The recent direction New York State’s conservation and habitat programs are heading toward is rather scary, or it should be to anyone who understands our natural environment. Whether they’re being restructured, reduced or eliminated entirely, the priorities once at the heart of sound conservation in the state are rapidly being pushed aside to favor the totally environmental and non-consumptive ones that, while giving a “feel good” impact, will do little or nothing to insure sound conservation in the future.

Protecting our environment should obviously be one priority of the Department of Environmental Conservation, but it shouldn’t dominate at the cost of ignoring critical conservation safeguards and practices. Otherwise, it should be renamed the “Department of Environment” and drop the word “Conservation” altogether.