2010 Statewide Trails Plan
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
NEW YORK STATEWIDE TRAILS PLAN DECEMBER 2010 New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation John Boyd Thacher State Park - Voorheesville, NY - John Rozell, OPRHP STATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY REVIEW (SEQR) NOTICE OF COMPLETION OF A FINAL GENERIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT Date of Notice: December 15, 2010 Lead Agency: New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) Title of Action: Adoption and Implementation of the Statewide Trails Plan SEQR Status: Type I Location of Action: Statewide This Notice is issued pursuant to Part 617 of the implementing regulations pertaining to Article 8 (State Environmental Quality Review) of the Environmental Conservation Law. A Final Statewide Trails Plan and a Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS) has been prepared and accepted by OPRHP. The Final Statewide Trails Plan/FGEIS describes the proposed action, the environmental setting, alternatives and potential environmental impacts and mitigation. Agencies and the public are afforded the opportunity to consider the FGEIS; this consideration period ends on December 24, 2010. Copies of the Final Plan/FGEIS are available for review at the office of the agency contact and at the Regional Offices of OPRHP and the Department of Environmental Conservation and at the New York State Library, Cultural Education Center, 222 Madison Avenue, Albany, NY (Documents Section, 6th Floor). CDs of the plan are available by contacting the agency contact below. A listing of regional offices may also be obtained from the agency contact. The Final Statewide Trails Plan/FGEIS can also be reviewed at the following publicly accessible website: http://nysparks.com/inside-our-agency/public-documents.aspx. Agency Contact: Nancy Stoner Trails Planner NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation Agency Building 1, Empire State Plaza Albany, NY 12238 (518) 486-2909 Fax: (518) 474-7013 New York Statewide Trails Plan and Generic Environmental Impact Statement 2010 Prepared by: New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Completed: December 15, 2010 Contact: Nancy Stoner, Trails Planner Bureau of Resource and Facility Planning NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Agency Building 1, 17th Floor Empire State Plaza Albany, NY 12238 (518) 486-2909 David A. Paterson Governor Andy Beers Acting Commissioner Acknowledgements State of New York David A. Paterson, Governor Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Andy Beers, Acting Commissioner Tom Alworth, Deputy Commissioner for Natural Resources Thomas Lyons, Director of Resource Management OPRHP Albany staff Robert Reinhardt, Director of Planning Wesley A. Bartlett, Associate Economist Diana Carter, Associate Natural Resource Planner Christina Croll, Senior Natural Resource Planner Richard Doll, Parks & Recreation Aide Keith Foote, Parks & Recreation Aide Marcia Kees, Associate Planner Nathan Krish, Parks & Recreation Aide Pamela Otis, Environmental Analyst Nancy Pierson, Environmental Analyst Kurt Seitz, Project Manager Pamela Sinko, Artist/Designer Nancy Stoner, Trails Planner Other OPRHP Contributors Dominic Jacangelo, Special Projects additional Contributors Hudson River Valley Greenway, National Park Service, NYS Canal Corporation, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, NYS Department of Health, NYS Department of Transportation, NYS Trails Council, New York City Parks & Recreation, Parks & Trails New York Bureau of Resource and Facility Planning NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Agency Building 1, 17th Floor Empire State Plaza Albany, NY 12238 (518) 486-2909 i Table of Contents Chapter I: Introduction and summary...........................................................................................................................................1 A. Definition of Trail for this Plan.......................................................................................................................2 B. Purpose of the Plan..........................................................................................................................................2 C. Planning Process .............................................................................................................................................2 D. Other Statewide Plans .....................................................................................................................................3 E. Authorization...................................................................................................................................................4 Chapter II: History of Trails.............................................................................................................................................................................. 7 A. History of Trails in the United States..............................................................................................................7 B. History of Trails in New York State................................................................................................................8 C. National Scenic Trails in New York State.....................................................................................................10 Chapter III: Types of Trails....................................................................................................................................................................................13 A. Greenway Trails (Shared Use) ......................................................................................................................13 B. Hiking Trails .................................................................................................................................................15 C. Snowmobile Trails ........................................................................................................................................16 D. Horse Trails...................................................................................................................................................16 E. Mountain Bike Trails ....................................................................................................................................16 F. Cross Country Ski Trails ...............................................................................................................................17 G. Interpretive Trails..........................................................................................................................................17 H. ATV and OHM Trails ...................................................................................................................................18 I. Four Wheel Drive..........................................................................................................................................18 J. Water Trails...................................................................................................................................................18 K. Bicycle Routes...............................................................................................................................................19 L. Tourist and Interpretive Routes.....................................................................................................................20 Chapter IV: Benefits of Trails - A Path to a Greener Community..............................................................21 A. Healthy Hearts and Healthy Minds ...............................................................................................................21 B. Connecting Children and Nature: No Child Left Inside................................................................................22 C. A Quiet Economic Engine.............................................................................................................................23 D. A Spiritual Experience ..................................................................................................................................25 E. Alternative Transportation: Leave the Car Home .........................................................................................25 F. Education: Creating Connections between the Past and Present...................................................................26 G. Green Infrastructure, Smart Growth and Conservation.................................................................................27 H. Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................................27 Chapter V: Needs and Trends......................................................................................................................................................................29 A. 2004 General Public Recreation Survey........................................................................................................29 B. 2008 Trail User/Economic Survey ................................................................................................................29 C. 2008 General Public Trails Workshops.........................................................................................................30 D. 2005 Park Professional and 2006 Trail Organization Surveys ......................................................................31 E. Trail Activities and Trends............................................................................................................................31