Environment DEC
From the August 2003 issue
Outdoor Recreation Access Improved in Oneida County
Access to the Mohawk River recently improved in Oneida County. DEC partnered with other state and federal agencies, the New York State Legislature and outdoor enthusiasts to build two new parking areas, a small boat/canoe launch site on the Mohawk River and improved access to Oriskany Flats Wildlife Management Area (WMA).
The success of this public access project has made it a model for the management of a diverse natural resource area where many people enjoy hunting, fishing, trapping, birdwatching, canoeing and hiking.
DEC Region 6 Director Sandra LeBarron
was joined by DOT Regional Director
Francis Gerace (left) and New York State
Assemblyman David Townsend (right)
Oriskany Flats
The Oriskany Flats WMA currently contains 774 acres. The WMA stretches two miles west of River Street in the Town of Whitestown, into the City of Rome and contains much of the land between the Barge Canal on the north and the CSX Railroad on the south.
The canoe slide allows small boat access
to the Mohawk River
Project Partnerships
A working group, including DEC, DOT, the New York State Canal Corporation, Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the US Army Corp of Engineers, Mohawk Valley Heritage Corridor Commission, Ducks Unlimited, Oneida County Federation of Sportsmen Clubs and other state and local agencies and organizations, was formed in April 2001 to further the management objectives for Oriskany Flats WMA. The goal of the working group members is to maintain, protect and enhance the critical ecological, geological and historical values of the area while providing for recreational opportunities.
Other projects the team has been working on include: wetland habitat restoration, wildlife viewing opportunities, ability impaired access, stream restoration, fish spawning enhancements, and connections to other significant areas of interest such as the Oriskany Battlefield and the State Canalway Trail.
Questions or inquiries about Oriskany Flats WMA or the working group can be addressed to Wildlife Biologist Steven Heerkens in DEC's Utica Office, 315-793-2554.
