A Draft Unit Management Plan (UMP) for the Grass River Wild Forest, and Draft Recreation Management Plans (RMPs) for the Grass River Conservation Easement and the Tooley Pond Conservation Easement have been released by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for public review and comment.

DEC will accept public input on the draft UMP and RMPs at a public meeting on Monday, October 3, 2016 from 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm at Colton – Pierrepont Central School Auditorium, 4921 NY-56, in Colton.

The Grass River Wild Forest encompasses approximately 14-thousand acres of Forest Preserve lands distributed across several scattered parcels in the northwest corner of the Adirondack Park in the towns of Clare, Clifton, Colton and Fine in St. Lawrence County.

The Tooley Pond Conservation Easement encompasses 23,946 acres and the Grass River Conservation Easement 51,950 acres in the same towns. The lands are bounded on the east by State Highway 56, on the south by State Highway 3 and the Oswegatchie River, and the west and north by the Adirondack Park boundary. The RMPs will address expanded recreational opportunities for both conservation easements.

In addition to the public hearings, public comments can be submitted by mail or email. All comments must be received by November 14, 2016:

Aaron Graves, DEC Forester
NYS DEC
6739 US Highway 11
Potsdam, NY 13676
Email: r6.ump@dec.ny.gov

The UMP is available to view or download on the DEC website. More information is available on the DEC website: Tooley Pond tract, Grass River tract, Grass River Wild Forest.

Copies of the UMP and RMPs are also available on CD and can be requested by e-mail at r6.ump@dec.ny.gov or from the DEC Region 6 offices in Watertown (315) 785-2263 and Potsdam (315) 265-3090.

Photo: Tooley Pond Campsite and Waterway Access courtesy DEC.