The idea for this site began in 2002 as an oral history project. I taped and transcribed in-depth interviews with nearly 100 people, capturing the stories of those who fought for and against the Adirondack Park’s trailblazing land-use plans. The stories I heard were so dramatic and surprising that I had to write two books.
As I learned more about the story, my research partner (and spouse, Tania Werbizky) and I spent several years poring through archives that contain the records of activists and agencies that shaped the Adirondack Park in the 20th century. The books tell a story that begins in the 1950s and ends as the 21st century begins.
A Wild Idea: How the Environmental Movement Tamed The Adirondacks (2021) describes the 20-year campaign that led to the passage of the land use plans in 1973. Adirondack Green: The Struggle to Save America’s Greatest Park (spring 2027) shows what happened next, as environmental groups and private property owners engaged in a long, bitter struggle that yielded something remarkable.
In the early 1990s, a coalition of private groups and public agencies emerged that saved another million acres of the wild Adirondacks from development while also recognizing the rights of landowners. Adirondack Green is a hopeful story of people who put aside stark political differences to work together and achieve common goals. The people who formed that coalition went on to lead a global movement that has since protected hundreds of millions of acres.
North Country people are great storytellers, and a lot of great stories didn’t make it into these books. The purpose of this site is to present these stories in a new way to an online audience, using audio, video, and images that don’t fit on the printed page. Share your email below to get newsletter posts, free extras to download, and invitations to upcoming events.
