Pachaug-Ledyard focus area final preacquisition compatibility determinations

The Service has completed its final review of the preacquisition compatibility determinations (PCDs) for the Pachaug-Ledyard Focus Area of the Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Connecticut. During the comment period, which took place from February 10th to February 24th, 2022, we received a total fifty public comments. The Service took these comments into consideration when editing the final PCDs. The final PCDs appear below:

• PCD wildlife observation and photography
• PCD environmental education and interpretation
• PCD hunting

For wildlife observation, photography, environmental education and interpretation on the Pachaug-Ledyard Focus Area of the Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Connecticut, the following stipulations are in effect:

1. The refuge is open for environmental education and interpretation one ½-hour before legal sunrise to one ½-hour after legal sunset.
2. Visitors must stay on designated trails and refuge roads at all times.
3. Groups of 20 or more people require a special use permit from staff at Stewart B. McKinney NWR.
4. Organizations cannot conduct environmental education and interpretation while charging a fee to participants, unless done through a commercial use permit or a formal agreement with the Service.
5. Pets are allowed on designated trails only. Pets must be held by their owners at all times on a leash no longer than 7 feet. Pet owners are required to remove and properly dispose of pet waste.
6. Vehicles and bicycles are restricted to roads and parking areas only.
7. The refuge is a “leave-no-trace, carry-in-carry-out” out facility. All food containers, bottles, and other waste and refuse must be taken out by users.

For hunting on the Pachaug-Ledyard Focus Area of the Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Connecticut: As new units are created in the focus area where hunting is found compatible, we will have site-specific rules and regulations to ensure safety and compatibility to refuge purposes. These site-specific rules and regulations (as well as information concerning access and safety) will be published in a hunt brochure/map. The hunter is expected to understand the site-specific rules and regulations, abide by them, and sign the brochure which must be held in their possession during hunting activities (while on the refuge unit) and must be produced on demand. 

For a hunt brochure/map for the Al Harvey Road parcel in Stonington, please go to our hunting webpage a scroll down.