Visioning

The Upper Delaware
River Corridor

The time to prepare is now

We are all very fortunate to live in an area where our surroundings make us feel like we are on vacation all year round.

In the summer, we have kayaking, canoeing and rafting on the Delaware River, along with fishing, swimming and boating on the area lakes.

Our summer humidity is low enough to make the nights comfortable for sleep and the days warm but dry enough to enjoy all of these activities.

In the winter, there is, more often than not, snow on the ground and an icy glaze on the trees that makes for a sight that is so beautiful, you cannot put it into words.

Whether it be winter or summer, you will occasionally see wild animals such as bobcats, bears, deer and coyotes. Some have even seen a mountain lion or two.

However, with all this comes responsibility.

The Upper Delaware Council (UDC) was formed to try to maintain the beauty of the area by having a representative from each town as a member of the council. They inform the towns of development in the river corridor and provide technical assistance grants to assist the towns and townships with planning. These grants also help the towns to maintain historical buildings, cemeteries and other projects.

The Upper Delaware Scenic Byway is a newly formed effort to promote tourism along the river and enhance economic development. The Scenic Byway Organization Committee operates like the UDC. The difference between the two is that the scenic byway is a New York State Department of Transportation-approved program that brings state funding that we would otherwise never have.

The money is to help make the area clean and set up informational booths and parking areas along the highway corridor. All of this is very important to help the area keep its beauty and make everyone aware of the heritage and recreational activities that are here.

The big question is whether these things are going to help keep the land and beauty protected.

The answer is no.

From 2001 to 2003, we have experienced a growth rate anywhere from five percent to 38 percent in our towns. If we are not careful, the river corridor will lose its beauty by rapid growth when there is poor planning. When that happens, the effect will be irreversible. The damage will already be done.

We need to come up with an overall plan to protect the land and water. In order to do that, we will need to make it a joint effort among all the towns, villages and hamlets that exist along the river corridor.

New York and Pennsylvania need to work together to make this plan effective. We need to have professional planners, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the National Park Service, county planners and anyone else who is willing to put in the time to make these efforts work. If we do not do this soon, with the growth rate the way it is, it will be too late.

Recently, the Visioning Committee of the Upper Delaware River Corridor, of which regular readers of this paper are aware, held a meeting in Shohola for three towns along the river—Shohola, Highland and Lumberland—in order to discuss the idea of joint planning and joint activity. I commend the visioning committee in its efforts and will support it in any way I can.

[John LiGreci is the supervisor of the Town of Lumberland in New York.]

This bi-weekly feature is part of a visioning initiative to develop and encourage smart growth as a means of enhancing and preserving the Upper Delaware River corridor. If you are interested in contributing to this column, email editor@riverreporter.com or call 845/252-7414.