The Ledger

The Adirondack North Country Association Newsletter
Fall 2005/Winter 2006 Volume 12, Issue 2, Page 2

Adirondack North Country Association Responds to the Release of the Northern Forest Lands Council 10th Anniversary Forum Final Report Recommendations Released in Summer 2005

The Adirondack North Country Association Board of Directors have been pleased to participate in discussions about the future of the Northern Forest and welcome the Northern Forest Lands Council 10th Anniversary Forum Final Report recommendations that were just released with endorsements by Governor Pataki joined by Governor Douglas of Vermont, Governor Lynch of New Hampshire and Governor Baldacci of Maine. In combination the report and the endorsements hold great potential for the Northern Forest region of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The Forum recommendations present new strategies for regional coordination to link economic and community opportunities to conservation, forest stewardship and industrial uses. The endorsements of the four-state governors are an important mandate to balance healthy communities with healthy environments.

Headquartered in Saranac Lake, New York ANCA has been an active participant in the preparation of the forum recommendations and provided a community perspective. ANCA staff joined a team that included representation from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, NY Audubon, and International Paper. The New York forum members worked with representatives across the Northern Forest.

The Forum report's focus on our communities and economy is a critical link that expands the Northern Forest Council's original work in the early 90s into a broader understanding of how the working landscape and conservation goals impact local communities and economies. The Forum report's four recommendations address how the Northern Forest states can work together to deliver the regional coordination, strategic planning, and financial resources to build strong communities and productive forests.

The Forum report elevates attention to our needs for community and economic development planning, program implementation and funding. The report addresses the core questions of how our communities can benefit within a landscape tied together by the common element of our forest lands and the long-standing commitment by Governor Pataki, and the region's other governors, to land conservation and stewardship. The report presents how regional collaboration can support our efforts to improve the social and economic well-being of our region's residents and communities.

There has been a commonality of interests across the region to discuss how the Northern Forest has been impacted by economic, cultural and environmental changes. High-level discussions are taking place, as evidenced by bills proposed in Congress for a Northeast Development Commission, sponsored by Congressman Michaud in Maine and cosponsored by Congressmen McHugh and Boehlert in New York, and a similar Senate proposal by Senator Snowe from Maine. In addition, there has been a considerable public dialogue to discuss the needs of the Northern Forest that has been coordinated by the Northern Forest Center, headquartered in Concord, New Hampshire, through three regional Leadership Exchanges of which ANCA has been a sponsor.

The Northern Forest Center has also been instrumental in moving forward with a key recommendation of the Forum group to develop a region-wide economic strategy and presented a $1.2 M proposal to fund a Northern Forest Economic Adjustment Strategy to the Economic Development Administration (EDA). ANCA believes this comprehensive assessment and strategy for our resource-based economy is a first-step in implementing the Forum recommendations and we urge the four-state Governors and our congressional delegation to work with EDA to fund this initiative.

The future economic viability of the region lies within our ability to build on the national recognition generated by the Northern Forest Lands Council study more than a decade ago that resulted in sustained benefits in land conservation and stewardship. The time is now for us to do similar work for the benefit of our rural communities and economies.

The leadership of the four-state Governors and Congressional delegation establishes our direction to work towards implementation of the Forum recommendations. We commend Governor Pataki for his recognition that New York State cannot do this work alone and for his understanding that it is essential that our four Northern Forest states work together to secure needed public and private resources to implement bold new strategies that link economic, community and conservation interests.

To read the Northern Forest Forum report log onto www.nefainfo.org.