State park plan would increase hunting Bucks County
June 14th, 2005 by Administrator
State park plan would increase hunting By COURTNEY DENTCH Bucks County Courier Times
Nockamixon - The state is seeking input on a new resource management plan for Nockamixon State Park that would increase the area in the park where deer hunting is allowed.
The plan, which was compiled after years of research, catalogues the various flora and fauna found in the park, as well as the other natural aspects, said Department of Conservation and Natural Resources spokesman Terry Brady.
“This plan is designed to tell people what’s here and what’s worth saving,” he said. “We want people to know what we’re doing.”
Nockamixon State Park encompasses more than 5,200 acres surrounding the 1,450-acre Lake Nockamixon. It is the 17th-largest park in the state and, with more than 900,000 visits last year, the eighth busiest, Brady said.
“It is a large park and it is a very popular park,” he said.
Nockamixon offers fishing, boating, overnight lodging in cabins and year-round recreational opportunities, including hiking, bicycling, horseback riding and skiing and sledding in winter.
Most of the land is also open to hunters, and the resource management plan recommends opening an additional 1,200 acres to deer hunting to help control the population, Brady said. The land is near the Sterner Mill hiking area, off Mountain View Road, where hunting has previously been prohibited, he said.
“Nockamixon does have a regeneration problem with the white-tailed deer,” he said. “This area’s always been off-limits, but we’re looking to open it up.”
The 144-page plan also details the park’s natural assets, including types of plant and wildlife, geology, water quality, soil types and more. No specific provisions are included in the plan to protect any particular kind of flora or fauna, Brady said.
Representatives from DCNR will discuss the plan and solicit comments from the public at a meeting Tuesday, Brady said.
“Those who regularly visit and use these state park facilities especially are encouraged to attend the upcoming public meeting and participate in the resource management process,” said Roger Fickes, director of the Bureau of State Parks. “We’re hoping they will review the proposed management plan to help ensure their future visits are even more enjoyable and worthwhile.”
Once the public comment period ends in July, researchers at DCNR will review the plan and refine it, Brady said.
The management plan is available on the DCNR Web site at http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/nockamixon.aspx. Copies also are available at the following locations:
Haycock Township building, 640 Harrisburg School Road,
Bedminster Township building, 3112 Bedminster Road,
Bucks County Free Library, James A. Michener Branch, 401 W. Mill St., Quakertown,
Quakertown Post Office, 165 California Road,
Nockamixon State Park, 1542 Mountain View Road,
Park Region 4 Office, 2808 Three Mile Run Road, Perkasie.
Comments will be accepted through July 15. They should be directed to Jeff Johns, Resources Management Section, Bureau of State Parks, Rachel Carson State Office Building, 400 Market St., PO Box 8551, Harrisburg, PA 17105. The public also can call 717-772-0242.
If you go
What: Meeting to discuss a draft resource management plan for Nockamixon State Park.
When: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Annex Building of Upper Bucks County Area Vocational-Technical School, 3115 Ridge Road, Perkasie
For more: 1-888-PA-PARKS
Courtney Dentch can be reached at 215-538-6369 or cdentch@phillyBurbs.com.