By KIM SMITH DEDAM
Staff Writer
KEENE — Environmental activists recently separated from Protect the Adirondacks have formed a new Forest Preserve education group.
It will renew the focus of a forest friends group started in 1945.
Dan Plumley and David Gibson announced the new endeavor Friday, launching Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve at a press conference held in Keene.
FOCUS ON WILD LANDS
Drawing from his work with forest stewardship training at regional universities, Plumley said their efforts would be a blend of research, advocacy and educational programs.
He said their niche clientele is a new generation of stewards somewhat uninformed about the origins and goals of Adirondack Park wild-land management.
"What's unique about us, of course, is we are focusing solely on wild lands. We're going to be advocating for the appropriate extension of wild lands in the park.
"We're not trying to take on the world or deal with a number of the issues facing private landowners. We are uniquely focusing our expertise toward Adirondack wilderness."
DISCONNECT
Gibson said the missing education piece of forest stewardship leaves many who visit the park disconnected from both nature and the intent of preservation.
Primary teaching centers created years ago by the Adirondack Park Agency at two Visitor Interpretive Centers have been removed from the APA mission.
Adirondack Wild will look to support programs as each VIC is rededicated in the coming months.
"There are a lot of people disconnected from nature," Gibson said. "We're going to do our part to try to improve that situation.
"The constituency for the Forest Preserve is diverse. But people who visit here really go away without much education about what the Forest Preserve is and how to care for it."
LANDOWNERS
Several private interests approached Plumley and Gibson when they parted ways with Protect the Adirondacks a few months ago.
"Several are large private landowners in the park who are eager to see their lands as part of a greater whole," Plumley said. "They want to know their stewardship promotes wild-land values.
"It will absolutely be a scientific approach. We're going to be focusing on Forever Wild and private landowners who see their land as part of the greater whole."
BRIDGING GAPS
Adirondack Wild will also develop youth wilderness training programs for universities and career track natural resource students, Advanced Placement high school classes and environmental education programs.
"We're looking at the design of these training programs now," Plumley said.
The widening gap between local sportsmen and environmental groups can be bridged, the two advocates said, by finding a common link in education.
"We're very interested in working with communities whose leaders see their towns moving forward to integrate land use with surrounding state forest land. There are key policy opportunities and incentives that can help build a community-wilderness connection.
"We know state government is not going to be able to build those bridges as effectively as we might have hoped even five years ago," Plumley said.
"If we think about true green economic development, it began with Adirondack guides in the 1890s. Today, we have Adirondack guide services that are year-round. It's true green economic development."
SCHAEFER LEGACY
Adirondack Wild will build in collaboration with Friends of the Forest Preserve, a long-standing conservation effort started in 1945 by environmentalist Paul Schaefer, who died in 1996.
Schaefer was an avid sportsman and member of a large local hunting club, Plumley said.
"He was instrumental in building bridges between sportsmen's groups all over the state. We're very interested in continuing that legacy."
Funding for the new organization comes from private donations and grants.
The group's website, www.adirondackwild.org, is expected to go online in August, with a local office based in Keene.
E-mail Kim Smith Dedam at: kdedam@pressrepublican.com
