New York (state) of the state's geographic area is dominated by meadows, forests, rivers, farms, mountains, and lakes. Most of the southern part of the state rests on the Allegheny Plateau, which extends from the southeastern United States to the Catskill Mountains; the section in New York State is known as the Southern Tier. The rugged Adirondack Mountains, with vast tracts of wilderness, lie west of the Lake Champlain Valley. The Great Appalachian Valley dominates eastern New York and contains the Lake Champlain Valley as its northern half and the Hudson Valley as its southern half within the state. The Tug Hill region
Lake Champlain Basin Program lead role in coordinating the bi-state commemoration of the 400th anniversary of Samuel de Champlain’s 1609 exploration of the Lake. Lake Champlain Basin Program The Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) is a program to restore and protect Lake Champlain and its surrounding watershed or drainage basin for future generations. The LCBP works in partnership with government agencies from New York, Vermont, and Quebec, private organizations, local communities, and individuals to coordinate and fund efforts which benefit the Lake Champlain Basin’s water quality, fisheries, wetlands, wildlife, recreation, and cultural resources. These efforts are guided by the 1996 lake management plan "Opportunities