“Grass Roots Activism and the American Wilderness: Pioneers in the Twentieth Century Adirondack Park Conservation Movement” is completed, resulting in the processing and description of both the Apperson and Schaefer collections, the digitization of over 500 selected items from the collections, and the creation of a contextual website. “Grass Roots Activism and the American Wilderness: Pioneers in the Twentieth Century Adirondack Park Conservation Movement” exhibit opens in Schaffer Library, Union College (May 12).
Schaffer Library at Union College is awarded a Hidden Collections grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources for the “Grass Roots Activism and the American Wilderness: Pioneers in the Twentieth Century Adirondack Park Conservation Movement” project to process and catalog the John S. Apperson Papers and the Paul Schaefer Collection.
Union College acquires the building complex on St. David's Lane to preserve and expand its use as an educational learning center, reaffirming the College's long connection to the Adirondacks. In an arrangement with PROTECT, the College assumes long term responsibility for managing the collections housed in the Adirondack Research Library at the complex.
The Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks and the Residents’ Committee to Protect the Adirondacks consolidate into Protect the Adirondacks!, or PROTECT.
The Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks purchases the Niskayuna estate of the late Paul Schaefer to establish the Center for the Forest Preserve. The Town of Niskayuna dedicates the Paul Schaefer Room in the Niskayuna Town Hall on September 13.
Paul Schaefer receives an Oak Leaf Award from the Eastern New York Chapter of the Nature Conservancy in recognition of his work preserving the Lisha Kill Area. Schaefer publishes Adirondack Cabin Country.
Schaefer receives the Alexander Calder National Conservation Award. Apperson is cited in the Upper Hudson Environmental Action Committee’s “Champions of Conservation” bookmark series. The Residents Committee to Protect the Adirondacks is formed.
The XIII Olympic Winter Games are held in Lake Placid, New York. Schaefer releases The Adirondack: The Land Nobody Knows. The film wins a CINE Eagle Award.
Schaefer joins the Transportation Committee for the 1980 Olympics. The Adirondack Research Center at Union College is founded. Schaefer receives an honorary doctorate from Union College and teaches a class in the history of the Adirondacks.
The New York State legislature adopts the Land Use and Development Plan, developed by the Adirondack Park Agency to regulate private land use within the Adirondack Park.
The Adirondack Park Agency creates the State Land Master Plan, to cover the development of the state-owned Forest Preserve, and it is adopted by the New York State legislature in June.
Paul Schaefer produces the documentary film "Of Rivers and Men."
The Wild, Scenic, and Recreational Rivers Act is passed, categorizing and protecting rivers in the Adirondack Park. Paul Schaefer plays a key role in convincing both sportsmen and conservationists to support both plans.
Peter Van de Water organizes Citizens to Save the Adirondack Park to oppose a large second home development planned by Horizon Corporation in the towns of Colton and Clare.
The Adirondack Park Agency is created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller to perform long-term planning and oversee private development within the Park. Schaefer receives the Nature Conservancy Award from the Eastern New York chapter of the Nature Conservancy in recognition of his work in the Adirondacks.
