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From a press release by DEC:
For Release: IMMEDIATE
Wednesday, October 5, 2005 (518) 897-1211
DEC RECOGNIZES HADLEY MOUNTAIN FIRE TOWER COMMITTEE
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Regional Director Stuart Buchanan today recognized the Hadley Mountain Fire Tower Committee for their 10 year effort to restore and maintain the Hadley Mountain Fire Tower and its surroundings.
“The Hadley Mountain Fire Tower Committee has been an outstanding partner and a superb steward of the fire tower, the observer’s cabin and the trail on Hadley Mountain,†said Director Buchanan. “The DEC, the public lands and the public themselves have been greatly served by the efforts of the Committee and its volunteers.â€
The DEC recognized the Committee for 10 years of stewardship in restoring and maintaining the Hadley Mountain Fire Tower and trail; providing public enjoyment of the fire tower; and instilling the public with knowledge and appreciation of the cultural and natural history of the fire tower and its surroundings.
The Hadley Mountain Fire Tower is located in the northwestern portion of the Town of Hadley in Saratoga County. The fire tower was erected in 1917, but over the years, as the primary tool for fire detection shifted from fire towers to aerial observation, it fell into a state of disuse and disrepair.
In 1994 a group of dedicated individuals committed to restoring the fire tower banded together and formed the Committee to Renovate the Hadley Mountain Fire Tower, later renamed the Hadley Mountain Fire Tower Committee. The members came from various backgrounds and interest but all shared a love of fire towers in general and the Hadley Mountain Fire Tower in particular. DEC Forest Ranger Steven Guenther not only brought the historic bond between forest rangers and fire towers to the Committee, he also brought the experience and knowledge of restoring fire towers having assisted on the restoration of the Blue Mountain Fire Tower.
The Committee established three main goals: restoring the fire tower; developing a public education program and restoring the observer’s cabin. Recognizing the need for local support, the committee provided a series of presentations on the history of fire towers to local municipalities, civic organizations and historic associations. These groups and local residents began donating funds for the restoration of the fire tower. Saratoga County Cooperative Extension agreed to manage the funds.
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In partnership with the DEC, the committee then initiated efforts to meet its first goal - restoring the fire tower and opening it to the public. While the Committee paid for the materials, DEC engineers evaluated the fire tower and identified the needed repairs; a State helicopter transported equipment and materials to the summit; DEC operations staff dismantled and replaced stairs, landings and the compartment floor; and DEC Forest Rangers replaced or repaired the support footers, structural steel components and all the windows.
The Committee’s goal for a public education program was obtained by developing an interpretive brochure and hiring a summit steward to greet visitors. The interpretive brochure provides cultural and natural history information of the fire tower and its surroundings - as well as tips on how to be a safe and responsible hiker - utilizing 6 stations along the trail and the summit itself. A summit steward is present on the mountain top from July 4th to Labor Day each summer, greeting visitors and providing the same information The summit steward also provides an “I Climbed Hadley Mountain†card to all visitors they meet at the summit. The card is based on the cards that were distributed in the past by fire observers at many of the fire towers in the Adirondacks. The Committee provides the summit steward with a stipend and the Saratoga County Cooperative Extension workman’s compensation coverage.
While not yet complete, significant progress has been made on the restoration of the observer’s cabin. DEC has provided some funding for this effort to supplement the Committee’s funds. DEC also transported materials to the summit by helicopter and Forest Rangers provided much of the labor. A new roof was installed, a fresh coat of stain applied, windows and shutters were replaced, and storm covers and a door were installed. Replacing the porch railings and some other minor work are all that is left to complete the restoration. The summit steward resides in the observer’s cabin when on the mountain.
The Committee has also has been maintaining the trail to the summit. All of the Committees work on the mountain is done under an “Adopt a Natural Resource†agreement with the DEC.
DEC commends the Hadley Mountain Fire Tower Committee for all of its efforts and the public benefit derived from their work.
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05-124
For Release: IMMEDIATE
Wednesday, October 5, 2005 (518) 897-1211
DEC RECOGNIZES HADLEY MOUNTAIN FIRE TOWER COMMITTEE
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Regional Director Stuart Buchanan today recognized the Hadley Mountain Fire Tower Committee for their 10 year effort to restore and maintain the Hadley Mountain Fire Tower and its surroundings.
“The Hadley Mountain Fire Tower Committee has been an outstanding partner and a superb steward of the fire tower, the observer’s cabin and the trail on Hadley Mountain,†said Director Buchanan. “The DEC, the public lands and the public themselves have been greatly served by the efforts of the Committee and its volunteers.â€
The DEC recognized the Committee for 10 years of stewardship in restoring and maintaining the Hadley Mountain Fire Tower and trail; providing public enjoyment of the fire tower; and instilling the public with knowledge and appreciation of the cultural and natural history of the fire tower and its surroundings.
The Hadley Mountain Fire Tower is located in the northwestern portion of the Town of Hadley in Saratoga County. The fire tower was erected in 1917, but over the years, as the primary tool for fire detection shifted from fire towers to aerial observation, it fell into a state of disuse and disrepair.
In 1994 a group of dedicated individuals committed to restoring the fire tower banded together and formed the Committee to Renovate the Hadley Mountain Fire Tower, later renamed the Hadley Mountain Fire Tower Committee. The members came from various backgrounds and interest but all shared a love of fire towers in general and the Hadley Mountain Fire Tower in particular. DEC Forest Ranger Steven Guenther not only brought the historic bond between forest rangers and fire towers to the Committee, he also brought the experience and knowledge of restoring fire towers having assisted on the restoration of the Blue Mountain Fire Tower.
The Committee established three main goals: restoring the fire tower; developing a public education program and restoring the observer’s cabin. Recognizing the need for local support, the committee provided a series of presentations on the history of fire towers to local municipalities, civic organizations and historic associations. These groups and local residents began donating funds for the restoration of the fire tower. Saratoga County Cooperative Extension agreed to manage the funds.
(MORE)
-2-
In partnership with the DEC, the committee then initiated efforts to meet its first goal - restoring the fire tower and opening it to the public. While the Committee paid for the materials, DEC engineers evaluated the fire tower and identified the needed repairs; a State helicopter transported equipment and materials to the summit; DEC operations staff dismantled and replaced stairs, landings and the compartment floor; and DEC Forest Rangers replaced or repaired the support footers, structural steel components and all the windows.
The Committee’s goal for a public education program was obtained by developing an interpretive brochure and hiring a summit steward to greet visitors. The interpretive brochure provides cultural and natural history information of the fire tower and its surroundings - as well as tips on how to be a safe and responsible hiker - utilizing 6 stations along the trail and the summit itself. A summit steward is present on the mountain top from July 4th to Labor Day each summer, greeting visitors and providing the same information The summit steward also provides an “I Climbed Hadley Mountain†card to all visitors they meet at the summit. The card is based on the cards that were distributed in the past by fire observers at many of the fire towers in the Adirondacks. The Committee provides the summit steward with a stipend and the Saratoga County Cooperative Extension workman’s compensation coverage.
While not yet complete, significant progress has been made on the restoration of the observer’s cabin. DEC has provided some funding for this effort to supplement the Committee’s funds. DEC also transported materials to the summit by helicopter and Forest Rangers provided much of the labor. A new roof was installed, a fresh coat of stain applied, windows and shutters were replaced, and storm covers and a door were installed. Replacing the porch railings and some other minor work are all that is left to complete the restoration. The summit steward resides in the observer’s cabin when on the mountain.
The Committee has also has been maintaining the trail to the summit. All of the Committees work on the mountain is done under an “Adopt a Natural Resource†agreement with the DEC.
DEC commends the Hadley Mountain Fire Tower Committee for all of its efforts and the public benefit derived from their work.
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05-124