Governor George E. Pataki has announced the state's acquisition of 116 acres in Monroe and Livingston counties, providing new opportunities for the public to hike, fish and interact with nature while preserving valuable wetlands and significant habitat for migratory birds and wildlife.

The state will use $670,000 from the $1.75 billion Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act, proposed by Governor Pataki and supported by voters in 1996, to acquire 68 acres known as Burger Park in the Monroe County Town of Greece. The property is located on Hogan Point Road, just southwest of the Lake Ontario State Parkway.

The Burger Park acquisition expands recreational opportunities in the Monroe County area for hikers, anglers, birdwatchers and other outdoor enthusiasts. The parcel includes 2,000 feet along Salmon Creek, a tributary to Braddock Bay, and an extensive network of hiking trails through hardwood, evergreen and wetland areas offering outstanding opportunities to view wildlife and enjoy the scenic surroundings. The property also contains an existing concrete boat launch and docks providing anglers with new access to Salmon Creek and Braddock Bay.

New York state will acquire the property from the Burger family, which has owned the parcel for four generations. Acting on behalf of the state, the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national land conservation group that has worked with numerous communities and public agencies to preserve land of recreational, ecological and historical value for future generations, helped negotiate this deal with the private landowner.

Burger Park will be added to the Braddock Bay Wildlife Management Area, designated in May by Governor Pataki as a State Bird Conservation Area (BCA). The land will be jointly managed by DEC, the Town of Greece and the Braddock Bay Advisory Committee.

The Braddock Bay Wildlife Management Area encompasses 2,576 acres along the shores of Lake Ontario and includes five habitat units - Buck Pond, Long Pond, Cranberry Pond, Braddock Bay and Rose Marsh. The ponds are connected by the lake by intermittent channels, which plug and open as lake currents and wave action change the character of the gravel and sand barrier bars.

This bay-marsh provides excellent nesting, feeding and resting habitat for wildlife, waterfowl, shorebirds, marsh birds, songbirds and raptors. The area hosts a wide variety of rare and common species of birds including the bald eagle, golden eagle, peregrine falcon, northern goshawk and red-shouldered hawk.