Message from the Commissioner

Shared Resource, Shared Responsibility

As DEC’s new Commissioner, I am honored to lead our agency’s effective stewardship and management of New York’s natural resources. From Long Island’s coastal pine barrens to unique boreal forests in the Adirondacks, to the hardwood forests across the Southern Tier, connecting with these environments is foundational to who we are. Few activities create and foster those bonds more than hunting and trapping.

Spending time in nature with family and friends, or in peaceful solitude, is a value I share with the hunters, trappers, and many others who enjoy New York’s lands. The need for protection and management of our wildlife and our public lands is ever present and a responsibility we all share. I am grateful for the cooperation of our sporting community to help address ongoing challenges and provide new opportunities to attract and retain people new to hunting and trapping.

Over the past year, DEC and our public and private partners helped conserve thousands of acres of land, establishing new conservation easements and creating new or expanding existing State Forests and Wildlife Management Areas for ecological protection and public recreational access. With the expansion of new information-sharing tools like HuntFishNY Events to promote mentoring opportunities, hunters are helping share their experiences to foster a conservation ethic and introduce novice youth and adult hunters to this treasured activity.

DEC looks forward to continuing to build upon our many relationships to protect our shared resources and promote the hunting and trapping traditions at the heart of our conservation efforts in the state. Best of luck to you in the upcoming season, and I hope to see you out and about enjoying the wilds of New York.

Amanda Lefton
Commissioner
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation