Adirondack Council faces turning point

New leadership, renewed vision for 2050 conservation vision

This is part of a series from the January/February 2025 issue of Adirondack Explorer magazine, “Green groups at a turning point: Environmental watchdogs change guard.”

A force in Albany and Washington D.C., the Adirondack Council spends upwards of $250,000 a year on lobbying. The council is also known for its sweeping conservation vision for the park leading into 2050, its annual report cards of lawmakers and agencies and funding on-the-ground research. 

Willie Janeway decided to retire after his 2023 resignation, he said, after enjoying his free time. But during his leadership he called for wilderness protection, and had insider government know-ledge—he had served as regional director for the state Department of Environmental Conservation in the Hudson Valley and Catskills.

Sarah Collum Hatfield, chair of the board, said it was Janeway’s decision to leave, and it was a turning point for the organization.

Now more removed from his past role, Janeway said the board “didn’t share enthusiasm for taking an even more aggressive, even larger role at that time.” He wanted to double the size of the organization, “raise more money and be more aggressive with advocacy for wilderness and the benefits that people get, being vocal about truth to power and less afraid of people disagreeing with you, as long as we’re respectful.”

“I see increased pressure on environmental advocates to prioritize being nice, and not disruptive, at the expense of advancing their mission,” Janeway said. “Advocacy groups across the spectrum are moving to be more risk averse, more hesitant to speak truth to power.”

Board members deserved a leader aligned with their advocacy philosophy, he said, and noted a change in strategy could be for the better.

Raul “Rocci” Aguirre, executive director of the council, said “there is a time and a place for being more critical.” It’s easier to speak out when you’re no longer working in a formal position, he noted.

Aguirre, who served as deputy director under Janeway and had left for an executive director position at Scenic Hudson, returned to the council and eventually was promoted to acting director. Hatfield said after a national search, the board realized they already had who they needed.

“It’s hard to understate Willie’s impact on the organization,” Hatfield said. “We always talk about it being the right time for a certain kind of leadership. Now is the time for a Rocci Aguirre leadership.”

Aguirre started his career as a wilderness ranger and has worked in multiple parks of the United States. He is the council’s first executive director of color. Of Hispanic and Jewish heritage, Aguirre said he’s been using his first name Raul more than his nickname. 

“I do want to remind people that the Adirondack Council has a person of color that runs it, and it’s important not just in our circles, but for somebody who picks up a story that has no idea about the council and sees a Latino or Hispanic name, surname, appreciates that that’s a unique perspective,” Aguirre said.

Aguirre wants to see more political and funding wins for the Adirondacks this year, whether that’s more water and wastewater infrastructure projects or more forest rangers. 

The council will also advocate to get the governor to add $100 million more—a total of $500 million—into the Environmental Protection fund for potential land purchases in the Adirondack Park.

“My North Star is still wilderness,” Aguirre said. “I think what has shifted is appreciating what’s needed to protect wilderness, and I would say that the more you create allies and support within the communities that are surrounded by wild places, the more support that places have.”

Aaron Mair, the former national president of the Sierra Club, is also leaving the council after heading its “Forever Adirondacks” campaign. The campaign focused on both state and federal policy for protecting clean water and wilderness with a focus on job creation. Set up as a three-year position, Mair’s work on the campaign will be integrated into the entire council’s team, Hatfield and Aguirre said.

— Gwendolyn Craig

Top photo: Former Adirondack Council Executive Director Willie Janeway and current Executive Director Raul “Rocci” Aguirre. Photo provided