Dear Involved Citizens of the Adirondacks,

Thank you for your participation in the ADK Futures 10-Year Update webinar last week.

We hope that you were as pleased with Dave Mason’s presentation as we were. His commitment to tracking changes over the past decade is amazing and allows us to check the pulse of progress on this place we call home. Equally important were his closing comments on where progress is lacking. In my view, they strongly confirmed of the importance of the Strategy and Vision document that provided metrics to evaluate progress.

Dave’s comments regarding the issue areas in which we are falling behind were likely unsurprising to those of us who have worked on them directly, or closely followed their coverage in the media. What we found particularly helpful, however, was the fact base underlining his concerns. It is this fact base, of course, that will inform the process of identifying solutions. Dave reminded us that change doesn’t happen overnight, and, therefore, we still have time to address challenges including childcare, workforce housing, and invasive species. But the clock is ticking.

People cannot, and, indeed, will not, move here unless adequate housing is available at a price point that fits the regions’ incomes. No available housing stock means no more people. Young, working families require childcare services to live here. No childcare means fewer young families in the region. It’s really that simple. The same is true of internet access, but we fixed that. Now we must fix this. Finally, the issue of pests attacking keystone tree species needs more work. Losing hemlock groves deep in the Forest Preserve, or, for example, on the accessible shores of Lake George, has the potential to devastate large areas. Standing dead timber will wreak havoc on our ecosystems and increase the risk of wildfires. What is the plan? How can we enlist citizen scientists from across the Park to help? What will happen when we identify outbreaks? We’ve done a lot of hard work to save our lakes and learned important lessons along the way; we are well-positioned to tackle this, too.

Dave’s update touched upon so many aspects of the Strategy and Vision document that you (like us) may well want to review it again and share with others. His slides are available for download , and we hope you’ll help keep the conversation going by attending the annual CGA summer forum at Gore Mountain on June 15.

For additional context on the presentation, take a moment to read this report: The Adirondack Park: The Next Twenty-Five Years

Again, thank you for your interest in the webinar. And thank you for the work you do to improve this special place – the Adirondack Park.

Sincerely,

Ross Whaley, Zoe Smith & Cali Brooks
CGA Core Team

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