The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has released a draft Access and Public Use Plan (APUP) for the Ashland Flats Wildlife Management Area (WMA) for public review and comment.
Ashland Flats WMA contains 2,028 acres of primarily open meadows, and second-growth and young forests in Jefferson County east of Lake Ontario.
In conjunction with WMA regulations, APUPs serve as overarching guidance for providing access to wildlife lands and determining public use activities appropriate for each area.
This draft APUP complements the existing Habitat Management Plan (HMP) for Ashland Flats WMA and addresses management objectives for wildlife-dependent recreation, access features, and facility maintenance.
Together, the APUP and HMP form a comprehensive management plan for the WMA. These plans guide management for wildlife and public access over a 10-year time period, after which DEC will assess conditions and needs and update the plans as needed.
The public is invited to provide comments on the draft APUP for 30 days until June 1st, 2022. Comments can be sent to DEC’s Bureau of Wildlife, Region 6, 317 Washington St. 7th Floor, Watertown, NY, 13601 or by email information.r6@dec.ny.gov with the subject line “Ashland Flats WMA draft APUP.”
Photo of Ashland Flats Wildlife Management Area provided.
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