Adirondack Hard Times: Evolution of a Rich Man's Paradise - Paperback

by Andrew Egan (Author)

Northern New York's Adirondack Mountains and the six million acres of the Adirondack Park evolved from a rugged, forested wilderness into a playground for the wealthy. Great camps where out-of-state tourists stay in luxury stand alongside economically struggling communities. Although some look to the Adirondack Park as a model for preservation, others, especially year-round locals, are critical of the park's persistent poverty marked by blatant inequality. These disputes are imbedded in the history of the region, as the creation of the park and expansion in the nineteenth century led to layers of land use regulation and bureaucratic control that resulted in competing special interests. Local author Andrew Egan explores the park's roots, how it became a rich man's paradise and the challenges facing the local community.

Author Biography

Andrew Egan has been a tenured professor on the forest science faculties of the University of Maine and Laval University (Québec). He has been dean of the School of Forestry and Natural Resources at Paul Smith's College, executive director of the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute, dean of the Faculty of Science at Brandon University and head of campus in the University of Maine system. He is cofounder of the Gola Foundation, which supports the education of disadvantaged youth in rural West Africa.