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Environmental
History:
Researching the Environment
The history of environmental affairs in New York State is the story
of how New Yorkers have used natural resources and how they struggle
to use soil, timber, water, air, and wildlife in ways that do not
do irreparable damage.
Environmental policies developed in New York State have set national
and international precedents:
- First to define parcels of land that it owned as "wilderness
area" requiring permanent protection (NYS Constition, Article
14) inspiring the federal Wilderness Act and similar legislation
in other nations.
- First to codify a Conservation Law, establish a sustained enforcement
system staffed by fish and wildlife officers and forest rangers,
and create a state park system.
At present, federal, State, and local laws shape New Yorkers' efforts
to ameliorate the effects of existing environmental damage, prevent
further environmental harm, and respect the rights of the people
who live, work, and play in the State.
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