Adirondack Peeks Winter 2024

center. It has been suggested that this development go still further and be a recreation center in the mountains; that such a building or buildings as can and will be used the year-round for recreational purposes be erected, so vaca tioners may use the facilities 12 months a year rather than during the short winter season. It is not my intention to here propose such a development, but rather to acquaint you with the suggestion. Forest recreation is a vitally important type of rec reation to an increasing number of people. Areas, such as now exist in the Forest Preserve, are and will be of great psychological importance for many servicemen returning from war who need the opportunity and proper setting in which to recover from terrific wartime pressures. Likewise, the psychological outlet afforded by wilderness areas is of increasing importance to an increasingly industrialized so ciety. Here one can find relaxation and peace and each gets his own compensatory gift from an unique forest play ground. The hunter stalks his deer; the fisherman casts his line; the botanist seeks rare ferns; the bird-lover looks for birds; the photographer records the view; the canoe ist plies his paddle; the camper pitches his tent; the hiker walks the woods; the climber ascends new heights; the ski er runs the trails . . . . . . . . . each in his own right, proceeds with a discerning eye, a soft footstep and a reverence for his surroundings. For an increasing number of people, forest recre ation demands space. Therefore, it is exceedingly impor tant to increase, rather than diminish, the size of roadless

areas in the Forest Preserve. It has been well put that there are no natural resources now contained in the Forest Pre serve that cannot be produced in other parts of the country or the world in sufficient quantities to supply the needs of the American people. It both costs less and is less incon venient to ship natural resources from a distance into New York State for consumption than to ship people from the State to distant recreational areas. In conclusion I should like to advance a pertinent question and this seems an especially propitious time inso much as our Conservation Commissioner is here, as well as other members of his staff and Council. We believe that the Conservation Department should have sole administrative jurisdiction of the Forest Preserve, but we regret that often recreationists are un aware of many things that are going on in that department until they are on the agenda or before the Legislature. Steps should be taken to rectify this. Feeling that a closer understanding and a bet ter cooperation would be effected by working together, I should like to suggest and urge that the Conservation De partment seriously consider making a place for representa tives of recreation groups on some departmental advisory council. Surely an interchange of ideas could lead to an en thusiastic support of an inclusive, state-wide, conservation program. *Speech given at the CONSERVATION FORUM of the Ad irondack Mountain Club on Oct. 21, 1945, by Grace Hudow alski, #9.

Sunrise from Hurricane, Jesse Roy

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