Statement of Significance (as of designation - May 23, 1963):
This huge area became the first state forest preserve in the nation when New York State established it as a wilderness area in 1885. The act of establishment encompassed all state-owned lands in the Adirondack region, along with those in three counties in the Catskills, and directed that they be forever kept as a wilderness. It now includes more than 2,500,000 acres.

Condition:
The Adirondack Park's ecological integrity is threatened by acid precipitation, global climate change (most notable in high altitude break forests and tundra), invasive species and inappropriate development (especially a surge in 2nd home development in resource management areas). The Park's wild character and aesthetic resources are threatened by industrial wind turbines proposed in areas adjacent to wilderness, fake pine tree cell towers, and motorized recreational uses on lakes and in forested areas.

As a land area, the list above does not quite fit the 6.0 million acre Adirondack Park. Currently, the two executive agencies responsible for private land (the Adirondack Park Agency) and public lands (NYS Department of Enviornmental Conservation) are understaffed and in need of reform. Local planning is needed within hamlets and villages to maintain and enhance their unique rural character. Better enforcement is needed to control destruction of fragile habitats by ATVs Overall-federal legislation is needed to reduce air pollution from other states to enable recovery from the effects of acid precipitation and global climate change. Governor Pataki has set a target during his tenure of conserving one million acres. To date, approximately 500,000 acres have been recently protected by the state as fee simple purchases, ensuring their constitutional protection as "forever wild", or by easements that will retain working forests, and elminate subdivision. Both federal forest legacy funds and the NYS Environmental Protection Fund made this acquistions possible.