Environment DEC
From the June 2003 issue
New Bird Conservation Areas
Two new Bird Conservation Areas (BCAs) in New York State will enhance management activities for critical bird habitats at state-owned sites and expand opportunities for birdwatching and outdoor enjoyment.
The new BCAs include the Ashland Wildlife Management Area in Jefferson County and the grassland portions of Long Pond State Forest in Chenango County.
Ashland Wildlife Management Area
The piping plover is listed as
endangered in New York, Maine,
New Hampshire, New Jersey, Maryland,
Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Iowa, Ohio and Pennsylvania and is
threatened in the remainder of its range
Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service
The Ashland Bird Conservation Area site is located in the towns of Lyme and Cape Vincent in Jefferson County. The 2,037-acre area consists largely of early successional habitats, including grassland and shrubland. The site also features forested areas and limestone barrens. The early successional habitats support a tremendous diversity of rare and declining bird species including the short-eared owl, Henslow's sparrow, sedge wren, northern harrier and upland sandpiper.
Long Pond State Forest
The Long Pond BCA is a 394-acre grassland complex inside the Long Pond State Forest, which is located in the Town of Smithville, Chenango County. Fields within the site have been maintained by mowing or burning to keep them as grasslands. The grassland areas support several diverse and at-risk species of birds including Henslow's sparrow, grasshopper sparrow, Savannah sparrow, eastern meadowlark and bobolink.
New York's BCA program is modeled after the National Audubon Society's Important Bird Areas Program. State BCAs are recommended by an advisory committee of state and private wildlife experts based upon the site's ability to support an exceptional abundance or diversity of birds. To date, 25 BCAs have been designated across New York State.
