The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced that the boardwalk at Great Baehre Swamp Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Erie County will be temporarily closed for repairs. The closure also affects the boardwalk in the town of Amherst’s Billy Wilson Park.
Construction is set to begin on Monday, November 17, 2025, and is expected to last about three weeks. During this period, public access to the entire boardwalk will not be permitted. The closure extends from Hopkins Road in the south through to Billy Wilson Park. DEC advises visitors to avoid these areas while work is underway.
According to DEC, “Any construction delays or updates will be added to DEC’s Great Baehre Swamp WMA webpage.”
The Great Baehre Swamp WMA covers 270 acres next to Billy Wilson Park and was acquired by DEC in 1989 using funds from the Environmental Quality Bond Act of 1986. Under a stewardship agreement, Amherst built a 1,300-foot boardwalk through the area as mitigation for wetland impacts, connecting state land with the park.
Wildlife Management Areas across New York are managed by DEC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife primarily for habitat preservation and wildlife-related recreation. There are currently 123 WMAs statewide totaling about 235,000 acres. The program began in the early twentieth century to secure public access for conservation and promotion of fish and wildlife resources.
DEC encourages visitors to “Love Our New York Lands at Great Baehre Swamp WMA and all natural spaces by practicing Leave No Trace principles and by recreating safely, sustainably, and hiking in suitable conditions based on weather and experience level.” More information about Great Baehre Swamp WMA can be found on DEC’s website.
