 The Chronicle is a weekly publication based in Glens Falls, NY and serves approximately 22,000 - 30,000 readers in the Adirondack Foothills and Tri-Counties (Warren, Washington, Saratoga) region. The following article(s) were written by Dan Ladd, webmaster for ADKHunter.com and Outdoors Editor for The Chronicle. THe Chronicle's Web site is: http://readthechronicle.com/
Current
Articles:
Queensbury
man helps launch Disabled
Sportsman’s Alliance
By Dan Ladd - Printed in The Chronicle, Sept. 13, 2007 Jeff Lamphear used to be your average small town American. He didn’t mind working hard, was a volunteer fireman and an avid outdoorsman, especially when it came to fishing. But injuries suffered during two stints in the military changed all that. Now Lamphear can barely walk more than a 100 yards without stopping to rest his arthritis stricken knees. A few weeks from now when he does get to one of the few bowhunting spots he can reach, because of shoulder injuries the bow he draws back will be set at a draw-weight much lower than what most hunters his age and stature can handle. If it sounds like Lamphear is looking for sympathy then that is only through the fault of this writer. Things are just the opposite as the 32-year-old electrician from Queensbury has taken the initiative to become a founder and a trustee for the recently established Disabled Sportsmen’s Alliance (DSA). This non-profit organization is just getting started and still awaiting their 501C non-profit status so they can begin raising funds to achieve their goals. Those goals are to provide sportsmen with any number of disabilities the opportunity to enjoy outdoor sports such as hunting, fishing and photography. Lamphear and the DSA
Had Lamphear never have sustained injuries, the idea to help others may
have never entered his mind. “I was actually in the military and separated my shoulder and dislocated my knee during training,” says Lamphear. After 9-11, I decided to go back in and that actually made it worst. I served in the Army and the Marine Corps but got put out a little early because of my problems with my shoulders and my knees.” Lamphear works as an electrician for a business his parents own but doesn’t know how long he can continue. But, as long as he can work he will do so, and his parents are flexible with matching the work to his abilities. He may look normal but once he has to walk any distance, especially one that involves climbing, that all changes. “The type of areas you have to hunt, its actually hard to find and get access to an area that is flat,” he says. “We need better locations to hunt without having to actually be a billy-goat or having to hike like that. That’s my biggest problem.” Lamphear had some help in founding the DSA. In an Internet chat room he met Kelly Hayes, a former police officer from Horseheads, NY (near Elmira) who was injured in the line of duty. The two got involved in similar organization based in the south but decided to form an organization that better reflected their goals and interest and thus the DSA was born. Mission,
goals and plans
Of the DSA Lamphear says, “Our mission is to help someone that is
disabled actually get out again and hunt. I believe that part of the reason for the decline (in numbers) of the outdoor sportsman is partially because people that used to hunt and fish, and that have become disabled, really don’t think that they can get out there and do it. “ The actual mission statement for the DSA is a long one but can be best summarized in the following excerpt taken from it. At the Disabled Sportsmen’s Alliance our goal is to conduct events free of charge for those who have disabilities. We will be continually looking to obtain access to areas that are not only friendly to those who are limited to short distances but also those in wheel chairs. We will also be looking to obtain more accessible fishing areas as well for those who find it difficult to find one suitable for them. The DSA has launched a Web site of numerous chat rooms through a provider called ProBoards. Topics include general information about the DSA, a mixed section that includes humor, recipes and classifieds as well as sections on hunting and trapping, fishing and boating, conservation, veteran’s issues and gear. Membership to the DSA is free and open to anyone, disabled and non-disabled alike. You join simply by logging onto their Web site, http://dspalliance.proboards99.com <http://dspalliance.proboards99.com/> and setting up an account. From there you can monitor the boards and chat rooms and participate as you wish. Once the non-profit status is established the effort will be gaining financial support for the events they wish to hold and getting volunteers, called “hunter-helpers” to step to the plate. These events may include but are not limited to spring turkey hunts, fishing events and photography trips. “What we’ll do is we’ll hold events where people can sign up and that number will be based on the number of hunter-helpers that will actually take these people out,” says Lamphear. “Some will need more help than others.” He continues, “We’re working with a member of our board on a fishing mixer and we want to do some turkey hunting events. Another thing we’re working on is one for people who can’t shoot a gun anymore. We want to take them out with a camera, put them in a blind, which you can do anytime of year, and let them shoot with a camera.” Good timing New York that they surely are interested in broadening to a nationwide status and that several of their 20+ members are from all over the United States. Here in New York their timing may be perfect since the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has undertaken an effort to provide better opportunities for people with disabilities in all areas of outdoor interests. The all-access fishing pier being constructed in South Bay is one example. While finding easily accessible hunting ground ranks right up there the DSA may be able to put a bug in DEC’s ear regarding crossbow use for the disabled. Says Lamphear, “I wish I could use a crossbow. I don’t find it as sporting but with problems with my shoulders with the draw, I think you should be able to. He continues, “If you are a certain percentage disabled and you get a doctor to sign off I think you should be able to use an unmodified crossbow to hunt with during the archery season. Again, I’m not a big proponent of crossbows but I believe that people who are medically classified should be able to use them." Lamphear and Hayes are trustees for the DSA while Lamphear’s wife, Rebecca will serve as treasurer. Lamphear hopes that users will continue to hit the Web site, join the DSA and share information so that by the end of this year plans can begin for 2008 events. “We’re working on a membership application,” he said indicating that things are coming together to the point where the DSA can get on with the business of getting disabled people back in the field. “We want to let them know that you can get back out there. If you are in a wheelchair, it doesn’t matter. Let’s get you hunting again.” Finch Holding Company (formerly Finch Pruyn Co.) Sells 161,000 Acres to The Nature Conservancy On June 19 the above deal was announed. Read about it here: http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/newyork/press/press3018.html This prompted much
discussion amongst us Adirondack hunters and prompted me to address the
topic in my weekly newspaper column.
Thoughts on the Finch/TNC land deal
By Dan Ladd
Printed in The Chronicle, June 28, 2007 When I heard the news that Finch Holding Company had sold it's lands to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) I couldn't help but think of three things; taxes, timber and recreational leases. Under Finch Pruyn Co. dozens of hunting and recreational clubs have leased the company’s 161,000 acres while the company paid taxes and harvested timber. Early reports on the deal spelled out that Finch would maintain timber rights for twenty years. This came as good news. I'm not a prophet but I believe that at least some, if not a very significant amount of these lands will one day be owned buy the State. Therefore they will likely be added to the Adirondack Forest Preserve and thus protected by the "Forever Wild Clause" or, Article XIV of the New York State Constitution which prevents timber harvesting on Forest Preserve lands. How the timber harvesting agreement plays out in relation to the "Forever Wild" clause will be worth watching but at least for now timber harvesting will continue. This not only helps the economies of smaller towns but creates re-growth in the forest and habitat for wildlife. Another likely option for future State involvement would be conservation easements, which allow various amounts of public access, depending on the structure of the easement, but also allow timber companies to maintain harvesting rights. Shortly after the deal was announced I had a conversation with a friend who believed that TNC would not be paying taxes on these lands once they owned them. A press release on Finch Holding’s Web site confirmed that TNC would indeed be paying taxes. Had this not been the case we would likely have seen a major outcry both at the public level as well as that from local governments. Think about it: while some of these lands are nearby in the tri-counties region, a good chunk of them reside in the Hamilton County around towns like Indian Lake and Long Lake as well as Newcomb and Minerva in Essex County. While these towns are big in terms of acreage, they are lightly populated and taking such a large amount of acreage off the tax rolls would be economically devastating. Are
Leases Safe?
Land leases have become an
Adirondack tradition and you can't help but
wonder
what the future holds for the clubs that lease these lands for hunting, snowmobiling and other forms of recreation. You could almost see this one coming, especially with all the easement deals that have gone down in recent years between the State and other timber companies. In some case clubs are allowed to maintain their camps on small parcels – often just one acre - of land while the surrounding lands are opened to the public. In other cases clubs are allowed to maintain their leases with the lands being off limits to the public during the autumn months. In others, still, the camps are lost. As a previous member of a club that leased timber company acreage I'm sure that members of these clubs affiliated with these lands are in a state of uncertainty regarding their future. Many have years of their lives invested in their clubs as well as dollars in their camps. Should they ever have to vacate, some will be able to remove their camps while others would have to sacrifice them. If any holdings go the State outright (not as easements), any structures left on them would likely be destroyed by burning them. TNC stated in their announcement of this deal that leases would be renewed this year Not much was said beyond and it is certainly understandable that they have their work cut out for them on a lot of fronts, mainly the financial one of paying back the $110 million they borrowed from the Open Space Institute to make the purchase. Going forward I'm sure TNC has targeted certain tracts of lands that they would like to have open to the public, albeit under their ownership or not, and maybe even a few that they would like to hold onto themselves as preserves. But these leases are money in the landlord's pocket and I think it would be a good idea for all of the clubs who lease these lands to get together as a group and form some sort of alliance or perhaps get involved with the Adirondack Conservation Council. Then sit down at the table with TNC to discuss the future of these lands and their resources. -DFL Follow up: On July 3, TNC released a Press Release updating the status of public access to these lands, many of which are leased by local hunting clubs. The PR stated the following, "At this time, the Conservancy is not opening any new lands for public access." Also included was the following statement, "With no significant changes to the way the property has been managed in the past, the Finch woodlands staff has been retained by The Nature Conservancy to continue to manage the forests for sustainable timber harvest and oversee the recreational leases. There is a no-tolerance policy for trespass." The PR went on to suggest many scenic drives in the Adirondacks. Here is a link to the July 3, 2007 PR: http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/newyork/press/press3058.html |
