State plans hearings on changes in the Adirondacks Moose River Plains Wild Forest

ALBANY -- The Adirondack Park Agency and the state Department of Environmental Conservation say they'll hold three public hearings on a series of management actions proposed for the central and southern Adirondacks.

The 50,000 acres in parts of Hamilton and Herkimer counties are a draw for hiking, paddling, hunting, camping snowmobiling and biking, among other activities.

The state wants to take a variety of steps, including some changes in snowmobile trails, allowing drive-in camping sites to remain along the Limekiln Lake-Cedar River Road, reclassifying about 15,000 acres as "wilderness" -- the most protective classification -- and creating an opportunity for float plane access into Beaver, Squaw and Indian lakes.

The hearings are scheduled for August 16th in Indian Lake and Inlet, and August 18th at DEC headquarters in Albany.

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