Last week, Donald Trump claimed to have renamed Lake Ontario to Lake America. He didn’t. What he did do – in an effort to troll our biggest trading partner – was sign an executive order (14420) directing federal agencies and the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) to use the new name: [Read more…] about Trump Changes Lake Ontario’s Federal Name; New Yorkers Are Not Amused
Fish and Wildlife Service
Adk Stream Crossing Restored After Boquet Barrier Removed
This summer the Ausable Freshwater Center (AFC) finished a stream restoration at the Moss Road crossing of the North Branch Boquet River in the Town of Lewis, in Essex County, NY, by removing two old, undersized culverts to restore a natural river channel.
The culverts that had constricted the river and blocked fish for decades are now gone, and a natural channel carries the river through the road crossing. The project reconnected some 50 miles of Adirondack river and coldwater tributary habitat. [Read more…] about Adk Stream Crossing Restored After Boquet Barrier Removed
2026 State of Lake Champlain Fisheries
The annual Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative State of the Lake meeting was held in March in Burlington, Vermont. The meeting offered an opportunity for the public to learn about the ongoing research and angling opportunities that exist on Lake Champlain and is now available online. [Read more…] about 2026 State of Lake Champlain Fisheries
240 Acres Preserved in Rockland County
The Open Space Institute (OSI) and Rockland County are celebrating the conservation of the “Eagle Valley Assemblage,” nearly 240 acres that is hoped will safeguard an important clean water source, strengthen a corridor of undeveloped land between Sterling Forest and Harriman State Parks, and enhance regional recreational opportunities. [Read more…] about 240 Acres Preserved in Rockland County
New Project To Monitor Atlantic Salmon in Boquet River
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has begun a collaborative project with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the town of Willsboro, in Essex County, to improve monitoring of spawning Atlantic salmon in the Boquet River.
Much of the Boquet River salmon fishery occurs below the dam and fishway in Willsboro. DEC and partners hope to evaluate various management strategies to improve the Atlantic salmon population. [Read more…] about New Project To Monitor Atlantic Salmon in Boquet River
Input Sought on New York State Wildlife Action Plan
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is seeking public input on the draft revised State Wildlife Action Plan for 2025-35.
In 2024, DEC sought review and input on draft species status assessments and the list of Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN). Relevant data and other feedback informed the revised SGCN list and were incorporated into the species status assessments now available for final review. [Read more…] about Input Sought on New York State Wildlife Action Plan
Northeastern Bulrush & Why Federal Grants Matter
Twenty years ago, at this time of year, I found myself walking the margin of a marsh in east central Vermont with then State Botanist Bob Popp. We had traveled to that particular site because it showed promise as potential habitat for the rare northeastern bulrush.
This elusive species requires exposed soil at the water’s edge. Just as we were about to depart from the last wetland in the area, Popp called me over to exclaim that he had found what we were seeking, which he recognized by the arching arms of the seedhead that reminded him of an explosion of fireworks. [Read more…] about Northeastern Bulrush & Why Federal Grants Matter
Fireplace Neck Tidal Wetland Area Restoration Project Update
Fireplace Neck Tidal Wetland Area is a 108-acre salt marsh located on Long Island‘s south shore, adjacent to Bellport Bay. Historical marsh development and vegetation degradation in the early 20th Century altered the natural flow of water and sediments in the wetland.
Habitat loss and the conversion of dry high-marsh habitat into low-marsh mudflats contributed to a less resilient coastline that faces growing threats from extreme weather events and sea level rise. [Read more…] about Fireplace Neck Tidal Wetland Area Restoration Project Update
After 70 Years, Lake Trout Stocking in Lake Champlain Ends
Lake trout have been restored to Lake Champlain according to an announcement by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. As a result, the wild population no longer needs to be augmented by hatchery-reared fish, and stocking will end after this spring.
The decision was announced by the Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative — a working group of fisheries professionals from the three agencies — at its annual meeting in April. [Read more…] about After 70 Years, Lake Trout Stocking in Lake Champlain Ends
Project Rearing Atlantic Salmon for the Saranac River Enters Final Year
A five-year project experimenting with raising Atlantic Salmon in Lake Champlain on the Saranac River estuary is entering it final year. The project team is studying how to increase returns of the popular fish to the Saranac River to spawn each year on their own. [Read more…] about Project Rearing Atlantic Salmon for the Saranac River Enters Final Year
State of Lake Champlain Fisheries Meetings
The Lake Champlain Fish and Wildlife Management Cooperative, a working group of fisheries professionals from the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) hosts annual “State of the Lake Fisheries” meetings.
This year’s public meeting on Saturday, March 15 is open for anglers and other individuals interested in the fisheries of Lake Champlain. Registration is not required. [Read more…] about State of Lake Champlain Fisheries Meetings
Cormorants on Lake Champlain and Lake George
Lake Champlain’s Four Brothers Islands, an eighteen-acre archipelago owned by the Nature Conservancy and located two miles east of Willsboro Point, are home to the only nesting colony of Double-crested Cormorants in New York State. [Read more…] about Cormorants on Lake Champlain and Lake George
Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge: A Hidden Gem in Western New York
Nestled between Rochester and Buffalo, Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (INWR) stands as one of the best-kept secrets of Western New York. This serene haven, spanning over 10,000 acres, is a testament to the timeless beauty and quiet reverence of nature.
My visits to the refuge, accompanied by my wife, have left us in awe of its tranquil atmosphere. There is something magical about the place — a sense of wildness that feels both untamed and peaceful; as if nature itself is speaking in whispers. [Read more…] about Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge: A Hidden Gem in Western New York
US Fish and Wildlife Calls For Protection of Monarch Butterflies
With its notable orange and black markings, the monarch butterfly is one of the most recognizable insects in the world. Now, with some populations plummeting, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to list the species as threatened.
In North America, monarchs are grouped into two long-distance migratory populations. The eastern migratory population is the largest and overwinters in the mountains of central Mexico. The western migratory population primarily overwinters in coastal California. [Read more…] about US Fish and Wildlife Calls For Protection of Monarch Butterflies
43rd Edition of Adirondack State of the Park Report Issued
The 43rd Edition of Adirondack Council’s State of the Park Report has been released October 8, 2024.
The Report is the Adirondack Council’s comprehensive annual assessment of environmental conditions, social issues and government actions for the largest park in the contiguous United States. Its current 43 editions serve as an almanac of important events and decisions in the Adirondacks, affecting generations of New York residents. [Read more…] about 43rd Edition of Adirondack State of the Park Report Issued
Leopard Taxidermy Mount Leads To Charges, Fine
In May, New York State Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) collaborated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to investigate a tip about a full-body leopard taxidermy mount listed for sale on social media for $2,500 in Delaware County, NY. [Read more…] about Leopard Taxidermy Mount Leads To Charges, Fine
Scientific Input Sought for State’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is seeking data on species status assessments for use in updating New York’s State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) for 2025-35. A wildlife action plan serves as a state’s guiding document for managing and conserving species and habitats before they become too rare or costly to restore. [Read more…] about Scientific Input Sought for State’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need
State, Nature Conservancy Reach Agreement On Follensby Pond Plans
New York State and The Nature Conservancy have reached an agreement to protect more than 14,600 acres of ecologically rare and culturally significant natural resources in the Adirondacks through two conservation easements and a research consortium. The collaboration is expected to provide new public recreational access in the Raquette River corridor and establish a first-of-its-kind freshwater research preserve. [Read more…] about State, Nature Conservancy Reach Agreement On Follensby Pond Plans
Enhanced Recreational Opportunities on Onondaga Lake
Recently, work was completed on two reconstructed jetties at the north end of Onondaga Lake in Onondaga County, NY. A new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant jetty is located at the Willow Bay area of the County’s Onondaga Lake Park. [Read more…] about Enhanced Recreational Opportunities on Onondaga Lake
DEC Fisheries 2023 Year in Review
Here is a list of highlights and noteworthy items from the past year here in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Bureau of Fisheries. [Read more…] about DEC Fisheries 2023 Year in Review