All together now

As invigorating as it is to identify negligence, malfeasance or stupidity and agitate for its correction on the editorial page, it is refreshing from time to time instead to celebrate a job well done—especially around the time of the vernal equinox, which is, after all, a season of hope. And a couple of weeks before the opening day of trout season in New York, it is particularly appropriate that we can do so with regard to the recent outpouring of community support for the Beaverkill Campground, located on the fabled trout stream that has been called the birthplace of American fly fishing.

As detailed in “Groups unite for Beaverkill Campground” in last week’s newspaper, the New York State campground has been named one of six to be closed by the state to cut costs. In response, an astonishingly broad coalition of community groups and elected officials has risen up to take action, including but not limited to county manager David Fanslau, the Sullivan County Visitors Association, the Sullivan County Legislature, the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development (SCPED), Catskill Mountainkeeper and New York State Senator John Bonacic.

The sheer variety of support is part of what’s heartening, featuring as it does members of the business, government and environmental communities who do not always see eye to eye. But the practicality, self-reliance and can-do attitude evinced in some of the concrete proposals to address the problem are also inspiring.

The proposal being worked on by Fanslau is that the county should assume operational control over the facility and also assume the costs. To cover them, it would also be the party collecting campground fees. Simple, effective—we tell the state if it doesn’t want to do it, we will, at no risk to it. It’s hard to see how it could refuse.

And given the success of last year’s season for campground operators throughout the area, it can be argued that the risk isn’t all that high to the county, either. Despite the slow economy, campgrounds seem to be one of the few areas that are thriving, being vacation alternatives that involve minimal expenditures on gas or lodging fees. It’s just basic common sense to push along the economic sectors that are still working.

We also like legislator Alan Sorensen’s pro-active approach, which turns an apparent setback into an opportunity. He sent out a communiqué arguing that we should seize the moment not only to keep the campground open, but to expand the county’s development of eco-tourism and bed-and-breakfasts in general, and, in particular, take advantage of stimulus dollars to do so.

All of us can do our part to help this along. Catskill Mountainkeeper has an online petition urging the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to keep the campground open ( www.catskillmountainkeeper.org ), and SCPED is urging members to write to the DEC (William Janeway, Director of DEC Region Three, 21 South Putt Corners Road, New Paltz, NY 12561).

We can also contribute, if the state accepts Fanslau’s proposal as we hope, by driving up there for a visit—it’s well worth the trip. Even by this area’s high standards, the 150-year-old covered bridge makes it a uniquely picturesque location. In fact, the roads one travels to get there alone are worth the price of admission—which, in the past, has been a day-use fee of $1 and a parking fee of $4 (overnight camping would be more). We don’t know what this year’s fees would be but presumably they’d be in the same ballpark.

The state’s refusal to fund the Beaverkill Campground has brought it into the news and the forefront of local public consciousness. Ironically, that may inspire many of us to acquaint—or reacquaint—ourselves with this marvelous local resource. And it will have been made possible by a textbook example of grassroots effort and collaboration.

Also in this issue:

• Time to tighten our belts

Dr. Punnybone

El Dorado