BOOKSHELF: THE CATSKILL PARK: INSIDE THE BLUE LINE Given that the Catskill forest preserve is constitutionally protected as a collection of "forever wild" natural areas, with no timber harvesting or deliberate habitat alteration allowed, one might assume that there would be no need for any kind of management or stewardship of those lands once they are acquired —that they simply need to be left alone while nature is allowed to take her course. Certainly one of the primary reasons for protecting the most mountainous lands in the state as forest preserve is to safeguard natural ecosystems and preserve whole landscapes where resources are not extracted and natural cycles may continue without interruption or disturbance. The forest preserve exists not only for the benefit of nature, however, but also for the benefit of people. The citizens of the state, who collectively own the forest preserve, demand access to these lands for outdoor recreation, nature study, and personal enjoyment and reflection. There has been a long history of outdoor recreation in the Catskills. Long before the forest preserve was established, the mountains were filled with people who loved to fill their lungs with clean mountain air as they stretched their legs among the streams and forests. The great trout streams of the Catskills have always attracted fishermen from New York City and elsewhere, and for centuries people have turned to the hills for hunting game in the fall. Walking among the scenic areas of the mountains was a favorite pastime of the upscale clientele who stayed at the famous and numerous Catskill Mountain hotels during their heyday in the late 1800s and early 1900s. After the forest preserve was created, the Catskills became home to the first hiking trail commissioned by the state (authorized in 1892), leading to the summit of the Catskills’ tallest peak—Slide Mountain. As the acreage of 28
2021 SENSE OF PLACE
