I’m encouraged by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s release of the Kaaterskill Clove Project Area Recommendations Report and Monitoring Plan, which is an important step toward a more comprehensive, data-driven approach to managing one of the Catskill Park’s most heavily visited corridors. The Catskill Center has been calling for this kind of Visitor Use Management planning for years, and I see this as real progress toward the recommendations that came out of the Catskill Strategic Planning Advisory Group process.

At the same time, I remain cautious about any recommendations that could lead to permit systems or other restrictions that unnecessarily limit public access to the Forest Preserve. Kaaterskill Clove should remain wild, safe, and welcoming, with natural resources protected, local communities supported, and public access preserved without adding barriers that aren’t needed.

What I appreciate most in the report is the direction it takes: a science-based, indicator-driven framework that focuses on desired conditions, resource protection, public safety, and a high-quality visitor experience. Those are the right goals, but they will only matter if they are matched by practical action on the ground.

In my view, the first tools to pursue should be better infrastructure, smarter parking and transportation solutions, strong stewardship and enforcement, and robust public education. Those kinds of improvements can do a great deal to reduce conflict, improve safety, and protect sensitive places without creating unnecessary barriers to access.

The success of this effort will depend on close collaboration among DEC and regional partners, including the New York State Department of Transportation, the Town of Hunter, Greene County, the Mountain Top Historical Society, the Catskill Center, and others working to balance safety, access, conservation, and community needs along the full Kaaterskill corridor.

I encourage anyone who cares about the future of Kaaterskill Clove to read the report and share comments with DEC. I’ll be reviewing the document closely in the coming weeks and will submit formal comments reflecting the Catskill Center’s mission, our work in the Catskill Park, and our role in the CAG process. When those comments are submitted, I’ll share them here on the site.