OUTDOOR Forum at canaaninstitute.org

[Mike_L]

The NYS DEC hunting regulations brochure from Wildlife Division has always been a non-glossy black and white brochure with no advertisements. Not anymore. This year it is full color and glossy with multiple pages of advertisements - some of them full page ads selling ATVs.

So what's wrong with that? Here is what is wrong: ATVs are not legal on NYS public lands ............... "oh"

Responsible motorized users already understand this, and they restrict use of their machines to private lands, but these advertisements will cause confusion among less enlightened forest users and folks visiting from out of state about the NYS DEC policy.

What is going on here? Is the DEC really protecting our natural resources? Go to a place a place that sells hunting licenses and ask for one of these brochures look for yourself. The sad part is the folks that are most likely to be alarmed by this "sell-out" - the more aerobic quieter type users of the NYS forests (hikers, skiers, cyclists, bird watchers ... ) are the least likely to know. Most of them probably never buy a hunting license.

The advertising lowered printing costs by only a few cents per issue and gives the hunting license purchaser the impression that the NYS governmental division responsible for protecting our natural resources is endorsing motorized access to public lands. It makes the agency look weak at a time when they should be resolved on protecting our lands from this kind of issue.

In case you don't have time to get your own copy. Here are the front and back covers and a sample advertisement. There is a standard disclaimer about not endorsing the advertisements in small print on page 6, but no mention on the ATV regulations.

Front Cover http://canaaninstitute.org/photos/Front_Cover_LR.jpg
Sample Advertisement http://canaaninstitute.org/photos/Inside_advert_LR.jpg
Back Cover http://canaaninstitute.org/photos/Back_Cover_LR.jpg

Contacts at NYS DEC for this topic listed below. For email comments send to fwwildlf@gw.dec.state.ny.us with the words "ATV ad" in the subject line. This will ensure it goes to right people.

Albany:

John Major
Chief - Bureau of Wildlife
N.Y.S. Department of Environmental Conservation
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-4754
Voice 518-402-8919

Gordon R. Batcheller
Certified Wildlife Biologist
N.Y.S. Department of Environmental Conservation
Division of Fish, Wildlife & Marine Resources
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-4754
Voice 518-402-8885

Locally:

Marie Kautz
Regional Wildlife Manager
1285 Fisher Avenue
Cortland, NY 13045-1090
(607)753-3095 ext 249
(607)753-8532
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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[TomF]

To: fwwildlf@gw.dec.state.ny.us
From: Tom Fredericks <taf1@cornell.edu>
Subject: ATV ad in NYSDEC hunting syllabus

Summer before last my family and I returned to the Wanakena area for a weeklong backpacking trip into the Five Ponds wilderness area. I hadn't been in there since I was a forestry student at the New York State Ranger School in 1977. Well, the first 7 miles of our 50 mile hike was devastating - and demoralizing. The beautiful foot trails I had hiked as a 19-year old were now completely torn up, widened, and nearly impassible in many, many places because the gouged out trails have filled with water. By the end of the first day I was so angry I was fit to be tied and almost ready to go home - not at all the way I had envisioned our family Adirondack backpacking vacation.

Now I see that the DEC is promoting ATV use by selling full-page ATV ads, in the NYSDEC Hunting syllabus no less! I hadn't seen a hunting syllabus in a lot of years, but, my, how low we've slipped. How much lower can we go?

I encourage the department to return to its former role, as a steward, manager, and protector of our beautiful state and great reserve of natural resources. Such a directional swing might give me hope for the long-term well being of New York state wildlands under the care of the NYSDEC. If the bottom line is the only factor in making decisions such as these, then perhaps the cause is already a lost one.

Tom Fredericks
Van Etten, NY

[TomF]

This is what I'm talking about - pictures taken on the hike I described in my previous post. Imagine hiking through miles of trails like this:

http://picasaweb.google.com/tom.fredericks/ATVDamagedHikingTrails
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Tom F

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[Mike_L]

Dear Mr. Ludgate:

Thanks for writing us. I wanted let you know that we have decided not to use ATV ads in our Guide in the future. We agree that this has sent a mixed message. I appreciate you letting us know of your opinions on this matter. We are always interested in hearing input and ideas about our Hunting Guide. If you have any other suggestions, I hope that you will feel free to share those. Thanks very much.

Gordon R. Batcheller
Certified Wildlife Biologist
N.Y.S. Department of Environmental Conservation
Division of Fish, Wildlife & Marine Resources
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-4754
Voice 518-402-8885
FAX 518-402-8925
_________________
Michael Ludgate - forum administrator
The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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