged in otherwise decent conversations get left thinking that the other person snubbed them, simply because they tripped up the censor bot and got themselves shadow scrubbed. Meanwhile, all the minutes and precious moments of their day/life that they took to speak with that person, for whatever reasons they had, are spent in vain. Both parties then left to wonder what happened or simple be forgotten outright in the hustle and bustle of the memory hole. Most likely many people are completely unaware of this system, therefore unable to know how to check like I did. There are no videos allowed to be recommended explaining the process, despite them existing. The ones that break it down too well just get the publisher banned and blacklisted. They really like it to be ambiguous it seems, while also claiming on their support forums and help list that they're proud of how clear and open they are with the community. Perhaps it's to exert some additional pressure without going too far on the record. Either way, some real sinister double speak going on there with social media corporations these days I tell you. It's the electronic equivalent of if the mailman from back in the days of snail mail dependence had just decided to randomly burn a few letters from every batch along with all the ones he didn't like after skimming through each of them. I imagine that scenario happens thousands of times a day now since they implemented this new tactic. As if human conversation and socializing in general needed anymore hurdles eh? Pffft. I just watched a video showing Mark Zuckerberg on Joe Rogan saying they do the same thing apparently. I've never once used Facebook though thankfully. Lol Sorry for the sneak edit ranting, I needed somewhere to get that off my chest and where it has the potential to inform some other fellow.

[@marksonofnel55]

Yup, good points all.

[@brandon9172]

@@genericalfishtycoon3853 There isn't really anything sinister going on, and its not necessarily the fault of KZbin or Google. This whole mess with moderation goes back to advertisers. They threatened to pull their ads (and thus funding) if they didn't implement a better moderation system. Obviously its not working out too well because its impossible to properly moderate the sheer quantity of content and comments.

[@XLseattle]

In the Spanish National parks in the Pyrenees, there is human activity as there has been for 1000s of years. It is posible

[@youthdj]

Thoroughly enjoyed this video. Lots of food for thought.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching Djeon!

[@TravelDash]

I’d love to see a video on whether or not Oregon/Washington’s Columbia River Gorge should be a National Park. the place is amazing and more impressive than almost every park in the NPS.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

I think that would be a great video. From what little I know about it right now, I believe it's a National Scenic Area managed by the USFS, and also has a couple unique management arrangements. I'll have to look into it more!

[@franzwaltenspuhl8892]

I notice “Cadillac desert” on the bookshelf. A great read!

[@NationalParkDiaries]

One of my favorites!

[@temperanceawakening7002]

Great video sir. And I agree with your opinion whole heartidly.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching!

[@dwayne7356]

My answer is no. A few miles from me is the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve which sounds a lot like Adirondack area. What this did was add at least two more layers of government bureaucracy. There are towns inside of this area. Everything is a fight such as running a new water or gas pipes from one town to another through the area. A National Park should be pristine and stay that way. Neither the NJ Pinelands or Adirondack Mountains are pristine because people have lived there from the beginning. An ideal for a future video would be trying to define what the differences are between "park", "monuments", "historical park", "reserve", "preserve", "battlefield" etc.....

[@NationalParkDiaries]

I've actually already made that video! It was my first one ever 😊 kzbin.info/www/bejne/jmTRqXmkiqh8hZI

[@gdo3510]

If you don’t think the Adirondacks are pristine, then you’ve clearly never been there. It’s absolutely pristine and the small communities and private land within the park are a feature to the park, not a con.

[@jasonreed7522]

@@gdo3510 i think the distinction is between empty pristine like the Alaskan bush vs cultivated pristine like the ADKs. Its ideal to have the scattered hamlets and infrastructure that let you actually access the park to both enjoy it and to actually do maintenance like fighting invasive species. I suppose the ADKs could be considered a very large state garden vs the true untouched wilderness of the Alaskan/Canadian bush. And most national parks are more like resorts than the ADKs are. (Basically National Parks are to Disneyland what the ADKs are to Cities)

[@jeffreyshampnois2471]

@@jasonreed7522 No that's not how it feels when you're 20 miles from the nearest road.

[@eileenmack271]

NYS DEC…Department of Environmental Conservation. I appreciate your history and perspective. Very educational.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

So glad to hear it, thanks for watching!

[@brentOhlookAsnake]

Anyone looking for a cool piece of history, look up Theodore Roosevelt in the Adirondacks

[@Chris-ut6eq]

I agree. This experiment as a preserve on the state level is good. It seems NY has made a determined effort to find a way for this coexistence to work. Is there a way the state/federal system could cooperate? would that even be helpful to the preserve? How much land has the state actually bought back over the decades?

[@NationalParkDiaries]

There are instances of federal/state cooperation, although I'm not sure if they are doing this in the Adirondacks. I don't think the feds own a lot of land up in that area, so probably not a lot of room for collaboration there specifically, but certainly in other areas.

[@brunopadovani7347]

Just 4-5 years ago, the state acquired something like 50,000 acres of private land, and added it to the Forest Preserve.

[@Eedg769]

There is virtually no federal land in New York State. The only national forest in New York is a tiny one called the Finger Lakes National Forest.@@NationalParkDiaries

[@Eedg769]

There was some talk of establishing a third Forest Preserve in the Finger Lakes region, mainly to protect important drinking water sources. Not sure where that proposal ever went. But it would probably not ever fly because the Finger Lakes region is relatively populated, although towns and farms have been going under for decades. The Finger Lakes National Forest would ironically be the model for a state preserve in that area full of working farms, since it's based on recreation and managed farming use (grazing for cattle, etc). @@brunopadovani7347

[@donaldchittenden671]

Yes this park should be a National park. I live in New York and I am 1.5 hours from the park. I also spend a lot of time in the Adirondacks park. I fish hike my summits and fire towers. I also think the Catskills mounts should be a National park to. Thank you for the information.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching! I appreciate your perspective!

[@GoingNoWhereFast]

I think you should do a show on turning West Virginia into a National park. NY Adk is a preserve. Not a park. It is the watershed for the Hudson River, and Developing it would damage the Hudson River which provides water for the lower part of the state.

[@horizon42q]

Good one One of the best parks with the best uses

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks!

[@donaldmartell3729]

Adirondack 46er here. I totally agree, the system in place now works very well and should be kept. A few tweaks im sure could be made but beauty is maintained while development in some areas is allowed. It's a good middle ground.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Pretty much my thinking as well. Thanks for watching!

[@sujimtangerines]

Just from your opening you have one major reason not to make it an NP: the sheer size would require multiple administrative units; building or adapting those, increased staffing, improving infrastructure, etc. And you followed that up with the second reason: too many private landowners. Would they have to be evicted or bought out? Is NY doing a good job running it as s state park? If so, and they aren't asking for federal intervention, FOR NOW? I say no. The way the park is run in conjunction with the community isn't easily replicated. NYers love that park & feel a sense of ownership they wouldn't ordinarily have with it being federal controlled. I think it's unique priv/pub partnership, the way locals know and understand the changing resources or needs is empowering as well, and maybe that connection is what will steer the future of park management. (Plus, selfishly, we've got so much that needs to be repaired & conserved in the active parks right now. Yes, purchase funds are finally available, but the rest is desperately needed for repairs in existing parks.)

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Great points Michaelle! The shear logistics of making this a National Park make it difficult, regardless of the more philosophical points. But yes, I think the locals definitely prefer the current system (hence why there was so much opposition to the NP idea in the first place) and if they continue to run it in a sustainable manner, I see no reason why they shouldn't be allowed to continue doing so. Thank as always for your input!

[@OccamsToaster]

I doubt that anybody with a lick of sense thinks that making it a National Park should mean turning the entire 6 million acres into a park, because anyone who thinks that doesn't have much sense. There's about 3.3 million acres of private property, and even if it was all undeveloped simply buying it at a modest $2500 per acre would cost 8.25 billion dollars. As a pretty wild guess, the actual cost would probably be at least $50 billion. As of now, the annual budget for NPS is about $3.1 billion and still isn't enough to maintain the existing parks. If the country had enough agreement there's enough money to do it, but it's wildly unrealistic to think it could happen. I'm not sure about any of the other parks, but Mammoth Cave NP is a very small 53,000 acres and it took about 15 years to acquire the 45,000 acres needed to declare it a national park in 1941. It took another 30 years or so until the last of the inholdings was acquired. The biggest federal land acquisition I'm aware of that involved evicting property owners was for the proposed Tocks Island dam on the Delaware River. Before the project was abandoned 72,000 acres was acquired, almost entirely by eminent domain.

[@eileenmack271]

There are quite a few agencies working to preserve, conserve, protect the park and all its resources. They are working to keep the Adirondack Park Agency responsible and true to its mission. They advise on legislation that impacts, water, salt on the roads, air quality, maintenance of ‘forever wild’ areas and other issues. They work to educate residents and visitors. Any of these organizations would be grateful for your membership or donation. They include, but not limited to: Protect the Adirondacks; Adirondack Council; Adirondack Land Trust; Lake George Land Conservancy; Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve; Darrin Freshwater Institute; The Adirondack Water Institute at Paul Smith’s College; Adirondack Architectural Heritage; Adirondack Mountain Club; Adirondack Research Consortium.

[@Ryanrobi]

I live just north of the park and have a camp in the park, while I love hiking and exploring the park it is also a big drag on our economy since we need to drive 4 plus hours on slow windy roads to get to the interstate. It makes everything up here besides farming unprofitable. If we had an interstate strait through the park I could be to central NY in a bit over an hour. Trade offs to everything but it seems few consider what it does to the many thousands that live on the other side and have to deal with the costs.

[@adkforester5428]

Nice recap well done. Adirondacks are a special place. What books are on the shelf?

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thank you!! I've got a bunch of my favorites on the shelf: A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson, Two in the Far North by Mardie Murie, Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner, A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold, The Golden Spruce by John Vaillant, The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf (my personal favorite), Where the Wild Things Were by William Stolzenburg, and Leave Only Footprints by Connor Knighton.

[@SequoiaElisabeth]

Well done. I agree with you.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching!

[@nancysmith-baker1813]

Thank you for doing this .

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching!

[@noahbohl2127]

I live right above the Adirondack park, and frequently hike, rock climb, skii, mountain bike, etc. In the adks. While I think there are amazing aspects to National Parks, but I don’t think the Adirondacks really fit that. The Adirondacks have their own amazing history, that you talked about well, and I think a lot of the history and significance of the Adirondacks as a place would be somewhat ruined if it became a national park. The Adirondacks have demonstrated that nature and humans can be balanced. There are also many treasures in the park that I’ve discovered, and I think would be ruined if it was made a National park. There are patches of old growth forest, hidden lakes, amazing biodiversity that are only known by a few

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Pretty much agree! I think a lot of the same outcomes are achieved with its current status and like you said demonstrates that humans and nature can be balanced. As long as it's protected and continues that way, I don't see any reason for NP Status.

[@jasonreed7522]

I think the special thing about the Addirondacks is that they are inhabited. National parks are fundamentally uninhabited except as a resort (like how Disneyland is an uninhabited city resort). The ADKs are best kept as a mix of state owned public land free for all to use, and public land controlled by "zoneing" regulations to permit people to maintain their/our way of life with minimal impacts to the health of the ecosystem. (This even includes responsible logging, something that is possible, even if clear cutting as long as a small area is cut its no different to a beaver pond draining or storm creating a clearing) Its also basically a universal opinion of the residents of the park that the adks should be preserved. (Its also notable that part of the park are owned or leased by hunting and recreation clubs that by their nature need the land to stay wild but managed, sometimes it is direct ownership and sometimes a logging company owns the land and effectively rents to the club which helps maintain the access infrastructure since its usually 30years between harvests)

[@cindymerola6249]

Love going up there we've been going hiking and camping ,1 day would like to get a home up there love it so much we need more places like that

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Researching this video had me seriously considering moving to Upstate NY lol

[@Ed-hz2um]

My wife & I moved to the ADKs 20 years ago to own a piece of the wilderness and preserve it. You'll probably hear some negative comments about the APA and its policies, but personally, we have never been negatively impacted by them. The small communities dotted throughout the park give the land life, as much as any wildlife might. Most all of these communities have managed to provide limited, controlled expansion while retaining the "Forever Wild" nature of the land. During our time living here, we have not seen any large impact due to economic expansion, although some may have escaped our notice. I don't know what might change if the ADKs were to become a National Park, so I can't offer an opinion. Suffice to say that we have never had any regret about our decision to move here.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Really appreciate the perspective, thanks for sharing!

[@spaguettoltd.7933]

Hey man, you do great vids. I appreciate that you’re making efforts to acknowledge indigenous history when talking about public lands. I’ve noticed something you said tho, and I’d like to correct it. Please don’t erase the Haudenosonee (Iroquois) conquests. They practiced imperial expansion before white people ever stepped foot on this continent. Representing them as “harmonious” and “peaceful” strips them of their agency, and plays into the “noble savage” myth. Also, the Haudenosaunee are still around, so present tense might be more appropriate when talking about them. Same goes for other tribes.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Fair enough, I appreciate the input. It wasn't my intention to misrepresent them in any way, just to point out they had a different relationship to the land than the European settlers who came after them. Thanks for your comment.

[@theamazinghippopotomonstro9942]

I like how the park is a mix of private ownership and conservation. People are able to live well in a rural environment that respects both the needs of nature and the needs of man. IMO most of upstate NY should work like this outside of cities and farmland. So yes I wouldn't want it to become a national park and instead just give more private land to the state like it has been slowly gaining more for decades.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for your perspective! That's pretty much where I fall as well.

[@billtooke6642]

Technically it's a part of the Forest Preserve so it's not an NYS State Park in the strict sense. That's why it, and Catskill Park for that matter, are called just Park and not State Park

[@NatureShy]

As an outsider who has never been there or hiked in the east coast (I am spoiled for scenery living in the west coast), I think it should be a national park, but also isn't a high priority. I just think it should be one solely on it's uniqueness, scenic value, and ruggedness, considering it is one of the more rugged sections of mountains in the east coast. A lot of the east coast parks don't have the impressive awe-factor of massive mountains. Shenandoah and Smokey Mountains don't have any sort of real awe to them; they're more like forested hills-pretty of course but not majestic in the way you'd call mountains "majestic." The northern New England and NY mountains do sort of have a bit of that majestic mountain feel, being more alpine and rugged than the southern Appalachians, yet the NPS has pretty much nothing from this area of the country to represent the mountains of the Northeast. And Acadia doesn't count because it is on the coast, and Maine Woods doesn't even fulfill it quite right because it isn't as mountainous or rugged as the ADK or say, the White Mountains of NH and the Presidentials. If I were to suggest new parks in the US, soley based on what is severely lacking in the system as far as getting a "complete" set, I would put the ADK very high on that list, along with the Presidentials and White Mountains. I would also suggest designating to round out the national collection: Columbia River Gorge National Park (Oregon/Washington) - similar situation to the ADK park in terms of trying to balance natural preservation with community growth within the scenic area Mount St Helens National Park (Washington) Mount Hood National Park (Oregon) Owyhee Canyonlands National Park (Oregon) Sawtooth Mountains National Park (Idaho) Oregon Volcanoes/High Cascades National Park (area around Mt Washington, Sparks Lake, and Three Sisters in Oregon) Hells Canyon National Park (Oregon/Idaho) Mount Shasta National Park (California) Mount Baker National Park (or inclusion within the North Cascades NP, as well as expansion to include Slate Peak and Washington Pass into NCNP)

[@lizards821]

Wow, I appreciate such a thorough video on a topic that hits home to me. I frequent the ADK consistently year round to hike, backpack, mountain bike, ski, snowshoe, climb, you name it. I am up there so often to the point where I will be purchasing a home within the blue line in the coming years. I understand your position whole heartedly in regards to keeping the ADK away from National Park status, and I agree with you. The entire region should not be. But, I have a few thoughts. The problem with state regulation of the region is well, the state itself. Much of the funding for the region is controlled within the state capitol (Albany) which is not even in the Blue Line. Making a decision at the top and seeing it poorly trickle down to the folks who actually live and work within the land is just all kinds of wrong. The lack of rangers/staffing on trails is a case in point example of this. A lack of hiker education and funding for such programs would mitigate a lot of SAR's in the first place too, but again it is not funded. Ironically enough seeing the hikers atop the Whiteface summit in jeans made me cringe a little, but we will let that one fly since you can drive to the top ;) Another sector is source of income from the region. Believe it or not, the majority of income generated from within the blue line is not amongst popular tourist towns such as Keene, Lake Placid, Tupper, Saranac, etc, but rather prisons. It is important to realize that channel of income and how it pertains to uhhh "forever wild." It is also important to realize a shift in regulation as the Ausable Mountain Reserve has implemented a permit system which restrict access to the public easement from the DEC which goes against "forever wild." Would going to a national park fix this? Not exactly, nor do I have the expertise to know the nitty gritty, but I can try to give my opinion on what is best. The White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire for example is not a national park, but it is a national forest. So, it is federally funded and regulated. In the case of the DEC implementing a permit system at the AMR mainly due to a parking problem, the WMNF implemented a careful way to expand parking and education. See the difference? Granted, the Whites are a lot smaller than the ADKS, but I think the ADK could benefit from something like this. Certain regions, such as the highly trafficked High Peaks, can be designated as National Forest, shifting the funding and staffing to make it beneficial to all without impacting the private land owners and local businesses in the region. Given how blown away I am at seeing how little the APA has been doing lately, this is also another reason to go this route. But eh, I am just another stupid hiker, what do I know...

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for the perspective! Much appreciated! As always, I think there's room for improvement. My position on this issue is colored by the intent of Adirondack Park and it's commitment to trying to balance human needs with natural ones. Within that framework, there's certainly things that need to be corrected, but they would be starting from the same baseline. Thanks again for contributing to the discussion!

[@terrimitchell8767]

Great presentation!

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thank you Terri!

[@brittanyduval607]

I reside in the Adirondack park and it is absolutely gorgeous! I couldn’t ask for more beauty to call home!!

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Lucky!!!

[@GuadalupePicasso]

Do the Catskill Mtns next!

[@mtadams2009]

It sounds a lot like the White Mountains of NH. Lots of wilderness, ski areas and small towns. It seems to work so I say leave it as it is.

[@JoshDoingLinux]

coexisting with nature is one of humanities largest failures. We have built concrete jungles to the stars and launched mechanical marvels to other worlds. But the one thing we haven't yet conquered is our own greed. We see earth not as a gift from the universe (not necessarily religious or spiritual) but as our birthright. As something that we have been born to rule over, and its a shame, because it was here long before we were here and will likely be here long after we're gone. I would personally like to see MORE coexistence with nature and less resistance to it. I think national park status has pros and cons, and I would like to see the people living there taking care of it. Maybe make that a mandate of purchasing land from someone within that park, that you don't develop the land beyond what is required for you to live a comfortable life, and that you'll dedicate your time to the lands and the peoples that choose to visit. Don't know how that would look in proper legalese but, I'm sure someone could figure it out.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

I think this is my biggest argument in favor of retaining Adirondack Park as it is. In my opinion, the system they have in place now is built to allow humans and nature to coexist. The specifics might need tweaking, yes, and there will always be issues, but making that commitment goes a long way. Thanks for your perspective!

[@JoshDoingLinux]

@@NationalParkDiaries you are always welcome to my perspective.

[@ke9tv]

Another point of history: the Forest Preserve was largely acquired when the state took the lands for back taxes. There had previously been a vicious cycle - a timber company or paper mill would buy a tract of forest land for a song from the state, come in and clearcut it, pay handsome dividends for a few years out of the timber, then go bankrupt, leaving the state to seize the now-worthless land. In thirty years, fast-growing species would have recolonized enough that the wood was good for at least paper, and the cycle would begin anew. Eventually the state figured out that it was getting the short end of the stick both coming and going.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Yep, exactly right. Thanks for the input!

[@BWowed]

It's one of the New York's greatest accomplishments.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Agreed!

[@danimal1538]

I'm curious which places in the US could have been national parks (based on natural beauty) had land usage evolved differently. In other words, what are the most scenic places in the US that aren't national parks? In addition to Adirondack: Big Sur in California, Napali coast in Hawaii, San Juan islands in Washington and Lake Tahoe in CA/Nevada come to mind.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Another NY spot that comes to mind is Niagara Falls. Was overly commercialized before conservation/parks became popular. No doubt for me it would have been a great National Park. Also, the San Juan Islands do have a National Park on them, but it's a National Historical Park and doesn't cover that much of the island. Still cool to see its history preserved and interpreted though!

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

@@NationalParkDiaries When I tell people Niagara falls is a state park they are always surprised

[@StuffandThings_]

Meanwhile, there's the San Juan islands where people just buy up vacation houses they never use and turn entire islands into a weird rural mess of fancy houses. The vast majority of the islands have "NO TRESPASSING" signs plopped all over the beaches. There's very little community (except on the biggest islands with some actual towns), little preservation, and pretty much no point to the masses of vacation homes. Now *that* region would make for a spectacular national park. They recently made a national monument, but it was just combining islands that were already park beforehand. Even well known park areas like Stewart Island and Obstruction Pass are just small areas of park surrounded by private land that really ruins the whole experience.

[@billtooke6642]

Also, NYS is interesting in that we really do not have a lot of federal land at all. We have the Finger Lakes National Forest, which is a hodgepodge of old farms that failed during the Depression that the US govt reforested. But no real national parks, just the national monuments like Ellis Island.

[@tupperlake100]

It belongs to the residents of New York State and has wilderness areas superior to all other states in the continental U.S.. More old age forest. Clean clear rivers and lakes. The ability to wander the woods by yourself. The animals live natural lives and coexist with residents. For an outdoorsman this area is wonderful. If you have breathing problems or allergies, you benefit from living there. Very little farming. Just mountains, trees, lakes, rivers and animals. The size of the park is growing. Privately owned lands within the park are sometimes sold to the state and added to the amount of publicly owned land. There aren't a lof of jobs there and this most likely keeps the number of residents from increasing. Any considerable increase in residents will most likely change the positive characteristics of the park. Teddy Roosevelt was in the Adirondacks when he was informed about his assuming the presidency.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Everything I've ever seen about the Adirondacks only makes me want to come and visit more!

[@xp7575]

The 'Daks is the greatest park in the United States

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Not gonna lie, seriously considered moving to upstate NY during production of this video...

[@Chasing_Solitude]

PLEASE GOD NO. It is already WAY TOO BUSY here. This is my home and half the park is over run in the summer

[@Jasonwolf1495]

As someone who works in the Adirondacks and has worked for it, as well as currently working for a museum about the Adirondacks, I think this was a reasonably good video but does miss some major parts. Primarily, while yes the Adirondacks have a major history of extraction it also was one of the the origins of nature recreation. Because of its mix if developed and natural land the region drew visitors of all walks if life. The rich stayed in luxary hotels while most folks could at least take the train up and enjoy a day. The Adirondack guides could make a living off taking these folks to see the region. Teddy Roosevelt adored the region, he literally became acting president while on vacation here. The Adirondacks defined what a park could be. If the region had been totally locked off as state land it would be impenetrable to all but the most dedicated of hikers. While that a nice concept in theory, it would quickly result in a loss of love for the land. The Adirondacks exists because it is more than just a preserve, more than a park, more than a vacation getaway. It doesnt just preserve land but also a way of life. The Adirondacks being so uniquely split between private and public land makes it a place like no other. That is what needs to be conserved.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Appreciate the added context. Totally agreed with your final paragraph as well. Thanks for watching!

[@eddonnelly4441]

I live here and I agree with you 100% Thanks

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching!

[@julianjohnston5092]

Get videos, keep up the great work!

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thank you, much appreciated!

[@kpokpojiji]

As soon resident of the park, my opinion is that we are doing fine. It can be a delicate balancing act. But N.Y. state has overall done a great job. We do not need another layer of beaurocracy, nor do we need the political inconsistency of the federal government. The park is protected by a state constitutional amendment. The last thing we need is the currently anti-science, anti-environment federal Republicans having a say here, and possibly trying to sell off our beautiful wilderness, like we see often enough with federal lands out west.

[@govolow4963]

bruh the Iroquois are still here in Upstate New York lol, idk why you're using past tense like they don't exist anymore

[@mevlidasofic9131]

❤Thank you

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching!

[@microcosm1957]

A lot of the wilderness could be preserved as a contiguous national park without diminishing the communities and systems in the rest of the park. The money paid by the federal government could also serve as a grant for new state parks and preserves

[@NationalParkDiaries]

The thing is, and what this video was conveying, I don't think that's really necessary. Sure, there's an argument to be made that the Adirondacks have the qualities necessary for some form of NPS protection, but the way the park is managed and protected right now works for the lands, peoples, and communities there.

[@microcosm1957]

@@NationalParkDiaries land purchases from state and local entities could essentially serve as land grants for increased conservation efforts on smaller sites in their jurisdiction. That would be a big benefit for conservation and recreation on smaller-scale projects out of the scope of the NPS in New York.

[@microcosm1957]

@@NationalParkDiaries I think the concept of “The National Park” really serves as a top best list for monumental and amazing places in the collective conscious. The Adirondacks are certainly in my list of most beautiful mountain ranges in America, so I think they also deserve the honor of national park status and federal recognition.

[@BrandonSmithSTL]

GRATZ ON THE SHOUTOUT ON JOHN OLIVER!!!!!!!!

[@NationalParkDiaries]

lol did I miss something?

[@genericalfishtycoon3853]

@@NationalParkDiaries Lol My good man, if you don't watch John Oliver, you're not missing anything at all. :)

[@jefferyjohnson4920]

I am very concerned about the idea of Adirondack Park becoming a national park. There are currently just under one thousand miles of snowmobile trails on public and private land in the blue line. Not that the snowmobile community trusts NYS or the Environmental lobby in Albany. We don't. We have a bigger distrust of the federal government and their allies in the national Environmental lobby.

[@jasonreed7522]

Definitely, and not just snowmobiles but 4wheelers, hunters, and the rest of the community that gets looked down on by cities. Also the idea that to protect the environment the land HAS to be owned by the National Park Service and be completely uninhabited is silly and damaging. As stated half the park is private land and it is regulated to prevent the most damaging activities. The APA might be a pain to everyone but they make sure that the park cant be ecologically destroyed which is the worst case scenario for its communities. (Getting evicted is the second worst thing that could happen to them)

[@idkmanwhat9279]

I’m subbed regardless but add some more maps on your background and hopefully viewable for the viewers

[@NationalParkDiaries]

The office is still coming together, definitely planning on a few more decorations here and there!

[@idkmanwhat9279]

@@NationalParkDiaries okay cool,would just like to see you at your best.the things that make you smile related to your channel, let that show with your personality, love the info and I learned a lot but would like to see you add your personality in there also

[@MatthewChenault]

What we often forget when discussing “should this place be a national park” is asking “what about the local community?” Many small villages up in Appalachia are now ghost towns because of the establishment of Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was, in many ways, a destruction of a way of life that people had lived for well over a century and a half, if not more. We ought consider the common man as much as preservation of nature.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Yes, good point. Another good reason to maintain the Adirondack Park in its current system!

[@darsin7053]

But the tourism is what drives these communities now. The paper mills are gone for example. Maybe I don't understand what is being said but one thing I know is people don't always make good choices and you can't expect everyone to want or care if the Addies are preserved the same for future generations like it was for us.

[@mattmatt6572]

Get over it hippie. The people are more important then the ground they live on.

[@MatthewChenault]

@@darsin7053, I’m talking about the small farm towns and villages where people had originally settled back in the 1750’s. That isn’t an issue of “usefulness,” but of history. The oversights of the 20th century have done much destruction of our own history. If you go to places like Shenandoah National Park or the Blue Ridge Parkway, you will find abandoned family cemeteries and abandoned villages where people once lived.

[@davidmarks5400]

I would say yes for this reason. If New York State ever becomes business and industry friendly, and massive growth takes place like Florida and Texas,you can kiss the forests goodbye. Believe me,money always rules the day.I see it everyday in Texas and when I lived in Florida. When big money moves in, nothing is sacred. I used to live in upstate New York, and visited the Adirondacks all the time. Can you imagine riding up through there and seeing expensive mansions dotting the hills and mountains,it would be heartbreaking. The Texas hill country used to be beautiful,but every year more and more homes are built by people that have the money to do so and it ruins it. They may have made the Adirondacks a forever wild place, but if big money and industry comes upstate New York,trust me,all bets will be off. Big money moves mountains.

[@spinlok3943]

What if only part of the Adirondacks was a National Park?

[@NationalParkDiaries]

That was actually part of the proposal in 1967. The new National Park would have been a much smaller area than the current Adirondack Park, but with a much higher percentage of already publicly owned land.

[@spinlok3943]

@@NationalParkDiaries Well maybe something like that could work then!

[@gdo3510]

@@spinlok3943 it’s perfect how it is already. No need to make it a national park.

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

That would still involve evicting people out of their homes to make it. No thanks it's sad enough hearing about what they did to the people who used to live in the Smokies

[@spinlok3943]

@@AdamSmith-gs2dv A lot of national parks have private properties within them. They are sort of holes within their boundaries.

[@brunopadovani7347]

New York State has done a fantastic job of protecting the Adirondack region, and an even better job of protecting state owned Forest Preserve land. The feds could not do a better job. It is a non-starter to have the Federal Government move in to preserve wilderness, and would be resisted. If the goal is simply to preserve wilderness (and not CONTROL everything, which the Feds are known for), and people want a federal role, then the feds should purchase land, or partner with The Nature Conservancy to buy land, and gift it to NYS for incorporation into the Forest Preserve. Otherwise the feds should stay out.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Right. I just don't think it's necessary at this point.

[@Lou58Lou]

I agree with this not becoming a National Park. We have come to rely way too much on our government to take care of us and the things around us. Keeping it the way it is allows the people who live there have the responsibility to take care of themselves, the land around them, and most importantly take care of each other and work toward a goal of preservation.

[@shannongeary9267]

I miss my home a lot :(

[@davidrenaldo9429]

The adk is perfect the way it is I go there twice a year and plan on retirement there leave the way it is it works.

[@jackdubbs8646]

I would say no, by giving control to the Federal Government takes away from the State to control there own land.

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

That too. This was NEVER federal land at any point in time it's always been land owned by NY

[@coondogsoutdooradventures2484]

Great answer young man! Not the answer I expected! We have enough outsiders trying to make decisions for this area. We don't need more people or organizations making decisions for us who have never been here. Or have never contributed money in licenses or taxes. It's amazing to me, that I can take 10 days to paddle and hike , and never see another human. Yet if you want resorts with people, there is that too. Hamilton Co. Has the lowest population density east of the Mississippi if you want seclusion. Or rent a cabin on a lake in private areas for a great time !

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching! I had a great time learning about the administrative situation in the park and I've had a bunch of locals weigh in as well in favor of keeping the current arrangement. Seems like it's working up there!

[@VolcanoGoldDiggerAdirondacks]

If New York state told you in 1946 you could keep all gold in this park what would your family try to do some time See new york state law PBL 82

[@ronclifford1659]

No the Adirondacks should never be a national park! The park is doing just fine as a state park! The federal government ruins everything it touches!

[@Eedg769]

Because the Adirondack Park is constitutionally protected (NY constitution that is), there was one time when the entire state had to vote on a referendum about whether or not a specific ADK village would be allowed to dig new water wells (to replace rust-contaminated ones). There was a real fear that downstate environmental activists would not understand why the referendum had to take place and would mistakenly vote "NO." So there was a big statewide set of commercials urging everyone to vote yes. Without the referendum, this tiny village would have not been able to dig new wells.

[@Jack-sq6xb]

I'm gonna argue the unpopular position that some parts of the ADK should become a national park. National parks can be managed more effectively. Some parks of the adirondacks, notably the high peaks, would absolutely benefit from a more centralized approach that would be done by a national park. I understand the benefit of NY States system but in some parts of the ADK it would be more beneficial to just have it all be under national park status Further, look at the map on the wall in the back there, it says national parks. Look at the channel name, it says National Parks. People prefer going to national parks and people know national parks. Having part of the adirondacks classed as a national park would be a boon to the economy nearby and people would know that it exists outside the northeastern outdoors community. An Adirondack high peaks national park give the east coast a large national park would take pressure off the western parks. Finally the issue with some land being private is there is a very real potential for conflict between park goers and land owners, issues that in a country with this many guns, can get ugly. I love the adirondacks and will be going back in mid October but I think that having a part of the system be a national park would be a great addition and change

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for contributing to the discussion, I appreciate your perspective! The High Peaks area is actually where the proposed National Park would have been, so you're not far off in what the proponents of that park were proposing either. I think for me, this issue is one of values. Not economic, but philosophical. The system in place now in the Adirondacks is shaped on the premise that people can live sustainably within their natural environment. There will be challenges, of course, but I think starting from that base level of understanding will go a long way to proper management of the Adirondacks into the future. Thanks again!

[@Jasonwolf1495]

Hard disagree primarily because the communities you claim it would bolster would be destroyed to form the park or be overwhelmed by it. Its good that the park is lesser known. Ive stewarded for the most popular day hike in North America, and that area is not better for its popularity. Fame is rarely an ally to conservation.

[@barrydysert2974]

AGREED !:-) 💜🙏⚡️

[@NationalParkDiaries]

🙌

[@IbexWatcher]

Love this video, and I’m curious about Adirondack’s approach to wildlife conservation (as compared to a national park). For example, it was recently confirmed that a dispersing wolf from Canada was shot in the Adirondack area. Would a multi-use park allow for a beneficial but controversial predator like the wolf to reestablish? I hope they do, for the sake of their ecosystem (and the ecotourism it can bring)!

[@NationalParkDiaries]

That's a great question! I just did a little bit of research on the wolf issue, and from what I can tell, it seems like natural wolf re-establishment in the Park would be welcome, but NY State is not currently doing anything to facilitate this, citing lack of funding and personnel. There seems to be concern that enough wolves could migrate into the region to produce a viable population given the other obstacles they would face in that migration (hunting, trapping, hit by car etc). The few wolves who have been reported in the Adirondacks post-extirpation seem to be outliers rather than indications of a larger migration. Really interesting stuff, and I really appreciate you engaging in the discussion! (here's a good article I found on the subject. It's from 2015, but still seems relevant: www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/wolf-door)

[@IbexWatcher]

@@NationalParkDiaries Thanks for getting back and providing the insight!! Love your work :)

[@NationalParkDiaries]

@@IbexWatcher Much appreciated, thanks for supporting the channel!

[@jasonreed7522]

As a hunter i can say that NYS want to bring back even mountain lions (cougars) so wolves are also desired. NYS has a fairly strict set hunting regulations but use it as a wildlife management tool, each species has individual harvest limits (you can get 1 buck a year with regular rifle, 1 black bear, 1 turkey in spring and 1 in fall, and then small game is 2 pheasants per day, and fish have a list of rules as well, you get the point, every species is separately regulated) and obviously every tag does not get filled each year, but the state probably knows the percentage that do. Additionally all the land is divided into hunting regions/zones to better reflect the differences between the ADKs, farmland, ect. Basically the state has regulated hunting to be a useful conservation tool, most likely the wolf you mention was confused for a coyote at first as we don't have tags for wolves. (We also don't have tags for moose as they are still super protected if one decides to maul you its legally easier to die than kill it in self defense as you won't convince the state you were attacked and not poaching) Tldr; wildlife management within the ADKs isn't special from the rest of the state's wildlife management programs.

[@cbgny23]

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC); not "Control."

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Yep, you're totally right. Thanks for the correction. I knew that, wrote it in my notes, and it still somehow made it through all my checks lol.

[@here_we_go_again2571]

*Adirondack Park is fine they way it is now!* The posters "neckenwiler" and "ke9tv" say it best! (No point in me being redundant)

[@rmf9567]

Hell, no, the federal government would just screw everything up and try to log the hell out of the land

[@erikjager4704]

As Adirondacker, I know that trying to make the Adirondack Park into a National Park would start a civil war with the locals fighting it. The Adirondack Park Agency is hated by the locals. The locals see the APA as an evil Downstate plot. The Adirondack Park has a staggering unemployment level. The Adirondack population is declining because the lack of development. The locals are extremely dependent of tourism, but it only lasts three months. The APA treats the Adirondackers like dirt with little representation. Democrat NY governors appoints their Downstate flunkies to educate the stupid hicks. I am an Adirondack Democrat who strongly believes in Adirondack conservation, I want to Adirondackers to address their own affairs. Cuomo and Houchel are closing every Adirondack prison to punish the Adirondackers.(we need the jobs!) Those guys need an armed escort to give a speech at the Adirondack Museum. I like your video, but you treading on dangerous waters. P.S. There is no Indian remains in the Adirondacks because it is so cold.

[@marksonofnel55]

I short, my answer is yes. I think that this "zoning for nature" idea should be applied everywhere. Regardless of ownership of land, people should not be allowed to undertake activities that cause excessive damage to the environment. This would mean more fragile environments would be zoned for strict restrictions on anything from mining, forestry, building roads, or even digging too many wells, whereas more robust environments could allow more such activities. All over the world, nature is being destroyed in the name of greed, and convenience is a mere disguise for that term. In some places, similar ideas have been implemented, like New Zealand considering a river to be a person in a way, and thus having rights in itself. This is a great way of looking at things, nature having rights itself. We should also understand that the things we are doing to nature "for money" end up costing way more down the line by damaging the ecosystem. When cutting down a tree, the cost of the oxygen that it will no longer produce, and the cost of damages wrought by the CO2 that may be released should be considered alongside the labour costs of cutting it down, as well as other considerations (like not cutting down rare endangered trees because the wood can sell for enough to justify it). Capitalistic concerns like these should be combined with the consideration of nature's inherent inalienable rights and freedoms.

[@genericalfishtycoon3853]

Speaking of capitalist concerns, let me appropriately redirect your energy towards a really big problem, you mentioned wells, but here in the northeast Adirondacks, Maine for example, private wells aren't the problem at all, It's bottled water and the juggernaut that is Poland Springs. it's using capital power to purchase local politicians and gain unrestricted pumping rights like they've already fully achieved. They remove in a day from the aquifer more than all the private wells combined would or could use in over a year. Most of the state's drinking water is acquired from standing ground water sources like lake Sebago anyways, but since they gained unrestricted access to the aquifer even in state declared emergency droughts like we had a few years ago, I've steadily observed major changes in aquifer spring fed rivers and ponds. Ranging from the algae levels to temperature elevations that see trout and other weaker native species cook to death in streams and ponds they've never had issues in before, to localized total population changes so strong they shock the overall ecosystem. Meanwhile, everyone just accepts this as a general result of man's overall influence like the corporate narrative frequently reminds them, so they're worried about the paper on their plastic straws, instead of the damn bottle of water it's going into, where it's coming from, and what THAT'S doing to the environment. You used to be able to see the silt churning at the bottom of rivers from aquifer pressure, it would shoot right up freezing cold even in the summer. I knew of hundreds of spots where this occured visibly, now over 95% of those previously constant outlets have completely ceased flow in the last 10 years. It's genuinely heartbreaking what that's going to do down the line and very few understand the depth of the ramifications we will see if it's not stopped immediately.

[@marksonofnel55]

@@genericalfishtycoon3853 Yes, that is a massive catastrophe. I had not heard so much detail of the effects, before, but that was mostly what I was referring to, for the impact reasons you described. I don't think most people have any idea of just how slowly ground water moves compared to surface water and how long it takes to replenish aquifers. This knowledge should be made much more public, but as you mentioned with the plastic/paper straw issues, those in power will only comprise on the most visible or cheapest issues.

[@genericalfishtycoon3853]

@@marksonofnel55 Deeply appreciate your understanding and interest! Rock on dude.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

This is one of the things I appreciated during my research for this episode. In the Adirondacks, they seem to be willing to find a compromise between economic development and preservation instead of uncontrolled growth and excess. I agree that's the mentality we need to have moving forward. Thanks for your input!

[@donalexander4083]

leave it alone it works pretty well exactly as is

[@Preciousaccordingto977]

NO! That is the fastest way to completely ruin that area!!

[@MayaPosch]

As a European citizen, I hadn't heard of the Adirondacks before. To me it sounds like it has mostly by sheer accident created an almost idyllic balance between human society and nature, not unlike the original native tribes that inhabited the land. That to me indicates that the status quo is indeed the correct one, and modifying it into a national park would be doing its legacy a massive disservice.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

I think you're on the right track. I'd say idyllic balance is a bit strong just because there are definitely still issues to be worked out there. But yes, as far as National Park status goes, it's my opinion that what they're doing in the Adirondacks is already a good system and they should continue to work on it and improve it rather than turn it into a National Park. Thanks for watching!

[@MayaPosch]

@@NationalParkDiaries Hence the 'almost idyllic' :) And yes, I totally agree on improving the current system. Thank you very much for creating these highly informative videos.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

@@MayaPosch You're very welcome Maya, thanks for watching them and supporting the channel!

[@jasonreed7522]

As someone who grew up 1hr north of the park, its pretty close to a perfect balance. Buts its helped that its origin as a park came after it was populated, and now the residents can see what they have and how ugly american cities are, and work to both conserve nature and live a modern life while maintaining our culture. I think the park works so well because everyone wants the same end goal of the park being preserved forever, but the conflict is how it gets preserved. (Personally i think large amounts of private land that is protected by regulation, plus state owned trailheads & free public recreation areas is the correct compromise)

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

There is simply no way such a large piece of land can be a national park. The Adirondacks are bigger than the entire state of Vermont and I just don't see the feds having the trillions of dollars needed to buy all that land when there are much more pressing matters to use that money on. This would lead to some places being sacrificed and instead of having some protection provided by Ny would instead have no protection what's so ever. Also I like all the cute little towns in the park it gives it a unique character no national park has

[@cherylweber1246]

No we already have enough bureaucrats in this state we do not need any more, it will just raise taxes. Then there be even more rules and regulations, and less access for the public.

[@Mikell-h2c]

No never ❤

[@TheEvilTwin69]

If it were to change in any way shape or control.... It should be given back to the 6 nations

[@MultiPetercool]

The Catskills are not that different. I would argue making it a State Park would be better. Also consider the New Jersey Pine Barrens. We don’t need to “Nationalize” our wilderness. The federal government is already the single, biggest landowner in many of the Western states, including California.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Technically, both already are state parks!

[@MultiPetercool]

@@NationalParkDiaries Yup! I know both areas well. I went to Boy Scout Camp at Sabattis in the 1970’s. Sabattis is #2 for Boy Scout High Adventure Camps behind the legendary Philmont. I was also a CIT Staff member at Frost Valley YMCA in the Catskills near Woodstock.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Oh, nice! Sounds like a great time!

[@Xfinitygrows]

Absolutely not, no solar fields, no mine unless steel, no quarries! Enough said.

[@lukemeyers6395]

Is this a face reveal???

[@NationalParkDiaries]

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