DEC To Hold Hearing On Kaaterskill Parks Traffic Management

HUDSON VALLEY, NY —New York conservation officials will hold a virtual public meeting for its Visitor Use Management project for Kaaterskill Clove.

The meeting is the second round of opportunities for public and stakeholder input on the Department of Environmental Conservation's proposed management strategies for the Kaaterskill Falls and environs.

The Kaaterskill Clove region is in designated Wild Forest and includes the iconic Kaaterskill Falls that is easily accessed by trail and observation platform. The Long Path runs through the Kaaterskill Falls Wild Forest and connects Wilderness areas to the north and south of the Kaaterskill Falls Wild Forest. The Kaaterskill Clove region is near the communities of Hunter, Tannersville, and Palenville.

DEC's Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said the agency is trying to develop sustainable planning and management to protect the park's unique natural resources, while balancing the economic and public safety needs of the Catskill Forest Preserve region.

The virtual public meeting on the Kaaterskill Clove VUM is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. June 26. Those interested in participating must register to attend.

During the virtual meeting, the project team will provide an overview of the VUM projects currently underway, including their purpose, expected outcomes, and how DEC will use the outcomes. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, share ideas for potential management strategies and actions that could potentially close the gap between existing and desired conditions.

The time lapse video was developed to depict current conditions at Kaaterskill Falls and the Clove during typically busy periods in August 2023. It was produced for the Kaaterskill Clove Visitor Use Management Planning Project. For additional information, visit the Kaaterskill Clove project website.