Barberville Falls closed for summer
Beautiful. And for this summer, closed to the public.
The Nature Conservancy is closing public access to the Barberville Falls in Rensselaer County this summer because it says people aren't following the rules there. From the org's press release:
Despite effort to prohibit swimming and other activities not allowed at the preserve, misuse of the preserve and disrespect for the preserve neighbors continues to be a problem.
"The decision to close the preserve, especially during the summer months, is a difficult one," said Rick Werwaiss, executive director, The Nature Conservancy Eastern New York Chapter. "In past years, the Conservancy has hired a security force, utilized volunteers, and had staff on site to patrol the preserve. Despite our efforts to discourage and control the misuse of the property, the problem has persisted and we feel closure is the only option currently available to us."
Closing the preserve will give the police the ability to strictly and consistently enforce the recurring issues of trespass, disturbing the peace, littering, swimming and climbing on the falls, and alcohol consumption.
The Nature Conservancy owns one side of the falls -- the other side is owned by a private homeowner. And as we found out when writing about the falls a few summers back, the homeowner is very serious about people not cutting across their property to reach the falls. That's understandable -- we wouldn't want hordes of people walking through our backyard all summer, either.
The conservancy says access to the falls will be closed from Memorial Day until Labor Day.
The whole situation is unfortunate. It really is a beautiful spot.
Earlier on AOA: Capital Region waterfall walks
photo: Sebastien Barre
Find It
Barberville Falls
Plank Road and Blue Factory Road
Poestenkill, NY 12140
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Comments
Man, that sucks. I'm glad I got to go last summer. It's too bad that people's bad behavior has led to this. :-(
... said Jessica R on May 24, 2012 at 11:17 AM | link
That sucks. Swimming there is great.
I'll probally still go out there
... said Myles on May 24, 2012 at 11:24 AM | link
This weekend (fri, sat, sun) its still open. Not closed untill Monday. Get out there and enjoy.
... said Myles on May 24, 2012 at 11:27 AM | link
How sadly ironic that I should read this while writing a paper on ethics, civil responsibility, and how abuse of freedoms can lead to loss of liberty.
I had planned to take my daughters to see the falls for the first time this summer.
... said James on May 24, 2012 at 11:39 AM | link
That's terrible. :(
... said Summer on May 24, 2012 at 12:37 PM | link
Classic 'Tragedy of the Commons' situation.
... said James at 45 on May 24, 2012 at 1:04 PM | link
Would someone please make a list of swimming holes in the area? Aside from the Victoria Pools, every other pool might as well be children-only, and I am far from Saratoga. It would be the best list ever.
... said jen on May 24, 2012 at 1:40 PM | link
@jen..Not sure I would want to share my favorite swimming hole locations on a public web site. Next thing you know, they're crawling with people and litter, and before you know what happened it's closed for the summer...just like Battenkill Falls. And that would be a shame.
... said BobF on May 24, 2012 at 4:02 PM | link
Shame on the Nature Conservacy for this Nazi like overreaction to a few rule violators. I refuse to believe "closure is the only option". I've been at the falls for several hours, twice the last two weeks and have seen none of these stated violations occuring. The Nature Conservacy is behaving like eco-dictators 'conserving' the Falls from us icky-poo humans, some of who have enjoyed the Falls since we were kids. I will never support the Nature Conservacy efforts again, and in our Rensselaer County, I will fight their future expansion into areas like the Taconic ridge. Another free source of bliss in Nature being removed from the public's enjoyment, and during a depression no less. After all the history of joy there, long before the so called Nature Conservacy assumed control, "closure is the only option" - what a crock of eco-dictatorship.
... said Timothy Raab on May 24, 2012 at 9:45 PM | link
@Tim: you may have lost a few people at "Nazi"...
... said -S on May 25, 2012 at 12:14 AM | link
I'm sure they will spend more resources enforcing "trespassers" to now-closed falls than they did when people jumped in water every now and then. What a waste!
... said Lu on May 25, 2012 at 5:34 AM | link
Stopped reading at "nazis." Really? REALLY?
I'm surprised they didn't try a low tech, bright orange dummy camera mounted high in a tree. ;)
Also, while I certainly feel for the neighbors, they purchased the property knowing that they would be sharing a border with the public.
... said abby on May 25, 2012 at 10:28 AM | link
9 comments to "nazi". Poorly played Mr. Raab. I'm sure the private owner - note, p-r-i-v-a-t-e - had had enough of certain icky-poo humans. (We can say icky-poo here?)
... said Andrew Gregory on May 25, 2012 at 4:08 PM | link
The point is this (and, if I understood him/her correctly, "S" made it in a response to the original post from 2010): places like Barberville Falls should not be privatized, indeed; cannot truly be privatized.
"Objects" of natural beauty like Barberville transcend the limiting connotation of the word "object." Barberville Falls is essentially public because it is a naturally occurring sort of a thing that is good for humans to interact with, but not just as they please. Instead, places like this instill awe and wonder in many (if not most or dare I say it, "all") of us. This turn in generates a sense of respect for nature and our place within it. Not to mention, human experience of nature in the industrialized countries (I think we are candidates for a new category--"de-industrializing") is abysmal, so much so that scientists/doctors have dubbed it "nature-deficit disorder." It need not be medicalized--just go to the Falls if you suffer from this civilization-induced ailment (along with other ADD, anxiety, and depression) and you will be on your way back to recovery (not "adjustment"; after all, just why should we adjust to this state of affairs again?).
Not for profits like the Nature Conservancy trouble me with their means and logic, even if their ends are good: we can protect the public from itself, on its behalf, better than the people themselves can do it. This is often part of the inadvertent and not-so-inadvertent logics of not for profits everywhere, and it is essentially elitist. Ends do not justify means here, for who polices the policeman?
Also, @ Andrew Gregory: spelling "private," "p-r-i-v-a-t-e," undermines your point to the non-mouth breathers among us about as much as Mr. Raab's hyperbolic employment of the word "nazi." "Poorly played" indeed.
... said Cincinnatus on May 26, 2012 at 12:29 AM | link
What a shame for the public to loose out on this gorgeous spot because of some ruining it for everyone else. If it will be policed to enforce the ban, then why not hire a gate keeper to sell tickets which would bring in money for maintenance and up keep? We've enjoyed visiting it several times in the last year. So disappointing that we are banned from enjoying it this summer.
A sad day.
... said Froggiedoodle on Jun 19, 2012 at 2:28 PM | link