Here’ s a quick survey of this weekend’s North Country opinion pages.<\/p>\n
Plattsburgh Press-Republican<\/strong><\/p>\n The Plattsburgh Press-Republican<\/a> wants a big splash next year as we hit the bicentennial of the War of 1812.<\/p>\n We all know the result of that war. America withstood the invasion and solidified its standing as a nation among nations. We all know that the Battle of Plattsburgh, celebrated locally every Sept. 11, played an immense role in the Americans’ success by proving that a much smaller American force could defeat the juggernaut from the British Isles.<\/p>\n But that victory, in many ways, is one of our best-kept secrets.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The Press-Republican<\/a> calls this a great opportunity to educate the nation about this conflict, and our region’s role in it — but the paper acknowledges that money for such a celebration could be tight.<\/p>\n Glens Falls Post-Star<\/strong><\/p>\n The Glens Falls Post-Star<\/a>, meanwhile, is writing about a more contemporary dust-up, over the future of land acquisitions in the Adirondack Park.<\/p>\n The newspaper has concluded that in a time of budget deficits and state lay-0ffs, purchasing the Finch, Pruyn lands makes no sense.<\/p>\n But at what point does enough access become enough? The state already owns 2.9 million acres of land in the Adirondacks, an area a little smaller than Connecticut.<\/p>\n There are already 2,000 miles of hiking trails – enough to hike from here to Florida and back – by far the most of any area in the United States.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Last week, snowmobilers praised the Finch, Pruyn deal for opening more land for recreation, but the Post-Star suggests<\/a> that it’s time for sportsmen to pick up more of the tab.<\/p>\n If snowmobilers and outdoorsmen want more recreational opportunities than those that currently exist, they should be willing to pay for those opportunities themselves though land leases and purchases.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n