Press Release - July 30, 2010

Paddle Portions of the Raquette River during 2^nd Annual River Awareness Week

COLTON – As part of a week long celebration recognizing the 174 mile Raquette River, join a paddle along various portions of the river and see it from an entirely different angle.

Mike Prescott has paddle the entire length of the Raquette River, offers presentations and slide show about his adventures, and makes a day of paddling a fun and adventurous trip.

Prescott will conduct his presentation: “Raquette River: Four Rivers in One” at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake, on Wednesday, August 4 at 1 p.m. during Raquette River Awareness Week which runs July 31 to August 8.

However, if you really want to get a feel for the river, join Prescott and others on a paddle. The first paddle and river sweep will be Sunday, August 1 at Carry Falls Reservoir starting at 10 a.m. Meet at the access road below Jamestown Falls off Route 56 south of South Colton. The paddle will go by the Jordan River entrance on the Raquette River and take out at the Catamount Lodge pull out. Pick up cars will be able to shuttle people back to the start.

A New York State Licensed Guide, Prescott is a retired secondary school principal and finds a great deal of solace and serenity in the natural world. He spent 34 years working with young people, first as a history teacher and then as a principal. His interest in canoeing and camping began when he was a boy growing up on a small lake on the western edge of the Adirondacks. Part of the Awareness of the River is good stewardship, paddlers are provided with trash bags and asked to help take out refuse if encountered on the trip.

Prescott’s second paddle will take place on Tuesday, August 3, beginning near Forked Lake. This is a 10 a.m. start, and is expected to be about a 5 hour paddle with a couple of carries around Buttermilk Falls and Deerland Carry. The total paddling distance is 12 miles. The start is about 5 miles past Forked Lake campground on North Point Road.

The Laurentian Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club is also leading a paddle in observance of Raquette River Awareness Week, on the evening of August 4 at Colton Flow.  This paddle is open to the public.  For details contact leader Tom Ortmeyer at 315-265-8219.

On August 6 you can join Prescott in paddling from Axton Landing to The Crusher near Tupper Lake. The start of the paddle is located off Corey Roads from State Highway 3 about 10 miles south east of Tupper Lake. This paddle is about 11 miles and will take four to five hours. It is a scenic area passing by the Follensby Pond outlet, Trombley’s Landing. There are no carries on this paddle.

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All participants should bring their own safety gear for each paddle, as well as snack and water. For more information on his paddles, contact Mike Prescott at mpresco1@nycap.rr.com

Potsdam will host a great event to try out different canoes and kayak on July 31 with Wear on Earth. Get the paddle wet and try out different models from 2 to 5 p.m. For information on the demo days, contact Wear on Earth at 315-265-3178.

There will also be a group paddle and river sweep from Potsdam to Hewittville starting at 2 p.m. Paddlers for this event should bring their own safety gear, water and snack.

The Raquette River Blueway Corridor Advisory Committee is a coalition of businesspeople, private land owners, municipalities, governmental agencies and paddling enthusiasts working together to develop a broad-based strategy to promote and sustain one of the region’s most important and beautiful natural assets.   

The mission of the Raquette River Blueway Corridor Project is:

• To develop a sense of unity and cooperation among the corridor communities of this second longest river in New York State;
• To promote economic development and tourism through enhancement of riverside assets and recreational activities while protecting the natural resources of the corridor and riverside hamlets, and being respectful of public and private property;
• To engage municipalities, local and regional organizations, businesses, and individuals in joint promotion of the scenic and recreational resources of the river corridor;
• To foster a cooperative effort that strengthens the capacity of each municipality to address its local priorities while participating in the development and implementation of a coordinated corridor plan. 

This initiative is made possible with local contributions and the New York State Department of State, with funds provided under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund.

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For Immediate Release…Contact Jim Murphy at (315) 265-1670 For More Info 

Shutterbugs Sought for Raquette River Photo Contest

The Raquette River Blueway Corridor Advisory Committee is calling on all shutterbugs to help capture and highlight the beauty of New York State’s second longest river through a new photo contest to be held in conjunction with Raquette River Awareness Week, July 31 to Aug. 8.

Photographers of all ages and abilities are invited to submit their favorite photos of the Raquette River, stretching from Blue Mountain Lake to Akwesasne. We are looking for striking images of the river’s natural landscape, portraits of wildlife in natural habitat, or of people or structures interacting with the river. Horizontal images are preferred, as winning entries will be highlighted in a Raquette River Blueway Corridor calendar to be published for 2011. Entries will be judged on originality, technical excellence, composition, overall impact and artistic merit.  

There is no entry fee. Contestants are asked to submit no more than four electronic images for judging. Digital images should be emailed to jmurphy@vi.potsdam.ny.us by July 23. Please email only one digital image per email. Include the following with your entry: The words “Photo Contest” should be included in the subject line, and each entry should include the photographers name, email and physical address, location and approximate date the photo was taken as well as a brief description. 

All digital images should be of publication quality. We are looking for high quality images in either TIFF or JPEG format. Digital photographs should not be compressed, and may not be altered beyond adjustment of brightness, contrast and sharpness – photos should not contain additional elements that were not present when the photo was taken. In order to assure the highest resolution, the image quality control on your digital camera should be set to Fine, High Quality (HQ) or Super High Quality at the time the photo is taken. 

Judging for the contest will be conducted in two stages. Once qualified entries are accepted, they will be placed on line for public viewing through flickr. The public, along with a panel of judges, will be invited to post their comments and vote on the top 12 entries by visiting http://www.flickr.com/photos/raquette_contest/  

The most popular entries will be included in a traveling photo exhibit that will be featured at events to be held in communities along the river during Raquette River Awareness Week. For a complete list of photo exhibit locations and other Awareness Week activities, check out the Raquette River Blueway Corridor website at: http://racquetteriver.com/

Contest winners will be announced in August, with a number of prizes to be awarded. Decisions of the judges are final. By entering this contest, contestants warrant that the image submitted is his/her original work and that he/she is the owner of the image. While contestants retain all rights to their images, contestants must grant permission of unrestricted use of the image by the Raquette River Blueway Corridor Advisory Committee, or its designee, to use the image in future publications, exhibits and on its internet site to promote the values and mission of the Raquette River Blueway Corridor group. In some cases, a model release will be required.

A complete list of guidelines will be posted at http://racquetteriver.com/ and will be sent to each contestant upon submission. Contact Jim Murphy at (315) 265-1670 for further information.

The Raquette River Blueway Corridor Advisory Committee is a coalition of businesspeople, private land owners, municipalities, governmental agencies and paddling enthusiasts working together to develop a broad-based strategy to promote and sustain one of the region’s most important and beautiful natural assets. 

The mission of the Raquette River Blueway Corridor Project is:

• To develop a sense of unity and cooperation among the corridor communities of this second longest river in New York State;
• To promote economic development and tourism through enhancement of riverside assets and recreational activities while protecting the natural resources of the corridor and riverside hamlets, and being respectful of public and private property;
• To engage municipalities, local and regional organizations, businesses, and individuals in joint promotion of the scenic and recreational resources of the river corridor;
• To foster a cooperative effort that strengthens the capacity of each municipality to address its local priorities while participating in the development and implementation of a coordinated corridor plan.

This initiative is made possible with local contributions and the New York State Department of State with funds provided under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund.

July 31 (Saturday)

Treasure Hunt on the Red Sandstone Trail. The Laurentian Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club invites you to celebrate Raquette River Awareness Week with this easy hike specially designed for children and their parents. We’ll start in Hannawa Falls and hike to the Northern Terminus.  Along the way hikers will have to solve clues to find hidden “Letter Boxes.” A few inclines but only about 2 miles. For information including meeting time and place, contact Blair Madore at madorebf@potsdam.edu or 315-265-0602

August 4th (Wednesday)

Evening paddle and picnic on the Colton Reservoir of the Raquette River with the Laurentian Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club, celebrating Raquette River Awareness Week. For details including meeting time and place contact Tom Ortmeyer at 315-265-8219 or tortmeye@twcny.rr.com

August 7 (Saturday)

Hike Blue Mountain with the Laurentian Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club.  An easy-to-moderate hike for adults and within the capability of many children, who are especially welcome. Celebrate Raquette River Awareness Week with a scenic drive up the river valley and a hike to a terrific view of Blue Mountain Lake, near the headwaters of the Raquette. 4 miles round trip, 1600 ft of gain. Optional swim in Long Lake afterwards. For details including start time and place, contact John Barron at 613-828-2296 or johnbarron@sympatico.ca

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FROM: Raquette River Blueway Corridor Executive Committee

CONTACT:  Ruth McWilliams – Co-Chair of Stewardship, Education & Access Committee (315-262-2450; ruth@catamountlodge.com)

Meeting about Raquette River Corridor on May 3, 2010 at The Wild Center

As the second longest river in New York State, the Raquette River is important to residents and visitors alike for environmental, social, economic, and cultural reasons.  On Monday, May 3^rd, a Networking Meeting about the Raquette River Blueway Corridor will be held at The Wild Center in Tupper Lake. 

The Wild Center, in partnership with the Town of Colton and many others, is helping care for the land and water resources in the river corridor and is promoting the river corridor for its many benefits.  A Blueway Corridor Plan, developed with financial support from the New York State Department of State with funds provided under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund, guides the effort.  The Town of Colton serves as the grant administrator.

The Networking Meeting is an opportunity to learn more about the Blueway Corridor effort and to meet others who are working together from the headwaters of the Raquette at Blue Mountain Lake in Hamilton County to its outlet into the St. Lawrence River at Akwesasne.  Planning also will begin for the annual Raquette River Awareness Week being held July 31 to August 7 this year.  The Networking Meeting will be held from 10 am to 3:30 pm, followed by ‘back-of-the- house’ tours of The Wild Center.  Pre-registration is advised.

To reserve a place at the meeting please check the Raquette River website (http://www.raquetteriver.com) for the RSVP / Response Form.  People also can call the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce (toll free at 877-228-7810 or locally at 386-4000).  There is no cost to attend unless lunch is purchased.  Lunches must be reserved in advance and paid for upon arrival.

The Blueway Corridor Plan recommends improving access to the Raquette River, increasing awareness of the river for recreation purposes, and promoting communities in the river corridor as travel destinations.  Through a combination of efforts a network of river advocates is working to bring much-needed tourism dollars to the region while protecting, promoting, and enhancing important resources.  The Plan incorporates a number of initiatives and activities designed to create and promote the Blueway; and calls for improvements including better signage, new information centers and kiosks, better trails and river access points, and enhancements of existing local parks, boat launches, and scenic overlooks.

More information about the Raquette River Blueway Corridor including the Blueway Corridor Plan is available at http://www.raquetteriver.com

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RAQUETTE RIVER BLUEWAY CORRIDOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING - FEBRUARY 12, 2010

Present: Walt Paul, Bill Swafford, Fred Hanss, Pat Whalen, Danny Parker, Larry Patzwald, MJ Watson, Louise Bixby (by phone) and Ruth McWilliams (by phone) 

Hanss called the meeting to order at 1 p.m. in the Brookfield Conference Room. A quorum was present.

The minutes of the January 15, 2010 meeting were previously distributed to Committee members. Parker requested that “Carry Falls access” be changed to “Carry Falls Boat Launch at the Dam.” Swafford moved and Parker seconded that the minutes of the January 15, 2010 meeting be approved with this correction. Carried Unanimously.

Patzwald moved and Swafford seconded that the agenda be approved as presented. Carried Unanimously.

Bixby, on behalf of the Governance Committee, reported that she would send an updated e-mail list to committee members.

Bixby, on behalf of the Marketing Committee, reported that the website had been down for a couple of weeks and that Jon Kopp would work on maintaining the site. The group needs to consider on keeping it current so that the website can become more active. McWilliams recommended a conference call to discuss the website. Bixby noted that the best time to reach Kopp was at 7:30 p.m. most evenings. The Potsdam Village Board Room would be available for conference calls except for Monday and Thursday evenings.

Hanss noted that the TAUNY website was one of the best he had seen in Northern New York. Watson recommended that committee members check out Firstwilderness.org which covers the Upper Hudson. McWilliams recommended rivermap.org as an example. Everyone was in agreement that the current website badly needed updating. Before the next meeting committee members are to review the current website, compare it to others, and send their recommendations to Bill Swafford who will compile the comments before the next meeting.

Promotional materials will bring needed attention to the Blueway Corridor. Hanss indicated that possibly the Village of Potsdam would include funding in their budget for promotional materials. Other communities along the river have not been contacted for funding in years and need to be recontacted. John Omohundro has indicated that he would assist in the design of a brochure. McWilliams indicated that brochures live electronically today. Whalen indicated that the group needs to include the Blue Mountain Lake area to include the whole length of the river. He will contact Region 5 for input. Kopp will work out the letterhead problems currently experienced possibly creating a template. An updated brochure can be used during RRAW informing people of assets available along the river corridor attracting multiple audiences. Each community needs to be included in the brochure. Whalen has contacted Albany DEC which has indicated its willingness to help with the design. Patzwald stated that high school art classes could also be involved in the design of a logo. A good logo depends on theme, style and color. Whalen will prepare a list of 5-6 required elements making up a good logo design. This will be reviewed by Sharon O’Brien of ANCA for her comments.

A comprehensive media list needs to be developed and relationships nurtured with the media. NCPR covers the entire river corridor.

Input regarding RRAW has been received from Mike Prescott regarding his willingness to work on Deerland trail maintenance and to lead paddles. Watson suggested that the focus of RRAW should be events such as developed last year.

The group will consider a business summit for next fall.

The Stewardship Committee will network with local businesses before the business summit. Whalen suggested a meeting with ANCA before any business summit is held, possibly at the Wild Center. The next meeting of the Stewardship, Education and Access Committee will be February 19 at 8:30 a.m. at Brookfield.

Discussion ensued regarding the name of the group—RRCP or RRBC. Paul will prepare a T chart with pros and cons to be filled out before the next meeting. Currently, the website has RRCP while the reports indicate Blueway Corridor or Corridor Blueway. Paul considers blueway to be a limiting term and considers RRCP a good brand that drives the flavor of the website. Bixby indicated that this conversation had been had before. One suggestion was Raquette River Corridor: A Blueway. McWilliams indicated the need for a resolution in the name for any brochure and logo development. Paul and McWilliams will check the definition of a scenic byway and prepare a short think piece for the group.

Watson reported that DOS had some suggestions for the SUNY contract and that she had made them. Hanss and Watson indicated that those suggestions in no way changed the scope of work to be performed. The changes were just to insure that the oral history work would be eligible for local match.

Paul and Swafford reported that the St. Lawrence County Trails Advisory Group was currently exploring alternatives to access into Long Pond, Tooley Pond and Rainbow. They are current working with a private landowner to secure access. Tim Lemieux of Brookfield and Rob Shanty have requested that ideas be submitted to them to consider to allow ATV and snowmobile access to Brookfield property. Security and water flow issues need to be consider in allowing a crossing below Rainbow Dam. Picketville Road and Gold Mine Roads are also under consideration and would provide areas where ATVs and snowmobiles would not disturb people. The goal is a cross county route.

Watson reported that the only amount she had so far to request from the Raquette River Advisory Group was $500 for RRAW posters.

The group briefly reviewed the 2009 RRAW events and determined that most were successful. Bixby thought that the advisory committee should find someone to coordinate the river sweeps. Blair Madore of ADK is to be contacted. Mike Prescott has been the link between American Rivers and the NFCT. Hanss will call Madore to ascertain his interest in undertaking the coordination of the river sweeps. Whalen suggested that Trout Unlimited and Bass Unlimited be contacted. Another suggested was to promote the adoption of a clean up site during RRAW. DEC and Brookfield will be asked to identify sites and groups.

Ideas for RRAW activities will be discussed at the next meeting.

Hanss reported that the Potsdam LWRP has met again and that Watson will be drafting the initial RFP for a consultant. The outreach program to obtain community members has been successful. The Potsdam Planning and Development office and the advisory committee will work on the inventory and analysis phase of the work program since the committee feels that this is something that they can do themselves to save money.

The next meeting will be March 12 at 1 p.m. at Brookfield.

The meeting adjourned at 3:05 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
MJ Watson
 

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