Introduction
"Each moment of the year has its own beauty ... a picture which was
never before and shall never be seen again." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
ADIRONDACK PARK
The Adirondack Park was created by the State of New York in 1892 out of a concern for the region's water and timber resources. This six million acre park, a mix of public and private land, is larger than Yellowstone, Everglades, Glacier and Grand Canyon National Parks combined. Within this region are 3,000 lakes, 30,000 miles of streams and rivers, 46 peaks over 4,000 feet in elevation, and a wide variety of habitats including wetlands and old-growth forests.
The public land makes up close to half of the park and is constitutionally protected to remain "forever wild." Trails, campgrounds and other recreational facilities are found on this land. The private land includes villages and towns, timberlands, farms, recreational development and private homes.
The Adirondack Park State Master Plan sets policy for the management of the state-owned lands. Policy on the private land is governed by the Adirondack Park Land Use and Development Plan and is designed to conserve the park's natural features and open-space character by directing and clustering development to minimize its impact on the Park.
ADIRONDACK MOMENTS
Over the years I have concluded that moments are dramatic gems of fleeting beauty which materialize from the workings of natural processes. The why, how, when and where of moments are a part of nature's mystery, not easily explained or understood. Human senses have the ability to tell us they are there. Our minds and hearts allow us to ponder their presence.
In The Singing Wilderness, author and environmentalist Sigurd Olson compares the experience of moments to the beauty of music. He writes, "I have heard it on misty migration nights when the dark has been alive with the high calling of birds, and in the rapids when the air is full of their rushing thunder. I have caught it at dawn when the mists were moving out of the bays, and on cold winter nights when the stars seem close enough to touch."
The music of moments uses a variety of instruments to express ranges and intensities. The elegance of a flute compares to the finesse of a single wildflower. A harp communicates the delicacy of ice ferns on a window pane. But only an orchestra can capture a panoramic sweep of forests, lakes and mountains across a horizon.
I enjoy all Adirondack moments, but most of my searching is for visual moments, which I try to photograph. As I hike, canoe and travel in the Adirondacks, I am always looking for potential subjects. When I climb a mountain I check the views and compass directions to determine if a good photograph might occur at sunrise or sunset. I see an island in a lake and decide to be there at dawn. I ski through a forest and wonder if it will be filled with wildflowers in spring. The search never ends.
People have always gone to the north woods in search of inspiration that will provide refreshment to body, mind and spirit. Many search for trout streams, hiking trails or campsites. Others search for mountain views, misty lakes or dewdrops caught in the wings of a dragonfly. A few search for the meaning and purpose of life. To go to the woods is to search.
Searching makes us aware of our lost connections to the earth and the ancient rhythms that stimulated and governed native peoples for thousands of years. Although we no longer have vast wilderness areas available, we do have places like the Adirondacks. If we protect and treasure these places, moments of natural beauty can be an important part of our lives.
