HARD TO CATCH
Litter, open fires a problem at county forest parcel
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. » The sign says people who litter, use motor vehicles or build fires are subject to $1,000 fines.
So far, no one’s paid up because they haven’t been caught.
But it’s happening — against the law — at a county-owned forest off Pettis Road in Gansevoort.
“It’s been getting worse the past year-and-a-half,” said John Tougaw, a longtime local resident. “It’s the same group of people. The litter is terrible. I’ve found live ammo on the ground.”
Target shooting is permitted, but Tougaw said he’s concerned about the intensity of shooting and the targets people are using.
“They’re shooting at propane tanks and aerosol cans,” he said. “I found a fire extinguisher hanging from a tree with bullet holes in it. It’s getting
obnoxious with the noise, hundreds of rounds. People go back there with ATVs [all-terrain vehicles]. I’m concerned with the unsafeness of it, including open fires.”
Gansevoort Fire Chief Curt Haas could not immediately be reached for comment.
Tougaw said he’s contacted Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. However, by the time deputies arrive, offenders have left, he said.
Saratoga County Planning Department oversees county forestland and trails.
“We’re actively working to address the issue,” Director Jason Kemper said. “There’s a large amount of trash and refuse being left behind.”
Kemper said his department is working with the Sheriff’s Office in an attempt to stop such violations.
One of the problems is that the parcel has two main access points, off Pettis Road and Route 50, which makes apprehending someone difficult, he said.
Northumberland Supervisor Willard Peck said he, too, has been in contact with the Sheriff’s Office, trying to get the situation rectified.
“They patrol it as they’re in the area,” he said.
There haven been similar issues at a countyowned forest off Louden Road, near Wilton Mall, Kemper said.
The county owns 3,000 acres of forestland in nine towns throughout the county.
In 1990, the county Board of Supervisors adopted Local Law 10 prohibiting camping, open fires, motor vehicle use and littering on county properties.
At one time, the Gansevoort parcel had a small pond, about a quarter mile from Pettis Road, which was a popular destination for local families to picnic and hike around. Several years ago, a dam that held water back washed away during a severe storm, so there is no more pond.
As public use declined, littering and other illegal activities increased because there were fewer people to monitor or report offenses, Kemper said.
“It is an issue,” he said.