A new accessible wildlife observation platform has opened at the Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area in Wayne County, giving visitors a new place to watch birds and other wildlife during fall migration. The platform is part of a broader effort to improve access across the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation and the National Audubon Society announced the opening Thursday. DEC said it spent $70,000 from the state Environmental Protection Fund on the platform near the Montezuma Audubon Center.
Visitors can reach the platform by following an accessible stone-dust path about 750 feet from the center through restored forest habitat. A gently graded ramp provides access to the viewing area. DEC said there are several other wildlife-viewing platforms within the management area and provides maps on its Northern Montezuma visitor page.
A wider accessibility effort
The project brought together DEC, the National Audubon Society and Rochester Accessible Adventures. It also fits within Gov. Kathy Hochul's āThese Lands Are for Everyoneā initiative, which calls for more inclusive outdoor experiences, including sensory trails, tactile exhibits and accessible nature centers.
DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said the investment is intended to help visitors of different abilities experience bird migration and other wildlife at the 50,000-acre wetlands complex. Montezuma Audubon Center Director Chris Lajewski said the opening comes as fall migration begins and is part of a larger accessibility effort at the center and across the complex.
Anita O'Brien, executive director of Rochester Accessible Adventures, said access improvements should be designed to let people with disabilities move beyond parking areas and into natural settings. The organization worked with DEC and Audubon on the broader effort.
What visitors can find at Northern Montezuma
DEC manages more than 8,000 acres of public land within the wetlands complex, including Northern Montezuma Wildlife Management Area and the Montezuma Audubon Center campus. The area includes wetlands, upland forests, shrublands and grasslands, along with access to the Seneca River and Crusoe Creek.
Wildlife habitat and wildlife-dependent recreation are the management area's primary focus, but its trails also serve hikers and other visitors. DEC lists bald eagles, black terns, northern harriers, ospreys, sandhill cranes and other birds among species found in the complex.
Visitors can consult DEC's accessible recreation guide for other opportunities on state-managed land. The agency's Northern Montezuma page has maps and details for reaching the management area's viewing platforms.
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