The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is hosting a virtual public information session on the Habitat Management Plan for Baxtertown Woods Wildlife Management Area (WMA) on Wednesday, June 23, at 6:30 p.m. The event will feature a presentation about the WMA's history, habitat goals, and planned management actions, followed by a question-and-answer period.  

"As a part of the Young Forest Initiative, DEC is dedicated to preserving and enhancing conservation efforts to benefit young forest habitats in the Baxtertown Woods Wildlife Management area,” said Kelly Turturro, Regional Director. “We encourage the public to join us to learn more about the Habitat Management Plan during this virtual session on June 23.”  

WHAT: Virtual public information session on the Habitat Management Plan for Baxtertown Woods Wildlife Management Area
WHEN: Wednesday, June 23, 2021
TIME: 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Use this link to register for the event or visit DEC’s Baxtertown Woods WMA webpage link listed below to register for the public information session. 

Baxtertown Woods WMA is a 250-acre property located in the town of Fishkill, Dutchess County. It was acquired by DEC in 2005 as part of the Stony Kill Environmental Education Center and was reclassified as a WMA in 2011. The property is predominantly forested with 150 acres of maturing upland hardwood forest and 88 acres of red maple forested wetland. Plans to create 35 acres of young forest habitat will diversify Baxtertown Woods and provide important habitat for a host of wildlife species and additional recreational opportunities for birders in the area. 

The Habitat Management Plan for Baxtertown Woods is available online at https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/yfibaxtertownhmp.pdf.

DEC’s Young Forest Initiative aims to increase young forest habitat across New York State. The initiative works to:  

• Provide habitat for those species that depend on young forest; 
• Establish and maintain approximately 10 percent of the forested habitat on each WMA as young forest; and 
• Maintain existing shrublands and allowing fields to become new shrub/woodlands.