Architectural Thesis: Adirondack Eco-Camp

ADIRONDACK ECO-CAMP PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN THE ADIRONDACK WILDERNESS

ADIRONDACK ECO-CAMP PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN THE ADIRONDACK WILDERNESS

Thesis presented to the Faculty of the Department of Architecture & Design at SUNY Alfred State

In Partial FulďŹ llment of the Requirements for the Degree Bachelor of Architecture

by Kathryn Swank Prof. David Carli, Thesis Chair May 2020

Kathryn Swank Adirondack Eco-Camp

David I. Carli, AIA

7 May 2020

carlidi@alfredstate.edu David I. Carli Constance Ehmann

May 6, 2020

Pennconn@Alfredstate.edu CDEhmann

Stephen B. Takatch, AIA stakatch@architecturapc.com

May 6, 2020

ADIRONDACK ECO-CAMP PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN THE ADIRONDACK WILDERNESS

Text and Graphics © Kathryn Swank. All rights reserved.

Book Design © Kathryn Swank. All rights reserved.

Adirondack Eco-Camp: Promoting Sustainable Tourism in the Adirondack Wilderness This is a first and limited edition print run.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A SPECIAL THANKS TO My advisory committee: Prof. Dave Carli, AIA SUNY Alfred State College Prof. Constance Ehmann SUNY Alfred State College Steve Takatch, AIA Architecura P.C.

And to all of my loved ones for your endless support and guidance.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1

INTRODUCTION 1-7

2

METHODOLOGY 8-15

3

LITERATURE REVIEW 16-35

4

PRECEDENT STUDIES 36-57

5

SITE ANALYSIS 58-93

6

PRE-DESIGN 94-107

7

COMPLETED DESIGN 108-137

8

REFERENCES 138-143

INTRODUCTION

1 2 3

VIEW FROM SUMMIT OF BALD MOUNTAIN

ABSTRACT PROBLEM SOCIETAL NEED

INTRODUCTION

1

CLINTON COUNTY

FRANKLIN COUNTY ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY CRANBERRY LAKE

HERKIMER COUNTY

OLD FORGE

LEWIS COUNTY

JAY

SARANAC LAKE

LAKE PLACID

TUPPER LAKE

WESTPORT

LONG LAKE BLUE MOUNTAIN LAKE RAQUETTE LAKE

HIGH PEAKS WILDERNESS AREA ESSEX COUNTY

NEWCOMB

TICONDEROGA INDIAN LAKE

HAMILTON COUNTY SPECULATOR

NORTH RIVER NORTH CREEK

WARREN COUNTY LAKE GEORGE

SARATOGA COUNTY FULTON COUNTY

NORTHVILLE

MAYFIELD

ADIRONDACK PARK 2

INTRODUCTION

PORT HENRY

ABSTRACT The Adirondack Park has not been immune to the growing trend of wilderness tourism that has been seen throughout the world over the past decade. The number of tourists to the park spiked sharply in 2016 and has continued to increase steadily (1).

Increased tourism has led to the designation of the Adirondack Park as a hotspot of human activity by the Center of Outdoor Ethics in 2019. This designation indicates that the resources of the park are under severe strain as tourists fail to practice Leave No Trace principles and set out into the wilderness ill prepared for the challenges at hand (2). The development of an Eco-Camp would create a destination that allows tourists to continue to enjoy the wilderness and beauty of the Adirondack Park, while also encouraging environmental education and promoting sustainable practices. The following thesis explores the development of a single Eco-Camp in the Adirondack Park and the eects it could have on the surrounding region. If successful the Eco-Camp could be replicated in other areas of the Adirondack Park and anywhere that tourism has begun to degrade the beauty of the natural wilderness.

INTRODUCTION

3

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

4.4

MILLION TOURISTS

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK

6.4

MILLION TOURISTS

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

4.1

MILLION TOURISTS

ADIRONDACK PARK

4

INTRODUCTION

12.4

MILLION TOURISTS

PROBLEM An unprecedented number of recreationalists visiting the Adirondack Park over the past 10 years have begun to cause irreversible damage to the pristine Adirondack wilderness.

Approximately 12.4 million people visited the park in 2017, almost 500,000 more than visited the park in 2016 (4).

The sheer number of untrained and unprepared recreationalists visiting the Adirondack Park are causing damage to unique ecosystems and contributing to severe overuse of certain areas within the park (3).

# OF HIKER REGISTRATIONS

35000 30000 25000 20000 15000 10000 5000 0

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2016

HIKER TRAILHEAD REGISTRATION TOTALS: CASCADE MOUNTAIN

INTRODUCTION

5

# OF ARRIVALS (BILLION)

1.5

1.2

0.9

0.6

0.3 1995

2000

2005

2010

INTERNATIONAL TOURIST ARRIVALS

6

INTRODUCTION

2015

SOCIETAL NEED ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION

POLLUTION

OVERUSE OF NATURAL RESOURCES

ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY

Worldwide, the number of international tourist arrivals reached 1.4 billion in 2018, marking a 6% increase over the previous year (6). The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) projects global tourism to continue to grow at 3-4% in 2019, following the trend established over the past decade (6). The environments of popular tourist destinations are unable to withstand the detrimental eects of increased human activity and as the biodiversity of a place is degraded, so is its potential to attract tourists, generate revenue, and beneďŹ t the local economy (5). It is necessary to provide and adapt existing destinations to meet the needs of the increasing number of travelers, while also preventing environmental and cultural degradation of the destination.

The education of tourists visiting sensitive environments is crucial to make people aware of the impact their actions have on the region they are visiting. This increased awareness will help to preserve the biodiversity of the tourist destination and also promote environmentally conscious behavior when the tourist returns home in order to sustain a resilient planet.

INTRODUCTION

7

METHODOLOGY

1 2 3

SUMMIT OF DIX MOUNTAIN

HYPOTHESIS PREDICTION VARIANCE

METHODOLOGY

9

HYPOTHESIS If the impact of excessive tourism to sensitive areas in the Adirondack Park is not addressed then environmental degradation taking place within the Adirondack wilderness will accelerate.An Adirondack Eco-Camp will provide a destination within the Adirondacks that will educate tourists on the importance of biodiversity and create an environment for tourists to reect upon the impact their actions are having on the Adirondack Park and beyond.

The Eco-Camp will serve as a primary educational destination within the Adirondack Park. Many tourists visiting the park are untrained in appropriate backcountry conduct and unaware of how severely they can damage the environment. The Eco-Camp will provide a central place for tourists to gather and connect with environmental experts to attain a better understanding of the value of the wilderness and all that it provides to society. Opportunities to take part in volunteer activities such as trail maintenance, litter and damage remediation, tree planting programs, and scientiďŹ c research will also be facilitated by the Eco-Camp.

The Eco-Camp will provide highly sustainable accomodations for tourists visiting the Adirondack Park that currently do not exist. The Eco-Camp will be constructed of locally sourced, natural materials in an eort to reduce the impact of the development on the environment. The buildings within the Eco-Camp will follow passive design strategies such as natural ventilation, daylighting, rainwater harvesting, and solar power.

10

METHODOLOGY

The Eco-Camp will be developed some distance from the most popular tourist destinations in the Adirondack Park. The development outside of the most proďŹ table Adirondack tourist towns will serve to spread tourist spending to localities that have seen minimal growth in revenue despite the rapid growth the Adirondack Park has experienced. The location of the Eco-Camp will also help to disperse the human use within the park and reduce the high concentrations of human activity in the High Peaks Wilderness and Lake George areas.

The Adirondack Eco-Camp will provide the opportunity for children to experience the outdoors through sponsorship programs and school partnerships. Many children do not have the opportunity to travel to the Adirondacks and the majority of Adirondack tourists are white and part of the middle to upper socio-economic classes. The development of the Eco-Camp will create the opportunity for children from all racial and economic backgrounds to experience the outdoors.

ECO ADK

METHODOLOGY

11

PREDICTION If the project reaches its full potential it will foster a culture of sustainability and environmental stewardship in the Adirondack Park and beyond. This thesis will accomplish the change in culture by immersing tourists in a highly sustainable facility deep in the Adirondack wilderness. Increasing the environmental literacy of tourists who visit the Eco-Camp through educational programming and exposure to the natural beauty of the wilderness will lead to proactive environmental attitudes during and after their vacation.

The exposure to the beauty of the natural environment and understanding through educational programs that humans are destroying nature will help to alter future actions of guests to the camp. Guests will become more aware of the impact their actions have on the environment and will share their knowledge with people they come in contact with throughout the Adirondacks. In this way, the inuence of the knowledge shared by environmental experts at the Eco-Camp will be spread throughout the park to people who have not attended the camp programs.

The Adirondack Eco-Camp could serve as a model for similar developments in parks. The highly sustainable methods used and the focus on educational programming could be replicated in other regions of the country where environmental degradation is occurring.

This thesis attempts to provide a model for the future development of ecotourist destinations, in order to allow everyone to have the ability to access and responsibly enjoy the wilderness.

12

METHODOLOGY

IF SUCCESSFUL THE ECO-CAMP WILL...

EDUCATE

DIVERSIFY

...by facilitating connections between outdoor experts and tourists.

...through sponsorship programs and school partnerships.

DISPERSE REVENUE

PROMOTE ETHICAL RECREATION

...by attracting tourists to a location that has not yet beneямБted from increased Adirondack tourism.

...through guided programs and access to a variety of outdoor activities.

PROVIDE SUSTAINABLE ACCOMMODATIONS ...by employing strategies of passive design and utilizing locally available materials.

NATURAL DAYLIGHTING

RAINWATER COLLECTION

NATURAL VENTILATION

SOLAR POWER

LOCAL MATERIALS

NATURAL MATERIALS

METHODOLOGY

13

VARIANCE This thesis focuses speciďŹ cally within one region of the planet, the Adirondack Park, that has begun to experience environmental degradation as a result of high use in the past decade. The concepts researched and presented within this thesis could be applied to other regions that are experiencing similar circumstances as the Adirondack Park. Eco-Camps could be developed in any natural environment and more than one could be developed in the Adirondack Park as a means to more eectively spread environmental values and foster a culture driven by sustainability.

A few conditions will need to remain constant in order for the Eco-Camp to reach its fullest potential as a sustainable, educational destination within the Adirondack Park. First, the interest in touring natural destinations, speciďŹ cally the Adirondack Park, will need to either remain constant or continue to follow the same trend of growth as has been seen over the past decade. The continuation of travel relies heavily on a steady economy in order to stimulate people to be willing to travel and spend on vacations.

14

METHODOLOGY

A second condition that must be assumed in order for this thesis project to be successful is that New York State regulations on the development of state land within the Adirondack Park remain in place. The regulations preserve the wilderness areas in the park and are representative of the value that New Yorkers have in preserving natural wilderness areas. If these regulations were to change, the Adirondack wilderness could be subject to detrimental development and the Eco-Camp would be less eective in the Adirondack Park.

A third condition that must be in place is the continuation of interest in outdoor recreation. The Eco-Camp will primarily act as a base camp for tourists to explore the Adirondacks. The opportunity to take part in outdoor recreational activities will draw tourists to the Eco-Camp; without an interest in outdoor recreation fewer tourists would visit the camp and the environmental values expounded by the camp would not reach as many people.

HIGH USE OF ADIRONDACK PARK

DEGRADATION OF ADIRONDACK ECOSYSTEMS

NEED FOR RESPONSIBLE DESTINATION

NEED FOR EDUCATION

ADIRONDACK ECO-CAMP

MORE SUSTAINABLE ADK TOURISM

METHODOLOGY

15

LITERATURE REVIEW

1 2 3 4 5

SUMMIT OF ST. REGIS MOUNTAIN

GLOBAL TOURISM ADIRONDACK CULTURE ADIRONDACK TOURISM ECOTOURISM SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

LIT. REVIEW

17

GLOBAL TOURISM IS GLOBAL TOURISM INCREASING? The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) reported that the number of international tourist arrivals reached 1.4 billion in 2018, marking a 6% increase over the previous year. The UNWTO projects global tourism to continue to grow at 3-4% in 2019, following the trend established over the past decade. The Americas saw the lowest growth rate in international tourist arrivals at 3% while the Middle East saw the highest growth rate at 10% (33).

WHY IS TOURISM BECOMING A PROBLEM? A study by Ugur Sunlu of Ege University determined three main consequences of tourism to natural environments: overuse of natural resources, environmental degradation, and pollution. Tourism can weigh heavily on the natural resources of an area; the construction of resorts and recreational facilities to support the tourism industry can lead to deforestation, land degradation and the loss of important natural resources (28). Tourism contributes to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions; this percentage is expected to continue to grow as the number of travelers continues to rise each year (23). Solid waste and littering has become a serious concern in areas with high tourism as it can spoil natural attractions and cause harm to the local wildlife (28). Another concern of tourism is aesthetic pollution. Tourist facilities often fail to integrate into the local vernacular styles of a region and appear disruptive to the local architecture (28).

18

LIT. REVIEW

8% CONTRIBUTION TO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

LIT. REVIEW

19

ADK CULTURE WHY WAS THE ADIRONDACK PARK SELECTED FOR THIS STUDY? The Adirondack region is an advantageous location for the development of an education-oriented Eco-Camp for many reasons including the abundant biodiversity in the region, New Yorkers high value of the wilderness, the sheer size of the park, and the connectivity of the park to neighboring population centers. The park consists of both private and public land in upstate New York and has been a destination for travelers and outdoor enthusiasts since the nineteenth century (11). The Adirondack Park is a unique mosaic of landscapes and diverse ecosystems, composed of over 3,000 lakes, 30,000 miles of streams, unique wetlands, and towering mountains (11).

New Yorkers value the vast wilderness of the Adirondack Park as is evidenced by it being one of only two constitutionally protected forest preserves in the United States (7). The Adirondack Park was created in 1892 and in 1894 the state of New York added Article XIV to the New York State Constitution, preventing the sale or lease of any of the public land within the park, declaring the land “forever wild� (7). The Adirondack Park is the largest publicly protected area in the continental United States and receives more visitors than any other park in the nation (12).

20

LIT. REVIEW

Around 11.3 million people visited the most popular national park in the United States, The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (31), while 12.4 million people visited the Adirondacks in 2017 (21). The popularity of the Adirondacks is largely due to its excellent location in close proximity to large population centers such as New York City, Montreal, and Boston, approximately 60 million people live within a days drive of the park (12).

MONTREAL OTTAWA

BURLINGTON PORTLAND

ADIRONDACK PARK TORONTO SYRACUSE ROCHESTER

BOSTON

ALBANY

BUFFALO

NEW YORK CITY

PHILADELPHIA

60 MILLION WITHIN 1 DAYS’ DRIVE NORTHEAST: APPROXIMATE DRIVING TIMES FROM CENTRAL ADIRONDACKS

LIT. REVIEW

21

ADK CULTURE WHAT IS THE ADIRONDACK VERNACULAR STYLE?

AN ADIRONDACK CAMP 1. place of transient occupancy 2. an experience of ‘roughing it’

The use of the word camp in the Adirondacks does not have one specific meaning, the word could refer to a campground, a lean-to structure, a permanent great lodge, a tiny cabin, or a group of cabins (22). Janet A. Null describes the essence of an Adirondack camp in her book The Adirondack Architecture Guide, “At heart, an Adirondack camp embodies two things: a place of transient or temporary occupancy, and an experience of ‘roughing it’-- or at least living with nature and with less convenience or luxury than a home” (22).

Adirondack guides of the mid and late 1800s would build camps, in this case temporary structures, in the wilderness to create a shelter for the people they were leading on hunting or fishing expeditions through the wilderness. The temporary structures evolved into more permanent structures, still referred to as camps, as people began to settle in the Adirondacks in more formal groups. The family camps, or great camps, developed when wealthy families began to desire an escape from overcrowded, urban environments. The great camps of the Adirondacks were significantly different than the original temporary shelters erected by guides in the wilderness. The great camps were typically a compound of buildings, each with a specific use located on vast estates that often included access to a private lake. Great camps were self-sufficient with food production capabilities and servants that lived on site year-round. The aesthetic of the

22

LIT. REVIEW

great camps was considered to be artistic and followed a rustic theme (22).

The Adirondacks were rich with natural building materials that builders in the 1800s took advantage of, instead of paying to transport materials to a site.

Fieldstone was common and easy to assemble into building foundations and chimneys. Stacked logs were simple to assemble into walls and saplings were used as decorative elements in railings and furniture. Certain species of trees were used depending on their characteristics, spruce was strong and used as structural elements, and birch bark was thin and fragile so it was used on interior details. Early Adirondack builders were reliant on local, readily-available materials, these materials have come to deďŹ ne the rustic-Adirondack style (22).

LIT. REVIEW

23

ADK TOURISM IS ADIRONDACK TOURISM INCREASING? The number of tourists visiting the Adirondack Park has risen by 24% from 2011 to 2017 (21). In 2017, more than 12.4 million people visited the Adirondack Park and generated more than $1.4 billion in spending (21). An annual report on New York State economics and the distribution of traveler spending reveals the unbalanced nature of tourism in the Adirondacks; 75% of traveler spending is split between two of six counties, Essex County and Warren County (29). The remaining counties, Clinton, Franklin, Hamilton, and Lewis have all experienced growth in traveler spending but at far lesser levels (29).

A marketing plan announced in 2018 by the governor of New York State, Andrew Cuomo, has declared the goal to add the Adirondack Park to the global tourism map. Governor Cuomo has stated, “New York is investing in new developments and transformational improvements in the Adirondacks to enhance people’s experience… We’re proud of New York’s gem and encourage everyone to visit the Adirondacks and all it has to offer” (21).

Governor Cuomo has also stated the goal to make New York “...a premier ecotourism destination” (29). His budget for the 2019 fiscal year includes strategies to increase the sustainable tourism within the park by launching an electric shuttle system, establishing a water trail, and fostering efforts to shift to renewable energy sources (29). The New York State government is marketing the Adirondack Park as a global ecotourism destination with the

24

LIT. REVIEW

WARREN COUNTY

CLINTON COUNTY ESSEX COUNTY

LEWIS COUNTY HAMILTON COUNTY

FRANKLIN COUNTY

DISTRIBUTION OF TRAVELER SPENDING

LIT. REVIEW

25

O A UT CT D IV OO SH ITIE R S O RE PP LA IN XI G + SI N G G H TS VI E SI EI TI N N G G FR + IE FA N O M DS LY IL M Y PI C SI TE H S ER CU ITA LT GE U + RE

0

26

LIT. REVIEW O TH ER

A M E IN RIC D A IA N N H IS PA A N SI IC A N IS PA LA C N IF D IC ER A AF M R ER IC IC AN A N

W H IT E

ADK TOURISM

100

80

TOURIST PROFILE

60

40

20

AVERAGE INCOME

$98,000

ETHNICITY

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

KEY ATTRACTIONS TO ADK AVERAGE AGE

55

80

AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY (NIGHTS)

3.2

AVERAGE PARTY SIZE

4.3

intention of increasing the number of visitors to the park and thus increasing state revenue.

ARE THE ADIRONDACKS EXPERIENCING OVERUSE? In 1999, the New York State Department of Conservation (DEC) declared that trailhead parking lot size would be controlled to limit public access to the carrying capacity of the landscape (9). A study of trailheads in the High Peaks Wilderness area conducted in the Fall of 2017, found that almost 80% of parking lots were filled beyond their capacity on weekends, resulting in parking along roads and on private property (9). The High Peaks Wilderness is clearly experiencing levels of hikers well over the carrying capacity determined by the DEC and limited parking is not managing the overuse. A second survey conducted by the Adirondack Council in 2018 of hikers at various trailheads throughout the Adirondack High Peaks Region found that 80% of hikers desire more available/accessible information on appropriate trail etiquette and safety (10).

The increase of state efforts to market the Adirondacks has increased the popularity of the Adirondack Park, but it is compromising the safety of guests and the habitats of native species. People are setting off into the wild without proper training in survival and backcountry skills as is evidenced by the increase in rescues performed by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)

rangers. The number of search and rescue missions has more than doubled between 1970 and 2016 and the number of hours spent on search and rescue missions doubled between 2005 and 2010 (17). Along with an increase in rescues per year, the influx of unskilled recreationalists has begun to degrade the summits and trails within the park.

Human waste is left in and along the trails and the delicate alpine flora is being trampled (17). The high concentrations of human activity in popular locations of the park is contributing to safety concerns and environmental degradation.

In the summer of 2019 the Center for Outdoor Ethics declared the Adirondack High Peaks Region a Hot Spot, or “...an area experiencing severe impacts from overuse.” The Center for Outdoor Ethics has begun working with the Adirondack Mountain Club and the New York State DEC to educate recreationalists on the importance of “Leave No Trace” principles. The Executive Director of the Adirondack Mountain Club, Neil Woodsworth has stated that educating those who are using the High Peaks Wilderness is one of the most important actions that can be taken to combat the effects of overuse (13).

“If we’re not careful about how we manage people and educate people we can accelerate trail damage, we can harm very fragile alpine vegetation, we can pollute our streams. And so education really is the key here.” -Neil Woodsworth

LIT. REVIEW

27

CLINTON COUNTY

FRANKLIN COUNTY ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY CRANBERRY LAKE

HERKIMER COUNTY

OLD FORGE

LEWIS COUNTY

JAY

SARANAC LAKE

LAKE PLACID

TUPPER LAKE

WESTPORT

LONG LAKE BLUE MOUNTAIN LAKE RAQUETTE LAKE

HIGH PEAKS WILDERNESS AREA

PORT HENRY

ESSEX COUNTY

NEWCOMB

TICONDEROGA INDIAN LAKE

HAMILTON COUNTY SPECULATOR

NORTH RIVER NORTH CREEK

WARREN COUNTY LAKE GEORGE

SARATOGA COUNTY FULTON COUNTY

NORTHVILLE

MAYFIELD

ADIRONDACK PARK

28

LIT. REVIEW

2019

HIGH PEAKS WILDERNESS DESIGNATED A HOT SPOT OF HUMAN ACTIVITY

WHAT ARE THE “LEAVE NO TRACE” PRINCIPLES? 1. Plan Ahead & Prepare 2. Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces 3. Dispose of Waste Properly 4. Leave What You Find 5. Minimize Campfire Impacts 6. Respect Wildlife 7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors The Seven Principles were initially developed as a framework to guide anyone in the backcountry on how to minimize the impact of their actions on the environment. The principles have since been adapted to apply to anyone spending time outdoors anywhere, from the remote backcountry to your own backyard (14).

WHAT IS BEING DONE TO COMBAT OVERUSE IN THE ADIRONDACKS RIGHT NOW? The New York State government has recognized the issue of overuse in the Adirondack Park and has begun to take steps toward better management of the region. A task force was formed and launched in November of 2019, composed of representatives from local and state government, local businesses and environmental groups. The task force has the primary mission of providing input to the DEC as the DEC drafts a strategic plan to manage overuse in the High Peaks Wilderness Area (25).

The Adirondack Council published a set of Six Best Practices for Wildlands Management in January of 2020 (8): 1. Comprehensive planning for Forest Preserve 2. Expanded outreach and education for visitors and residents 3. Front country infrastructure 4. Back-country infrastructure 5. Limits on use at various times and locations 6. Funding and personnel

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29

ECOTOURISM WHAT IS ECOTOURISM?

ECOTOURISM-

“Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education.”

The International Ecotourism Society

30

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There are numerous definitions of ecotourism but “... all are based on the concepts of conservation, sustainability, education, and local benefit” (18). The UNWTO defines ecotourism as following five key characteristics: 1) a nature based experience, 2) containing educational features, 3) generally organized by and for small groups, 4) minimizing the impact on natural and socio-cultural environments, and 5) supporting the maintenance of natural areas by generating local economic benefits for host communities, providing employment for locals, and increasing awareness of conservation of natural and cultural assets by tourists and locals (30).

Although increased tourist activity can have a negative impact on the environment, when a healthy balance is reached between the intensity of tourism and the ecosystem, a beneficial relationship can emerge. Ecotourism can help to raise awareness of the importance of conserving the environment by bringing tourists into closer contact with nature (26). An increased value in conserving the environment can lead to more environmentally conscious behavior and a greater likelihood in people participating in activities that can help to preserve the environment (26).

Ecotourism can also help to finance efforts to protect natural resources by drawing on entrance fees to popular tourist destinations and using the capital to sponsor the management and protection of natural environments (28).

In order to be sustainable, areas with high tourism need to incorporate practices of sustainable consumption, such as green building, introducing clean production techniques to meet consumer demands, and providing services that have minimal and/or positive impacts on the environment (28).

The term ecotourism is often used as a marketing ploy to entice consumers to take part in some type of tourist activity with the impression that the activity is eco-friendly when in actuality it often is harmful to the natural environment (18).

Certification services have developed to identify the requirements of true ecotourism and provide certifications to tourist destinations that fulfill the criteria.

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has created a system, The GSTC Industry Criteria, to define sustainable standards. The system is “...organized around four main themes: effective sustainability planning, maximizing social and economic benefits for the local community, enhancing cultural heritage, and reducing negative impact to the environment” 19).

ECOTOURISM PROTECTION OF NATURAL AREAS

GENERATION OF OF REVENUE

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

CONSERVATION

BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND NATURAL RESOURCES STEWARDSHIP

LOCAL INVOLVEMENT

DEVELOPMENT

ECONOMIC + INFRASTRUCTURAL GROWTH LOCAL CONTROL

SUSTAINABILITY

LIT. REVIEW

31

DOES ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR? A study of expedition cruise passengers found that after environmental immersion and opportunities to engage with sta and activities, the majority of participants were inspired to act dierently in regards to the environment. Participants of the cruise reported that they were more likely to engage in environmentally positive activities, such as consider or change sources of food, seek more information on environmental issues, and be more active in environmental groups (32). The study reveals that through full immersion into the environment and the opportunity to take part in interpretive activities, behaviors and awareness of tourists can be positively changed, even after the experience has ended.

A study by the Yale Cultural Cognition Project found that it is not enough to simply provide the public with facts about the environment and expect an overall change in behavior. The study concluded that people need access to a place where experiential learning can take place and inspiration can be provided in order to produce and sustain environmentally responsible behavior (20).

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A third study by Kuang et al. investigated the correlation between environmental education and environmental attitudes. The study found that people with higher environmental education were more likely to have proactive environmental attitudes. The study concludes with the recommendation that eco-lodges promote environmental education in order to improve the ecological awareness of tourists and instill within tourists a sense of social responsibility for environmental protection (24).

EXPOSURE TO NATURAL AREAS

EDUCATION

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS BEHAVIOR

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY

LIT. REVIEW

33

SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

WHAT IMPACT DOES THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY HAVE ON CLIMATE CHANGE? The Paris Agreement, adopted on December 12, 2015 by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, established the goal to hold global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial averages. The agreement represents the universal acceptance of the urgent need to curb greenhouse gas emissions. The Paris Agreement requires two types of actions to meet the goal, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to a point where emissions can be balanced with sequestration and for individual countries to increase efforts to sequester carbon emissions (27). The 2018 Global Status Report published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) and coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme found that, “Building construction and operations accounted for 36% of global final energy use and nearly 40% of energy related carbon dioxide emissions in 2017” (16).

The buildings and construction sector are responsible for more energy use and emissions than any other industry, and as a result provide an opportune industry to begin exploration into reducing emissions in an effort to meet the goals laid out in the Paris Agreement.

The United States accounts for 4.5% of the global population but consumes about 19% of the energy in the world.

The amount of energy use and the

34

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amount of carbon emissions follow each other closely, therefore if the amount of energy use increases the amount of carbon emissions will increase by approximately the same percentage, and vice versa. The unbalanced nature of the population to energy use in the United States begs for attention and redistribution. As mentioned previously, the buildings and construction industry provides an opportunity to rebalance the amount of energy use per person in the United States. Fortunately, the technology already exists to decrease the energy use of buildings and reduce the carbon footprint of the construction industry. The research has already been done to develop techniques to construct and operate net-zero buildings, or buildings that produce the same amount or more energy than they use. The goal to create net-zero buildings is immediately achievable through existing technology, however net-zero buildings are not yet the norm. In order to achieve the goals set out in the Paris Agreement and reduce the energy use per person in the United States, Net-Zero Construction must be brought into the mainstream and become the norm (15).

These technologies and techniques will be further reviewed and discussed in the following section, Precedent Studies.

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35

PRECEDENT STUDIES

1 2 3 4

ADIRONDACK LOJ GREAT CAMP SAGAMORE NIMMO BAY RESORT EMERALD EARTH SANCTUARY 5 MEIJIE MOUNTAIN RESORT 6 ALDER LODGE RITTEN 7 CREEK PARK HOTEL 8 ADIRONDACK EDUCATION FACILITY 9 FRICK ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER 10 OREGON ZOO EDUCATION CENTER

FLOWED LANDS

PRECEDENTS

37

ADIRONDACK LOJ KEY FEATURES 1. Access to a variety of outdoor recreational activities 2. Direct access to high peaks trailheads 3. Variety of lodging types 4. Common spaces 5. Adirondack style architecture 6. Guided educational programs with target audience

PHOTO BY SETH JONES

38

PRECEDENTS

BACKGROUND

ANALYSIS

Located on the shore of Heart Lake at the base of the Adirondack High Peaks, the Adirondack Loj provides a place to stay overnight and take part in outdoor recreational programs. The Loj was built in 1927 and currently provides a variety of lodging options including campsites, lean - tos, canvas cabins, bunks, and private rooms. Communal spaces and home - cooked meals are available to encourage interactions between guests and a sense of community within the Loj. A variety of trail systems provide access to hikers, bikers, and skiers and Heart Lake provides access to anyone who would like to spend the day out on the water.

The Loj promotes outdoor recreation by providing equipment rentals and offers programs to introduce guests to the culture and wildlife of the Adirondack region. The Loj was built in accordance with the Adirondack style of exposed wood, earthy tones, and handcrafted detailing.

The Loj provides a year-round destination for people to gather after a long day of outdoor recreation and enjoy the peacefulness of the Adirondacks around a campfire or a rustic fireplace.

The Adirondack Loj is owned and operated by the Adirondack Mountain Club whose mission is to protect and advocate for New York State’s wild lands and waters while educating people on how to enjoy these areas responsibly.

The programs offered at the Adirondack Loj concentrate primarily on hiking and backpacking and provides options for women’s day hikes and young adult backpacking trips. The programs promote enjoying the wilderness while also emphasizing the importance of practicing Leave No Trace skills and ethics (35).

PRECEDENTS

39

GREAT CAMP SAGAMORE

KEY FEATURES 1. Adirondack style 2. Education on Adirondack history and culture 3. Day trips or overnight trips 4. Providing space for renewal

PHOTO BY ROSE PALMER

40

PRECEDENTS

BACKGROUND

ANALYSIS

A historic great camp, located in Raquette Lake, NY, designed by William West Durant in 1897 as a luxurious wilderness retreat. William West Durant is known as the Father of the Adirondack Great Camp, a style and movement that developed during the Gilded Age (1880s-1920s). A growing interest in the natural world spurred the elite of the time to purchase large expanses of the Adirondacks and develop the land into large compounds to escape the city and enjoy the wilderness during the summers. The camps were designed to blend with their surroundings and were built using local materials and local labor. Alfred G. Vanderbilt purchased Great Camp Sagamore in 1901 from William West Durant and expanded it to include a guest facility, a men’s entertainment headquarters, a tennis court, and a larger kitchen. The camp is now designated as a National Historic Landmark and operates as a hotel and educational institution.

The camp now provides guests with the opportunity to step back into the past and discover what it was like to live in an Adirondack Great Camp. The Sagamore Camp hosts educational programs on the history, culture, and environments of the Adirondacks as well as family events.

The four objectives of the camp are to provide stewardship, education, recreation, and renewal. The Camp oers guided tours to day - trippers and all - inclusive programming for overnight guests. The all - inclusive stay includes lodging, meals, program related materials and instructions, and optional activities (37).

PRECEDENTS

41

NIMMO BAY WILDERNESS RESORT

KEY FEATURES 1. Hydroxyl waste management 2. Focus on stewardship 3. Building in strategic area to prevent disturbing natural habitats 4. Partnership with First Nation community

PHOTO BY JEREMY KORESKI

42

PRECEDENTS

BACKGROUND

ANALYSIS

A family - owned and operated resort built and opened in 1981 on Nimmo Bay, in British Columbia, located in the depths of the largest coastal temperate rainforest in the world. The Nimmo Bay Resort is only accessible by helicopter or float plane and provides waterside wooden chalets as overnight accommodations for guests. The resort provides opportunities to hike, fish, kayak and observe wildlife. Nimmo Bay Resort provides a luxury destination with fine dining and campfires. The resort strives to be environmentally conscious in every decision that is made and the owners consider themselves to be stewards of the landscape.

The Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort believes that they “..can make a global difference starting in our own backyard.”

The resort strives to be climate friendly by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, implementing a hydroxyl waste management system, and using a water powered electricity system. Nimmo Bay purchases carbon permits to offset the carbon footprint of their operations and their guests carbon footprint from travel. The hydroxyl waste management system converts all of the black and grey water produced to clean water that can be returned to the environment. The buildings necessary for the resort to operate were built along the water’s edge on a rock outcropping so as to prevent impacting the surrounding forest or disturbing the habitat. The resort hires and buys locally and provides local artisans with a place to showcase their work to guests. The resort has partnered with the area’s First Nation communities to provide educational activities and local guides for guests to interact with during their stay. The cost of the resort is prohibitive to many and prevents the average person from taking part in the experience and educational programs the resort provides (43).

PRECEDENTS

43

EMERALD EARTH SANCTUARY

KEY FEATURES 1. Natural building techniques 2. Work parties / workshops

PHOTO BY EMERALD EARTH

44

PRECEDENTS

BACKGROUND

ANALYSIS

The Emerald Earth Sanctuary is located in Boonville, California and was formed in 1994. The Sanctuary is an intentional community composed of private cabins and a common house to host communal activities such as meals and group meetings. The community welcomes visitors year - round by hosting a variety of workshops and welcoming interns to stay, learn, and contribute to the sanctuary. The Emerald Earth Sanctuary was formed with the intention to promote sustainable living, simplicity, environmental justice, and a reverence for the Earth.

The Emerald Earth Sanctuary practices sustainable living skills including organic gardening, permaculture, herbal medicine, natural building, and home power generation. All of the structures on the site are made of a combination of straw bale, cob, light clay and straw wattle. The cabins rely on wood stoves and passive solar strategies for temperature control. Solar panels are used to generate electricity and grey water is recycled as irrigation for the gardens. The Sanctuary hosts work parties and workshops to share the knowledge of the residents with members of the local community on topics such as sustainable living strategies and natural building techniques (38).

PRECEDENTS

45

MEIJIE MOUNTAIN HOTSPRING RESORT

KEY FEATURES 1. Transportation 2. Linear and lifted arrangement 3. Locally grown food 4. School partnerships

PHOTO BY ANNA DE LEEUW

46

PRECEDENTS

BACKGROUND

ANALYSIS

The Meijie Mountain Hotspring Resort resides in the Longtan Forest of Liyang, China. The resort was designed by Achterboschzantman Architecten in 2015. The resort is composed of 31 private houses lifted above the trees and composed of natural materials. A spa clubhouse is the center of the resort and is constructed of similar materials.

The treehouses are aligned in such a way as to ensure the privacy of the resident while providing stunning views across the forest to the mountains beyond. The luxury resort has made several eorts to encourage sustainability including, use of local wood for construction, electricity generated by solar panels, locally grown food, water sourced from a local hot spring, and providing electric cars for transportation. The resort has collaborated with local schools in the neighboring city of Leeuwarden to educate students in various areas such as food and horticulture (34).

PRECEDENTS

47

ADLER LODGE RITTEN

KEY FEATURES 1. Locally sourced products and building materials 2. Blend architecture with landscape 3. Klimahaus standards 4. Location accessible to public transportation 5. Mix of building types - individual chalets, multi - guest house, main building

PHOTO BY ADLER RESORTS

48

PRECEDENTS

BACKGROUND

ANALYSIS

The Adler Lodge is located in the Dolomites of Northern Italy, a favorite weekend getaway destination for Italian urban dwellers. The resort was set to open in the summer of 2019. The resort consists of a main building with reception, lobby, bar, restaurant, and spa. Adjacent to the main building are two guest houses that contain ten suites. 20 chalets are scattered throughout the resort and take advantage of the forest views and the natural lake on the property.

The Adler Lodge provides an all inclusive experience for guests with all meals and drinks included in the room rate. The head chef of the resort has committed to using locally sourced products and exposing guests to wines from the region. The timber used to construct the resort buildings was also locally sourced. The chalets were designed to recall rural alpine dwellings and blend with the landscape. The Alder Lodge was built according to the Klimahaus (Climate House) standards which prescribe criteria for strict energy conservation and environmental protection. The resort is located near a rail station which allows visitors to travel without the use of a car. The Dolomites provide engaging landscapes to spend time outdoors either hiking or cycling or skiing, depending on the season (41).

PRECEDENTS

49

CREEK PARK HOTEL

KEY FEATURES 1. Accessible walkways 2. Adaptive reuse of abandoned resort 3. Local materials to emphasize wilderness

PHOTO BY CHEN YANMING

50

PRECEDENTS

BACKGROUND

ANALYSIS

The Creek Park hotel is located in the Pinggu District of China. SYN Architects transformed the formerly abandoned resort into a high - end luxury resort in 2017. The architects placed open terraces between the existing buildings to bring order to what had been a scattered organization of structures. The hotel was terraced into the banks of a peninsula on Jinhai Lake to take advantage of views across the lake to the beautiful mountainscapes in the distance.

SYN Architects used local materials to transform the existing buildings and emphasize the natural wilderness that surrounds the site. A band of vertically arranged wood surrounds the facade of the hotel and is reminiscent of the natural wilderness. The architect, Zou Yingxi, describes the natural materials used to be a “genetic match� to the project. Open corridors and meandering raised pathways were used to connect the existing buildings on the site. These pathways optimize the interaction between landscape and space and provide areas for guests to enjoy the outdoors while remaining universally accessible (40).

PRECEDENTS

51

ADK EDUCATION FACILITY

KEY FEATURES 1. Yurts 2. Leave No Trace programming 3. Classroom space and lodging

PHOTO BY ADIRONDACK MOUNTAIN CLUB

52

PRECEDENTS

BACKGROUND

ANALYSIS

A second option at the Heart Lake program center to the Adirondack Loj, the Adirondack Education Facility began hosting programs in January of 2019. The facility consists of three yurts: one 30 foot diameter classroom yurt and two 20 foot diameter lodging yurts. The Adirondack Education Facility serves as a location to host the many Leave No Trace classes and outdoor skills workshops run by the Adirondack Mountain Club. The facility will also act as a basis to run the 4th grade outreach programs that are put on each year by the Adirondack Mountain Club.

The Adirondack Education Facility was developed as a response to the inux of unskilled tourists visiting the Adirondack Park. Its mission to host a variety of skills, ethics, and outreach classes indicates that there is a need for this type of center within the Adirondack Park. The Adirondack Mountain Club is still soliciting for donations to sponsor the cost of ďŹ nishing the inside of the yurts. The facility is very small and as a result has a very low impact on the surrounding environment. The small size of the facility does restrict class sizes and limits the number of people that can take part in the educational programming available (36).

PRECEDENTS

53

FRICK ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER

KEY FEATURES 1. Gateway to park 2. Living Building Challenge 3. Immersive environmental education 4. Mission to restore deteriorating parks and reestablish sense of stewardship

PHOTO BY ED MASSERY

54

PRECEDENTS

BACKGROUND

ANALYSIS

The Frick Environmental Center is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and was designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson as a “...center for experiential environmental education.” The center serves as a gateway to Frick Park, a park of 644 wooded acres on the outskirts of the city. The building won an AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) Award in 2019 for its innovation in sustainable building practices. The center has also received Living Building and LEED Platinum certifications. The Frick Environmental Center replaced an abandoned education center and was designed to sit in the footprint of the previous building to minimize disruptions to the surrounding ecosystems. The site includes features such as a 15,000 gallon underground cistern, constructed wetlands, a rain garden, solar canopies, and a ground source heat pump to provide for the needs of the building while also acting as educational opportunities to better understand how our buildings can be constructed more sustainably. The building includes a public living room and classrooms.

The center creates opportunities for experiential learning to take place and allows people to form a connection to nature through the building. Tall windows throughout the building allow occupants to take in the views of Frick Park and maintain the connection between occupant and nature even while indoors. The surrounding site provides a campus of sustainable features to explore,interact with, and learn from. The center was built with the hope that it will be able to inspire those who visit to invest in the stewardship of the park (39).

PRECEDENTS

55

OREGON ZOO EDUCATION CENTER

KEY FEATURES 1. Regional hub for community education 2. Resilient design principles 3. Flexible classroom spaces 4. Mission to inspire engagement in sustainable actions 5. Youth programs 6. Interactive exhibits

PHOTO BY WALKER GLASS

56

PRECEDENTS

BACKGROUND

ANALYSIS

The Oregon Zoo Education Center was completed in December of 2016 and is located in Portland, Oregon. It has received numerous awards for its sustainable and resilient design by Opsis Architecture, including the 2018 AIA 2030 Challenge Award and a 2019 AIA COTE Top Ten Award. The center also achieved LEED Platinum certification. The program of the building includes staff offices, six classrooms, an environmental science classroom lab, outdoor learning and play spaces, and a dividable multi-purpose room. The center collaborates with U.S. Fish and Wildlife to offer youth educational programming to thousands of children annually. The many interactive exhibits “...demonstrate how actions can help maintain a healthy plant.” The design of the center was inspired by nesting animals and included sustainable design features, such as solar panels, native plants, bird-safe windows, and rain gardens.

Passive design strategies were used to combat the high energy demands of the cafe and turtle habitats. A radiant heat pump water-heating and heat recovery ventilation system were utilized to help reduce energy demands. The Oregon Zoo views the center as a hub for community environmental education and focuses on demonstrating how small actions repeated by an entire community can have a profound result in conserving and preserving the natural environment. Large openings were provided in the classrooms and laboratory to allow for natural ventilation, daylighting, and a connection to the outdoors. A bird-friendly frit pattern was utilized on the windows to create a safer environment for the birds. Overall, the Oregon Zoo seeks to create a destination for community learning to take place on the importance of conserving biodiversity and the impact that one person can have on the natural environment (42).

PRECEDENTS

57

SITE ANALYSIS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

PONTIAC POINT - MASSAWEPIE LAKE

SELECTION CRITERIA ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY CONTEXT TOWN OF PIERCEFIELD CLIMATE HISTORY SCOUT CAMP SCOUTS OF AMERICA CAMP PIONEER PARTNERSHIP SELECTED SITE CURRENT CONDITIONS PHOTOGRAPHS

SITE ANALYSIS

59

SELECTION CRITERIA 1. Immersive natural landscape 2. Legal zone of development 3. Access to state land for recreation 4. Access to waterways or lake 5. Town with currently low growth in tourist spending 6. Proximity to railroad transportation An Eco-Camp could be successfully developed almost anywhere that fulfills the above criteria. However, in the Adirondack Park land use regulations are highly restrictive in order to ensure the park remains forever wild. The majority of state land within the park is zoned to prevent any type of development. There are ample locations throughout the park that fulfill all but the second criterion for the Eco-Camp site selection. In the future, it could be conceived that a few key locations could be rezoned in order for multiple Eco-Camp destinations to be developed. As it is the mission of the Eco-Camp to conserve and preserve the beautiful landscapes that make up the Adirondack Park, the development of Eco-Camps on previously protected state land could benefit the park as a whole by promoting the education of park users and advancing sustainable tourism in the region.

In keeping with the strict regulations of the Adirondack Park, a site was selected that has previously been developed and operated a similar type of camp to the proposed Eco-Camp, Massawepie Scout Camp, in St. Lawrence County.

60

SITE ANALYSIS

MASSAWEPIE SCOUT CAMP ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY

MONTREAL

OTTAWA BURLINGTON

PORTLAND

ADIRONDACK PARK TORONTO SYRACUSE ROCHESTER

BOSTON ALBANY

BUFFALO

NEW YORK CITY PHILADELPHIA

NORTHEAST UNITED STATES

SITE ANALYSIS

61

ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY

St. Lawrence County is the largest county in New York State and is located in the Northwestern portion of the state bordering Canada. Approximately 623,500 acres of the Adirondack Park are located within the borders of St. Lawrence County. Over half of the 623,500 acres are accessible to the public for recreational activities. The portion of the Adirondack Park within St. Lawrence County is lightly used in comparison to other regions of the park, such as the High Peaks Wilderness Region (48).

Over the past few years the economy of St. Lawrence County has struggled to keep up with neighboring counties and state averages on macroeconomic indicators (annual employment, gross domestic product growth, and poverty rates) (46).

The median household income in St. Lawrence County is considerably lower than the state average of $62,765 and the lowest of all neighboring counties (Hamilton, Lewis, Franklin, Jeerson, and Herkimer) (53).

The percentage of individuals living in poverty in St. Lawrence County is above the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographics living in poverty are Females 25-34, Males 18-24, and Females 18-24 (53).

62

SITE ANALYSIS

CORNWALL MASSENA MALONE OGDENSBURG

MASSAWEPIE SCOUT CAMP PIERCEFIELD, NY

POTSDAM

CANTON

ALEXANDRIA BAY

SARANAC LAKE

GOVERNEUR

FORT DRUM WATERTOWN

CRANBERRY LAKE

CARTHAGE

LOWVILLE

LONG LAKE BLUE MOUNTAIN LAKE

OLD FORGE

LAKE PLACID

TUPPER LAKE

RAQUETTE LAKE

NEWCOMB

INDIAN LAKE

ROADS RAILROADS ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY

111,944 POPULATION

18

DIVERSITY INDEX

0

5

�5

30 MILES

$49,305

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

19.4%

PERSONS IN POVERTY

SITE ANALYSIS

63

CONTEXT The vision for the future of St. Lawrence County includes goals of sustainable economic development and increased tourism and recreation to make St. Lawrence a leader among rural counties. The county is aware of and appreciates the natural beauty of the Adirondack Park but are not profiting off of tourism as extensively as other counties within the park (46). The Eco-Camp could help to advance the goals of sustainable economic development and increased tourism that county officials set out for themselves in 2015 by creating jobs and establishing a destination for tourists inside county lines.

0

WALK SCORE

64

SITE ANALYSIS

The area surrounding the proposed site is sparsely developed and the adjacent properties are mostly owned by the State of New York. Vast forests, networks of streams and lakes, and small mountains fill the region creating endless opportunities for any type of outdoor activity. A few key sites in the area include day hike trailheads, boat launches, campgrounds, and hands-on educational experiences. Tupper Lake is the nearest village center (a 15 minute drive East) with restaurants, grocery stores, motels, and a variety of outdoor events throughout all four seasons.

Massawepie Scout Camp is located o of State Route 3, a popular highway for travel throughout the northern Adirondack Park. State Route 3 is a major east-west highway that connects central New York to the North Country.

The section of State Route 3 that passes through the Adirondack Park is designated as an Olympic Scenic Byway and as a long distance bicycle route.

Public transit is limited in the Adirondack Park, however, there are a few alternative options to personal vehicles that could be used to reach the proposed site more sustainably. Though none of the following options provide services directly to the proposed site, the Eco-Camp could accommodate visitors by providing shuttles from the following hubs to the camp, thus decreasing the dependency on personal vehicles.

BUS The Adirondack Trailways bus line services the Adirondack Park and stops in Saranac Lake year round. During the summer months the bus also stops in Tupper Lake. The bus routes make the region accessible year-round from all major cities within New York State.

TRAIN The Adirondack Scenic Railroad connects Utica to Lake Placid with a stop in Tupper Lake. The railroad has not been active north of Old Forge over the past 4 years as a result of a controversial proposal to redevelop the corridor between Tupper Lake and Lake Placid into a multi-use trail. The stop in Tupper Lake is intended to remain, and once the railway is reactivated could provide a sustainable means of transportation from as far south as Utica (45).

PLANE The nearest airport, Adirondack Regional Airport, is located northeast of Tupper Lake, about a 45 minute drive from the proposed site.

SITE ANALYSIS

65

PIERCEFIELD The proposed site is located in the town of Piercefield, New York. At the turn of the 19th century Piercefield was a booming industrial community known for its large hydro-power dam, maple syrup production, vast forests that supplied paper mills and logging industries, and spring water bottling.

The town slowly declined after 1933 when the paper mill closed and morphed into “...a tranquil residential and vacation area” (52).

Many hamlets are located within the town, including Childwold, Gale, Piercefield, Conifer, Mount Arab, Eagle Craig, Gull Pond, and Horseshoe Lake.

The area is known for its endless natural attractions and opportunities for all types of outdoor activities: hiking, paddling, fishing, biking, and camping.

Mount Arab is a top attraction in the area, the summit includes stunning views of Tupper Lake and the surrounding region, a restored fire tower, and resident steward who leads interpretive programming. The town also offers numerous winter activities including cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. A local snowmobile club, the Childwold Snowpackers, ensure all of the trails in the area are groomed and maintained (52).

66

SITE ANALYSIS

PIERCEFIELD

NEW YORK STATE

310

19.54

POPULATION

MILLION POPULATION

4

62

DIVERSITY INDEX

DIVERSITY INDEX

48.4

40.7

MEDIAN AGE

MEDIAN AGE

$53,882

$64,894

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

9.5%

14.1%

PERSONS IN POVERTY

PERSONS IN POVERTY

$76,908

$314,500

MEDIAN HOUSE VALUE

MEDIAN HOUSE VALUE

SITE ANALYSIS

67

��

RAQUETTE-JORDAN BOREAL PRIMITIVE AREA

D

CHILDWOLD

E

A MASSAWEPIE LAKE

3

C SILVER LAKE

3

<<< 80 MILES TO WATERTOWN

68

B CRANBERRY LAKE

CRANBERRY LAKE WILD FOREST

A

MASSAWEPIE SCOUT CAMP

C

BEAR MOUNTAIN TRAILHEAD

E

THIRSTY MOOSE PUB

B

CRANBERRY LAKE CAMPGROUND

D

SEVYS POINT

F

MT. ARAB TRAILHEAD

SITE ANALYSIS

ADIRONDACK SCENIC RAILROAD

WOLF POND

3

J K

3

PIERCEFIELD

G

1 TUPPER LAKE

PIERCEFIELD FLOW

3 >>> 40 MILES TO LAKE PLACID

H

2

I

F �0 TUPPER LAKE ADIRONDACK SCENIC RAILROAD

L

G

FAUST MOTEL

I

THE WILD CENTER

K

LITTLE WOLF BEACH

H

SHAHEEN’S ADIRONDACK INN

J

ADIRONDACK SKY & OBSERVATORY

L

BLUE JAY CAMPSITES

1

TUPPER LAKE TRAIN STATION

2

TUPPER LAKE BUS STOP

0

0.5

1

2 MILES

SITE ANALYSIS

69

B

I

WILD WALK AT TUPPER LAKE WILD CENTER PHOTO BY WILD CENTER

F

70

SITE ANALYSIS

CRANBERRY LAKE CAMPGROUND PHOTO BY SHARI G.

MT. ARAB SUMMIT - FIRE TOWER AND STEWARDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CABIN PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT ADIRONDACKS

TUPPER LAKE PHOTO BY KURT GARDNER PHOTOGRAPHY

SITE ANALYSIS

71

CLIMATE AVERAGE HIGH IN °F AVERAGE LOW IN °F

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10

JA N FE UA BR RY U A RY M A RC H A PR IL M A Y JU N E JU LY A U SE GU PT S EM T B O CT ER O N B O VE ER M D EC BE EM R BE R

0

AVERAGE PRECIPITATION IN INCHES

5 4 3 2 1

JA N FE UA BR RY U A RY M A RC H A PR IL M A Y JU N E JU LY A U SE GU PT S EM T B O CT ER O N B O VE ER M D EC BE EM R BE R

0

42

INCHES OF RAIN AVG. PER YEAR

72

SITE ANALYSIS

108

INCHES OF SNOW AVG. PER YEAR

160

SUNNY DAYS AVG. PER YEAR

SOLAR ANGLES

N SUMMER SOLSTICE SUNSET

SUMMER SOLSTICE SUNRISE

W

E

WINTER SOLSTICE SUNSET

WINTER SOLSTICE SUNRISE

S

N

AVERAGE WIND DIRECTION AND STRENGTH DISTRIBUTION

W

E

S

SITE ANALYSIS

73

HISTORY

“MASSAWEPIE”Lake by the marsh

The geographic features of what is now known as Massawepie Scout Camp were created about 12,000 years ago by Wisconsin Period glaciers. During the 1800s the Mohawk people of the Iroquois Confederacy used the land as hunting grounds in the summer. In 1890 the Childwold Park House opened on the banks of Massawepie Lake as a hotel that could serve 250-300 guests. Visitors to the hotel would arrive via train in the neighboring hamlet, Childwold. The hotel closed in 1909 and the property was sold in 1912 to the Sykes family, owners of the Emporium Lumber Company. In the 1920s the area around what came to be known as Camp Pioneer was leased out as a private summer camp for boys (44).

The Otetiana Council of the Boy Scouts of America (currently known as the Seneca Waterways Council) purchased the Massawepie property (2850 acres) in 1951 for $105,000. Camp Pioneer was the first camp to open for Boy Scouts in the summer of 1952. The following summer Camp Mountaineer opened and Camp Voyageur opened in 1956.

Massawepie Scout Camp hosted 5,020 boys from 155 troops over the summer of 1962. Camp Forester, the fourth and final camp on the property, opened in 1969 as the number of scouts visiting each summer continued to rise (44).

74

SITE ANALYSIS

CHILDWOLD PARK HOUSE 1890 PHOTO COURTESY OF RAY WELCH

LAKE VIEW HOUSE 1898 PHOTO COURTESY OF UNKNOWN

HOTEL CHILDWOOD EARLY 1900â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PHOTO COURTESY OF UNKNOWN

SITE ANALYSIS

75

SCOUT CAMP By the late 1970s the number of visitors to Massawepie Scout Camp decreased significantly forcing some camps to close certain summers and offer fewer weeks of camp. Camp Voyageur closed in 1977 and Camp Forester closed permanently in 1994 (44). Today, Camp Pioneer is the only operational summer camp at Massawepie. The facilities of Camp Mountaineer are used occasionally for special events and family camping.

Massawepie Scout Camp is located on a nearly 4,000 acre conservation easement within the Adirondack Park.

The easement allows the general public to access the land from September 1 through June 14 for recreational activities. Currently, only Scouts and those affiliated with the camp are allowed on the property from June 15 through August 31 (50).

Massawepie Lake is the main feature of the property at about 750 acres in area and 70’ deep at its lowest point. Many ponds surround the main lake and a small stream connects the lake to the Grasse River, creating ample opportunities to explore via non-motorized boat (50).

The Massawepie Mire is the largest bog in New York State. The mire is one of the best birding locations in the Adirondack Park, with more than 18 warbler species, and the rare Spruce Grouse native to the area (51).

76

SITE ANALYSIS

1Ϗ0

0

0 1 ώ0

00

1ώ

Shotgun Range

ƪ

Camp Entrance

x 1ώϑϑ

Camp Hqtrs.

1ώ00

3

00

1ώ

x 1Ϗ10

Camp Pioneer

Catamount Pond

ύό0

1

1ύ1Ϗ

Camp Mountaineer

0

1ώ0

0

1ύό

1ύ22

Former Camp Voyageur

Lost Pond Pontiac Point

Round Pond

20

erfoot TendCove

1ύ

Long Bay

1ύ12

Pine Pond

Massawepie Lake

1ύ2 0

To Grasse River

Mas a s w epi e O ut le

Long Pond 1ύ2ύ

t

00

1ώ

Eagle Island

Pon

d

Massawepie Mire

ge ad

Ro

M as

a rri

The Bog Overlook

Ca

sa we pie

Ro a

d

Bo

ottre e Pon d

e

H ors e s h o

To Mt. Arab

Deer Pond

MASSAWEPIE SCOUT CAMP 2020 ROADS

1700

SEASONAL ROADS TRAILS

Former Camp Forester

Town Line Pond

(CLOSED)

LEAN-TO CAMP OUTPOST CAMP 0

ͭ68ͱ x High View

750

1500

3000 FEET

PROPOSED SITE ADIRONDACK ECO-CAMP

SITE ANALYSIS

77

SCOUTS OF AMERICA

The Scouts of America Mission Statement is: “... To prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.” The Seneca Waterways Council Scout summer camping program Mission Statement is: “...To provide each Scout with an outdoor experience through which he has opportunities to: be challenged; work toward advancement; be active with his troop,patrol and others; achieve while learning; develop as a person; enjoy the Adirondack forest; and have fun.”

The missions of the above two organizations are similar to that of the Eco-Camp, however the Eco-Camp seeks to broaden the audience to which the educational programs are available and concentrate on environmental education and wilderness survival skills.

The Eco-Camp provides a unique opportunity for the Scouts of America to partner with a like-minded organization and through this partnership engage a broader and more diverse audience while continuing to disseminate their values.

The number of campers at Massawepie have held relatively steady over the past 10 years contrary to the general declining trend in Scout membership throughout the organization.

78

SITE ANALYSIS

BOY SCOUT & VARSITY ENROLLMENT (IN THOUSANDS)

1 MIL 900

800

700

500

20 10 20 11 20 12 20 13 20 14 20 15 20 16

PEAK ENROLLMENT 1972

600

MASSAWEPIE SCOUT CAMP SUMMER ATTENDANCE

20 17 20 18

6,500,000

2500

2000

1500

1000

0

20 17 20 18 20 19

PEAK ATTENDANCE 1962

20 10 20 11 20 12 20 13 20 14 20 15 20 16

5,020

500

SITE ANALYSIS

79

CAMP PIONEER

“Patrol Cooking”Scout troop members work collectively to prepare and clean up meals

“Voyageur Guide”A BSA certified trek leader; certifies adult leaders to guide youth groups on wilderness treks

80

SITE ANALYSIS

Camp runs for six sessions during the summer months at Massawepie Scout Camp. During this time, scouts have the opportunity to take part in a variety of classes, including Environmental Science, Forestry, First Aid, Leave No Trace/Outdoor Ethics, Wilderness Survival, and many more.

Accommodations at Camp Pioneer include cabins for senior staff members and platform tents for the rest of the staff and campers. The campsites are named after prominent lakes and towns in the Adirondack Park. There are 19 outpost sites around the Massawepie property for overnight camping. There are two options for dining, campers can either eat in the dining hall or take part in patrol cooking (47).

Camp Pioneer also offers the opportunity for groups of campers to go on excursions, or treks, throughout the Adirondack Park. These treks allow campers to experience more of the beautiful Adirondack wilderness while practicing ethical wilderness techniques under the supervision of a trained Voyageur guide (47).

Massawepie opens to scouts on Columbus Day weekend and Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend to offer more outdoor experiences on the camp property and throughout the Adirondack Park (47).

SPORTS BUILDING PHOTO COURTESY OF P. COLLINGE

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION BUILDING PHOTO COURTESY OF P. COLLINGE

LOREN HAKES CAMPFIRE CIRCLE PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE VARGA

1Ϗ0

0

0

1ώ0 SITE ANALYSIS

81

PARTNERSHIP Seneca Waterways Council partners with a variety of organizations to increase revenue and share the facilities the Scout camps provide with others. Most notably at Massawepie Scout Camp, St. Lawrence University has an agreement with the camp to use a location on the western side of Massawepie Lake as base camp for their Adirondack Semester program. The program is similar to study abroad programs, only not held in foreign countries. The university has constructed a small, off the grid yurt village in which students live, learn, and play for an entire semester. The curriculum focuses on the study of nature and of human relationships with nature. Field trips to other parts of the Adirondack Park are a regular part of classes and the weekly schedule (49).

8 Principles define the Adirondack Semester program: 1. Encourage deep engagement with the natural world through immersion in the wilderness 2. Cultivate a positive living and learning community 3. Commit to a materially simple lifestyle 4. Promote best sustainable practices 5. Foster a critical review and use of technologies to minimize distractions 6. Explore critical environmental issues 7. Introduce basic outdoor survival skills 8. Critically and creatively reflect upon the ADK semester

To Grasse River

Mas a s we 82

SITE ANALYSIS

1ώ00

x 1Ϗ10

00 1ώ

e Ou tl e

ƪ

1ώ0

0

Camp Mountaine HANDS ON LEARNING PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY

CLASSROOM YURT PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY

Lost Pond

20

ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY’S YURT VILLAGE PHOTO COURTESY OF JOAN COLLINS

1ύ2 0

Pine Pond

erfoo TendCove

Long Bay

t

1ύ

t

Eagle

Massaw Lake SITE ANALYSIS

83

SELECTED SITE The selected site for the Adirondack Eco-Camp is at the southern end of the Massawepie Scout Camp property. The site was active from 1969 through 1994 as Camp Forester, the fourth summer scout camp to open on the property. The camp was primarily used by senior scouts interested in patrol cooking.

Camp Forester closed in 1994 as enrollment dwindled and has remained unused ever since. The camp operated on approximately 150 acres and included campsites and three buildings: camp oï¬&#x192;ce, commissary, and bathhouse. Deer Pond was used for sailing, swimming, and paddling classes.

84

SITE ANALYSIS

A

MEDITATION POINT

G

FLEET BASE

B

COMMISSARY

H

SWIM DOCK

C

SHOWER HOUSE

I

SWIM AREAS

D

STAFF AREA

J

SPORTS FIELD

E

CAMPFIRE CIRCLE

K

CAMP OFFICE

F

PUMP HOUSE

L

PARKING AREA

d sa we pie Ro a

Ca a rri

as

ge

M

Ro

ad

The Bog Overlook

I

Deer Pond A

I

G H I

Town Line Pond

Former Camp Forester E (CLOSED)

D

F

C

B

K

L

CAMP FORESTER 1970 0

500

1000

2000 FEET

ͭ68ͱ x High View SITE ANALYSIS

85

CURRENT CONDITIONS

The camp is accessible via Massawepie Road, a dirt road maintained by the Town of Piercefield that continues beyond the property of Massawepie Scout Camp. In the winter the road is only plowed into Camp Pioneer and the remaining length of the road is groomed for snowmobile trails, a popular activity in the area.

The driveway entering former Camp Forester is heavily eroded but still relatively clear of brush and trees. The three buildings, camp office, commissary, and bathhouse are all still standing in varying levels of disrepair.

The camp office and commissary are salvageable structures that could be reused to serve as auxiliary buildings for the proposed Eco-Camp. Deer Pond is visible from Massawepie Road. The approximately 30 acre pond contains three distinctive coves and is open to public fishing.

There is relatively new forest growth on much of the former camp, where trees had once been cleared for campsites and activities. There are numerous tall pine trees scattered throughout the site, especially along the edge of the pond.

The site has clearly been retaken by nature, animal tracks were seen frequently during the site visit and the pathways have become overgrown and difficult to navigate.

The site certainly provides a place to become immersed in the beauty of the Adirondack Park.

86

SITE ANALYSIS

MASSAWEPIE ROAD

1

DEER POND

8 7

6 5 4

3

2

CAMP FORESTER DRIVEWAY

AERIAL VIEW OF DEER POND TOPOGRAPHIC LINES AT EVERY 20â&#x20AC;&#x2122; INTERVALS OF ELEVATION CHANGE 0

125 250

500 FEET

SITE ANALYSIS

87

MASSAWEPIE ROAD - APPROACH TO DEER POND

88

SITE ANALYSIS

1

2

MASSAWEPIE ROAD - VIEW TO DEER POND

MASSAWEPIE ROAD -GATEWAY TO FORMER CAMP FORESTER

SITE ANALYSIS

89

3

CAMP OFFICES EXTERIOR

CAMP OFFICES EXTERIOR

CAMP OFFICES INTERIOR

90

SITE ANALYSIS

4

COMMISSARY EXTERIOR DISTRIBUTION WINDOWS

COMMISSARY EXTERIOR

5

BATH HOUSE EXTERIOR

SITE ANALYSIS

91

6

92

SITE ANALYSIS

PATHWAY AT SOUTHERN END OF DEER POND

7

SOUTHWEST END OF DEER POND

8

POINT ON DEER POND

SITE ANALYSIS

93

PRE-DESIGN

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

DEER POND

SITE PROGRAMMING ENTRANCE SHUTTLE STATION LODGE AMPHITHEATER OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS GUEST ACCOMMODATIONS GUEST BATH HOUSE WATERFRONT STAFF VILLAGE MAINTENANCE CENTER STORAGE BUILDING CODE ANALYSIS

PRE-DESIGN

95

SITE PROGRAMMING Immersion in the wilderness often, ironically, requires shelter. The Adirondack Eco-Camp provides both wilderness immersion and shelter for all who visit. The entire campus of the Eco-Camp serves as an outdoor classroom: a destination for experiential learning to take place in nature.

Experiential, nature-based learning has the ability to increase oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s value of the natural environment, which encourages actions that help to preserve and protect the wilderness.

The selected site for the proposed development of the Eco-Camp is deep in the Adirondack Park surrounded by nothing but trees, water, wildlife, and fresh air. Guests to the camp will leave modern amenities behind in favor of a simpler, more sustainable lifestyle ďŹ lled with opportunities to learn and engage with environmental experts. The campus supports learning by creating an environment where individuals can enjoy the beauty of nature, participate in a paddling course on the pond, take a guided hike in the woods, listen to a forest ranger speak on the importance of Leave No Trace principles, or learn to build a survival shelter. The opportunities for learning on the campus are endless.

The buildings and the campus are intended to blend into one whole experience, an experience that centers around a connection to nature. Views to the outdoors are exaggerated in every building and interpretive signage along pathways engages guests at every turn.

96

PRE-DESIGN

The Eco-Camp is intended to be a year-round destination for learning. The camp seeks to provide an immersive outdoor experience, however, suitable weather cannot always be guaranteed.

Redundant indoor spaces will be included in the design of the Eco-Camp facilities to provide areas for learning when rain, wind, or snow make outdoor learning impractical.

Vehicular access to the site will be limited. The use of personal vehicles to travel to the site will be discouraged. All personal vehicles will be parked at the Scout Camp, three miles north of the Eco-Camp entrance. Guests will be encouraged to travel by train to Tupper Lake, where a complimentary shuttle will provide transportation to a shuttle

station at the Eco-Camp. Service and delivery will be accommodated via a small service drive connecting Massawepie Road to the Lodge and maintenance building.

Upon arrival to the Eco-Camp, guests will deboard the shuttle and stroll down the winding nature trail to arrive at the Lodge. The Lodge is the heart of the campus, it is the center of all activity.

From the Lodge guests can continue down multiple nature walks to reach various destinations around the camp.

Destinations around the campus include: waterfront, amphitheater, guest cabins and tent sites, guest bathhouse, outdoor classroom pavilions, staďŹ&#x20AC; village, maintenance center, and equipment storage building.

PRE-DESIGN

97

ENTRANCE GATEWAY

SIGNAGE

The entrance to the Eco-Camp will be in the same location as the entrance to the former Camp Forester. The entrance will be significant, a gateway, as it represents the threshold of leaving modern amenities behind in favor of a more sustainable lifestyle and a willingness to be open-minded. The entrance will include informational signage on the mission and values of the Eco-Camp and important information on the guidelines that must be followed by guests to the camp. Upon arrival, guests will experience the entrance only on the complimentary shuttle, as there is no public parking allowed on the site.

Guests could also pass through the entrance by foot or on a bike.

SHUTTLE STATION SHUTTLE STATION

98

PRE-DESIGN

The shuttle will carry guests down the camp drive to the designated point where guests can unload and gather their equipment. The drop-off point will include signage so guests are immediately able to begin orienting themselves on the Eco-Camp property.

The same station will be used when guests are leaving the camp and returning to their parked cars or alternative mode of transportation. The drive will also be used by staff members and service vehicles.

LODGE ADMINISTRATION

MEDICAL

DINING

CLASSROOMS

BUNK ROOMS

COMMUNITY GREAT ROOM

The Lodge is the center of activity on the camp. The Lodge is split into six zones: administration, medical, dining, classrooms, bunk rooms, and the community great room.

The administrative requirements include office spaces, a check-in and guest services counter, a lobby, and an indoor staff lounge. The lobby will be used for small displays of local artists' work and traveling museum exhibits. Medical will be the smallest of the six zones; it will include 2 beds for guests who become injured or ill during their time at the Eco-Camp. The dining zone will include a large dining hall that can hold up to 99 guests at one time and a commercial kitchen. An exterior patio can also be used for dining when the weather permits. The classroom zone will be large enough to accommodate four small classrooms, that when necessary can be opened up to form one large open space for larger class sizes. There will be three bunk rooms within the lodge to provide an alternative experience for guests who would prefer a more affordable option than the private cabins and prefer not to sleep in a tent. The final zone in the Lodge is the community great room. This room provides an indoor gathering space for guests to spend time when the weather prevents outdoor gatherings. The space will include a large fireplace, seating, a small library, and views to the exterior.

The guiding principle in the design of the Lodge is to maintain the connection to the outdoors at all times by providing views to the surrounding woods and to Deer Pond.

PRE-DESIGN

99

AMPHITHEATER AMPHITHEATER

COMMUNITY FIRE PIT

The amphitheater serves as the outdoor gathering place for all guests. It will be large enough to allow every guest and staff member to congregate for group activities. The center of the amphitheater will include a small stage for guest lectures and performances. A fire pit will also be included at the center of the amphitheater. The fire will act as a beacon for guests to gather in the evenings and enjoy each other’s company while also engaging with staff members and other environmental experts that are on the camp that day.

OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS OUTDOOR CLASSROOM

100

PRE-DESIGN

As mentioned previously in Site Programming, the entire campus of the Eco-Camp serves as an outdoor classroom; experiential learning can take place anywhere on the camp. However, the Eco-Camp will include a few small outdoor classroom pavilions for structured educational programming.

The pavilions will be open air with minimal visual barriers to the surrounding wilderness.

GUEST ACCOMMODATIONS TENT SITES

CABINS

Guest accommodations outside the lodge will include cabins and platform tent sites. The cabins will accommodate two people each; two sets of cabins will be set up in pairs that could be used by a family of four. Each cabin will provide a place for two people to sleep and a small porch to sit outside. The tent sites will each include a small fire pit and two platforms per site.

The cabins and tent sites will line the southeastern edge of the pond, providing a tranquil location for guests to enjoy their own private space. A boardwalk will connect the cabins and tent sites to the rest of camp.

GUEST BATH HOUSE BATHHOUSE

The guest bath house will be located near the cabins and tent sites. It will include showers, composting toilets, sinks, and drinking fountains. Rainwater will be harvested off of roofs around the camp and stored in cisterns adjacent to the bathhouse to be filtered for use in sinks, showers, and toilets.

PRE-DESIGN

101

WATERFRONT SWIM AREA

BOAT LAUNCH

The waterfront provides a small area on the edge of Deer Pond for swimming, fishing, and boat access. A dock will be provided with an accessible canoe loading station. The waterfront serves as another type of informal outdoor classroom, where learning can take place at any time. A small area to store canoes and kayaks will be provided adjacent to the developed waterfront.

STAFF VILLAGE CABINS

BATH HOUSE

FIRE PIT

102

PRE-DESIGN

Every member of the staff will have the option to live on the Eco-Camp property.

A staff village that includes cabins, a staff bath house, and an outdoor gathering area will be developed in a secluded area of camp. The director of the camp will have a larger cabin on the edge of the staff village where the director’s family can live with him or her year-round.

Junior counselors will be required to live on the camp and will have a designated tent site near the guest accommodations to ensure someone can be accessed quickly in the case of an emergency.

MAINTENANCE CENTER MAINTENANCE

The existing camp offices building that was used by former Camp Forester will be converted into the maintenance center. The existing offices in the building will be updated to accommodate the maintenance staff.

The existing community space and porch will be converted into shop space.

Maintenance equipment will be stored in the equipment storage building.

EQUIPMENT STORAGE EQUIPMENT STORAGE

The existing commissary building that was used by former Camp Forester will be converted into the equipment storage building. The commissary is currently one large, open space with large sliding windows on the south elevation. The windows can be used to carry out transactions with guests borrowing equipment. The large open space will allow large equipment (such as canoes or kayaks) to be stored when not in use. A small area outside the storage building will serve as a staging area where groups going out on day trips or extended trips can organize the equipment that will be required.

PRE-DESIGN

103

CODE ANALYSIS The Eco-Camp will be designed to accommodate a limited number of guests to provide a unique, intimate group experience.

No. of Overnight Guests: No. of Day Trip Guests: No. of Staï¬&#x20AC; Members: Total: THE LODGE

64 50 18 132

Dining Hall Kitchen Community Great Room Classrooms Administration Bunk Rooms

Occupancy Type A2 A2 A3 B B R1

Construction Type:

Type IV

Allowable Height above Grade: Allowable No. of Stories above Grade:

Load Factor 200 gross 15 net 7 net 150 gross 20 net 200 gross

50 feet 3 stories

Allowable Area Factor A3 (NS): 15,000 SF A2 (NS): 15,000 SF B (NS): 36,000 SF R1 (S): 20,500 SF At least 60% of public entrances to be accessible Emergency power system shall provide power for a duration not less than 90 minutes Maximum exit access travel distance: Dead end corridors should not exceed:

104

PRE-DESIGN

200 FT 20 FT

Dining Hall & Kitchen (A2) At least 5% of dining surfaces to be accessible Community Great Room (A3) Water Closets: 1 per 75 male; 1 per 75 female Lavatories: 1 per 200 Drinking Fountains: 1 per 500 Classrooms & Administration (B) Water Closets: 1 per 25 for first 50 Lavatories: 1 per 40 for first 80 Drinking Fountains: 1 per 100 Bunk Rooms (R1) Require automatic sprinkler system Walls separating sleeping units - Fire Partitions Require fire alarm systems and smoke alarms 1-25 units provided: 1 required accessible unit Minimum floor area per occupant: Water Closets: Lavatories: Showers:

50 SF

1 per 10 1 per 10 1 per 8

PRE-DESIGN

105

CODE ANALYSIS CONT. GUEST ACCOMMODATIONS AND BATH HOUSE Guest Cabins

Occupancy Type R1

Construction Type:

IV

Load Factor 200 gross

1-25 units provided: 1 required accessible unit Minimum floor area per occupant:

50 SF

Guest cabins to be considered â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Camping Cabinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; A hard sided tent or shelter less than 400 SF in area which is designed to be readily movable and does not include cooking facilities, sinks, showers, laundry or toilet facilities Minimum campsite area: Minimum clearance between campsite boundary and camping unit:

1250 SF 5 FT

A variance will be required to prevent the need to install automatic sprinkler systems in each cabin; precedents for this variance being granted when other conditions met, such as: Prohibit smoking throughout camp Prohibit all appliances in cabins Provide emergency lighting in each cabin Locate fire extinguishers adjacent to each exit Provide 2 smoke detectors and one carbon monoxide detectors installed with strobe and alarms inside cabin Supply of potable water: Minimum water pressure:

55 gallons per day 20 lbs. per Sq. Inch

Minimum of 4 toilets provided at all campgrounds For every 2 toilets, one hand wash facility

14 106

PRE-DESIGN PRE-DESIGN

STAFF CABINS Staff Cabins Director’s Cabin

Occupancy Type R2 R3

Construction Type:

IV

1-25 units provided:

1 required accessible unit

Minimum floor area per occupant: Water Closets: Lavatories: Showers:

Load Factor 200 gross 200 gross

50 SF

1 per 10 1 per 10 1 per 8

WATERFRONT Fishing platform shall be accessible Boat slip shall be accessible and on accessible route

SHUTTLE STATION Accessible routes shall connect shuttle station to all major destinations on the camp

Relevant Regulatory Bodies: Environmental Protection Agency The Adirondack Park Agency Town of Piercefield

PRE-DESIGN PRE-DESIGN

15 107

COMPLETED DESIGN

1 2 3 4

PROPOSED ECO-CAMP LODGE

SITE LODGE CABINS CONCLUSION

DESIGN

109

SITE The Eco-Camp was located at the south end of Deer Pond, where Camp Forester had previously been developed.

The lodge is the main architectural feature of the campus, the center of all activities hosted on the camp.

Accessible boardwalks connect all of the main elements of the camp, creating an environment that can be enjoyed by everyone.

The cabins line the eastern edge of Deer Pond, set back from the edge of the water to avoid damaging the delicate ecosystems in this area.

The entire campus acts as an outdoor classroom, where learning can take place anywhere at anytime.

110

DESIGN

DEER POND CABINS ACCESSIBLE BOARDWALK

BATH HOUSE

WATERFRONT TENT SITES LODGE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM BOARDWALK TO ACCESS STAFF VILLAGE, STORAGE, & MAINTENANCE SHUTTLE STATION 0

40

120

200 FEET

SITE PLAN

DESIGN

111

LODGE

SUPPORT

GREAT ROOM

& KS MS BUN SROO S CLA

The form of the lodge is composed of three main masses. Each mass has its own purpose. The support wing houses administration, medical, kitchen, and mechanical spaces. The classrooms and bunk rooms are located in the east wing.

The great room is located at the center of the lodge and provides a gathering space for all guests and staďŹ&#x20AC; members to come together.

The lodge emerges from the natural setting as guests approach from the shuttle station. The use of wood and stone on the exterior allow the lodge to fully connect to the site. Guests enter through the heart of the lodge, a massive chimney that dominates the exterior facade of the building, visible through a glass wall. The timber structure carries through to the exterior of the lodge on both the south and north facades.

112

DESIGN

APPROACH TO LODGE FROM SHUTTLE STATION

DESIGN

113

SOUTH ELEVATION 0

114

10

DESIGN

30

60 FEET

EAST ELEVATION

DESIGN

115

NORTH ELEVATION 0

116

10

30

DESIGN

60 FEET

WEST ELEVATION

DESIGN

117

1. Lobby 2. Balcony 3. Lounge 4. Conference Room 5. Director’s Office 6. Office

7. Delivery 8. Medical 9. Toilet Room 10. Housekeeping 11. Shower Room 12. Bunk Room

13. Dining Hall 14. Kitchen 15. Kitchen Storage 16. Mechanical 17. Storage 18. Classroom

12

4

5

12

11

2 11

6

12 9 9

10

3

9 7

8 1 9

LEVEL 1 0

118

5

DESIGN

15

30 FEET

18

18 15

18

16 15

14

13

17

17

16

9

9

LEVEL 2

DESIGN

119

The timber structure of the building was inspired by the canopies of trees, to recreate the experience of being outdoors within the great room. The inverted form of the roof provides an area for rainwater harvesting and a snow melt system to provide water to the lodge. The form also allows daylight to enter from above and stream down into the spaces below, as if through the branches of a tree. Clerestories are provided throughout the building to allow light to ďŹ lter in from above and naturally light internal spaces.

120

DESIGN

SECTION 1 0

3

9

DESIGN

18 FEET

121

This section, cut through the east wing, again displays the use of clerestories and area-ways to allow light to enter the internal spaces of the building. The timber structure is also exposed throughout this wing.

Operable windows allow for natural ventilation to cool the building when necessary. Mechanical ventilation systems are also included to provide the required number of air changes.

The following diagrams highlight the strategies used to allow the building to operate as sustainably as possible.

122

DESIGN

SECTION 2 0

2

6

DESIGN

12 FEET

123

GREAT ROOM VIEW TO POND

124

DESIGN

GREAT ROOM VIEW OF CHIMNEY

DESIGN

125

6 BATHROOM SINKS 2 SHOWERS 2 DRINKING FOUNTAINS 2 KITCHEN SINKS 1 WASHING MACHINE

GREYWATER TREATMENT TANK

INDOOR PLANTER SYSTEM

6 FOAM FLUSH COMPOSTING TOILETS

SNOW MELT

COMPOST UNIT

BUTTERFLY ROOF

LEACHATE TANK

PERIODIC REMOVAL

WELL EXTERIOR CISTERN FILTRATION CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS RAINWATER COLLECTION (PIPING)

LODGE: WATER

126

DESIGN

SUBSURFACE INFILTRATION

EMERGENCY BACKUP SYSTEMS DIESEL PROPANE GENERATOR

INVERTER

AC APPLIANCES

CHARGE CONTROLLER SALTWATER BATTERY BANK

PV ARRAY ALL SOUTH FACING ROOFS

REMOTE PV ARRAY LOCATED AT OLD PARKING LOT

MICRO-HYDRO TURBINE

GENERATOR

LOCATED AT GRASSE RIVER INLET

LODGE: ENERGY

DESIGN

127

STANDING SEAM METAL ROOF

TYPICAL ROOF ASSEMBLY

BATTENS SARKING GRADE WOOD FIBER BOARD 12 IN. WOOD FIBER INSULATION BOARD VAPOR CONTROL MEMBRANE 5 LAYER CROSS LAMINATED TIMBER PANEL

20 INCH ROOF ASSEMBLY: R-46

TYPICAL WALL ASSEMBLY

5 LAYER CROSS LAMINATED TIMBER PANEL TIMBER I-BEAMS 9 IN SHEEP WOOL INSULATION BREATHER MEMBRANE FIXING BATTENS TIMBER CLADDING 14 INCH WALL ASSEMBLY: R-38

LODGE: THERMAL ENVELOPE

128

DESIGN

CHIMNEY ACTS AS THERMAL MASS ABSORBS HEAT FROM SOLAR GAIN AND FIRES AND THEN RELEASES EVENLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY

HIGH EFFICIENCY PELLET STOVE 1 PER BUNK ROOM

TROMBE WALL

NATURAL VENTILATION

RADIANT FLOOR HEATING PIPES NATURAL VENTILATION

POND LOOP COLLECTOR

RADIANT FLOOR HEATING PIPES HEAT PUMP

LODGE: THERMAL COMFORT

DESIGN

129

CABINS The cabins serve as one of the options for overnight accommodations. Each cabin is identical, accessible via an accessible boardwalk that wraps the edge of Deer Pond. The cabins are simple forms, elevated oďŹ&#x20AC; of the forest ďŹ&#x201A;oor to minimize the disturbance of native species.

Clerestory windows are utilized on the southern facade to take advantage of natural daylighting and passive solar gain. Large windows on the west facade take advantage of views overlooking Deer Pond. Each cabin is provided with a porch, a wood stove, a couple chairs, and a bed.

130

DESIGN

CABIN PLAN

CABIN SECTION 0

1

3

DESIGN

6 FEET

131

NORTH ELEVATION 0

132

2

6

DESIGN

12 FEET

WEST ELEVATION

SOUTH ELEVATION

EAST ELEVATION

DESIGN

133

VIEW OF CABINS FROM DEER POND

134

DESIGN

VIEW OF OUTDOOR CLASSROOM

DESIGN

135

CONCLUSION An unprecedented number of tourists visiting the Adirondack Park over the past few years has resulted in severe environmental degradation. Many tourists are unaware of how to behave ethically in the backcountry, but are still setting out into wilderness. These tourists are endangering themselves, those called in to rescue them, and the ecosystems that have existed in the region for thousands of years. The compounding eďŹ&#x20AC;ect of all of these tourists careless actions is causing devastation to the beautiful landscapes of the Adirondack Park.

The Adirondack Eco-Camp seeks to redeďŹ ne what an eco-resort can be, by highlighting education above all else and creating an experience for guests that will inspire them to become better stewards of the environment. The Eco-Camp provides a place for experiential learning to take place and for guests to be exposed to educational programming that imparts how valuable the Adirondack Park and the natural environment are to society.

Each person who sets oďŹ&#x20AC; into the wilderness has the opportunity to leave the wilderness better than how they found it; the Eco-Camp seeks to teach all guests how this is possible, in order to preserve the Adirondack wilderness for generations to come.

136

DESIGN

VIEW OF LODGE FROM DEER POND

DESIGN

137

REFERENCES INTRODUCTION

138

REFERENCES

1.

Adirondack Council. Overuse in the Adirondack Park, 2020, www.adirondackcouncil.org/page/overuse-in-the-adirondack-park-29 8.html.

2.

Center for Outdoor Ethics. “Interactive Map - Leave No Trace.” Leave No Trace, Nov. 2019, lnt.org/map/.

3.

Flynn, Andy. “Groups Name a Lot More than 5 Threats to the Adirondacks.” Lake Placid News, 28 Dec. 2018, www.lakeplacidnews.com/page/content.detail/id/529348/Groups-nam e-a-lot-more-than-5-threats-to-the-Adirondacks.html?nav=5005.

4.

New York State. “Governor Cuomo Announces Success of 2018 Adirondack Challenge.” Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New York State, 29 July 2018, www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-success-201 8-adirondack-challenge.

5.

Sunlu, Ugur. “Environmental Impacts of Tourism.” Local Resources and Global Trades, 2003, pp. 263–270.

6.

World Tourism Organization. “International Tourist Arrivals Reach 1.4 Billion Two Years Ahead of Forecasts.” World Tourism Organization, UNWTO, 21 Jan. 2019, www2.unwto.org/press-release/2019-01-21/international-tourist-arriv als-reach-14-billion-two-years-ahead-forecasts.

LITERATURE REVIEW 7.

Adirondack Council. About the Adirondack Park. 2019, www.adirondackcouncil.org/page/the-adirondack-park-19.html.

8.

Adirondack Council. Overuse in the Adirondack Park., 2020, www.adirondackcouncil.org/page/overuse-in-the-adirondack-park-29 8.html.

9.

Adirondack Council. “Study Reveals Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness Visitors Exceeding Capacity.” News, Adirondack Council, 7 May 2018, https://www.adirondackcouncil.org/page/press-releases-16/news/stud y-reveals-adirondack-high-peaks-wilderness-visitors-exceeding-capac ity-1081.html.

10. Adirondack Council. Summary of 2018 Hiker Survey Results. 2018, https://www.adirondackcouncil.org/page/2018hiker-surveyresultssum mary-276.html.

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