The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today released a draft Access and Public Use Plan (APUP) for the Lakeview Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The draft plan is available for public comment until February 5, 2026. 

The 3,461-acre Lakeview WMA along the eastern shoreline of Lake Ontario is part of the largest natural freshwater barrier beach system in New York State. The area's diverse habitat includes open fields, shrub lands, woodlands, wetlands, and a natural barrier beach. Lakeview WMA is open to the public year-round, but public use restrictions apply to the sensitive barrier beach system. In 2007, as part of the Eastern Lake Ontario Barrier Beach and Wetland Complex, it was designated as a Natural Heritage Area. The WMA was designated as a significant coastal fish and wildlife habitat by the New York Department of State and is part of the Eastern Lake Ontario Marshes Bird Conservation Area. Lakeview WMA is often used for waterfowl hunting, trapping, fishing, recreational paddling, wildlife observation, and photography. 

In conjunction with WMA regulations, access and public use plans serve as overarching guidance for providing access to wildlife lands and determining public use activities appropriate for each area. 

This draft APUP complements the existing Habitat Management Plan (HMP) for Lakeview WMA and addresses management objectives for wildlife-dependent recreation, access features, and facility maintenance. Together, the APUP and HMP form a comprehensive management plan for the WMA. These plans guide management for wildlife and public access over a 10-year time period, after which DEC will assess conditions and needs and update the plans as needed.