Conclusion

The Adirondack Park Agency has had a tumultuous history since the Park’s origins in the Forever Wild clause in 1895, through the APA’s creation in 1971, and in the 50 years since. They are faced with the difficult job of regulating the land use of all of the 3 million acres of public forest preserve land along with the 3 million acres of private land, bringing them criticism from developers and conservationists alike. While in its early days many of the APA’s loudest critics were local landowners decrying government regulation over their private land, in recent years the conversation has shifted to the side of environmentalists concerned that the Agency has begun favoring developers with an increase in controversial permits and pro-development board members. Recent attempts to remedy this have included pressure for a new board chair and a proposed “conservation design” bill to amend the APA Act. The APA has the potential to continue improving the balance of conservation and development within the Adirondack Park, but it will be up to New York voters, legislators and the newly sworn-in Governor Hochul to see how the Adirondacks fare for future generations.