ULSTER COUNTY – An ongoing survey of more than 10,000 access permit holders with the New York City Department of Environmental Conservation found that city-owned lands and reservoirs are the second-most visited in the west-of-Hudson watershed with 20 percent citing it as their location of choice.

Fishing is the most popular use of watershed lands and reservoirs, with 70 percent of residents naming it as their preference.

The Ashokan Reservoir was named the most popular fishing destination where there are 1,658 boating permits being held.

Some 16 percent of survey participants said they use the lands for bow hunting, which is allowed on virtually all of the Ulster County acres. Hunters must have a valid state hunting license and DEP access permit.

DEP Commissioner Carter Strickland said the agency has opened more than 2,700 acres for recreational use in Ulster County since 2010, bringing the total city-owned recreational lands in the county to over 12,300 acres.

The DEP’s watershed use announcement comes at a time when Ulster County Executive Michael Hein has declared war on the agency, maintaining it has not lived up to its commitment to keep waters clear and failing to pay its share of property taxes.