New York State Wildlife Management Areas facts for kids

Stream and forest at Happy Valley Wildlife Management Area in Oswego County, New York.

View of Lakeview Pond within Lakeview Wildlife Management Area.

New York State Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are special places in New York State. They are like big natural parks managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). Their main goal is to protect and help wild animals and their homes. People can also visit these areas for fun activities like hunting, fishing, and trapping. As of 2016, New York has 113 WMAs. Together, they cover about 197,000 acres, which is a huge area! The NYSDEC's team that handles fish, wildlife, and ocean life takes care of these important places.

Protecting Wildlife: How WMAs Began

Early Efforts to Fund Conservation

New York's Wildlife Management Areas got their first money from something called the Conservation Fund. This fund started way back in 1925. It collects money from fees that people pay for hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses. It also gets money from other small fees and fines. This fund helps make sure there's always money to protect wildlife.

Federal Help and Special Lands

In the 1930s, a government group called the Resettlement Administration bought old farmland that wasn't very good for growing crops anymore. They then gave this land to New York State. This land became perfect for creating new wildlife areas. Later, in 1937, a law called the Pittman–Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act was passed. This law adds a small tax to guns and ammunition. About 10% of this tax money goes back to states like New York. This money helps them buy more land and manage areas for wildlife. New York State also used special money from Bond Acts in 1960, 1972, and 1986 to grow the WMA system.

Special Natural Places

Some of these WMAs are very special because they have sensitive natural environments. For example, the Lakeview Wildlife Management Area is so important that it was named the Lakeview Marsh and Barrier Beach National Natural Landmark. In 1973, experts said it was "one of the best and largest marshlands" found in protected bays and behind barrier beaches along eastern Lake Ontario. This shows how valuable these areas are for nature.

Discover New York's Wildlife Management Areas

There are many different Wildlife Management Areas across New York State. Each one helps protect different types of animals and plants. Here is a list of some of these important areas, showing where they are and how big they are.