Assessing Peter Bauer’s legacy as Claudia Braymer steps into new role
This is part of a series from the January/February 2025 issue of the magazine, “Green groups at a turning point: Environmental watchdogs change guard.”
At the beginning of the year, Claudia Braymer became Protect’s first female executive director.
Peter Bauer, her predecessor from 2012 to 2023, proved to be a feisty watchdog of state agencies through both research and lawsuits. He is one of the most combative and unabashed voices in the Adirondack Park, and has frequently clashed with both the private sector and local governments.
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Successful Protect litigation against the state prevented extra-wide snowmobile trails in the park that involved cutting thousands of trees.
Protect the Adirondacks: Key stats
Year of origin: 2009, (the consolidation of the Residents’ Committee to Protect the Adirondacks and 1901-born Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks)
Mission: Grassroots protection and stewardship of the public and private lands of the Adirondack Park; building health and diversity of natural and human communities for the benefit of current and future generations.
Membership: Around 2,000
Revenue: Nearly $353,000, according to 2022 IRS records
“I’m pretty happy as I step back,” Bauer said. “We’ve been able to grow and stabilize the organization, and rack up a long string of successes.”
Both Bauer and Braymer highlighted the legal expertise of the organization and said much shouldn’t change on that front. But Protect’s board chair seemed more reserved about litigation.
Clusen said he’s aware of the growing number of lawsuits, but said litigation was not “a deliberate choice.”
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“We picked Claudia because she had such a strong record on the Adirondacks, and it was great that she’s done all these lawsuits,” Clusen said. “I assume she will keep her hand in one or two of them ongoing, but I don’t think it’s going to be her main thing.”
Bauer and Braymer agree that the courts are a last resort.
“Successful legal action takes years; it’s exhausting; it’s unpredictable,” Bauer said.
Bauer intends to stay on part-time at least through 2025, assisting with fundraising.
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Clusen hopes Protect will spur legislation to reform the Adirondack Park Agency. He has been disappointed with what he sees as a weakening of the APA. Braymer is interested in greater climate change legislation and making the park more diverse and inclusive. They hope to address these topics after a period of leadership adjustment.
— Gwendolyn Craig
Top photo: Former Protect the Adirondacks Executive Director Peter Bauer and current Executive Director Claudia Braymer. Bauer, courtesy photo and Braymer photo by Gwendolyn Craig
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