New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Lands & Forests Region 5 Shaker Mountain Wild Forest and Northville Boat Launch Unit Management Plan Environmental Impact Statement Town of Benson in Hamilton County Towns of Northampton, Mayfield, Bleecker, and Caroga in Fulton County January 2006 GEORGE E. PATAKI, Governor DENISE M. SHEEHAN, Commissioner Lead Agency: (in consultation with the Adirondack Park Agency) New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233-4254 For further information contact: New York State Department of Environmental Conseration 701 South Main St. P.O. Box 1316 Northville, NY 12134 phone: (518) 863-4545 fax: (518) 863-2546 e-mail: [email protected] “Those areas classified as wild forest are generally less fragile, ecologically, than the wilderness and primitive areas. Because the resources of these areas can withstand more human impact, these areas should accommodate much of the future use of the Adirondack forest preserve. The scenic attributes and the variety of uses to which these areas lend themselves provide a challenge to the recreation planner. Within constitutional constraints, those types of outdoor recreation that afford enjoyment without destroying the wild forest character or natural resource quality should be encouraged. Many of these areas are under-utilized. For example the crescent of wild forest areas from Lewis County south and east through Old Forge, southern Hamilton and northern Fulton Counties and north and east to the Lake George vicinity can and should afford extensive outdoor recreation readily accessible from the primary east-west transportation and population axis of New York State.” Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan, November 1987, Updated 2001 edition Clearly, a delicate balancing act is called for, and yet just as clearly, the Department’s management focus must remain on protecting the natural resources. “[F]uture use” is not quantified in the above statement, but it is generally quantified and characterized in the definition of Wild Forest as only “a somewhat higher degree of human use” when compared to Wilderness. And whereas certain “types of outdoor recreation... should be encouraged,” they must fall “[w]ithin constitutional constraints... without destroying the wild forest character or natural resource quality” of the area. A central objective of this plan is to lay out a strategy for achieving such a balance in the SMWF. ,,~~~ _.~.- Adironaack parkagency December 12, 2005 Honorable Denise Sheehan Commissioner NYS Department of Environmental Conservation 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233 Dear Commissioner Sheehan: Re: Shaker Mountain Wild Forest Unit Management PI~n It is with pleasure that I transmit the Agency's advice, as outlined in the enclosed resolution of December 9, 2005, with respect to the Shaker Mountain Wild Forest Unit Management Plan. With the actions it outlines, the Agency has found the Plan to be in compliance with the State Land Master Plan. As you will note, this resolution contains future management commitments on behalf of both the Agency and the Department to be accomplished through the consultation process. We look forward to working with the Department on these important issues. This is certainly a wonderful area of the Adirondack Park. We congratulate the Department on a fine job in preparing this plan and celebrate with you the many good things it accomplishes. Sincerely, (:] \lJJtJ",../'l\, L-- \\ l-/'~ --- Richard H. Lefebvre Executive Director RHL:dal Enclosure cc: Lynette Stark Robert Davies Karyn Richards Stuart Buchanan Ross Whaley Agency Members and Designees James Connolly John Banta P.o. Box 99. NYS Route 86. Ray Brook, NY 12977.518891-4050.518891-3938 fax .www.apa.state.ny.us ,,~~~ 1111~~a- Adironaack parkagency RESOLUTION AND SEQRA FINDINGS ADOPTED BY THE ADIRONDACK PARK AGENCY WITH RESPECT TO SHAKER MOUNTAIN WILD FOREST AND NORTHVILLE BOAT LAUNCH INTENSIVE USE AREA UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN December 9, 2005 WHEREAS, Section 816 of the Adirondack Park Agency Act directs the Department of Environmental Conservation to develop, in consultation with the Adirondack Park Agency, individual management plans for units of land classified in the Master Plan for Management of State Lands and requires such management plans to conform to the general guidelines and criteria of the Master Plan; and WHEREAS, in addition to such guidelines and criteria, the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan prescribes the contents of unit management plans and provides that the Adirondack Park Agency will determine whether a proposed individual unit management plan complies with such general guidelines and criteria; and WHEREAS, the Department of Environmental Conservation has prepared a unit management plan for the Shaker Mountain Wild Forest; and WHEREAS, this action is a Type I action pursuant to 6 NYCRR Part 617 for which the Department of Environmental Conservation is the lead agency and the Adirondack Park Agency is an in~Tolved agency; and WHEREAS, a final environmental impact statement was completed by the Department of Environmental Conservation in October 2005; and WHEREAS, the Department of Environmental Conservation has consulted with the Adirondack Park Agency staff in the preparation of the plan; and WHEREAS, the Agency is requested to determine whether the proposed final Shaker Mountain Wild Forest and Northville Boat Launch Intensive Use Area Unit Management Plan, dated October 2005, is consistent with the Standards and Guidelines of the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan; and P.o. Box 99. NYS Route 86 .Ray Brook, NY 12977. 518891-4050.518891-3938 fax .www.apa.state.ny.us Shaker Mountain Wild Forest Unit Management Plan Resolution December 9, 2005 Page 2 WHEREAS, the Adirondack Park Agency has reviewed theprdposed final Shaker Mountain Wild Forest Unit Management Plan; and WHEREAS, the Department has committed to develop a car-top boat launch in year 1 of the plan and a primitive tent site in year 2 of the plan, and has committed to a study of existing use conditions at Pine Lake prior to initiating additional improvements in order to assess projected use and impacts on the area's natural resources; and WHEREAS, the Department is seeking to restore and utilize the Kane Mountain Fire Tower and stabilize the observer's cabin for both communications and educational purposes; and WHEREAS, the Department intends to construct an ADA-accessible trail and tent site to provide access in the Holmes Lake area and will continue to consult with Agency staff regarding the design and location of additional ADA projects and ADA-accessible facilities within the unit; and WHEREAS, the Department will consult with Agency staff regarding wetlands permits and design criteria for future rehabilitation of the Northville Boat Launch site. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that pursuant to Section 816 of the Adirondack Park Agency Act, the Adirondack Park Agency finds the Shaker Mountain Wild Forest and Northville Boat Launch Unit Management Plan, dated October 2005, conforms with the general guidelines and criteria of the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan; and BE IT FURTHERRESOLVED, that the Adirondack Park Agency finds pursuant to 6 NYCRR Part 617.11 that the management actions contained therein are: 1. Intended to comply with the guidelines and criteria of the Adirondack Park State Land Master Plan by removing nonconforming or illegal structures and improvements; designing and modifying facilities to blend with the surrounding environment; complying with motor vehicle use policies; accommodating public use compatible with the capacity of the area; insuring timely consultation with Agency staff on wetlands determinations, permits and SEQR compliance and addressing trail and facility problems. (FEIS, pp. 143 and 144) Shaker Mountain Wild Forest Unit Management Plan Resolution December 9, 2005 Page 3 2. Intended to reduce, eliminate or mitigate the adverse effects of camping on natural resources, close and revegetate camping sites that do not comply with SLMP standards, r~store all closed campsites to natural conditions, monitor primitive tent sites in popular areas on an annual basis and to develop Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) standards for primitive tent sites. (FEIS, pp. 150 and 151) 3. Intended to obtain better use data by installing additional trail registers at points of access and popular locations, inspect and maintain trail registers on a regular basis, collect and analyze camping permit information and improve means for accurately determining snowmobile use within the unit. (FEIS, p. 204) 4. Intended to provide a suitable route to relocate the Northville Placid Trail away from public highways. (FEIS, p. 294) 5. Intended to develop LAC standards for soil erosion, monitor soil conditions to insure compliance with LAC standards, relocate trails and designated campsites where sedimentation is a problem, target trail maintenance for heavily eroded trails and request voluntary compliance for seasonal trails. (FEIS, p. 131) 6. Intended to prevent the establishment of non-native invasive plants; protect known locations of sensitive, rare, threatened and endangered plant species; develop LAC indicators and standards for vegetation conditions in camping areas; develop LAC indicators for diversity and distribution of plant species; monitor conditions to insure compliance with LAC standards, conduct botanical surveys and inventories of invasive plant species in cooperation with the Adirondack