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DEC Announces Suite of Actions to Protect Public
Safety and Promote Sustainable Use of State Lands
Published: May 24, 2026 at
12:15 p.m.
By: Press Release
from NYS DEC
DEC Announces Suite of Actions to Protect Public
Safety and Promote Sustainable Use of State Lands
'Love Our New York Lands' Campaign Continues
Encouraging Responsible and Respectful Recreation in the Adirondack and
Catskill Forest Preserve and Other High-Use Areas
Efforts Encourage New Yorkers and Visitors to
“Get Offline, Get Outside” and Enjoy State Lands
New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton has
announced new and continued efforts for the 2026 outdoor recreation season
to protect public safety and promote sustainable recreation in the
Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserve. DEC's actions are designed
specifically to improve Adirondack and Catskill visitor safety and build on
ongoing wilderness protection support strategies to improve safety,
sustainability, and equitable access for those enjoying the outdoors during
the upcoming warm weather months.
"Visitors
from all across the world are drawn to experience New York State’s great
outdoor spaces like the Adirondacks and Catskills," Commissioner
Lefton said. "Working with our State and local partners, DEC
is encouraging everyone to bring their friends and families on an outdoor
adventure, but also to do it respectfully, responsibly, and sustainably to
make the outdoors welcoming to all, prevent damage to natural resources,
and avoid jeopardizing the safety of our first responders."
Visitation to
State Forest Preserve lands is typically highest during the summer months.
In partnership with State agencies, local municipalities, and private
entities, DEC is working to protect public safety, improve the visitor
experience during the busy season, and safeguard sensitive ecosystems.
Using recommendations outlined by the High Peaks Strategic Planning Advisory Group (HPAG) and
Catskills Strategic Planning Advisory Group (CAG), as well as input
from local and community partners and outdoors enthusiasts, New York State
continues to implement strategies and adaptively manage the ongoing safety
and resource needs of both Forest Preserve regions.
Protecting Public
Safety
Pedestrian safety continues to be a significant concern, particularly in
the Route 73 corridor of the Adirondack High Peaks and on Route 23A in the
Catskills. DEC works closely with New York State Police, the State
Department of Transportation, and local law enforcement to address
pedestrian traffic, illegal parking, and roadside stops.
- Parking Restrictions: There is no parking allowed on the
roadside in unsafe sections of Route 73 in the Adirondack High Peaks
or on Route 23A in the vicinity of Kaaterskill
Falls and several other Catskill destinations.
- Fawn’s Leap Restrictions: DEC continues working with the town of
Hunter, community stakeholders, and other local partners to help
address increased use in areas such as the Kaaterskill
Clove Riparian Corridor along Route 23A. DEC is prioritizing strategic
investments in health and safety upgrades at locations throughout the Kaaterskill Wild Forest, including increased
Forest Ranger patrols and implementing restricted area regulations as
appropriate. DEC previously installed and continues to maintain
restricted area signage in the Kaaterskill
Clove Riparian Corridor at a location known as Fawn’s Leap that warns
the public against entering within 15 feet of cliff edges. The signage
posted at the site indicates the boundary of the limited restricted
area.
- Hiring 19 Assistant Forest Rangers: DEC is hiring 19 Assistant Forest
Rangers (AFR) to assist Forest Rangers and provide on-the-trail
stewardship in areas of high use, including in the Catskills,
Adirondacks, Zoar Valley and other high-use DEC areas. DEC continues
to its commitment to helping keep Assistant Forest Rangers and others
spending time in the backcountry safe. Recent changes include
updated communication requirements from the back country to a
Forest Ranger on duty, deploying satellite communications devices,
requiring AFRs to start and end their shifts at a trailhead, and
acquiring a new Computer Aided Dispatch System to assist in tracking
Forest Rangers, AFRs, and other DEC staff.
- "Your Speed Is" signs and
delineators installed along Route 73: Signs and delineators are in addition
to ongoing parking enforcement by DEC, New York State Police, and
local law enforcement; and
- Continued closure of the Molly Smith parking
area on Route 23A in the town of Hunter to improve visitor safety: DEC recommends visitors access Kaaterskill Falls by parking at the Laurel House
Road, Schutt Road, or South Lake parking areas. Visitors are advised
that the Laurel House Road and Schutt Road parking areas fill up early
during the summer and are encouraged to plan accordingly and follow
posted signs in the area denoting parking restrictions.
New York State
Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez
said, “Every year more people discover and rediscover, the beauty of the
Adirondacks and the Catskill Mountains, and the State Department of
Transportation, working with our state and local partners, works to provide
a safe and efficient travel experience to these gems of the Empire
State. To optimize travel and enhance safety on the roads and on the
trails, we encourage visitors to drive sober and alert, park in designated
areas, be courteous to one another, pack out your trash, and be mindful of
pedestrians and cyclists. We want everyone to be able to enjoy these
treasured natural wonders safely this summer.”
New York State
Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “With
summer upon us, we encourage everyone to take advantage of all the natural
landscape that the Adirondacks and Catskills have to offer. While doing so,
we ask that all enjoy in a safe and considerate manner
for themselves others and to preserve the environmental character
that makes New York unique. I want to thank the DEC and our State and local
partners for providing resources that will help protect citizens and our State lands.”
Acting New York
State Parks Commissioner Kathy Moser said, “As the summer
season begins, we join DEC and our outdoor recreation partners in
encouraging visitors to enjoy New York’s parks, public lands and open
spaces safely and responsibly. By taking simple steps to minimize our
impact, we can help protect these special places and ensure future
generations can enjoy the same incredible outdoor experiences.”
Catskill Center
Executive Director, Jeff Senterman said, “The Catskill
Center is proud to partner with DEC to match record visitation in the
Catskills with the stewardship and safety it requires. From Catskills
Stewards at Kaaterskill Falls and Peekamoose Blue
Hole to our Catskills Visitor Center and fire tower programs, we see every
day that smart investment, visitor education, and thoughtful visitor use
management make a real difference for public safety, local communities, and
the long‑term health of the Forest Preserve. These new Visitor Use
Management reports and the continued ‘Love Our New York Lands’ and ‘Get
Offline, Get Outside’ efforts show New York State taking the right steps to
ensure that record visitation comes with record stewardship, so the
Catskills remain forever wild and welcoming for everyone."
Open Space
Initiative President and CEO, Erik Kulleseid, said, “New York’s
exceptional public forest preserves and parks belong to all of us, and it
is imperative that we all do our part to care for these cherished places.
OSI’s long partnership with DEC has successfully expanded and enhanced
public lands and made the outdoors more welcoming for everyone, and we
thank visitors for respecting these guidelines. This Memorial Day weekend
and all summer long, we are excited for everyone to put down their phones,
step into nature, and safely and responsibly enjoy the forests, mountains,
and waterways of the Catskills, Adirondacks, and beyond.”
Visitor Education
Both the High Peaks and Catskills advisory groups identified increased
visitor education as a critical component of sustainable visitor use
management. Including those listed above, DEC implemented the following
education and awareness efforts in 2025 and will continue efforts in 2026:
- 'Love Our New York Lands' campaign: Launched in 2021 in response to the
steady increase in the number of visitors to State lands, both during
the COVID-19 pandemic and in the decade prior, Love Our New York Lands
includes helpful educational information for the thousands of New
Yorkers and visitors from other states and countries eager to
experience the State’s public lands in a safe and responsible
way. For details and more information, visit the Love
Our New York Lands page on DEC's website and follow DEC’s
social media @NYSDEC;
- 'Get Outdoors & Get Together Day': On Saturday, June 13, 2026, events at more
than 20 locations across New York State will bring together people of
all abilities, ages, identities, and backgrounds for fun, healthy
activities. A highlight of the State’s ongoing efforts to broaden the
diversity of users and ensure inclusivity of access to State lands,
DEC and State Parks, in partnership with the New York State Office for
People with Developmental Disabilities, the Department of Veterans'
Services, Office of the Chief Disability Officer, Office of Mental
Health, and Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special
Needs will host free events to connect people to nature and
provide increased access to the outdoors;
- High Peaks Hiker Information Station program: This successful DEC initiative is
entering its seventh year with five seasonal Environmental Education
Assistants, a new record. Visitors to the High Peaks can find
educators Thursdays through Mondays from 8 a.m. -4 p.m. at the Cobble
Hill trailhead and Mt. Van Hoevenberg trailhead in Lake Placid.
Rotating locations include Ampersand Mountain Parking Area, Baker
Mountain, and multiple locations along the Adirondack Rail Trail that
will be announced on a weekly basis on the Adirondack Backcountry Information webpage. In
addition to a full staff of Educators, DEC’s Mobile Education Center
will be onsite at Cobble Hill throughout the season. The shuttle bus
hosts information and resources for hiker safety and visitor use to
further enhance hiker education at various locations during the summer
hiking season in High Peaks. In 2026, DEC Environmental Education
Assistants will be stationed at key front-country access points and
trailheads between Memorial Day weekend and the October 12 holiday weekend;
- Trail steward programs in the
Catskills: To assist in
educating the public who visit several of the region's most frequently
visited trails, the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development
will station trailhead stewards at Kaaterskill
Falls (Kaaterskill Wild Forest) and
Peekamoose Blue Hole (Sundown Wild Forest). Catskill Mountainkeeper will station stewards at the
Neversink Fishing Access Site in Claryville,
Beaverkill Covered Bridge and Campground,
and Big Pond (Delaware Wild Forest). The Catskill 3500 Club will
station volunteer stewards at the Slide Mountain trailhead and
Woodland Valley Day Use Area. In addition, New York New Jersey Trail
Conference stewards will be working in the Catskill High Peaks. There
will also be Catskill Center Fire Tower Stewards at Overlook, Hunter,
and Balsam Lake Mountain fire towers on weekdays, complemented by
volunteers for weekends;
- Continuing trailhead steward program at
popular trailheads in the Adirondack High Peaks: In partnership with Adirondack Mountain
Club and the Adirondack 46ers, stewards will assist in educating the
public at more frequently visited trailheads to further support hiker
safety and preparedness along Route 73;
- Fire tower steward programs in the
Adirondacks and Catskills: This program supports “friends” groups at fire towers on 10
Forest Preserve summits where stewards answer questions and provide
information about the history and purpose of the towers, educate the
public on outdoor skills and ethics, rules and regulations, and
provide information about local recreational opportunities; and
- Continuing valuable Environmental Education
(EE) Center Programming: DEC
operates two fully staffed EE Centers and two EE Centers operated
by Friends groups with staff offering classes and programs on
environmental awareness around New York State. Other year-round educational programming and resources are
available to help residents and visitors become better stewards of the
environment.
Visitor Use
Management
New York State continues to implement HPAG and CAG recommendations to
encourage sustainable use in the Adirondack and Catskill Parks. In
addition, DEC is enhancing its actions to improve the user experience and
prevent trash and other human impacts on State lands,
including:
- Visitor Use Management (VUM) Reports: Two
reports prepared by planning firms DJ&A and Otak
for the central Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness (Essex County) and Kaaterskill Clove region of the Catskill Park
(Greene County) were recently released for public comment through June
1, 2026. The public feedback process will inform next steps DEC may
take to further enhance the visitor experience and protect the
incredible natural resources in both the High Peaks Wilderness and Kaaterskill Wild Forest.
- Draft Visitor Use Management Plan for
the formerly trail-less Catskill High Peaks:
Last year, DEC released the draft Visitor Use Management Plan to
protect unique habitats and sensitive species that are being impacted
by informal, user created trails. DEC is currently reviewing public
comments and developing a final VUM Plan;
- Permit required for visitors to the
Peekamoose Blue Hole and Peekamoose Valley Riparian Corridor: DEC requires use permits for the Blue Hole
and Peekamoose Valley Riparian Corridor along Rondout Creek in the
Catskills from May 15 to September 15 each year. DEC will also have
stewards at these locations to support enhanced public education
efforts. Major upgrades to the Blue Hole parking and
access, which will improve the visitor experience and safety, are
nearing completion; and
- Portable toilets in high-use areas: DEC funds portable toilets at popular
Adirondack and Catskill locations to help reduce waste in the
environment. In areas where portable toilets are not available,
visitors are encouraged to learn more about how to dispose of human
waste outdoors to prevent negative impacts on the
environment and public health.
DEC encourages
all visitors to be prepared and Hike Smart by staying on designated trails and
wearing proper gear and attire, including footwear appropriate for trail
conditions.
Sustainable Trail
Development
To ensure New Yorkers and visitors can enjoy the beauty of the State's
Forest Preserve for generations to come, DEC is once again increasing the
size of the State Environmental Protection Fund (EPF)-funded
primitive trail maintenance and development contract for the Adirondacks
and Catskills. The State's ongoing trail building efforts will protect
public lands through trail maintenance and similar stewardship activities
that encourage responsible use of the State's lands and
waters.
Historic State
Investments
Many of these projects and other initiatives to bolster sustainable use are
funded through the record $425 million for the EPF, a critical resource for
environmental programs such as land acquisition, farmland protection,
invasive species prevention and eradication, recreation access, water
quality improvement, and environmental justice projects. To learn more
about the many EPF supported recreational opportunities DEC offers to
people of all ages and abilities, including information about camping, hunting,
picnicking, fishing, boating, hiking and nature viewing, visit DEC’s Accessible Recreation webpage.
Governor Hochul
also recently announced the “These Lands Are For Everyone” accessibility and
inclusivity initiative in the 2026 State of the State and launched the “Get Offline, Get Outside” initiative in 2024 to promote
physical and mental health by helping New York’s kids and families to put
down their phones and computers, take a break from social media, and enjoy
recreation and outdoor social gatherings. To ensure New York’s open spaces
are accessible and inclusive, “These Lands Are For Everyone” is investing in
inclusive, sensory friendly and accessible experiences, including tactile
exhibits, sensory trails and inclusive nature centers, ensuring all
children and adults can enjoy New York’s natural treasures.
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