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Follow Nathan: Tupper Lake, NY Conservation or Local Economy? A Town Torn
Where do I begin? First of all I would like to apologize for the small gap in between my blog entries. I have been juggling a tremendous amount of outdoor exploration and perpetual youth here in the Adirondacks combined with great conversations, local activities and intermittent internet access.
I left Lake Placid on Friday morning and enjoyed a beautiful ride through the Adirondacks. There is no real way of describing how picturesque and surreal the wilderness truly is in this part of the country and my blogs and pictures will never do it justice. I would tell you to take a trip and
drive into the Adirondacks to experience what I describe for yourself however that is a touchy subject (will touch on that shortly). Stopping in Saranac Lake to enjoy a bite to eat and staring at the lake was certainly a pleasant way to spend a few minutes as I headed into Tupper Lake. After a few short hours of sun filled riding through the wild and aroma filled wilderness I arrived in “Tupper”. It was kind of an out of the ordinary arrival as there are two separate stretches of main street and I wasn’t clear on where I was supposed to be. I decided to pedal forward to the “second part of town” and got a tip for a local campground where I could stay the night. I arrived at the campground just about 2 miles from town and set up shop. It was quite pleasant as my tent site was nestled right on the Little Wolf Pond and offered a great view receding sunlight.
After I got my camp all set up I decided the best thing to do was cool off with a cold beer and conversation with some local people. So I headed on down to a small pub called P2’s I had noted on the way through town. I must say the first thing I noticed when I arrived in Tupper Lake was the excessive difference between the tourist driven and more polished Lake Placid. Tupper was a bit more weathered and “blue collar” and this was just fine by me as I am huge fan of individuals of character and the American middle class. But what I found interesting is that at first glance you almost get this impression that there is a great deal of wealth in the area. As I pedaled my way into the area I noticed the beautiful homes on the lakes and some expensive cars and in some ways I suppose there is a great deal of wealth here (guess it depends how you measure wealth) BUT in many other ways there is a great economic struggle. As I started to make conversation with the gentlemen next to me it became clear very quickly that there is a tension and a disconnection between the locals/natives, the conservation movement and the “2nd home owner types”. It’s truly a combination that currently doesn’t mix and you can cut the tension with a knife.
From what I have gathered there is a great complexity in the way of creating balance and producing a viable economy locally and the act of protecting and preserving the Adirondacks and beyond that it appears as though there is a great struggle within the conservation groups themselves and I get the impression that everyone wants the same thing… but there is a struggle to work together and accomplish these goals. For me personally I am a bit torn… I certainly want to see the good people of Tupper Lake establish a vibrant economy, create new jobs and have the resources to enjoy this precious land they call home. But I also cannot stand to sit back and watch more and more tourist drive through the park (the word “park” will be talked about in the near future) and leave behind
litter and pollution as they make their way into the Adirondacks. This is truly one of the most beautiful parts of the entire world (and the locals know and understand that) It’s truly a matter of how can we create balance and how can we make it work?
To give you a stronger understanding of the current situation in Tupper Lake I would like to reference a proposed project in the area that is of hot debate. This proposed ski resort has been a much talked about topic of conversation for over 5 years now and the outcome is still to be determined. At this point I am not 100% sure where I stand. But what I do know and have experienced firsthand in Vermont is that when people work together they can accomplish anything and for the town and area of Tupper Lake and the conservation groups I certainly hope they can all come together as a team. In my honest opinion I believe there is certainly equilibrium for both community and conservation. I will miss the little town of Tupper Lake and I wish them the best of luck.
Until next time take care and take action!
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