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The Bashakill lies in the valley between the Shawangunk and Catskill ridges, flowing south from Summitville to join the Neversink River below the wetlands, and on to the Delaware River.
The Basha Kill (kill is Dutch for stream) became a lake when a glacier came down off the Catskill Ridge. Debris dammed the area where the Pine Kill met the Basha Kill in Westbrookville. Most of the Hudson Valley was glacial lakes at this time. As plants as trees began to fill in the area, organic matter filled the lake, turning it into a wetland.
The Bashakill is named for the Leni Lenape medicine woman, Basha. Basha and her village settled in this area due to its biodiversity. The Catskill Ridge consists of acidic soil, the Shawangunk Ridge is basic. This provides a plethora of plant life, including every medicinal plant (except salt water plants) needed by Basha. While we don't know exactly when Basha lived, there are maps dating back to the 1600's with her name on them.
During the D&H Canal and O&W Railroad eras, the wetland was drained for agricultural use due to its rich soil.
In 1972, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recognized the ecological importance of the area, and eventually purchased 3,107 acres of wetland and adjoining woodlands to create the Bashakill Wildlife Management Area (WMA). Please click on the link below to learn more about the the wildlife management area:
https://dec.ny.gov/places/bashakill-wildlife-management-area
The Bashakill Wetlands, a unique and biodiverse ecosystem, faces significant threats from multiple directions. It is not a coincidence that the BKAA was formed the same year the land was acquired by the state. Residents wanted to be sure that the area continued to be protected from development and pollution. Ecologically, the Bashakill is threatened by multiple invasive species, both plant and animal species. The BKAA is starting to work in partnership withthe DEC to combat this situation.
