Government Services

Political Orgs and interests

The Adirondack Park is at least an unusual, if not unique, mix of public and private land. The Town of Keene is about 80% protected wilderness, most of it State owned but there are some large private tracts as well. The rules and regulations regarding State and private land are a constant source of pushing and pulling among political groups with different views. Below, I try to present links to groups that represent all the different points of view. If I am missing a group, just let me know and I will add it.

Essex County Democratic Party is the minority party if you look at registrations but lately they have won a lot of elections.  Local politics is still largely Republician but there is no web site for Republicians (if someone finds one, please let me know).

Adirondack Council (AC) also works to protect open space and curb development.  But working farms, working forests and some work on maintaining vibrant communities are also part of their plan.

Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) is primairly about recreation but it has a significant conservation and advocacy arm focused on Albany.

Adirondack Nature Conservancy (ANC) actually buys land or easements with donated funds and re-sells portions to NY State.  This is a Chapter of the national organization called The Nature Conservancy.  The Adirondack Land Trust is a similar but separate orgainzation that operates out of the same building in Keene Valley.  The ANC/ALT has impact locally including volunteer opportunities.

Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve has a mission to "safeguard and extend Adirondack wild lands". Keene resident Dan Plumley is a partner in this group.

Adirondack North Country Association recently published a fascinating report full of facts and data about the state of the Adk Park.  Read the executive summary and you will learn, for example, that 1 in 26 "residents" of the Park lives in a jail! The park is 20% of the land in the State but 1% of the people.  Property taxes as a % of government revenue have gone down for years.  Read this report and you'll know alot more than most people about the Park.

Adirondack Landowners Association (ALA) represents large landowners, specifically 1300 people who collectively own about 200,000 acres in the Park.

AdkAction.org based in Saranac Lake with founders from the Tri-Lakes area was formed in 2008.  Their agenda is to have State to pay higher taxes, pay for schools, provide more enforcement services of various sort, stop unfunded State mandates while lowering private property taxes in the Park.  The mix doesn't appear plausible, but I include all these groups.