CHENANGO COUNTY – Chenango County is home to more than 121 miles of river that’s nearly perfect for recreational use. But it’s being vastly underutilized, according to some conservation groups.

In an effort to promote one of the area’s greatest natural assets, the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chenango County in collaboration with Headwaters Youth Conservation Corps and the Soil and Water Conservation District is promoting a new publication targeting boaters, fishers, and lovers of the outdoors.

The 46-page booklet, titled “Recreational River Guide: A Guide to the Chenango, Unadilla, and Susquehanna Rivers,” provides maps, river access locations, paddling difficulty, points of interest, and fishing information to help promote the rivers of Chenango County as a valuable asset to boost local interest and tourism.

“For the county, these truly are some of our best natural recreational resources,” explained Ken Smith, Director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chenango County. “Many counties have no rivers that can be used for recreational activity. We have three rivers that are almost perfect for recreation and they’re all almost completely unused.”

The book also serves as a “how-to” that helps novice explorers plan a trip down the river. It provides a brief overview of different river sections, lists nearby camp grounds and accommodations, and names venues to purchase fishing tackle and supplies.