Guides State Open Space Conservation Efforts into 21st Century
Governor George E. Pataki today approved the 1998 State Open Space Conservation Plan, which provides a comprehensive blueprint for conserving valuable open space in New York State into the 21st Century.
"The Open Space Plan will ensure that New York's irreplaceable open space resources are protected into the 21st Century," Governor Pataki said. "As this state continues to grow and prosper, we are making sure that our rich outdoor heritage is preserved for this and future generations of New Yorkers.
"From the smallest inner-city park to the largest wilderness area, the Open Space Plan documents the tremendous variety and uses to which our open spaces are devoted," the Governor said. "This Plan, developed with extensive grass roots involvement, underscores the tremendous public support for the State's efforts to work in partnership with conservation organizations, private landowners and other levels of government to preserve our common outdoor heritage."
Since Governor Pataki took office in 1995, the State has made an unprecedented commitment to open space conservation. In that time, the State has invested more than $100 million to permanently preserve more than 50,000 acres of land identified in the Open Space Plan, from the Pine Barrens of Long Island, to the wilds of the Whitney Estate in the Adirondacks, to Woodlawn Beach on the shore of Lake Erie, to the Staten Island Greenbelt in New York City, to Sterling Forest in Orange County.
New York's Open Space Conservation Plan, first adopted in 1992 and updated in 1995, was revised as required by law with the assistance of nine Regional Advisory Committees appointed jointly by the State and county governments, who worked with staff from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP).
A draft Plan was developed and distributed during 1997 and was the subject of public hearings held across the State. More than 2,000 comments were received from more than 500 people and organizations.
In response to public comment, the Plan contains a comprehensive description of programs and policies that affect the conservation of the State's open space resources, a list of priority projects recommended for conservation attention, conservation strategies for major resource areas, and recommendations to improve the State's open space conservation program into the 21st century.
Carol Ash, New York State Director of The Nature Conservancy, said, "The completion of the Open Space Plan, coupled with $82 million provided for land purchases in this year's budget, sets the stage for New York to enter a new era of environmental protection. New York is poised to launch an unprecedented program for conserving parks, wildlife habitats, lakes, rivers, and forestlands across this great state."
Adirondack Council Executive Director Timothy J. Burke said, "The updated Open Space Plan contains several improvements that will make it easier for the State to meet the challenges of securing key parcels for the Forest Preserve. "Given the fact that more than 360,000 acres of private land is currently up for grabs on the open market, improvements to the land acquisition process are essential for the continued health and vitality of the Adirondack Park. We commend the Governor and Commissioner Cahill for devoting their attention to these crucial details."
Neil Woodworth, counsel for the Adirondack Mountain Club and New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, said, "We applaud the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for their hard work in preparing the Open Space Plan. The Plan is a detailed and thoughtful blueprint for meeting the outdoor recreational needs of New York's hikers, campers, paddlers and nature lovers in the 21st Century."
Scenic Hudson Executive Director Klara B. Sauer said, "With the economy and the real estate market heating up all around the state, New Yorkers are getting behind the protection of key open space parcels like never before. The Governor's approval of the revised State Open Space Plan means that we'll have a fighting chance to save more of these special places for the public to enjoy."
State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner John P. Cahill said, "Through Governor Pataki's leadership, New York State today has the most comprehensive open space program in the country, with this plan serving as the blueprint, and with the unprecedented levels of funding available through the Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act and the Environmental Protection Fund, we are better prepared than ever before in our history to extend our State's conservation tradition."
State Parks Commissioner Bernadette Castro said, "Governor Pataki has taken unprecedented steps to acquire open space that will forever be protected for future generations to enjoy. By signing the 1998 Open Space Plan, we are now laying the groundwork to continue the protection, conservation and acquisition of land that we can preserve for the development of parkland and other recreational projects." To begin the update, Regional Advisory Committees reviewed the 1995 Plan and recommended revisions, including possible additions or deletions to the list of priority conservation projects and policy and program changes.
As a result of this review and public comments on the draft Plan, the Open Space Plan expands the list of priority open space conservation projects from 90 in the 1995 Plan to 131, reflecting expanded regional priorities. It also reflects the deletion of projects that have been successfully conserved since 1995.
The Plan also includes several recommendations to:
Copies of the final Plan and a summary will be available at regional DEC and OPRHP offices.