The New York Court of Appeals on Tuesday halted a controversial plan to build 27 miles of snowmobile trails in the Adirondacks Forest Preserve, with a majority of the court agreeing that the project violates a unique constitutional provision designed to protect the state's woodlands and waterways.

Writing for the 4-2 majority, Judge Jenny Rivera said that amending the "Forever Wild" clause of New York's constitution, which was first enacted in 1894, is the only path forward for the proposed construction of so-called "Class II" trails in the 2.5-million-acre Forest Preserve.