Catskill Strategic Planning Advisory Group

Final Report

The Catskill Advisory Group (CAG) has submitted its final report (PDF) to New York State DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. The report is a long-term strategic framework to guide the State, local government, and partners on current and future management of the Catskill Park. In their recommendations, three goals for the Park were articulated: 1) balancing the increasing recreational use of the Park with 2) the continued protection and science-informed management of our natural resources while 3) ensuring the experience of using the Park is welcoming, accessible, and inclusive.

For any inquires regarding the final report, please contact us at [email protected].

Background

In October 2020, DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos announced the formation of the Catskill Strategic Planning Advisory Group. The advisory group will collaboratively provide advice to DEC on how to balance critical issues associated with increased public use in the Catskill Park in order to protect the area's natural resources for future generations.

The Advisory Group is charged to make recommendations for strategies, actions, and tactics by the end of 2021. New York State identified six goals for managing public use in the Catskill Park region:

  1. Ensure public safety within the communities, along roadways, at trailheads, and in interior areas;
  2. Address impacts and public safety in areas experiencing significant and unsustainable public use;
  3. Protect natural resources and recreation infrastructure;
  4. Provide a quality recreation experience for visitors and users of all backgrounds;
  5. Support local economic vitality; and
  6. Ensure that science/fact-driven decisions are made with the use of best available data.

The Advisory Group is comprised of stakeholders with expertise in local government, recreation, natural resource protection, business, tourism, and other priority areas. Commissioner Seggos named this group to achieve the goals for the initiative and

  • Incorporate, expand, and/or modify recommendations made to date;
  • Identify priorities;
  • Determine whether additional data is needed to inform the group; and
  • Identify actions for implementation.

Public Participation

In their first meeting, Advisory Group members agreed that public input and transparency are critical to the successful development of a strategic framework. Therefore, links to meeting summaries are listed below by date and will be added after subsequent meetings.

Public Survey

Public feedback regarding the above six goals of the CAG, and opportunities to address them, was collected via a public survey that closed on March 19, 2021. Results of the survey informed the development of the interim and final reports.

Interim Report

The CAG released an Interim Recommendations Report (PDF) in January 2022. The report included proposed actions that DEC and its State and local partners could undertake, pending available funding and continued partnership, to balance increasing and diverse recreational use of the Catskill Forest Preserve, protecting the park's natural and historic resources, and ensuring the experience of using the Park is welcoming, accessible, and inclusive. Public comment on the report was accepted for 30 days, and informed development of the final report.

Meeting Summaries