Catskill Center’s Catskill Stewards Greet Over 100,000 Catskill Park Visitors in the 2023 Season

February 8, 2024 -- Arkville, NY: The Catskill Center’s Stewards Program wrapped its 2023 season with a remarkable milestone, greeting over 100,000 visitors across four key locations – including the highly frequented Peekamoose Blue Hole and Kaaterskill Falls.

The engagement numbers from the 2023 season represent a substantial 110% increase from the previous year, underscoring the program's expanding influence and vital role in high-use areas. The stewards also collected nearly 300 bags of trash during the season that runs from mid-May through mid-October. In addition to deconstructing rock dams and fire rings and removing rock stacks, stewards helped visitors avoid some 190 parking citations.

“As the number of visitors to the Catskill Park continues to grow, understanding how to recreate responsibly becomes a crucial element in safeguarding our natural resources,” said Jeff Senterman, Executive Director of the Catskill Center. “The Catskill Stewards Program equips visitors with essential information to better understand the Catskill Park, the communities within it, and how to recreate responsibly while visiting. This year, our Stewards engaged with and educated over 100,000 individuals, serving as a vital link between visitors, the protection of natural resources, and the success of local economies that depend on tourism.”

Stewards explain and demonstrate why responsible recreation is important – from the significance of not littering to staying on the trails. When stewards are not on site (such as on their days off), they notice increased litter, rock dams and rock stacks, and user-created trails. Stewards help interpret the Catskill Park, provide information on alternative areas to visit, and offer directions to local communities and businesses, which, in turn, helps the local economy.

The Catskill Stewards Program operates in partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) at the Peekamoose Blue Hole, Kaaterskill Falls, and Devil’s Path. The program also runs on the Catskill Center’s Platte Clove Preserve.

The Catskill Stewards Program 2023 End of Season Report can be found here.