DEC AND MONTEZUMA AUDUBON CENTER CELEBRATE OPENING OF IMPROVED ACCESSIBLE WILDLIFE OBSERVATION PLATFORM
Improved Wildlife Viewing Platform Part Of Larger Accessibility Effort Across The Complex
Accessibility Investments Help More New Yorkers Experience the Outdoors Through Governor Hochul’s ‘These Lands Are for Everyone Initiative’
Photos of Event Available Here
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the National Audubon Society today announced the opening of an accessible wildlife viewing platform located within the Montezuma Wetlands Complex at the Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Wayne County. The much-improved wildlife viewing platform is part of a larger accessibility effort across the complex in collaboration with the National Audubon Society, DEC, and Rochester Accessible Adventures.
“The 50,000-acre Montezuma Wetlands Complex is one of the best opportunities in the Northeast to protect, restore, and manage an extensive wetland system for wildlife and public enjoyment,” DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said. “New York State is proud to support this Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area accessibility project through the State Environmental Protection Fund, which complements Governor Hochul’s ‘These Lands Are For Everyone’ initiative and gives people of all abilities an opportunity to view bird migration and other wildlife.”
Montezuma Audubon Center Director Chris Lajewski said, “The new wildlife observation platform is an exciting part of a larger effort to improve accessibility at the Montezuma Audubon Center and across the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. As fall migration kicks in, we are excited that more visitors will have the opportunity to experience it at our center.”
Rochester Accessible Adventures Executive Director Anita O’Brien said, “Creating meaningful experiences beyond the parking lots is as easy as being intentional about who you expect to be there. We are excited that Montezuma Audubon Center and NYSDEC understand and are committed to ensuring people with disabilities and all of us across our lifespan can explore the absolute beauty of New York's lands -- off roads, on trails, immersed in the smallest details of Nature."
DEC completed the platform, located near the Montezuma Audubon Center (MAC), with a $70,000 investment through the Environmental Protection Fund. Located approximately 750 feet from the MAC, an accessible stone dust path takes visitors through restored forest habitat to a gently graded ramp entrance to the platform.
Visitors have access to several wildlife platforms within the WMA. A full listing with maps can be found on DEC’s website.
The project complements Governor Kathy Hochul’s ‘These Lands Are for Everyone’ initiative to ensure New York’s open spaces are accessible and inclusive, Governor Hochul created the “These Lands Are For Everyone” initiative in the 2026 State of the State agenda to invest in inclusive, sensory friendly and accessible experiences, including tactile exhibits, sensory trails and inclusive nature centers, ensuring all children and adults can enjoy New York’s natural treasures. For more information about accessible recreation opportunities on DEC-managed lands, visit DEC’s Accessible Recreation webpage.
About the Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area
DEC manages over 8,000 acres of public land within the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, which includes the Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area (NMWMA) and the Montezuma Audubon Center campus. The NMWMA is best known for its extensive wetland habitat, but it also includes upland forests, shrublands, and grasslands, and provides access to the Seneca River and Crusoe Creek. Wildlife habitat and wildlife-dependent recreation are the primary focus of NMWMA, but hikers, paddlers, and nature enthusiasts of all kinds can also enjoy the property and its trails.
Bird species of note within the forests, marshes, and wetlands of the complex:
- Bald Eagle
- Black Terns
- Cerulean Warbler
- Sedge Wren
- Least Bittern
- Northern Harrier
- Osprey
- Prothonotary Warbler
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Sandhill Crane
- Short-eared Owl
- Wood Thrush
About the National Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society is a leading nonprofit conservation organization with 120 years of science-based, community-driven impact, dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Birds are powerful indicators of our planet’s health, acting as sentinels that warn us of environmental change and inspire action. Audubon works across the Western Hemisphere, driven by the understanding that what is good for birds is good for the planet. Through a collaborative, bipartisan approach across habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. With 800 staff and over 1.9 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever-growing force committed to ensuring a better planet for both birds and people for generations to come.
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