The Board of Game Commissioners this week approved a land exchange with the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources that is intended to help both agencies to better meet their respective public missions.

The exchange, which now must go through a series of public meetings hosted by DCNR and receive approval from the General Assembly and Gov. Rendell before taking effect, has been under development for more than a year.

"This truly is a win-win situation for our state forest and park visitors and the sportsmen of Pennsylvania," said DCNR acting Secretary John Quigley. "We take pride in managing our state forest and parks system for many values and uses. Whether it is horseback riding or increased waterway-access, this acquisition now permits DCNR to offer so much to so many when they visit the Clear Creek State Forest and Cook Forest State Park along the Clarion River Corridor.

"Meanwhile, the rich tradition and heritage of waterfowl hunting and management that surrounds Pymatuning State Park and that has been overseen by the Game Commission for many years can only be enhanced by this agreement," Acting Secretary Quigley said.

"For years, the Game Commission and DCNR -- two of the largest landowners in the state -- have acquired lands for public use, but have differing primary objectives and uses for these lands," said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. "As land has been acquired, situations have arisen in which contrasting land use policies and regulations have caused confusion for the general public and a decreased ability for each agency to meet its management and public recreational goals.

"In response to this situation, the two agencies have prepared a series of exchanges aimed at easing conflicts, while enhancing the two separate agencies' abilities to meet their independent objectives."

Roe noted that since 1947, the two agencies have been working together through a cooperative agreement on management of a large portion of the Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area, in which portions are designated as State Game Land 214 in Crawford County and other portions are within the borders of Pymatuning State Park. Likewise, the two agencies recently have been working collaboratively on the management of DCNR's surface ownership of SGL 283 in Clarion County, where the Game Commission has easement ownership rights.

Roe and Quigley noted that statutory requirements governing exchanges and transfers for both agencies stipulate that such arrangements must be for "equal or greater value." In this case, it is only reasonable to ensure that the total exchange is viewed as "equal."

Roe noted that the "equal" exchange requirement might appear to rule out the exchange package which, in total, results in the Game Commission transferring 4,816 acres to the DCNR, while the DCNR is transferring 4,250 acres to the Game Commission. However, as part of the exchange, the DCNR is transferring 1,863 surface acres of water, and the Game Commission is transferring its 1,698-acre ownership of easement on State Game Land 283 in Clarion County.

"In reality, the Game Commission's gaining ownership of the 1,863 surface acres of water from the DCNR is critical to the Game Commission's mission of managing waterfowl in the Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area," Roe said. "The lack of Game Commission-ownership of this area is one of the challenges the agency faces in making necessary adjustments to water levels in the Pymatuning Lake that are designed to enhance waterfowl habitat.

"Although DCNR maintains control of water levels due to its retaining ownership of the water level control devices, the Game Commission's ownership of the 1,863 water surface acres will enhance the agency's ability to manage the area for waterfowl habitat and influence the potential use of water level as a management tool. By agreement, water level will be changed only when deemed appropriate by the Game Commission, DCNR and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission."

Similarly, Quigley emphasized that DCNR's gaining ownership of the 1,689-acre easement from the Game Commission on SGL 283 is important to support an increased interest by many stakeholders in the area to provide additional outdoor recreational opportunities along the Clarion River Corridor. While the Game Commission is transferring ownership of its easement and portions of land it owns, the agreement includes a guarantee of a perpetual right for the public to hunt and trap on this land.

In addition to the two major exchanges involving portions of Pymatuning State Park and SGL 283, the two agencies are taking time to address other less significant exchanges that also will enhance the ability of each agency to address recreational infrastructure needs, which also will benefit the general public's use of these lands Roe stressed that the lands being transferred to DCNR will remain open to public hunting and furtaking to the extent allowed by law.

DCNR and the Game Commission will hold two public information meetings to provide the public an opportunity to ask questions and provide comment about the exchange. The meetings will be in an open-house format, where interested individuals can stop in during the open house hours to review information about the exchange, ask questions of DCNR and PGC staff and provide verbal and written comment.

The Pymatuning (Linesville) public meeting will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on November 17, at the Linesville High School Cafeteria, 302 W. School Drive, Linesville. For details, call 814-683-5551.

The Cook Forest State Park - Clear Creek State Forest meeting will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on November 19, at the Clarion Holiday Inn, 45 Holiday Inn Road, Clarion. For details, call 814-226-8850.

Details on the land exchanges are available on the Game Commission website.