Leilani “Lani” Crafts Ulrich of Old Forge was recently appointed to serve as the Chairwoman of the Adirondack Park Agency (APA). The appointment was announced last week by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

State Senator James L. Seward applauded Ulrich’s appointment, saying, “Lani Ulrich is a gifted individual, with a great knowledge of the Adirondack Park and the issues vital to its residents and businesses. Her long time service as a commissioner on the APA board has prepared her well for this new challenge. I look forward to working with Lani in protecting the park’s natural resources and promoting its majestic beauty.”

Ulrich, an Old Forge resident since 1994, has past experience working with the APA and the communities within the Adirondack Park. She was appointed to the APA in November 2004, and then reappointed in 2008. She has served as their Chair of the Regulatory Programs and Park Ecology Committees.  

The Adirondack Park Agency (APA) was created in 1971 by the New York State Legislature to develop long-range land use plans for both public and private lands within the boundary of the park.  

The agency’s 11-member board meets monthly to act on park policy issues and permit applications.

In 1997 Ulrich began coordination of community discussions which grew into the Central Adirondack Partner-ship for the 21st Century (CAP-21), a regional non-profit community development organization serving hamlets in Long Lake, Inlet, Webb and Forestport. Striving for balance between nature and commerce by increasing communication and building partnerships, CAP-21 supports comprehensive master planning, architectural preservation and various regional planning efforts.

In 2006, Ulrich co-founded the Adirondack Common Ground Alliance. The Alliance convenes diverse, and some formerly adversarial, groups from across the Adirondacks each summer. The group first published the “Blue Print for the Blue Line”, articulating action items commonly agreed to be of priority to the Adirondacks. The Alliance currently co-sponsors Scenario Workshops, mapping possible future paths for the Adirondacks.

As members of the Wild Center’s delegation, Ulrich and her husband, Jim, recently traveled to Finland to study responses to climate change, energy conservation, and to learn about forestry management practices in Lapland.  

Ulrich sits on the board of the Adirondack Community Housing Trust, and has served as a member of the NYS delegation to the four-state Northern Forest Center’s Sustainable Economies Initiative. For her visioning work, she is a past recipient of the Citizen of the Year Award from the Adirondack North Country Association.

Her current community service includes Neighbor to Neighbor home winterization and restoration, community transportation support, and a variety of performing arts groups.  

Born and raised in Connecticut, Ulrich holds a bachelor of arts degree in liberal arts, and a master of education degree in special education.