State Land Master Plan Interpretation Issues Presentation to the State Land Committee February 7, 2008 Slide Show

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1 State Land Master Plan Interpretation Issues

Wild Forest Basic Guideline #4
“Public use of motor vehicles will not be encouraged and there will not be any material increase in the mileage of roads and snowmobile trails open to motorized use by the public in wild forest areas that conformed to the master plan at the time of its original adoption in 1972.”

What was the snowmobile mileage that existed on Forest Preserve lands classified as Wild Forest in 1972?
What mileage should be counted (ie – are there special exceptions to Basic Guideline #4)?
Was the “no material increase” prohibition in Basic Guideline #4 intended to apply to Wild Forest lands acquired after 1972?
How many miles of snowmobile trails exist today on lands classified as Wild Forest?
Has there been a material increase in snowmobile mileage between 1972 and today?
What constitutes a “material increase” in snowmobile mileage?

DEC and APA staff have done a detailed review of the historic trail mileage information contained in County by County estimates created in 1980 and historic trail maps – two different data sources & methodologies – and agree on a mileage estimate of 740 miles as of 1972

The designated snowmobile trail use in the Remsen-Lake Placid Travel Corridor will not be subject to Wild Forest Basic Guideline #4
Intensive Use area roads and snowmobile assembly points are not subject to Basic Guideline #4

Basic Guideline #4 and other SLMP provisions make it clear that the “No Material Increase” Guideline is to be applied on a Park-wide basis
SLMP requires that designated snowmobile trails on any future acquisitions classified as Wild Forest is subject to the total Park-wide mileage calculation – Guideline 3 for Wild Forest roads states: “Established roads or snowmobile trails in newly acquired state lands classified as wild forest may be kept open to the public, subject to Basic Guideline 4 . . . provided such use is compatible with the wild forest character of the area”
Relocations or re-routes of any trail in Wild Forest will be subject to the total Park-wide mileage calculation

Upon completion and implementation of all Wild Forest UMPs, the projected snowmobile trail mileage total is expected to be approximately 766 miles, including designated trails and DEC roads open for snowmobiling on Wild Forests. This does not represent a material increase over the historic trail mileage estimate of 740 miles from 1972.

The mileage limit of 848.88, which had been identified by DEC as an upper limit or ceiling and is contained in DEC Forest Preserve Policy ONR-2, is being proposed as a mileage cap in relation to the “no material increase” provision of the Master Plan
DEC and APA staff have agreed on both the historic trail mileage estimate of 740 and the 848.88 as an upper limit for snowmobile trail mileage on lands classified as Wild Forest
Staff is therefore proposing that any mileage on Wild Forest lands in excess of 848.88 miles would be considered a “material increase”

All proposals for new snowmobile trails and re-routes included in Unit Management Plans will be accompanied by data and maps that outline unit specific 1972 trail mileage estimates, currently trail mileage, and proposed trail mileage estimates
To inform the Agency discussion of the “no material increase” provision of the State Land Master Plan, the unit specific data will be aggregated with snowmobile trail mileage in Wild Forests on a Park-wide basis for comparison with the 848.88 mileage limitation
If snowmobile trails are relocated from Primitive Corridors to Wild Forest, any new trail mileage would need to be kept below the 848.88 mileage limitation

1972 Mileage	UMP Previously Approved Mileage	UMP Proposed Trail Miles	Total Allowable Miles on WF	Primitive Corridor Miles	Rail- road Corridors	Water Crossing Miles	Intensive Use Area Use Miles	Total Other FP Miles
740			848.88

At the March Agency meeting, the Agency will adopt a formal interpretation of the State Land Master Plan and determine whether the 848.88 mileage limit in DEC Forest Preserve Policy (ONR-2), and the basic mileage principles under discussion, are consistent with the “no material increase” provision of the State Land Master Plan
The Agency will accept public comments until March 4th and include any written comments submitted in the Agency’s meeting material

DEC and APA commit to the expeditious completion of all remaining Wild Forest unit management plans and the amendment of any previously approved plans as necessary for snowmobile trail planning.

posted by the NYS Adirondack Park Agency February 8, 2008