Help Save Trails in Catskill Park, New York
Action Alert
For Immediate Release
09-10-03
Contact:
Tim Quilty, New York Mountain Bicycling Coalition,
or
Jon Sundquist, IMBA New York Rep,
Comment Deadline extend to November 14!
The International Mountain Bicycling Association and the New York Mountain Bicycling Coalition need your help to keep trails in New York's Catskill Park open to mountain bikers. We're asking you to attend a meeting or write state officials and ask them to continue to support trail access for mountain bikers.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has recently released a Draft Master Plan that will guide future management of the State's 292,000-acre holdings within Catskill Park. The draft Plan proposes significant restrictions on bicycle use in the park.
The State's press release, and link to the Plan is available at: http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/press/pressrel/2003/200399.html
All New York cyclists are encouraged to comment on the Plan. The original (1985) Catskill Master Plan does not restrict the use of bicycles. The new draft Plan imposes two significant restrictions on bicycle use in the park:
1. Bicycles will be banned from all trails in "wild forest" portions of the park unless specifically desginated open to bicycling.
2. Bicycles will be banned from all trails in "wilderness" sections of the park. The draft Plan proposes to increase lands classified as "wilderness" to about half the total park area.
These new policies would significantly reduce the riding available and could influence future trail access on other State lands.
Your comments are important! Cyclists provided critical input in response to planned restrictions to bicycle access on State Forest land in central New York in 2002. Your voices put these restrictions on hold. Another large response is needed.
Public hearings will be held:
- Monday, September 8, 2003, 7 p.m. at Guilderland Town Hall, 5209 Route 20, Guilderland;
- Tuesday, September 9, 2003, 7 p.m. at Windham Town Hall, 371 State Route 296, Hensonville;
- Tuesday, September 18, 2003, 7 p.m. at Neversink Town Hall, 273 Main Street (State Route 55), in Grahamsville; and
- Saturday, September 20, 2003, 10 a.m. in the Discovery (Lower) Lodge of the Belleayre Ski Center, half a mile south of State Route 28 on County Route 49A in Highmount.
Written comments (accepted until November 14) should be sent to:
Peter J. Frank
Bureau Chief Forest Preserve Management
NYSDEC
625 Broadway
Albany, N.Y. 12233-4254
or by email to:
More information, including points to include in your comments, can be found at the NYMBC website: http://www.ggw.org/nymbc/catskill-1.html. Also see http://www.catskillparktrailcoalition.org/
