ADK News

ADK Has Lost a Giant Leader and Advocate: David L. Newhouse

On Thursday. June 29 (2006), the cause of conservation in New York and the Adirondack Mountain Club lost a giant of a leader and advocate. For over a quarter of a century as Chair of ADK's Conservation Committee, David L. Newhouse was the leading intellect, inspiration and orator for ADK's widely respected Conservation policies and positions.

David NewhouseDave Newhouse spent a lifetime successfully defending and nlarging the meaning of "forever wild", always defending the only constitutionally protected wilderness in the world. In the politically turbulent years when the Adirondack Park and Adirondack Park Agency were created, Dave's sure hand on the helm of ADK's conservation policy helped ADK contribute to the creation of both of those critical public policies as well as the vitally important protection for the Forest
Preserve in the Adirondack and Catskill State Land Master Plans.

Twice, Dave lent his great leadership skills to the Club as President
(1967-1968, 1985-1986).

David was the father of ADK's current conservation and advocacy program, the
policies and positions that he successfully gained Board of Directors support of are the backbone of our conservation policy in the 21st century and have earned us statewide respect.

My own thoughts on Dave Newhouse are hard to articulate without being
emotional. As ADK's very active and well spoken Conservation Chair, he was
the voice and spirit of ADK conservation for a quarter of a century and as a
member of the Conservation Committee, made many contributions to that
committee after he stepped down as Conservation Chair in 1985 to be Club
President. He made so many contributions to ADK, the Forest Preserve and
sound conservation policy in New York as a whole. More than anyone else, he
was my mentor, leader and inspiration on Forest Preserve law and state
conservation issues. The backbone of ADK's conservation policies were
authored by Dave and approved by the ADK Board of Governors during his
remarkable tenure. His meticulously kept records have proven to be an
invaluable legal, scientific, political and historical treasury of arguments
and policy argument for future defenders of the Forest Preserve and wild
lands throughout the state.

Dave's very careful preparation for issue and policy discussions was a good
lesson. His encyclopedic knowledge of Article 14, section 1, of the NYS
State Constitution, the State Land Master Plan and the Adirondack Park
Agency Act and a myriad of other protective laws and regulations helped me
understand the interplay between these complex laws. Dave taught me that if
you could marshal the law and the science to buttress your position, your
chances for victory were much greater. Dave taught me that the key to ADK's
success in conservation policy was "research and reasoned arguments, not
empty rhetoric." Above all, Dave was a highly respected statesman and
advocate for the organization that he loves so much. Very few of his
adversaries disliked him; many more respected him and trusted him because of
the personal integrity and honesty that was the compass of his life.

A memorial celebration of David's life will be held on Saturday, July 29th at 1 p.m. at the First Unitarian Society, 1221 Wendell Avenue, Schenectady. His family will welcome the sharing of anecdotes and memories by those who knew him.

The Newhouse family has chosen ADK as one of three non-profit agencies accepting gifts in David's memory. ADK will use such gifts to memorialize and honor David's outstanding contributions to ADK and our Conservation Program.

Neil F. Woodworth
Executive Director