For Immediate Release: May 17, 2001
Contact:
Victoria Hristovski | Director Public Information | Adirondack Park Agency
contact@apa.ny.gov | (518) 891-4050
RAY BROOK - After the historical Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing in Lake Placid on Wednesday, May 9, partners in this project joined in celebration at the Adirondack Park Agency headquarters in Ray Brook on Thursday, May 10.
Regional leaders recognized for their crucial participation in this project include Carey Babyack, DOT Region 7; Francis Gerace, DOT Region 2; Thomas Warner, DOT Region 1; Stuart Buchanan, DEC Region 5; Sandra LeBarron, DEC Region 6; Michael Carr, The Adirondack Nature Conservancy, and Debbie Hofford of the Student Conservation Association/ Adirondack Americorps. Each were on hand before Thursday’s regular APA meeting and received a Certificate of Commendation for their foresight, leadership and courage to plan and implement the Adirondack Park Invasive Non-Native Plant Species Program.
The MOU encompasses the nearly two-year project which brought three New York State agencies, and two other organizations together for one cause: to begin to control the spread of a number of highly invasive non-native plants within the Adirondack Park such as purple loosestrife, Japanese Knotweed and Phragmites. The NYS Department of Transportation (DOT), NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, the Nature Conservancy, the Student Conservation Association and the Adirondack Park Agency joined forces to identify, monitor and control these invaders. In doing so, they gained national attention and received an award from the USDOT Federal Highway Administration. Of the 18,000 projects and 145 entries from 31 states, the "Adirondack Park Non-Native Invasive Plant Species Project" was one of 13 recipients to receive the 2001 Environmental Excellence Award in April, 2001.
"The plaque (which is now on display at APA headquarters) is one of those awarded last month in Washington D.C. to us and our partners. This effort is an excellent model for the way government and private agencies can partner up and work together to address pressing environmental, economic and social concerns in the Park and elsewhere," said APA Chairman Richard Lefebvre. "We are fortunate enough not only to have great partners on this project, but to have a Governor who is committed to safeguarding the environment of the Park and the State of New York for future generations."
Several of the organizations involved in the "Adirondack Park Non-Native Invasive Plant Species Project" attended the reception of the Environmental Excellence Award in April.
"I was absolutely thrilled to be in Washington to receive the Environmental Excellence Award, and I am thrilled with the partnership efforts that bring us here today," said Ed Frantz of DOT Region 2.
"Partnership is not about someone taking charge," said DEC Region 5 Director Stuart Buchanan, "Each of our agencies staff worked together to develop a leadership role resulting in the accomplishment of one common goal."
During the press conference on Wednesday, May 9, at the Holiday Inn in Lake Placid, each of the representatives signed the MOU and passed it on for the next agency to sign. It was in this exercise that DOT Region 7 Director Carey Babyack said, "Watching each of these books being passed along for signature is very symbolic of how we all worked together on this project."
Volunteers from the Nature Conservancy and Americorps also made this project a reality by helping to gather samples of the nuisance plants along the highways.
"We hope to stop the spread of these invasive plants to the Adirondacks and feel that this partnership was instrumental for that cause," said Michael Carr, executive director of the Nature Conservancy. "Our volunteers worked very hard and very well with the other organizations involved. This is a perfect example of how working together benefits the Adirondacks."
This public-private partnership combined efforts to address the impacts of one of the greatest threats to the natural plant communities of the Adirondack Park.
"This MOU is an important step in the protection of the historical ecological character of the Adirondack Park," Sandra LeBarron, Region 6 DEC Director said. "The Adirondack plant community still provides us a glimpse at what much of NYS looked like before the arrival of these exotic plants and it’s imperative to keep them in check."