Environment DEC
From the April 2007 issue
DEC Issues Draft UMP for Five Rivers Center
DEC recently announced the release of the draft Unit Management Plan (UMP) for the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center in the towns of Bethlehem and New Scotland, Albany County.
An UMP must be completed before any significant new facilities can be constructed on state land. The plan includes an analysis of the natural features of the area and the ability of the land to accommodate public use. The planning process is designed to cover all environmental considerations for the unit and forms the basis for all proposed management activities for a five-year time period.
One More Meeting Scheduled
Two public meetings have already been held on March 28 and March 31, and one remains on Thursday, April 5, from 7 to 8:30 PM at the Five Rivers Visitor Center, Delmar (for directions, see the link below). Five Rivers is wheelchair accessible. Please provide any requests for specific accommodations by calling 518-475-0291. The meetings provide the public with an opportunity to learn more about the proposed actions in the draft UMP and provide comments. DEC will also accept written comments until May 10, 2007 (see "To Review and Comment" below).
Five Rivers is DEC's most heavily used education center, with more than 100,000 visitors per year. The 446-acre facility consists of a public visitor center, parking areas and trails.
Plans include building a new visitors center
Management Actions in the UMP
Management actions proposed in the draft UMP include:
- Constructing a new visitor center building and removing unneeded structures;
- Improving parking areas and increasing capacity by about 40 cars;
- Constructing a new picnic pavilion;
- Improving vehicle and pedestrian safety, and
- Creating forest and wildlife management plans for the center lands within two years.
To Review and Comment
A copy of the draft UMP is available for review on the web at the 5 Rivers Draft UMP link below. It is also available in print at the Five Rivers Center, DEC's headquarters in Albany, its Region 4 Office in Schenectady, the Bethlehem Public Library, and the town offices of the towns of Bethlehem and New Scotland. Copies can also be requested by calling DEC's Division of Public Affairs at 518-402-8043 or by e-mail. Public comments will be accepted until May 10, 2007. Contact the Five Rivers Center at 518-475-0291 for more information.
DEC operates four, fully staffed, environmental education centers offering classes and programs on environmental awareness around New York State. Each center has interpretive trails, exhibit areas and meeting rooms, and offers family events year round. For more information on DEC's environmental education centers, go to the Environmental Education Centers link below.
Related Links
Environmental Education Centers
