Environment DEC
From the September 2010 issue
Public Comment Opens on Pharsalia Woods Plan; Comment Period for Moose River Proposal Extended
The New York State DEC will hold a public meeting at 7 PM on Wednesday, September 29 at Rogers Environmental Education Center to outline the draft Pharsalia Woods Unit Management Plan (UMP) and to gather public input. Covering 13,622 acres in Chenango County, Pharsalia Woods consists of four separate state forests: New Michigan, Pitcher Springs, Perkins Pond and Pigeon Hill. It includes shrub lands, wetlands, quarries, roads and developed areas, and a mix of conifers and hardwood trees.
Part of Pharsalia Woods has been designated an "Important Bird Area" by the Audubon Society because a wide variety of forest birds nest there.
Pharsalia Woods' remote areas provide ideal conditions for bird watching, hiking, hunting, trapping and snowmobiling. The Audubon Society has designated a portion of the unit in the town of Pharsalia as an "Important Bird Area" because it is place where migratory birds tend to concentrate, and it provides breeding habitat for a wide variety of forest-nesting species.
Twenty-year Vision
The draft plan proposes management activities on the unit for the next 20 years and defines goals and objectives for various issues, including biodiversity, timber and public recreation. Copies of the draft plan may be viewed on DEC's website and are also available at the Guernsey Memorial Library (3 Court Street, Norwich, 607-334-4034) and the Sherburne Public Library (2 East State Street, Sherburne, 607-674-4242) and .
DEC encourages public participation in reviewing the draft. The deadline for input is November 1, and comments can be made or submitted at the public meeting. Anyone unable to attend can comment by writing NYSDEC, Division of Lands & Forests, 2715 State Hwy. 80, Sherburne, NY 13460 or by sending an e-mail.
The Rogers Environmental Education Center is located at 2721 State Highway 80, Sherburne, 1 mile west of the intersection of state routes 80 and 12. The center is accessible to people with disabilities.
Public Comment Period Extended for Moose River Plains Proposed Actions
The public comment period for the Moose River Plains Wild proposal has been extended to September 17, 2010 because additional time for public comment is needed. See the original press release for more information on the proposed actions and how to submit comments.
