For more information
on things to do in and around Pulaski call 315-298-2213.
For arts information
call Arts and Culture for Oswego County at 315-342-1109.
NIAGARA MOHAWK OPENS THE GREAT SALMON WILDERNESS FOR YOU?
By now many of you have heard of the Great Salmon Wilderness, the year
round vacation destination surrounding the Salmon River Corridor, Pulaski,
and part of the TugHill Plateau. A region so beautiful, it's been preserved
for over 81 years. Thousands of acres provide a complete outdoors recreational
experience not found in many areas of this state. The question is often
asked however, What's in the Great Salmon Wilderness for Me?
In the years since the opening of the New York State Salmon River Fish
Hatchery in 1981, the character of this river corridor has changed dramatically.
The once passive recreational river has been transformed into one of the
most productive and heavily utilized sport fisheries in America. Although
the local communities benefit from the increase tourism trade, a balance
between the natural resources of the area and the economic, social, and
environmental concerns is constantly being sought.
The Great Salmon Wilderness grew out of Niagara Mohawk's original comprehensive
land plan of the area that was started in 1988. This land plan began by
looking at over 53 linear miles of river and reservoir frontage that was
acquired by Niagara Mohawk for the purposes of producing hydroelectricity.
The early objectives of that plan were to have the Salmon river corridor
and its many resources provide a diversified, year round recreational opportunity
that promoted a healthy, broad based economy while protecting the environment
and enhancing the quality of life for the community. By creating The Great
Salmon Wilderness theme for the entire area of northern Oswego County, a
year round destination oriented tourism center is being created with the
ongoing help and promotion from others.
A key component of the area for recreation is the abundance of over 13,000
acres of New York State lands and forests. Niagara Mohawk, working in cooperation
with the NYSDEC and others, has placed several key areas of the corridor
into this public domain: 1) an easement was granted for conservation and
public access along 10 miles of river shoreline, 2) 120 acres surrounding
the 110' Salmon River Falls 3) over 1600 acres along the south shore of
the reservoir along with several parking lots along the river. Through a
management plan that was required as part of the transaction, the DEC is
developing a multi purpose trail system and has created for the first time,
public views of the tremendous waterfall and gorge area.
The Great Salmon Wilderness strategy is also working to promote new economic
and community development of the area. Salmon Hills XC Ski Resort with its
YURT village and log cabin lodge, is becoming the premier destination for
winter recreation in the state. Located along the reservoir, it is bringing
thousands of people enjoyment of cross country skiing along groomed trails,
snowshowing, and snow tubing in the winter and archery, mountain biking,
camping, and bird watching among many other activities in the summer. The
newly designed Port of the Islands RV Resort will contribute millions of
dollars to the local economy. Opening in the summer of 2000, it will offer
a state of the art RV'ing experience along with tenting, rental cabins,
a dayuse area along the river, a nature preserve, and the rivers only handicap
accessible fishing platform.
Additional partnerships with Niagara Mohawk's subsidiaries have created
a newly renovated B&B facility in a turn of the century lodge in Redfield,
the CrossRoads Inn and Cabins. Located directly on the snowmobile trail
system and the reservoir, it is now open year round and is filling the need
for lodging in an area that has more demand then supply. Recreational areas
in many of the communities, snowmobile trails, a new visitors information
center to further promote the entire area, and the potential for a fishing
museum are some other examples.
The latest phase of the plan has placed opportunities for private ownership
of land along the river and the reservoir. The sale of land in the area
will further allow persons whom otherwise might not have known of this great
asset to own a part of it. An alliance has been formed with Longley Jones
Realty, and several areas of the corridor have lots on the market, running
the gamut of large wilderness style lots to vacation home developments,
non-waterfront and waterfront, and residential and commercial properties.
Today, the Great Salmon Wilderness is still an important
source of hydroelectricity as well as an increasingly popular recreation
resource. Niagara Mohawk's original plan provides for a good "roadmap" for
the management of this corridor. It is a good example of how business and
community partnerships can continue to work together to provide responsible
stewardship to a vital natural resource.
