St. Lawrence Wetland and Grassland Management District
Established in 1997, this two million-acre district encompasses portions of Jefferson, St. Lawrence, and Franklin Counties with over 350,000 acres of grasslands, including agricultural lands. The goal of the district is to maintain and improve the exemplary fish and wildlife resources in the St. Lawrence Valley by working with local communities and private landowners to enhance fish and wildlife populations in an ecologically sound, economically feasible and socially acceptable way.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Service) proposes permanent protection of important wetland and grassland habitats within a portion of Jefferson County, NY (see map). These habitats are important for waterfowl and other migratory birds and wildlife.With this proposal, the Service will purchase conservation easements from landowners, with land remaining in private ownership, and also acquire small landholdings. This will supplement our current efforts at restoring habitats in the St. Lawrence Valley by working cooperatively with farmers and other private landowners.
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After Habitat Restoration |
Learn more about Waterfowl Production Areas and Conservation Easements
Learn more about the Service's proposal
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service policy, an environmental assessment, conceptual management plan and land protection plan have been prepared to analyze the effects of establishing Conservation Easements and Waterfowl Production Areas in the St. Lawrence Wetland and Grassland Management District in northern New York.
The environmental assessment analyzes the environmental effects of establishing permanent protection of waterfowl and other migratory bird habitats through easement and fee-title land acquisition.
The conceptual management plan provides a general description of the management direction for the St. Lawrence Wetland and Grassland Management District and outlines interim public uses and biological activities on proposed and newly acquired lands.
The land protection plan provides acquisition guidelines for internal Service use and provides local landowners, government agencies, Town Supervisors, and the interested public with a general understanding of the anticipated acquisition priorities and permanent protection strategies of important habitats in the St. Lawrence WMD.
Three separate documents were prepared to aid in focusing on three inter-related, but different aspects of this proposal: establishment authority, land use management and land acquisition guidelines. Each document supports, and should be considered in relation to, the other two. Please click below to view the three documents.
We welcome public comments on this exciting conservation opportunity! The Service will host a forum to present the plan and provide an opportunity for public discussion from 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, September 18th, at the Center for Community Studies at Jefferson County Community College, 1220 Coffeen St. in Watertown. Public comments on the plan will be accepted through October 9, 2006.