by: BASIL SEGGOS: DEC Commissioner / Adirondack Daily Enterprise
New York is home to magnificent natural resources that both make our state a worldwide destination for outdoor recreation and bolster economic opportunities in our communities. As an avid outdoorsman, Gov. Andrew Cuomo recognizes that New York’s lands and waters play a vital role in our regional economies and have the potential to spur even more economic growth through outdoor recreation and tourism.
This opportunity is just one of the reasons the governor sustained the state’s Environmental Protection Fund at $300 million in the State Budget.
The Department of Environmental Conservation is committed to advancing opportunities for more New Yorkers–and visitors–to experience the great outdoors. Our new Adirondack “Hamlets-to-Huts” initiative will draw visitors to the Adirondack Park seeking a unique experience that combines exceptional outdoor recreation with authentic local culture.
Despite misinformation about what might happen on public lands regarding related lodging and amenities, DEC remains committed to managing our natural resources sustainably and promoting ecosystem health and biodiversity while safely accommodating public recreation. When complete, the Hamlets-to-Huts will provide an economic boost to local communities and help establish the entire Adirondack Park–not just the High Peaks region–as a world-class recreation destination, while we continue to protect our irreplaceable air, lands, and waters for generations to come.
The success of hamlet-to-hut systems around the world centers on providing outstanding recreational experiences in areas of incomparable beauty, where the richness of natural resources abound.
New York is fortunate to have the Adirondack Park within our borders, an unparalleled outdoor destination for people of all ages and abilities. The Hamlet-to-Hut system will include a network of traverse, circuit, and spur trails with strategically located lodging. Most trails will begin in a community, travel into the backcountry, and emerge in another community. The concept is to link communities and amenities through the State’s extensive landholdings and provide outdoor access throughout the year.
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