Category: The Environment

The cover of John Apperson’s Lake George by Ellen Apperson Brown.

A new book is coming in May 2017 from Arcadia Publishing entitled; John Apperson’s Lake George by Ellen Apperson Brown ( ISBN: 9781467124768 $21.99 | 128pp. | paperback ). The book focuses on the efforts of noted Lake George preservationist and conservationist, John S. Apperson Jr. (1878 – 1963).

In 1900, Apperson, a young man from Virginia, began working for General Electric in Schenectady. He discovered Lake George one summer while attending a boat race, and thus began his lifelong love affair with the magnificent scenery. He and his friends discovered the joys of island camping – of cooking over an open fire, trying out unfamiliar winter sports (skate sailing and skiing), and paddling a canoe in gale force winds.

Apperson devoted his energy and resources to saving the land from various threats. Apperson launched a two-pronged strategy, promoting Lake George for its recreational potential while recruiting people to help repair the shores of islands. Among other things, he started a campaign to start hauling rocks and building walls around the islands to protect them from erosion (a technique called riprapping).

He would earn the respect of leading politicians, philanthropists, and journalists, including George Foster Peabody, New York governor Al Smith, and Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. His actions brought him into open conflict with powerful adversaries, too.

John Apperson hauling rocks to riprap around the islands of Lake George. (Circa 1920)

For those who are familiar with the mid-section of Lake George, the story also touches on the efforts of a few determined people along with Apperson, who worked to add Tongue Mountain, Paradise Bay, Black Mountain Point, and the islands in the Narrows to the holdings of New York state, and which are now protected by New York’s constitution.

The author, Ellen Apperson Brown, grew up hearing colorful stories about “Appy,” her father’s favorite uncle. After many years of scholarly research, she has become a leading authority on his life and accomplishments. Most of the images are from her personal collection or from the Kelly Adirondack Research Center, Union College.

The book’s publication date is – May 15, 2017.

I don’t know if we’ll get any this year, but here is a great video of how to survive falling through the ice.

The Lake George Park Commission has received approval from the state legislature to raise dock, mooring and boat fees in 2017. From the bill authorizing the increase:

Dock, wharf and mooring fees. The owner of a dock, wharf or mooring within the park used for non-commercial residential purposes shall pay an annual fee of fifty dollars. The owner of a dock or wharf within the park used for commercial purposes shall pay an annual fee of five dollars per linear foot for each such dock. The owner of a mooring used for commercial purposes shall pay an annual fee of one hundred dollars for each mooring. New docks constructed for commercial use after the effective date of this section shall pay a first time fee of ten dollars per linear foot and five dollars per linear foot annually thereafter.

Boat fees. In addition to the registration required by the state, any mechanically propelled boat or vessel with ten horsepower or more used on Lake George shall have an annual permit issued by the commission. The fee therefor for boats twenty feet or less in length overall shall be forty dollars; for boats twenty-one to twenty-five feet in length overall, fifty dollars; and for boats over twenty-five feet in length overall, fifty dollars plus seven dollars and fifty cents for each foot by which the length overall exceeds twenty-five feet; for boats over twenty-five feet in length overall outfitted for overnight use, fifty dollars plus thirty dollars for each foot by which the overall length exceeds twenty-five feet. The commission may establish a one week use permit for twenty dollars. The commission may establish a one day use permit for twelve dollars for any mechanically propelled boat or vessel with ten horsepower or more.

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) recently acquired 72 acres in the Town of Putnam from Thomas and Mary Ellen Eliopoulos. The land, known as the Beaver Pond property, joins another 65 acres purchased from the Bain family in September as the latest additions in a focused effort to protect the 2,000-acre watershed of Sucker Brook, a major tributary of Lake George.

As one of Lake George’s ten largest tributaries, Sucker Brook drains directly into the lake at Glenburnie, and makes a significant impact on the lake’s water quality. Its protection provides a safeguard against excess storm water runoff, erosion of the stream corridor, and nutrient loading from neighboring sources of fertilizers and road salt, further protecting the lake’s water quality.

“We have wanted to protect these properties for a very long time,” said LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown, “and are grateful for the support of the local community, including the residents of Glenburnie, for helping to make the projects happen.”

“The landowners shared the LGLC’s vision of seeing this environmentally-sensitive property protected,” Brown continued, “to ensure that it would help to keep the waters of Lake George clean forever.”

Both the Beaver Pond and Bain properties primarily consist of wetlands, which help to filter and slow the waters of Sucker Brook before entering Lake George. Specifically, beaver ponds have been shown to be particularly beneficial for water quality. Studies indicate that these ponds can trap and remove nearly 50% of excess nitrogen from the water. High levels of nitrogen, resulting from chemicals like lawn fertilizers being carried downstream in storm water, can trigger algal blooms and fish kills.

Generally, protected land also provides thousands of dollars in natural resource benefits to the community each year in the form of storm water protection, aesthetic value, habitat, and pollution control. In addition, properties such as this one are open to the public for everyone to use and enjoy for multiple purposes, including hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, bird-watching, and hunting.

Growing Recreational and Educational Opportunities

The location of these properties allows for an extended public recreational trail corridor. Between the LGLC’s Gull Bay Preserve on Sagamore Road and the peak of Record Hill on Anthony’s Nose, the region currently includes 7.5-miles of marked trails, including ½-mile newly added to show off the Bain property’s unique white cedar swamp. An additional 1 mile of trail on the beaver pond property is proposed, which would also connect to the Anthony’s Nose trailhead.

Nine educational panels have been installed along the region’s existing trails, with information about nocturnal wildlife, hardwood forests, wetlands and more. Future plans include additional signage, as well as the construction of bridges or boardwalks with viewing platforms through the wetland and beaver pond areas.

The entire system will be a draw for school groups, birders, and other guests may observe the plants and animals that are present, while at the same time gain a better understanding of how the land functions to protect the water.

Altogether, the region between Glenburnie and Gull Bay Roads offers 925 acres of contiguous protected land. Due to the complexity of having so many different parcels, the LGLC plans to merge all of the properties together to create one cohesive preserve. A revised trail map and other resources are expected to be completed for the 2017 summer season.

This project, as well as other efforts north of Anthony’s Nose, are ongoing, and the LGLC welcomes support from the community and interested individuals who wish to help financially, or with the research and creation of additional educational materials. Schools and other community groups interested in having a guided field trip to the area are also welcome and encouraged to contact the LGLC’s Communications and Outreach Manager Sarah Hoffman at 518-644-9673 or email shoffman@lglc.org.

If you are a fan of stunning Lake George visuals, the Lake George Association has some exciting news to share with you — especially if you are looking to keep Lake George in your sight all year round.

The 2017 edition of Carl Heilman II’s Lake George calendar is going on sale. As always, the images are stunning.

The calendar sale raises money that is put toward the Lake George Association’s Lake-Saving Projects — so purchasing the calendar from the Lake George Association allows you to view the Lake through Carl Heilman II’s dramatic eyes and helps the LGA protect the Lake’s water quality, too!

You can pick up your Carl Heilman II calendars at the LGA office for $16, or for just $1 more ($17) it can be mailed to you.

Don’t delay — these calendars always sell out fast!

To purchase your copies of the 2017 Lake George calendar (or order them to be sent to you), please call Mona at 518-668-3558 or email: info@lakegeorgeassociation.org.

George Morris (left) and James W. Wolitarsky (right) recently were appointed to the Board of the Lake George Land Conservancy.

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) recently announced the recent addition of two new directors to its Board, George Morris and James W. Wolitarsky.

“We are very excited to have Jim and George join our Board,” said LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown. “Both bring to the LGLC strong leadership skills, a commitment to our mission, and a rich and deep connection to Lake George. It’s been great getting to know these two new Directors, hearing about their ideas, their stories about time spent on the lake, but mostly their enthusiasm for protecting the land that protects this special place. We extend a warm welcome to our newest Directors and look forward to the impact that they will make on LGLC and the lake.”

George Morris recently finished his 31st year with Oliver Wyman, the international management consulting firm and part of Marsh and McLennan, where he is a Partner in the Financial Services group based in New York City. His consulting career began after graduating with an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business (1985) and an AB from Dartmouth College (1980). In 2016 he co-authored a paper on risk management for non-profits based on financial analysis of charities in New York State. Now, he is semi-retired and leads the firm’s Social Impact initiative out of the New York office and contributes to developing future generations of world-class management advisors.

Mr. Morris resides in Pilot Knob, NY, and is a third generation lover of Lake George. His lake experience began at his parents’ house, also known as “Flower Down”, in the Town of Lake George. Mr. Morris is a hiker and forager, loves sailing, early morning boat rides, and kayaking. He’s a second generation member of the Lake George Club and raced sailboats there for many summers.

James (Jim) W. Wolitarsky is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, a major U.S. east coast full-service financial services firm headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. Jim joined the company in 1991 as its Chief Financial Officer. He was elected President and Chief Operating Officer in January 2000 and Chief Executive Officer in January 2001. He also served as Chairman of its Executive Committee.

Jim received a B.A. degree in 1968 from Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA and earned a M.B.A. degree in 1973 from New York University. He served in the United States Army as a sergeant from 1968 to 1970 with service in Vietnam and was decorated with a Bronze Star and Vietnam Cross of Gallantry.

Mr. Wolitarsky is currently a board manager of Pennsylvania Hospital, a core member hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Health System; a director of D.A. Davidson Companies, a full-service regional securities broker-dealer doing business in the western United States and a director of Pennsylvania Trust Company. He has served on many boards, including as Vice Chairman and Treasurer for the FUND for Lake George, and has lectured nationally and participated in a wide array of financial conferences and forums.

Mr. Wolitarsky first came to the lake when he was 5 or 6 years old and then spent every subsequent childhood summer for 2 or 3 weeks with his family at a rented lakeside cottage on Black Point Road in Ticonderoga. He and his wife, Nini, bought their current home on the lake in 2006. Jim and Nini live in Villanova, PA, and have four children.