Jan. 28 Meeting in Piseco to Focus on ‘Great South Woods’

01/21/2015

The first of several workshops to gather local knowledge in support of regional recreation planning in the southern part of New York's Adirondack Park will be 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 28 at Piseco Central School in Piseco, N.Y

The meeting is open to the public and has been organized by a partnership between the Great South Woods project and the Adirondack Community-based Trails and Lodging System project. It follows a successful Great South Woods kick-off meeting Dec. 17 at Lake Pleasant Central School in Speculator, during which more than 80 registered participants shared their knowledge of, and vision for, recreation opportunities in the two-million acre planning area.

At the upcoming Piseco workshop, participants will use maps to share their knowledge of recreation destinations and community amenities, and will work together to develop ideas for trails and other infrastructure that connects with lodgings and other community features.

Similar workshops are being planned in communities across the region, including Blue Mountain Lake, Northville, Old Forge and North Creek. Each local workshop will focus on a section of the Great South Woods in the general vicinity, but all workshops will allow participants to share their knowledge and ideas for the entire Great South Woods planning area.

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 and protecting the region's ecosystems and natural character. The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is working with the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on this project, in partnership with local government and the Adirondack Park Agency (APA.) The intent is 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 Adirondack Community Trails and Lodging System (ACTLS) project, an initiative funded by the New York Department of State through the North Country Regional Economic Development Council, will identify opportunities to connect communities by trails for self-powered users and identify existing lodging facilities as well as strategic locations for future lodging.