One of the largest multipurpose trail segments in northern New York is closer to realization following the release Wednesday of the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s finalized Flatland Unit Management Plan.

With that approval, an additional 42 miles of multi-purpose trail in northeastern St. Lawrence County can be opened in the towns of Madrid, Brasher, Stockholm and Hopkinton. The Flatlands Unit Management Plan also includes numerous state forests such as the Brasher State Forest, the Buckton State Forest and the Fort Jackson State Forest.

The plan allows more trails for ATVs and snowmobiles.

“We’ve been working hard to move this issue along as it is important to the people of this county and to the citizens of this state,” said Legislator Tony Arquiett, D-Helena, co-chair of the St. Lawrence County Trails Committee, as quoted in a press release Thursday afternoon.

“I know this has been a primary objective of mine since I entered office and we believe this can be a major opportunity to help a struggling economy develop a more diversified approach,” said Arquiett.

Another press release from the DEC said that “greater public access and more recreational opportunities will be available in the St. Lawrence Flatlands area under the final Unit Management Plan (UMP).”

“The UMP provides greater land access for hunters, anglers and other outdoor recreationalists in northern St. Lawrence and Franklin counties,” DEC Acting Commissioner Basil Seggos said. “The plan develops recreational access to forest lands, increases public awareness of outdoor opportunities on these state forests and ensures sustainable forest management. Under the UMP, DEC will manage these state forest lands to promote a healthy ecosystem and enhance landscape biodiversity while protecting soil productivity and water quality.”

The St. Lawrence Flatlands comprises 30,810 acres in 10 state forests in the St. Lawrence County towns of Brasher, Madrid, Norfolk and Stockholm and the Franklin County towns of Bombay and Moira. The specific land units are Brasher State Forest, Bombay State Forest, Buckton State Forest, Fort Jackson State Forest, Grantville State Forest, Knapp Station State Forest, Lost Nation State Forest, Raymondville State Forest, Sodom State Forest and Southville State Forest.

The UMP also covers six widely scattered parcels of detached forest preserve lands, ranging in size from three to 350 acres, in the St. Lawrence County towns of Lisbon, Louisville, Massena, and Waddington.

The lands and waters of the St. Lawrence Flatlands offer recreational opportunities such as hiking, skiing, mountain biking, hunting, fishing, trapping, birdwatching, snowmobiling, all-terrain vehicle riding and horseback riding.

The plan was developed with public input which helped assess the natural, physical, social and recreational resources of the unit’s state forests.

St. Lawrence County legislators pointed to the potential for increased investment in communities’ recreational opportunities.

“The County has been working diligently on a countywide trail system and with the help of the State DEC, Governor Cuomo, Deb Christy with the Trails Advisory Board and the county team comprised of County Attorney Steve Button and County Highway Superintendent Don Chambers, we are one large step closer to realizing a corner-to-corner countywide trail. It’s a revenue generator,” Arquiett said. “Communities will have an opportunity to generate revenue from the many active users of the trails, which include recreational ATV and snowmobile use.”

With the guidance of retired legislator Alex McKinnon, the St. Lawrence County Board of Legislators created the county Recreational Trail Advisory Board to support the future development of a county-wide trail system. His successor on the board and co-chair of the county Trail Committee, Joel LaPierre, R-Fowler, expressed his enthusiasm on hearing of the news.

“The citizens of this county need good news,” LaPierre said. “It is my hope, just as it is Legislator Arquiett’s and just as it was Legislator MacKinnon’s, that a fully-functional trail system will provide for greater economic growth in our county and increased recreational opportunities so that all may enjoy St. Lawrence County and what it has to offer. ”

Among the plans are a new multi-use recreational connector trail to be developed on 8.7 miles of DEC-maintained trails and roads in the Brasher State Forest. The connector trail will be available to, including hikers, skiers, horse riders and snowmobilers. The trail will also help provide a connection between ATV trails beyond the state forest and ATV access for hunting and other recreational activities along the trail. Trails and roads will receive improved drainage, surface hardening, and improved wetland crossings to provide access for motorized recreational use, according to the press release from the county.

The Brasher Community Connector Trail is expected to start in Helena and travel through the towns of Brasher, Lawrence and Stockholm connecting to the existing East Section of the Multi-Use Trail in towns of Hopkinton and Parishville. The East Section, which opened in October 2013, combined with the anticipated new segment, will increase the size of the current St. Lawrence County Multi-use Trail to a total of 92 miles.

In order to complete the trail segment, the towns of Brasher, Lawrence, Stockholm, Hopkinton, and Parishville and the county will be holding public hearings to open the additional roads identified as part of the trail. Those hearings are expected to be held over the course of the next four months.