Five Rivers Environmental Education Center UMP
Executive Summary
The Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (the Center) is a 446-acre center that includes 12 miles of trails and interior roads, 16 ponds and wetlands, and expanses of forest, field and brush land habitats. Two factors make this property an ideal location for the DEC to conduct environmental education programming - its location near Albany in the Capital District of eastern New York, providing close access to more than 250,000 people, and its high diversity of habitats that are linked by walking paths that give visitors convenient access to view and learn from this natural diversity.
The original parcels of the Center property were purchased by DEC's predecessor, the New York State Conservation Department, for use as a research game farm, investigating propagation methods for upland game birds. A rich history of wildlife studies at the Delmar Game Farm produced many important techniques used to this day, including the method of aging deer by tooth wear and replacement, and the use of canon nets for capturing wildlife for study or relocation.
Located just six miles from the Albany City boundary, the Center lies in an area of rapid residential development. The New York State Open Space Plan identifies Five Rivers as a priority area for adding open space lands to public ownership.
Public Review and Comment
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation released the Draft Unit management Plan (UMP) for the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center for public review and comment on March, 2007. Public comments were accepted until May 10, 2007.
Five Rivers Draft Unit Management Plan:
Entire Plan with Appendices (PDF, 4.51 MB)
DCEE, Bureau of Environmental Education
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233
