HI Dave,
It still surprises me that even among environmentalists, biodiversity is
still a matter of contention. There are ecological reasons to support
biodiversity, often thought to enhance the mega goal of biostability.
The Young Forest Initiative is intended to increase biodiversity. I love
diversity of species from Monarch Butterflies and Field Sparrows to Wood
Thrush. You couldn’t see the former two species walking in a totally forested
habitat. Although the YFI is a new program, it comes from an increased
awareness that forests alone only support a fraction of New York’s wildlife,
and that to fulfill the older state mandate for biodiversity requires a
diversity of habitats. I think that cutting 10% of the forest in ten years
provides a reasonable balance of different habitats.
I know that in the Hammond Hill management, areas of old, mature forest were
designated to be left alone, and that areas with high ecological value as they
were, such as areas with high concentration of orchids, were left alone.
Cutting was assigned to areas of younger forests and those portions of the
forest where the current tree species would encourage rapid regeneration. Oaks
provide an especially valuable food source for wildlife and food chains that
start with eating an acorn. In locations where they occur, Goshawk and Timber
Rattlesnakes obtain a major food source from chipmunks in years of chipmunk
eruption following acorn mast years. Blue Jays, Red-headed Woodpeckers and
Red-bellied Woodpeckers, deer, bear, owls, and far more species are enhanced by
oaks and their acorns. Oaks regenerate in areas with at least 30% full
sunshine. For Hammond Hill, some of the areas with selective cutting were
designed to leave some mature oaks to provide a seed source.
You mention creation of 100 acres of meadow as part of the list of reasons you
oppose the management plan. Across New York grassland species are declining.
Given the 11,000 acres of Connectiuct Hill, where else would it be more
appropriate for the state help declining grassland species. Many grassland
species are area-sensitive. They simple do not nest in anything but large
patches of grassland. 10 10-acre patches of grassland will support practically
no grassland species. One 100 acre grassland might well support grassland
species, even Bobolinks, and meadowlarks and courtship grounds for woodcock.
I love to walk through grasslands and shrubby fields and young forests as well
as mature, old forests. Looking/listening for early successional species can
provide real pleasure. In addition to personal pleasure, enhanced biodiversity
is widely supported for ecological stability and by many hunting groups. Across
New York grasslands and early succession habitat is declining as are the
animals that depend on such habitat. As part of many examples, the National
Turkey Foundation endorses clear cuts as they provide food for young turkey.
Deer populations are enhanced by feeding in winter in recent clear cuts. For
Hammond Hill, local residents who are long time deer hunters complain about the
decline of deer in Hammond Hill State Forest as the early successional fields
have succeeded into older forest. I know from personal experience that we once
routinely saw several Ruffed Grouse visiting our yard at once (and we live
contiguous to Hammond Hill State Forest). Ruffed Grouse feed primarily on aspen
buds in winter and their population has locally declined as forests have
matured and aspen have declined. Truly, forest management that provides 10% of
the land in early succession would do much to enhance biodiversity, including
species that have much appeal for non-hunters and hunters alike.
As far as I can tell your reasons for opposing such forest management is that
it would alter what you are accustomed to seeing and that it would add a
campground. Adding a campground to increase public enjoyment of state forests
is not my personal priority, but I am willing to accept it in appropriate
locations as a reasonable use of forest land owned and managed by the state for
wildlife and human use. I suggest your appreciation of wildlife and natural
habitats could be enhanced by accepting different ecosystems as an addition and
not a loss.
By the way, I think I have said more than enough on this topic. I will not
respond further.
Best wishes,
John
From: Dave Gislason [mailto:dgif...@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2017 6:32 PM
To: John Confer <con...@ithaca.edu>; CAYUGABIRDS-L
<cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu>
Subject: Re: FW: New post published Meeting on Connecticut Hill Wildlife
Management Plan
I respect that you obviously have much more experience and knowledge in this
area, and that maybe in the long term it is good and necessary, and everything
will be alright. But, this is a huge project that over the 10 years will
greatly change the experience of this 11, 237 acres of land. The State
proposes to cut down the trees on 1,192 of them. 41 will become grassland, 154
will become shrub land, and 993 will eventually become young forest (trees cut
and left, allowing saplings to grow).
They've been doing this right along - clear-cuts of red pine in 3 places I've
seen in the last 2-3 years (50 acres?). Two fresh ones show up quite nicely on
Google Earth on Ct Hill Rd 3#. This year I've seen 3 new YFIs- one was a a
campground area turned into one, done this year, but not on the plan. Two
others, on the plan, already finished. Coming upon these is quite a shock when
you've been hiking these woods for many years. They accomplish these
"treatments" very quickly with tracked vehicles equipped with grinders to get
rid of the little stuff, and chainsaws. This is what I have seen so far, before
the announcement of this plan - the clear-cuts of red pine, and the first YFIs.
Many much-loved unofficial trails (often the result of previous State
extractions and maintained by local users) will also be lost, or if they
survive will have new views of a tortured landscape - vast areas with stumps,
half-ground trees and the ruts of large tracked vehicles (see proposed fate of
D21, or the Fingerfields area of B49.2, B53, and B55).Field views if lucky, but
these apparently require Roundup applications, as we've seen in recent
yearsapplied to older fields.
Will the thinned areas be a subtler treatment, or will we have new wide access
roads to these for extraction purposes? What will Lloyd Stark Rd look like
after they do thinning on F8? Will the patch clear-cuts have a more pleasant
aspect? Maybe you know more about the details of the various treatments
mentioned. Maybe it won't end up looking ugly and ravished, like some kind of
visual equivalent to a big box game store.
Dave
On Wednesday, August 16, 2017, 1:25:40 PM EDT, John Confer
<con...@ithaca.edu<mailto:con...@ithaca.edu>> wrote:
The DEC periodically updates management plans for each forest unit. I don’t
know the details of Connecticut Hill, but I did become involved with the
Hammond Hill plans. I met with DEC personnel to suggest some alterations in
their plans for successional habitat. On balance I strongly support them. The
intention is to create habitat that supports a greater diversity of wildlife.
In particular, for Hammond Hill State Forest there is a conscious attempt to
create more early succession habitat by forest cutting. The background is that
in New York most forest species are increasing while most successional species
are declining. Even so called forest species frequently use or even require
successional habitat for part of the annual diet. Bear fatten on berries,
turkey feed their poults on seeds of successional plants, tanagers feed on
berries, and deer browse on small woody stems as an important and perhaps
critical winter food. etc. Of course, early successional habitat supports a
variety of early successional species, but it also provides forage for deer and
many other forest species for parts of their annual life. I offer these
thoughts after 35 years of research on successional species. I wouldn’t throw
out the baby with the bath water on this effort.
John Confer
From:
bounce-121728155-25065...@list.cornell.edu<mailto:bounce-121728155-25065...@list.cornell.edu>
[mailto:bounce-121728155-25065...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Dave Gislason
Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2017 12:11 PM
To: Martha Fischer <m...@cornell.edu<mailto:m...@cornell.edu>>; CAYUGABIRDS-L
<cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu<mailto:cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu>>
Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] FW: New post published Meeting on Connecticut Hill
Wildlife Management Plan
They're just telling us about this now, but they've been working at it for a
couple of years at least. Living close by, I've seen 3 areas turned into YFIs
(one a camping area), and 3 areas of clear-cutting. There other areas with the
telltale Blue paint marks indicating "treatments" to come. I would say that
communication with the public has been quite poor so far. Only recently did
they construct a couple of message boards with a flyer on the Young forest
Initiatives -after they had cut down many trees. Maybe they've been barraged
with questions and/or complaints.
On Tuesday, August 15, 2017, 9:03:46 AM EDT, Martha Fischer
<m...@cornell.edu<mailto:m...@cornell.edu>> wrote:
Here’s an FYI…
There's a new post at TownOfEnfield.org. Meeting on Connecticut Hill Wildlife
Management Plan
Meeting on Connecticut Hill Wildlife Management Plan
Thursday, September 14, 2017 at 6:00 p.m.
Newfield Fire Dept., 77 Main St. Newfield, NY
NYSDEC will host an open house to provide information on a recently finalized
habitat management plan for Connecticut hill Wildlife Management Area located
in the Towns of Catherine, Cayuta and Hector, ...
You may view the latest post at
http://townofenfield.org/meeting-on-connecticut-hill-wildlife-management-plan/
You received this e-mail because you asked to be notified when new updates are
posted.
Thank you.
Town of Enfield
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