[cayugabirds-l] Subj should be "Sampson SP Lake Trail mess!"

[Alicia Plotkin]

Apparently I was too angry to accurately identify where the Lake Trail 
is!  It starts at the south tip of Sampson SP.  To get there, you'd take 
the road that runs through the village of Willard and past the grounds 
of the old Williard Psych Center, now partly occupied by the shock 
incarceration camp.  Road bends north at Seneca Lake and ends at a 
parking lot for the trail.  The trail extends north along Seneca Lake 
from there for 1.5 miles. The trail is black topped - it used to be a 
road - and used regularly by walkers and bicyclists.  Until recently it 
was a good birding spot, too.

Alicia


On 9/3/2019 2:43 PM, Alicia wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've been tied up with other responsibilities this year and haven't 
> been able to bird much but yesterday evening I was able to go out and 
> got past the 1/4 mile mark on the Lake Trail for the first time in 
> many months.  I was expecting to find some migrating warblers in the 
> brush & small shrub/trees east of the trail since this generally is a 
> great spot during migration.  But not any more!  It looks like someone 
> went in and clear cut a swath of 50' or more and then followed up with 
> generous application of herbicide, leaving no vegetation of any kind 
> in a wide band for much of the 1½ mile length of the trail - hideously 
> ugly and, so far as I can see, totally unnecessary in terms of 
> protecting power lines since nothing had been even remotely close to 
> line height.  (Plus this is less than 100' feet from the Seneca Lake 
> shore - wonder what effect the herbicide that was washed into the lake 
> had on the lake ecology?)  I think the actual bush remains where this 
> past spring's Yellow Throated Warbler was seen, but so much of the 
> surrounding area is devastated that the area certainly will be less 
> likely to attract it next year.  The cedars and taller trees further 
> back remain, but the brushy spots and smaller trees on the east side 
> of the trail are almost all gone now
>
> Does anyone know when this was done?  And if it was NYSEG or the NYS 
> Parks?  I'm equal parts heartbroken and furious.
>
> Alicia
>
> P.S.  The NYS Parks 2020 Plan has set as Goal 6, "Sustain New York's 
> Natural Environment" and goes on to say,
>
> As stewards of the 335,000 acres of parkland, a central part of
> State Parks’ mission is to protect its natural treasures,
> beautiful open spaces and diversity of plant and animal life.
> • Protecting natural resources.A variety of stewardship
> initiatives–in partnership with colleges, not-for-profits and
> volunteers–will include projects to prevent the spread of invasive
> species, protect rare plants and animals, plant trees and improve
> natural habitat at parks across the State.
>
> Really?!  By wiping out a prime re-fueling stop for migrating warblers??!!
>
>
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[cayugabirds-l] Seneca Lake Lake Trail mess

[Alicia]

Hi,

I've been tied up with other responsibilities this year and haven't been 
able to bird much but yesterday evening I was able to go out and got 
past the 1/4 mile mark on the Lake Trail for the first time in many 
months.  I was expecting to find some migrating warblers in the brush & 
small shrub/trees east of the trail since this generally is a great spot 
during migration.  But not any more!  It looks like someone went in and 
clear cut a swath of 50' or more and then followed up with generous 
application of herbicide, leaving no vegetation of any kind in a wide 
band for much of the 1½ mile length of the trail - hideously ugly and, 
so far as I can see, totally unnecessary in terms of protecting power 
lines since nothing had been even remotely close to line height. (Plus 
this is less than 100' feet from the Seneca Lake shore - wonder what 
effect the herbicide that was washed into the lake had on the lake 
ecology?)  I think the actual bush remains where this past spring's 
Yellow Throated Warbler was seen, but so much of the surrounding area is 
devastated that the area certainly will be less likely to attract it 
next year.  The cedars and taller trees further back remain, but the 
brushy spots and smaller trees on the east side of the trail are almost 
all gone now

Does anyone know when this was done?  And if it was NYSEG or the NYS 
Parks?  I'm equal parts heartbroken and furious.

Alicia

P.S.  The NYS Parks 2020 Plan has set as Goal 6, "Sustain New York's 
Natural Environment" and goes on to say,

As stewards of the 335,000 acres of parkland, a central part of
State Parks’ mission is to protect its natural treasures, beautiful
open spaces and diversity of plant and animal life.
• Protecting natural resources.A variety of stewardship
initiatives–in partnership with colleges, not-for-profits and
volunteers–will include projects to prevent the spread of invasive
species, protect rare plants and animals, plant trees and improve
natural habitat at parks across the State.

Really?!  By wiping out a prime re-fueling stop for migrating warblers??!!



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