ALLEGANY
Meeting focuses on maintaining integrity of state park
Published: July 10, 2009, 12:30 am
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If there is one thing that hikers, mountain bikers and plain old nature- lovers seem to agree on when it comes to administering Allegany State Park, it’s that the commercial exploitation of the park’s natural resources should be avoided at all costs.
At least, that was the consensus among the roughly 60 park enthusiasts who attended a public information meeting Thursday in the Bulger Communications Center at Buffalo State College. The hearing was held by the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in preparation for a new draft master plan for the park.
Tom Alworth, deputy commissioner for Natural Resources with the state Office of Parks, said a new master plan is drafted every decade or so to ensure that the needs of the various 1.3 million annual visitors to the park are being met while the integrity of the park as a natural resource is simultaneously maintained.
“There are a lot of reasons to do the plan. It’s not just a blueprint. For all these different aspects of running what is a 65,000-acre park with a lot of buildings and infrastructure, this plan will last us about 10 years,” said Alworth.
David Harrison of the Genesee Valley Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club based in Rochester was among many who expressed opposition to the prospect of there being any consumptive activities, such as logging or drilling for oil or natural gas in the park.
Harrison said his group believes that the best way to preserve the park’s character is to have its undeveloped areas designated Park Preserve under Article 20 of the State Parks Law. That would aid groups like his in opposing any plans to cut timber, construct new roads or extract oil and gas from wild areas of the park.
Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, D-Buffalo, who also attended the meeting, said he has been assured that there will be no commercial logging in the park, which resulted in spontaneous applause by those at the hearing.
“Our state parks should not become economic development opportunities for the timber industry,” said Hoyt.
Meanwhile, Kevin Preston, president of the Western New York Mountain Biking Association, advocated for improved cross-country skiing trails at the park.
Larry Beahan of the Sierra Club addressed concerns about preserving the forest. “The enemy of the forest is development. We don’t think we need any more trails in the park,” he said.
A draft master plan for the park is expected to be completed in a year. A six-month review period will follow, during which the public will be allowed to comment on the draft plan.
hmcneil@buffnews.com
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