The Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area is a
wildlife management area
A Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is a protected area set aside for the conservation of wildlife and for recreational activities involving wildlife.
New Zealand
There are 11 Wildlife Management Areas in New Zealand:
* Horsham Downs Wildlife Man ...
(WMA) located in western
New York State
New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. stat ...
.
It is located primarily within
Niagara County
Niagara County is in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 212,666. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word ''Onguiaahra''; meaning ''the strait'' or ''thunder of waters''.
Niaga ...
and
Genesee County, with a small portion within
Orleans County. It is managed by the
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Along with the adjacent
Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge to the east and the
Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area farther to the east, Tonawanda WMA contributes to a continuous region dedicated to conservation and wildlife management
[ known as the Alabama Swamp Complex. Approximately 100,000 migratory birds pass through the area each year.
]
History
The wildlife management area is located in a swampy area that has historically been a stopping point for migratory wildfowl. The area was hunted by Native Americans and early settlers.
The land was purchased by New York State to protect the wildlife from over-hunting using funds from duck stamp
The Federal Duck Stamp, formally known as the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, is an adhesive stamp issued by the United States federal government that must be purchased prior to hunting for migratory waterfowl such as ducks and gee ...
s and taxes on firearms and ammunition. The stated objectives of the WMA are increased waterfowl production, waterfowl protection, and flood control.[
]
Geography
Tonawanda WMA lies about halfway between Buffalo and Rochester
Rochester may refer to:
Places Australia
* Rochester, Victoria
Canada
* Rochester, Alberta
United Kingdom
*Rochester, Kent
** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area
** History of Rochester, Kent
** HM Prison ...
. It lies halfway between the Village of Akron to the south and the Village of Middleport to the north.
The Tonawanda WMA consists of , consisting primarily of wetlands.[ The WMA is on a floodplain of the ]Tonawanda Creek
Tonawanda Creek is a small tributary of the Niagara River in Western New York, United States. After rising in Wyoming County, the stream flows through Genesee County before forming part of the boundary between Erie County and Niagara County. ...
. Water retention is facilitated by impoundments, which increase wetland area and control flooding in nearby inhabited areas.
NY Route 77, Lewiston Road, passes through the north part of the WMA. The south boundary of part of Tonawanda WMA is the Tonawanda Indian Reservation.
The WMA is located adjacent to the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and the Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area, both located east of the Tonawanda WMA. Located several miles north is the Hartland Swamp Wildlife Management Area in the Town of Hartland.
Public use
Hunting, fishing, hiking, bird watching and snowshoeing is permitted at Tonawanda WMA. Trapping is also allowed via permits assigned by lottery. Prohibited activities include the use of motorized vehicles (except in parking areas), and the use of motorized boats. Camping is available only to groups with a permit.[
Except for Bartel Road and Meadville Road, both of which pass through the WMA, all other roads are unpaved and reserved for official use. Pedestrian traffic in the WMA uses these roads and other paths along the dikes, which divides the WMA into separate marshes. Two observation areas with ample parking and public information are located along Lewiston Road.
]
See also
* List of New York state wildlife management areas
New York State Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are conservation areas managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) primarily for the benefit of wildlife, and used extensively by the public for hunting, fishing ...
References
External links
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation: Oak Orchard and Tonawanda Wildlife Management Areas
{{Protected areas of New York
Wildlife management areas of New York (state)
Protected areas of Niagara County, New York
Protected areas of Genesee County, New York
Protected areas of Orleans County, New York