Research Notes: Studying Ski Slopes

An article in the New York Times reports on research by Dr. Jennifer Burt of UC Davis on the difference between creating downhill ski slopes by tree-cutting versus bulldozing and grading. Dr. Burt's research suggests tree-cutting is a more sustainable option.

In a related topic, author and blogger Phil Brown opens a discussion in the Adirondack Almanac on the environmental impacts of ski glade creation. Forester Michael Snyder suggests there are good and bad ways to cut backcountry glades in a 2004 article in Northern Woodlands Magazine.

With warming trend, ice forms later in Adirondacks

Science calls Mirror Lake an indicator
By MICHAEL VIRTANEN Associated Press Writer

ALBANY — Ice is forming this week on picturesque Mirror Lake, weeks later than it once did as scientists continue to document a century-long warming trend.

"The weather is so variable, and the data sets are so few or incomplete, the ice cover is the one thing that stands out above everything else," said Curt Stager, professor of natural sciences at Paul Smith's College. "It's the most obvious, irrefutable sign of climate change in the North Country."

Stager and three other scientists co-authored a recent paper in the Adirondack Journal of Environmental Studies plotting regional climate changes since data collection began in the early 1900s. The data showed ice on Mirror Lake forming 14 or 15 days later and melting three or four days earlier than it did then, consistent with records from several other high-elevation Adirondack lakes.

Colin Beier, a researcher at the Adirondack Ecological Center of the State University College of Environmental Science and Forestry, said climate is affected by geography in the 6 million-acre Adirondack Park, a place with mountains, lake effects, weather from Canada and other local factors.

A separate preliminary trend analysis from 1950 to 2008 found high mean temperatures in the High Peaks area increasing a few degrees while those in the southwestern Adirondacks around West Canada Lakes were decreasing by a similar amount.

"There's a lot of hysteria about climate change right now," Beier said. "It's important for us as scientists to present as sober and clean a picture as possible."

The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2007 found it "very likely" that most observed warming globally is due to the buildup of heat-trapping gases from burning fossil fuels. A 193-nation conference ended last weekend in Copenhagen with a limited agreement to address global warming amid acrimony over failure to reach a legally binding deal. Scientific debate continues over causes and forecasts.

With data from seven sites around the Adirondack region, the four scientists reported mean annual temperatures from 1926 to 2005 rose overall only "slightly," or about 1.5 degrees. However, measured over the most recent 30 years, the trend was more pronounced and statistically significant for the months of September, up an average of 4.7 degrees, and December, up 3.4 degrees. May was 1.7 degrees cooler.

Some of the best ice records came from Mirror Lake, which can be seen from Main Street in Lake Placid.

One of the longer-term goals of the research is to develop useful projections, with knowledge of underlying mechanisms and avoid the "oversimplification" of projecting historical trends forward, they wrote.

Stager noted that there was a warm spell in the 1950s in this part of the world and said that depending on the time frame used, it was possible to draw different conclusions. "If you start in the 1950s, it makes it seem like there's not much change. If you start in the '60s, it's a ramp upwards everywhere," Stager said.

The corrected United States Historical Climatology Network data they used came from Dannemora, Indian Lake, Lake Placid, Stillwater, Tupper Lake and Wanakena in the Adirondacks, as well as Lowville just west toward the Tug Hill Plateau.

They also found an increase in stream discharge over a century, indicating "an overall wetting trend," and more rain, particularly in August. Some migratory birds also are now arriving earlier.

[Photo: A dog sled navigates Mirror Lake during an earlier winter. 2004 Plattsburgh Press Republican File Photo]

New book on the "Great Experiment in Conservation"

The current and two former presidents of the Adirondack Research Consortium recently finished editing "The Great Experiment in Conservation: Voices from the Adirondacks". The new book, which resulted in part from collaborations through annual ARC conferences, was published by Syracuse University Press in July of 2009. Editors William Porter, Jon Erickson, and Ross Whaley pull together a who's who of Adirondack scientists, writers, advocates, and politically active citizens who write about the natural, cultural, and economic cornerstones of the Adirondack Park across 34 chapters.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Adam Hothschild writes:

I’d love to see this important book be required reading for every New York State legislator and opinion-maker. Alive with personal voices, it is also packed with vital
information and at times justifiably angry at what we human beings have done to the Adirondacks. It reminds us of what we've lost, of what we can still save, and of
what a rare treasure this extraordinary region is.

A recent review by Midwest Book Reviews describes the book as a:

... seminal work of impressive scholarship ... [and] a core addition to academic library Environmental Studies reference collections, and especially recommended for non-specialist general readers with an interest in American conversation history and land preservation in general, and the Adirondack Park in particular.

For more information, visit the 2009 spring catalog page of Syracuse University Press. You can also listen to Ross Whaley, co-editor and former Adirondack Park Agency chairman, talk about the "Great Experiment" in a September 17th, 2009 interview with Brian Mann of North Country Public Radio.

Pioneering Acid Rain Researcher Receives Adirondack Achievement Award

The Adirondack Research Consortium (ARC) presented the 2009 Adirondack Achievement Award to pioneering acid rain researcher Dr. Dudley J. Raynal of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse. Dr. Raynal’s award was presented at a luncheon ceremony on May 21, 2009 as part of the 16th Annual Conference on the Adirondacks, May 20-21, 2009, at the High Peaks Resort in Lake Placid.

In 1978, Dudley Raynal initiated the establishment of the acid rain monitoring station at the Huntington Wildlife Forest in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. This is one of the oldest monitoring stations in the U.S. and has been in continuous operation for 30 years. Information gathered from this and other monitoring stations throughout the country has provided the scientific basis to identify the causes of this problem. Through the years, Dudley has also been involved in many research projects to determine the impacts of acid rain on Adirondack lakes, plants, and forests.

Dr. Raynal’s work has been extensively published and he has received numerous international research awards. Dudley recently retired from the position of Dean of Instruction and Graduate at SUNY- ESF where he is both Professor Emeritus and Distinguished Teaching Professor.

The ARC’s Adirondack Achievement Award is an annual award given to an individual or group of individuals who have demonstrated significant contributions to the long term sustainability of the Adirondack Park. Dr. William Porter, ARC President, said “Dudley Raynal’s pioneering leadership in researching the impacts of acid rain is a clear indicator of his commitment to the future of the Adirondack Park and the broader scientific community”.

In the photo above, Dr. Porter, at left, presents the 2009 Adirondack Achievement Award to Dr. Raynal. (Photo taken by Ken Rimany, Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks)

Research Notes: Valuation of Natural Resource Improvements in the Adirondacks

The posting of this publication, Valuation of Natural Resource Improvements in the Adirondacks, is a follow up to the initial post regarding the study of how much people are willing to pay for natural resources in the Adirondack Park. Published in 2004 by H. Spencer Banzhaf, Dallas Burtraw, David Evans, and Alan J. Krupnick, this article outlines specific facts and figures that were arrived to after surveying Adirondack residents. The estimates collected by this group revealed that residents would be willing to pay $48 to $107 annually to benefit the Adirondack region, implying the potential for vast statewide benefits. This article will hopefully offer a little more insight and connectedness to the previous posting.

Research Notes: Mercury Contamination in Sport Fish in the Northeast

Mercury deposition in aquatic ecosystems is becoming an increasing issue both worldwide and in the Adirondack park region. In the publication "Mercury Contamination in Sport Fish in the Northeastern United States: Considerations for Future Data Collection," researchers studied the levels of mercury contamination of sport fish in lakes throughout the Northeast. They were met with numerous obstacles that led them to create suggestions for future data collections. The main purpose of their study was to judge the human dimensions of the food web and natural resources, and to determine how humans would be affected by the contamination present in the aquatic ecosystems. Although the study was flawed, the researchers were able to outline ways in which future research could be conducted in order to better judge potential impacts of mercurial fish on human health.

Research Notes: Wind Turbines in the Adirondack Park

In March, the Adirondack Park Agency announced that it wants to make it easier for residents to construct wind turbines on their property. Through recent initiatives calling for an increased presence of alternative energy sources in the region, the APA believes that wind energy is a step in the right direction. It is the hope of the APA that the Adirondack community will no longer feel discouraged from installing small scale turbines in their communities based on their revised regulations. The proposal, scheduled to be put up for APA board review this past April, would open up many opportunities for the erection of wind turbines throughout the park.

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