The Unit Management Planning Process is underway for many DEC lands. UMPs are the way that the DEC determines how much resource to allocate to capital improvements and expenses for their lands. Follow the link to DEC Public Participation Opportunities for details.

The Adapt-a-Resource Program is a way for clubs, organizations, or individuals to participate in on-site management of DEC-managed multiple use areas, state forests, and educational centers. These include cleanups projects, trail maintenance, and could include habitat management. See DEC Public Participation Opportunities for details.

The Forestry Program provides a way for landowners to receive eligibility for tax deductions if they agree to follow state approved forestry practices on their property.

The Sportsman Education Program provides a way for individuals and clubs to support the introduction of new hunters to the sport. All new licensees must have taken a hunter safety course to qualify for the purchase of a license. This is also required for license purchases in some other states. See DEC Public Participation Opportunities for details.
     

The dominant way hunters impact the general public involves their effect through conservation, which includes habitat, species behavior, and consequences for land management. This includes human-animal conflicts such as automobile accidents, agricultural damage, propagation of diseases, and other issues. Details can be found at Conservation.
     

One of the more challenging questions facing planners is to try to determine what the future holds. This can be done in two parts:

• Anticipate future trends -- what are the challenges?
• Determine courses of actions to respond to these challenges.

One thing that is often left out of this equation is that we do not just want to be reactive, but we want to be proactive in determining what our future will be.