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90 State Parks at Risk of Closure
According to a recently released list at least 55 state parks and historic sites are targeted to close if Governor Paterson's Executive Budget is enacted. Another 34 parks are at risk of closure if an additional $5 million is not provided to the parks agency.
A groundswell of protest has emerged from parks users. Rallies for local parks are happening across the state. Dozens of Facebook sites, some with as many as 30,000 fans, have sprung up in support of keeping parks open.
Add to the movement by taking part in Save Our State Parks Day on March 3.
Join us on March 3
Save our State Parks Day
Sign up today. |
Environmental Protection Fund slashed
Governor Paterson's proposed budget also slashes New York's primary environmental funding source, the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). Created in 1993, the EPF funds important environmental projects throughout the state such as state parks, land acquisition and the municipal park and waterfront revitalization grants that have made possible so many local park and trail projects.
The Governor's 2010-2011 budgets calls for a 33 percent cut to the EPF - an extremely disproportionate cut.
Please contact your state legislators and ask them to restore environmental funding in NYS.
Here are the key talking points to include in your communications:
- Restore the EPF to $222 million
- Include a repayment plan that returns the nearly $500 million that has been swept from the EPF in the past
Click below to find your legislator:
NYS Assembly
NYS Senate |
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NYC parks get budget axe, too
 Mayor Bloomberg's preliminary budget for FY 2011 includes major cuts to the Park Department in order to close a $4.9 billion deficit for the year. In short, the Department's budget has been reduced from $258 million to $239 million. That's nearly $20 million lost in one year alone and will affect staff, facilities and programs.
Visit the New Yorkers for Parks website to learn more and find out what you can do to help. |
Parks & Trails New York releases "Bicyclists Bring Business" guide
 Community leaders and businesspeople seeking to benefit from the burgeoning interest in bicycle tourism now have a new resource to help them become more bicycle-friendly. Parks & Trails New York, in partnership with the NYS Canal Corporation and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, has released a new publication, Bicyclists Bring Business: A Guide to Attracting Bicyclists to New York's Canal Communities.
Based on the Bicyclists Bring Business workshops the team has presented for several years, the guide describes the potential economic impact of bicycle tourists, outlines the goals and needs of these visitors, and identifies steps to attract more of them. Although focused on the Canalway Trail, the guide's contents will be useful to communities along other trails and bike routes. |
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Halfmoon volunteer receives Canalway Trail Tender Award
 Henrietta O'Grady of the Saratoga County Town of Halfmoon has been selected to receive the 2009 Canalway Trail Tender Award. The award was established by the New York State Canal Corporation in 1998 to honor the efforts of volunteers that have demonstrated exemplary and significant contributions to the development, promotion and enhancement of New York's historic Canalway Trail. O'Grady was recognized for more than two decades of work to create trails and parks within the county and town and especially for her commitment to the Zim Smith, Champlain Canal and Mohawk Towpath Trails.
Congratulations Henrietta! In the photo L-R:John Dimura, NYS Canal Corporation; Fran Gotcsik, PTNY; Carmella Mantello, Director, NYS Canal Corporation; Henrietta O'Grady; Melinda Wormuth, Town of Halfmoon Supervisor; Marcia Kees, NYS OPRHP. |
Trails improving quality of life for
Ithaca neighbors
In the spring of last year the town of Ithaca mailed questionnaires to over 125 property owners who live adjacent to the South Hill Recreation Way, East Ithaca Recreation Way, and Northeast Ithaca Recreation Way. The town's Trails Committee presented the results of the survey, which showed that of the 95 adjacent landowners responding to the survey, 81 percent believe the trail "improved" or "much improved" the quality of their neighborhood.
Fifty-nine percent of respondents use the trails daily to four times a week and another 22 percent use them once or twice per week. Only three percent never use the three trails. Respondents use the trails most often for walking (92 percent). Bicycling was a distant second at 38 percent followed by running, and dog walking, both at 27 percent. |
Universal access signage installed on branch of Finger Lakes Trail
In the fall of last year, Finger Lakes Trail (FLT) volunteers partnered with the US Army Corps of Engineers at Mt. Morris Dam south of Rochester to install the first universal access signage on .4 mile of the FLT Letchworth Branch. Accessibility information for the sign resulted from an assessment of the trail conducted using the Universal Trail Assessment Process (UTAP) a standardized, objective procedure for gathering information on major trail conditions that affect access -- grade, cross slope, surface type, obstacles, and trail width. In 2006, Parks & Trails New York launched its a program to increase the accessibility of New York's outdoor trails for people with physical limitations. As part of the program, PTNY trained 50 persons in UTAP including Irene Szabo. Irene conducted the Letchworth Branch Trail assessment with PTNY's Fran Gotcsik.
As UTAP assessments provide trail information that everyone can use to decide for themselves whether a trail meets their interests and abilities, PTNY's goal is to make UTAP trail accessibility information available on trailhead signage, websites, maps or trail guides for trails throughout New York. The sign erected on the Finger Lakes Trail is one of the first UTAP-based accessibility signs installed on a trail in New York State.
 Thomas Wenzel, Army Corps of Engineers park ranger and grant administrator with the UTAP-based sign on the Letchworth Branch of the Finger Lakes Trail in Mt. Morris.
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Still Time to Register-Canal Clean Sweep
If you live along the 500-plus miles of New York's Canal System or Canalway Trail, you still have time to register an event as part of the 5th annual Canal Clean Sweep taking place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 16, 17 and 18.
Organized by Parks & Trails New York in partnreship with the NYS Canal Corporation, the NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation and the NYS Consumer Protection Board, the Canal Clean Sweep aims to give the canals and trail a "spring cleaning" in advance of the 185th consecutive navigation season on the Canal System and in recognition of Earth Day.
The deadline to register and receive free event T-shirts is March 3. To learn more, email PTNY or call 518-434-1583. |
News from State Parks
Private $3 million donation funds state park restoration
The restoration of the historic 1930 Staatsburg School located at Margaret Lewis Norrie State Park in Dutchess County was made possible by a generous $3 million private gift from Dr. Lucy Rockefeller Waletzky, Chair of the New York State Council of Parks.
The unused school was converted into an energy-efficient public space and offices for State Parks' Taconic regional operations. The restoration is expected to win the certification through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Program.
Parks agency helps create new village park near Syracuse
The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is helping to transform a 19-acre parcel of land along the Fayetteville feeder canal, east of Syracuse, into a village-run park that will provide new access to Old Erie Canal State Park. Read more.
Parks in Niagara to get $2 million face-lift
 Thanks to settlement agreements relating to re-licensing and as part of the Niagara River Greenway program, the New York Power Authority will fund more than $2 million worth of projects along the Niagara Gorge Trail between Niagara Falls State Park Gorge Discovery Center and the Whirlpool Bridge.
Read more about the three projects. Read more about the Niagara Greenway. |
Move afoot to make Hudson River Valley unit of NPS
The House of Representatives passed Congressman Maurice Hinchey's bill that will authorize the National Park Service (NPS) to conduct a study on whether the Hudson River Valley should become a unit of the National Park system. As a unit of NPS, the Valley would have an elevated national stature, while also being eligible for additional federal funding and support. The Senate has yet to vote on the bill. |
Top banner image of Letchworth State Park in winter courtesy of Stina Bridgeman via Flickr |
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Parks & Trails New York is a member of Earth Share of New York, an alliance of leading nonprofit environmental organizations. For more information about workplace giving to Parks & Trails New York and Earth Share, check out www.earthshareny.org | |
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Support Parks & Trails by donating or joining today! |
Speak out!
Join us for Advocacy Days in Albany
March 3
Save our State Parks Day
March 10
Trails Advocacy Day
Our legislators are the key to restoring the massive budget cuts that threaten the future of our parks and trails. We must let them know how their budget decisions will affect the state parks and trails you love and use!
Join with a team of other park and trail advocates from around the state for a day of meetings with our lawmakers at the Capitol in Albany. Your support is critically important.
Find out more and register today for Advocacy Days in Albany.
For more information:
Save Our State Parks Day
Shawn McConnell, Director, Campaign for Parks
(518) 434-1583 ext. #210
Trails Advocacy Day
Fran Gotcsik, Director of Programs and Policy
(518) 434-1583 ext. #206 |
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TrailFinder Trail of the Month
Clarence-Akron Trail
Double the Trail
Experience
 It's not often that you find paved trails in a rural environment, but when you visit the Clarence-Akron Trail east of Buffalo you even get double the experience.
This 8.6-mile trail begins in the Erie County Village of Akron. At Akron Junction, about two miles into your journey west from the village, you have a choice made possible by the intersection of two former rail beds. You can select the left fork and continue along the Clarence-Akron Trail through farm fields to the town of Clarence. If you opt for the right fork, you will again experience the rural countryside along the 8.3-mile, paved Peanut Line Trail before reaching the hamlet of Clarence Center and the Buffalo suburb of Amherst.
Check out the trail on
Trailfinder! |
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Do you have a great bicycle or pedestrian project photo to share?
Parks & Trails New York is looking for photos of bicycle and pedestrian projects to share at the Walk/Bike NY conference: Encouraging Sustainable Movement to be held June 7, 2010 on Long Island. Images don't have to be infrastructure related - photos of brochures, events, and maps are also appreciated.
Email us your images of 5 MB or smaller, preferably in .jpg, .gif, or .tif format and include a short caption. |
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Four more weeks of winter got you down?
 The Cycling the Erie Canal guidebook is just the thing to think spring and beat those Groundhog blues! The guidebook's 140 color pages are packed with detailed information about the outstanding bicycling and sightseeing waiting for you along the Erie Canal. A comprehensive listing of attractions, historic sites, visitor centers and parks will keep you busy planning your adventures. Order today!
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Paddlers - Surf the web for water trails
The Hudson River Valley Greenway's updated, interactive Water Trail map is now available. The map includes access points (launches), campsites and attractions along 256 miles of the Hudson River and Champlain Canal. The trail begins in Whitehall, Washington County and in Hadley, Saratoga County and ends at Battery Park in Manhattan. |
June 5 Big Day
for Trails
Canalway Trail Celebration
 Again this year, the Canalway Trail Celebration is set to coincide with National Trails Day on June 5. Last year almost 60 local events, ranging from family bike rides and boat tours to interpretive history walks, festivals and cleanup projects, drew thousands of trail and canal enthusiasts to communities across the state. Help make this year's Celebration even better; register your event by April 2 or contact Parks & Trails New York (518-434-1583). |
National Trails Day - Find your happy place!
 Mark June 5, National Trails Day, on your calendar! If your community or organization is planning to celebrate the day, register your event with the American Hiking Society. Promotional items go to the first 500 registrants.
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Welcome new staff
 Bicycle
projects intern Lauren Alpert joined PTNY in January 2010 to complement her graduate studies in transportation planning at the State University of New York at Albany. Before starting graduate school Lauren worked for the Capital District Community Gardens (CDCG) on the Veggie Mobile and as a Project Coordinator for the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG). Outside of work and school Lauren enjoys playing dodgeball, bicycling, hiking and attempting to grow vegetables.
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We'd love to hear from you
Parks & Trails E-News is a publication of Parks & Trails New York. Feedback? Story ideas? E-mail us at enews@ptny.org, write to us at 29 Elk St., Albany, NY 12207 or call us at 518-434-1583. |
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You can now follow PTNY on Twitter and get the latest news and happenings from around New York State.
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