Theodore Gordon, A. E. Hendrickson,

and Preston Jennings. Jim Payne and

Everett Garrison. They came to match skills

with the Esopus Creek’s fabled wild rainbow

trout. The list of fly fishing luminaries and

famous personages who have fished the

Esopus Creek and East Branch Delaware

River goes on and on. Art Flick did research

for his ground-breaking book, “Streamside

Guide to Naturals and Their Imitations.” Even

Babe Ruth loved to wet a line in the Esopus.

First stocked in the 1880’s, the Esopus’ now

feral rainbows constitute (in the good years)

one of the best recognized wild rainbow

fisheries on the East Coast. Clearly, any

angler who has experienced the giddy

pleasure of casting a Catskill style dry fly

to a wild Esopus rainbow is standing on

the shoulders of giants. Don’t we share a

responsibility to preserve the rich heritage

of those who went before us?

Need to know more? Detailed information

about the Mega-Resort’s impact on area

trout streams can be obtained from the

reports written by TU’s experts, and from

TU’s written public comments. All three

documents are available on-line at

www.cmtu.org.

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Cover photo: Mark Loete Photography

© 2005 Trout Unlimited

HELP PROTECT THE BIRTHPLACE

OF AMERICAN FLY FISHING

AN APPEAL FROM TROUT UNLIMITED

Catskill Mountain and

Ashokan-Pepacton Watershed Chapters

MOUNTAINTOP DEVELOPMENT PLANNED

This Mega-Resort Development, with its hotels, condos, time-shares and golf courses, is planned toimpact the headwaters of two historic trout waters— the Esopus Creek and the East Branch of theDelaware River. A development of this magnitude willhave a permanent effect on the fragile mountaintopecosystem and the rivers that drain it. These riverssupport a unique and economically important recreational fishery and supply a significant portionof New York City’s unfiltered drinking water.

Our local Catskill Mountains and Ashokan-PepactonChapters of Trout Unlimited, supported by theirNew York State Council, have joined with othergroups to stand up and fight this Mega-ResortDevelopment.

The Catskill Preservation Coalition includes: TheCatskill Center for Conservation and Development,National Resource Defense Council, the Sierra Club,Theodore Gordon Flyfishers Inc., Riverkeeper, theCatskill Heritage Alliance, the Friends of Catskill Park,the Zen Environmental Studies Institute, and others,in addition to the two local TU chapters.

THE SEQRA PROCESS

A New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) evaluation is under way. Currently, 12issues have been identified for investigation and recommended for adjudication. In the adjudicatoryhearing, which resembles a trial, attorneys for bothsides call expert witnesses to give testimony andundergo cross-examination. This will likely be followedby appeals. The entire process is expected to takeseveral years and be very costly.

Local officials have proposed an alternativeplan, which has been rejected. So far, defendingthe “forever wild” Catskill Park against theCrossroads Mega-Resort has cost hundreds ofthousands of dollars in cash, services donated,and in-kind contributions. Many thousands more are needed to make sure the Coalition issuccessful in its efforts to protect the pricelessheritage of these Catskill rivers.

HELP PROTECT OUR CATSKILL RIVERS

These waterways are a public recreation resourceof inestimable value. Our children will want toenjoy them tomorrow as we do today. Help usprotect the birthplace of American fly fishing,and ensure a healthy future for the CatskillMountains.

Your contribution to Catskill Clean Waters willhelp safeguard these irreplaceable treasures.Please make your check out to Trout Unlimited*and mail to:

Catskill Mountains Chapter of TUCatskill Clean WatersP.O. Box 1487Kingston, NY 12402

Mega-Resort Development Threatens Historic Headwaters of Esopus Creek and East Branch Delaware River

* Trout Unlimited is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Fordetails, please see www.tu.org.

Crossroads Ventures Ltd. wants to buildtwo 18-hole golf courses on a Catskillmountaintop at the headwaters of twofamous fly fishing rivers. And a lot more.

The Belleayre Resort at Catskill Parkproposal includes:

■ Two hotels with 400 rooms

■ Four restaurants

■ A conference center & country club

■ A 21 lot residential subdivision

■ 320 time-share units in 30 buildings

■ Two sewage treatment plants

Proposed for the shoulders of 3,406 footBelleayre Mountain, in the heart of the“forever wild” Catskill High Peaks Area,the Crossroads Mega-Resort plans to moveapproximately one million cubic yards ofsoil around the mountaintop. More than500 logged acres will include almost 50football fields worth of impervious surface.