POTSDAM -- The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is asking the public for input on the draft St. Lawrence Rock Ridge Unit Management Plan.

A meeting is set for 6 to 8 p.m. March 8 in the Hermon-DeKalb Central High School cafeteria.

The 21,542-acre St. Lawrence Rock Ridge planning unit, in a broad area of southwestern St. Lawrence County and northeastern Lewis County, consists of 15 state forests and nine detached forest preserve parcels.

Judy Drabicki, DEC Region 6 Director, says the meeting is to present information on the unit, “discuss its history and use, current ecology and current public uses such as forest management practices and recreational uses.

“We are also seeking the public’s input in helping to establish short- and long-range goals and objectives for management of these lands,” Drabicki said.

The detached Forest Preserve parcels are in the towns of DeKalb, Depeyster, Gouverneur, and Pitcairn in St. Lawrence County and the town of Diana in Lewis County.

The State Forests, in the towns of Depeyster, Edwards, Fowler, Gouverneur, Hammond, Hermon, Macomb, Pitcairn, and Rossie, are Beaver Creek, Bonner Lake, California Road, Cold Spring Brook, Fire-Fall, Greenwood Creek, Hickory Lake, Lonesome Bay, Pleasant Lake, South Hammond, Stammer Creek, Toothaker Creek, Trout Lake, Wolf Lake, and Yellow Lake.

Public comments can be submitted to Tony Sparacino, Forester, NYS DEC, 6739 US Highway 11, Potsdam, NY, 13676, or R6.UMP@dec.ny.gov.

All comments must be received by April 23, 2018.

More info: http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4979.html, http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/106186.html