New York Rivers United: Comments On NYS Open Space Plan

Comments to Draft Open Space Conservation Plan - 2005

First as a member of the Region 6 Open Space Committee, I would like to congratulate all involved in this long-term effort to protect and restore New York's /open space. It is most certainly one of the most successful efforts undertaken in this country and effort we can all share pride in.

As it has moved forward over the last decade results can be seen and measured for its success. The relationships between interst groups have developed that have fostered out of the box thinking on ways to achieve our goals that are win-wins for all involved. The continuation of this effort must be a priority for all involved.

But there have been some segments that have been lacking and we must focus more attention to them.

First of course is the increased cost of stewardship this. This coupled with budget cuts from the agencies responsible for these activities has had negative results on our program. I believe that increased stewardship funding has come up in almost every committee across the State. The need to address this issue with long-term solutions must be a priority.
Staffing within the agencies responsible for implementing the long-term success cannot continue to decline. We are wasting the public's money and trust if these issues are not addressed.

A second point is overall river, stream, water conservation and protection. The original plan called for the creation of a River Committee, a task force. It was realized that issues such as watershed conservation, flood plain management, flow in rivers themselves, the water quantity issue would have to be addressed. New recreational opportunities can and are being pursed yet our state agencies fall behind in understanding this public interest. Whitewater boating is a good example. DEC often goes out of its way to exclude this use. Their thinking is that it is detrimental to biology, yet there are ways that we can accommodate both. This is a statewide issue that needs to be addressed.
In the same category (river access) we continue to seek out Fishing access as opposed to general public access. The man point is where the money comes from. Again our agencies are not in a position to understand the wants and needs of other users another than those that purchase licenses. This is backward thinking and it needs to change.
Every year I have asked for the creation of a group of individuals that might work toward some solutions, such a group shoud be crated now.

The final point I would make is that our efforts have yet to engulf all of the tools we originally envisioned using. We continue to focus our efforts all most entirely on state acquisition. Communities that have valuable resources are reluctant to get involved for fear of losing tax base. Yet with help in planning at a more local level, putting the local government up front in the process, letting them do more for open space in their communities, I feel we could be achieving so much more.
It is time to utilize more of this planning, watershed, and community approach. To involve more of our state's local resources and its willing people; so as to encourage open space protection and conservation at a more local level.

Again this has been a great effort these points are to move it forward for what I see is as more success and more public approval and involvement.

Bruce R. Carpenter, Ex, Dir.
NYRU