SOURCE:
November 15, 2024
Eight conservation organizations that are concerned with the future of the Adirondack Park called on Governor Kathy Hochul on Nov. 13 to act swiftly to protect 36,000 acres of forests, lakes and rivers in the central Adirondacks owned by heirs to the vast Whitney and Vanderbilt family fortunes.
The Whitney Estate, a vast tract of some of the most ecologically sensitive lands in the Adirondack Park, contains 22 lakes and ponds with more than 100 miles of undeveloped shorelines, connected by navigable rivers and streams in the Town of Long Lake, Hamilton County. It has been listed as a high-priority for state acquisition/protection since the NYS Open Space Protection Plan was first adopted in 1992, due to its high-quality wildlife habitat and great potential for public recreation and tourism.
“Following the untimely death of John Hendrickson this past summer, this historic tract in the heart of the Adirondack Park will be sold by a trust seeking to sell these lands in the months ahead,” the groups wrote to the Governor. “We ask that you and your Department of Environmental Conservation take a leading role in negotiating the conservation of Whitney Park through purchase as Forest Preserve, as conservation easement, or a combination of the two.”
The letter was signed by Raul “Rocci” Aguirre, Executive Director of the Adirondack Council; Peter Bauer, Executive Director of Protect the Adirondacks!; Roger Downs, Policy Director, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter; Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment; David Gibson, Managing Partner with Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve; Julia Goren, Acting Executive Director of the Adirondack Mountain Club; Patrick McClellan, Policy Director, New York League of Conservation Voters; and, Pete Nelson, Chair, Adirondack Wilderness Advocates.
In 2021, John Hendrickson proposed to divide the property into 11 lots and sell each one to separate parties. Conservationists objected to this plan, noting that its pristine forests and waters would remain healthier and free from invasive species if it was left intact. The subdivision was never submitted to the Adirondack Park Agency for approval. Because there are several private homes on the estate, the groups said they expected any conservation plan to contain a mix of public and private investments, meaning part of the tract would be likely to remain in private ownership.
In 1997, Governor George Pataki purchased 15,000 acres around Little Tupper Lake from Mary Lou Whitney and were added to the Forest Preserve. These lands were combined with the lands around Lake Lila to create the William C. Whitney Wilderness Area. This area has grown to be one of the most popular wild areas in the Forest Preserve. The 36,000 acres of Whitney Park border the William C. Whitney Wilderness and are connected by rivers and streams.
As the state advances on biodiversity and climate action through the Open Space Plan, State Wildlife Action Plan, 30×30 goals and sweeping review and updates to the state’s Endangered Species list, it is important to demonstrate state leadership and commitment to land conservation. Protection of Whitney Park will help sequester carbon, protect water quality and support biodiversity for NYS while also supporting increased recreational access in Hamilton County.
“Since 1992, Whitney Park has been a high priority in the statewide Open Space Conservation Plan, described in that Plan as ‘a 36,000-acre property in Hamilton County that has been devoted to forest and wildlife management for over 100 years and contains enormous outdoor recreational potential,'” the organization leaders wrote. “Whitney Park’s interconnected waterways are not only part of a historic 19th century canoe route, but provide great ecological connectivity throughout the central Adirondack Park. Furthermore, its forests, recovering now after years of heavy cutting, would offer carbon sequestration and carbon storage benefits, thereby contributing substantially to your and the state’s (greenhouse gas) mitigation and removal goals.”
The groups offered the Governor their assistance in completing the transaction.
“The organizations listed above stand ready to help in every way possible so that you can conserve and protect the balance of Whitney Park for this and coming generations. Thank you for your commitment to the Adirondack Park and the Forever Wild Forest Preserve,” their letter concluded.