Adirondack Council

08/31/2026

Be sure to register for this impactful event!

Join us in person for our 11th Annual Salt Summit, a full day event dedicated to the reduction of winter road salt use.

08/31/2026

We are proud to work with Senator Pete Harckham and so many great partners on the issues facing lake associations

State Sen. Pete Harckham joined lake associations in the region to see what concerns water protection initiatives face.

08/30/2026

Help support Adirondack Park conservation and advocacy by entering our raffle for a chance to win a Hornbeck Boats canoe! The New Trick 12 canoe is made from Kevlar and carbon fiber and weighs just 18 pounds, making it perfect for carrying to your local lake or exploring the remote Adirondack backcountry. The drawing will be held at our Elizabethtown office on December 22, 2026. You don’t need to be present to win.

Hornbeck Boats New Trick 12 Canoe Raffle

08/30/2026

Join the Adirondack Council Next Gen Initiative! Your voice has the power to make a difference. As part of the Next Gen Community, you'll learn how to advocate for the people, places, and policies that shape the future of the Adirondacks while building leadership skills that last a lifetime. Apply today!

The Adirondack Council uses the best science, the law, and an understanding of political decision-making to educate, inform, and motivate the public and those who make public policy to protect the Adirondack Park. We use our knowledge of the political process, respect for diverse views, and fact-bas...

08/29/2026

Meet our new Conservation Intern, Leena!

By Leena Keal – Clarence Petty Conservation Intern Wednesday, August 26, 2026 Describe your role at the Council As the Conservation Intern, I am working on Wildlife Management, ProcellaCOR, septic systems and recreation management. I am usually working on small pieces of many projects to get a ful...

08/28/2026

Lydia Martin Smith, born on this day in 1834, was a central figure in early Adirondack history, best known for running Paul Smith’s Hotel alongside her husband, the famed wilderness guide and entrepreneur Paul Smith. While her husband became the public face of the enterprise, Lydia's tenacity and business acumen allowed her to handle the demanding operations of a remote 19th‑century hotel. She raised their three children while managing the high‑profile Adirondack resort that drew visitors from across the country. Her husband became a legend, but Lydia was the one who made the legend real. Her work was essential to the hotel’s reputation and growth, yet like many women of her era, her contributions were largely overlooked.

“Now we know that mountain women can be heroes,” was the line in a Peggy Lynn song that first caught the attention of Lisa Genier, Adirondack Council Digital Content and Legislative Specialist. The song, fittingly titled Lydia, introduced Lisa to Lydia’s story and it stuck with her.

“Maybe it’s my deep love for the Adirondacks and its early history,” says Genier, “or maybe it’s the reality that strong, resilient, successful women were not—and still are not—given the recognition they deserve. I suspect it’s a little of both.”

Today, Lydia Martin Smith’s legacy stands as a reminder of just how much early Adirondack history was built on women’s skill, labor, and resilience—often without recognition.

08/27/2026

For 25 years, the Roadless Rule has protected some of the wildest, most ecologically important parts of our national forests from roadbuilding and industrial development. These areas safeguard clean water, wildlife habitat, and quiet recreation across the country. Now, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to undermine those protections.

This proposal would open nearly 45 million acres of national forest lands to new road construction, commercial logging, and mineral extraction. This would accelerate biodiversity loss, fragment sensitive habitats, increase the risk of intense wildfires, and unravel decades of conservation work.

Although the proposal’s direct impacts fall outside the Adirondack Park, the Park’s ecological health is deeply connected to the fate of national forests, especially those nearby. These forests form a regional network of wildlife habitat, climate resilience, and migratory corridors that the Adirondacks depend on. We all share responsibility for keeping our protected national and state public lands intact so the legacy of access and enjoyment of our iconic landscapes endures for generations.

Click the link in the comments to submit your letter opposing this misguided proposal!

08/27/2026

08/26/2026

Don't forget about these Septic Savvy workshops! Tonight in Keeseville and tomorrow in Santa Clara!