Assessing Environmental Change at Recreation Sites
Catskill Park
Beginning in 2026, DEC has partnered with the New York Natural Heritage Program to initiate a pilot phase of the Ecological Scorecard project on Forest Preserve lands in the Catskill Park, funded by the Environmental Protection Fund.
The project in the Catskills will monitor ecological indicators in select recreation areas to assess how they may be changing over time. In the pilot phase, limited data collection will take place at points of interest such as hiking trails, backcountry campsites, and lean-tos.
Adirondack Park
Since 2019, DEC has partnered with SUNY ESF’s Adirondack Ecological Center to carry out the Ecological Scorecard project on Forest Preserve lands in the Adirondack Park. Funded through the Environmental Protection Fund, this long-term project monitors ecological indicators such as plant communities, wildlife, or other natural features in select recreation areas and assesses how these areas may be changing over time. Monitoring takes place at:
- Points of interest used for recreation (i.e., campsites, lean-tos, and trails);
- Under-construction sites not currently open for recreation; and
- Two control sites in ESF’s Huntington Wildlife Forest in Newcomb, NY.
This targeted monitoring, combined with data collected about visitor use, allows DEC staff to make data-driven adaptive management decisions which help balance recreational activities with improved ecological outcomes. For further information, please visit SUNY ESF’s Ecological Scorecard website.
Downloadable Reports
Phase I: Review of existing monitoring programs, identification of potential indicators, and pilot field season.
- 2019-20 Report (PDF)
Phase II: Annual monitoring of ecological indicators at sites and points of interest.
- 2020-21 Report (PDF)
- 2021-22 Report (PDF)
- 2022-23 Report (PDF)
Preliminary Analyses of changes in monitored indicators across years.
- 2023-24 Report (PDF)
Phase III: multiyear trends and incorporation of new sites and analyses.
- 2024-25 Report (PDF) and Executive Summary (PDF)