Wildlife, Fish and Marine Life Newsletter

180 acres Added to Washington County Grasslands Wildlife Management Area

New York State has purchased 180 acres of land to add to the Washington County Grasslands Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The land acquisition, located along Plum Road and County Route 46 in the town of Fort Edward, will increase the amount of important grassland habitat protected by the WMA to 466 acres. The addition allows DEC to protect and maintain grassland habitat for grassland birds, many of which are experiencing steep population declines. These lands will also provide additional wildlife viewing, hunting, and other outdoor recreational opportunities.

The WMA is home to more than 100 bird and animal species, including wintering snowy owls and state endangered short-eared owls. The area also provides critical habitat to 10 of the 11 grassland bird “species of greatest conservation need,” including northern harriers, upland sandpipers, eastern meadowlarks, horned larks, and American kestrels. DEC plans to construct two parking areas and a half-mile trail, as well as install directional and educational signage on the parcel. In addition, an ADA-accessible viewing blind will be constructed on another part of the WMA. The newly acquired lands will be open to hunting during open hunting seasons. Read more about Washington County Grasslands WMA in the February issue (PDF, 13.2 MB) of the Conservationist.

Management of Double-crested Cormorants in New York

Double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritis) are a common sight along our marine coastal areas and along the shores and islands of the Hudson River, Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River, Lake Champlain and Oneida Lake. Their populations greatly increased across New York during the 1990s into the early part of this century. High densities of nesting cormorants are not without problems. For more than 20 years, DEC has carried out cormorant management programs to prevent conflicts at specific problem areas in New York. However, in May of 2016, a federal court decision canceled a US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Depredation Order which allowed DEC to manage cormorants to benefit uncommon birds, sensitive habitats, and fish populations. As a result, no management took place in New York in 2017. The USFWS completed an Environmental Assessment (EA) in late 2017. The EA allows for limited take (killing) of cormorants to reduce health and human safety risks, damage to fish hatcheries, impacts to federally-listed threatened or endangered species, and damage to property. The EA does not allow any take of cormorants to reduce impacts on free swimming fish. Visit DEC’s Double-Crested Cormorant Management page for more information.

Photo by Marcelo del Puerto.

DEC to Discuss Managing Wildlife on Doodletown Wildlife Management Area

DEC will host an open house to share details about a recently completed management plan for Doodletown Wildlife Management Area:

Tuesday, August 28, 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Copake Park Building/Community Center
305 Mt. View Road
Copake, NY 12516

DEC staff will be available for questions from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., followed by a formal presentation at 6:30 p.m. Stop by and learn how DEC plans to manage habitat for wildlife at this property. The meeting facility is wheelchair accessible. Please contact Selinda Brandon at 607-652-2302 with any specific requests for accommodations.

View what activities you can do at this property by clicking on the link above.

Hunting and Trapping Education Courses

If you are a first time hunter and are planning to hunt this season on State lands and other areas throughout New York, sign up for mandatory hunting and trapping education courses now. Check out DEC's Hunting and Trapping Newsletter published yesterday for more information, or sign up to receive regular issues of this newsletter.

New Marine Habitat at Hempstead Reef

Governor Cuomo recently announced the deployment of materials to create a new marine habitat at Hempstead Reef as part of the state's ongoing efforts to develop a stronger, more diverse marine ecosystem and provide shelter for fish and other marine life off New York's shores. Hempstead Reef is a 744-acre site located three nautical miles off Long Island's South Shore, with depths of up to 72 feet.

A map, site coordinates and additional information on New York's artificial reefs are available (PDF) to plan trips to a New York State reef site. Before visiting one of New York's artificial reefs, please be familiar with the current NYS Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations. View DEC's artificial reef building video on YouTube, or learn more about our volunteer observation program.