No Interference with Agriculture or Industry 



It should be noted that this park program does not involve 

 the withdrawal of land from agricultural development nor in- 

 terference with or encroachment upon other necessary activities 

 and industries. Because of their character and location, the 

 proposed park developments can be brought about with the 

 minimum of disturbance if they are brought about now. As 

 time goes on, these developments will involve more and more 

 serious difficulties and the time is not far off when they can not 

 be accomplished at all. The greater part of the land in ques- 

 tion is woodland, some of which at least can be used for grow- 

 ing timber. Even in the Adirondacks and Catskills, where state 

 lands must be kept wild and untouched under the constitution, 

 private holdings within the Forest Preserve counties are not 

 crowded out, except to the limited extent necessary for the pro 

 tection of watersheds on which depend water supply, stream 

 flow and water power as well as recreation and wild life. 



Details Left to Legislature 



Only the essential outlines of the proposed state park plan 

 are indicated in the bond issue, all the details being left to the 

 legislature. This committee has, however, prepared a report 

 upon each of the main features of the plan in support of the 

 bond issue bill, merely to indicate the scope and character of 

 the developments regarded as desirable by those most familiar 

 with the local problems. The bond issue proposal simply gives 

 to the voters an opportunity to authorize a comprehensive park 

 program. The amount which is involved is small as compared 

 to the sums which have been and are being spent for other public 

 works. Appropriations for state parks are in the truest sense a 

 permanent investment not only in lands and improvements, but 

 in public health and better citizenship. 



Acknowledgment of Assistance in Preparing the Descriptive 



Report 



In the preparation of the descriptive report which follows, 

 we have been fortunate in having the hearty cooperation of a 

 number of groups and individuals interested in state parks de- 

 velopment. We wish to acknowledge the assistance of the com- 

 missioners of almost all of the larger state parks. In particular, 

 we wish to express our thanks to Mr. Alexander MacDonald, the 

 present Conservation Commissioner, to Mr. George D. Pratt, a 

 former Conservation Commissioner, to Mr. Edward Hagaman 

 Hall, Secretary of the American Scenic and Historic Preser- 

 vation Society and of the Association for the Protection of the 

 Adirondacks, to Mr. J. Du Pratt White, President of the 



