OUR P.A.P.E.R: OPRHP Biologists' Newsletter Spring 2009
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April 2009 OUR P.A.P.E.R Parks Are for People & Environmental Resources A publication of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Environmental Management Bureau Volume 2, Issue 1 Introduction Nearly a year has passed This issue of Our Paper will have been applied across the since the arrival of the natu- explore these accomplish- entire agency. NRS staff ral resource stewards to the ments of the Natural Re- have used their ingenuity, Environmental Management source Stewardship Biolo- creativity, and partners’ help Bureau (EMB) team and gists and also others in to continue to pursue habitat many successful projects, EMB. restoration, invasive species presentations, and collabora- Inside this issue: In light of the tough eco- control, public education, tions have occurred in that nomic times in New York and wildlife management time. State, austerity measures projects. Habitat Restoration 2-3 Fisheries class from SUNY-ESF assists with survey at Invasive Species 2, 5 Two Rivers State Park Public Outreach 4 In the late fall of 2008, stu- pling team was able to per- fish, yellow perch, large- dents from Dr. Karin Lim- form several different fish mouth bass and brown bull- Wildlife 1, 4-5 burg’s fisheries class at sampling methods, including head. The survey data will SUNY College of Environ- trap netting, gill netting, be used in the development of Meet the Biologist 6 mental Science and Forestry backpack electrofishing and a Master Plan for the Park assisted NRS Biologist, Tom angling. and will also be shared with Hughes with a 2-day fish Region 7 of the NYSDEC. In general, the reservoir survey in the Upper Waverly seems to be in balance with Tom Hughes, NRS Reservoir. Despite the rain healthy populations of sun- Central and Finger Lakes and cold weather, the sam- This colorful yellow perch was among the Students from SUNY-ESF sampled the fish captured. Its age was later inter- The scenic waters of the waters of Upper Waverly Reservoir as part preted to be 16 years! reservoir provided a unique of their class lab requirement. learning experience. Hither Hills State Park Walking Dunes – Cranberry Bog Protection The Walking Dunes at Hither Hills, on rare flora such as orchids and sun- reduce the Phragmites stands. This in Long Island’s south fork, has a mixture dews. Currently, a restoration project turn would allow the rare native plants of unique habitats, including a cran- is being planned to remove the Phrag- to grow with less crowding and the res- berry bog that is nestled at its center. mites and protect the bog. These inva- toration process would begin. Phragmites and succession are threat- sive plants would be manually re- Ariana Newell, NRS ening this special area that is home to moved by cutting the stems in order to NYC and Long Island Regions Cranberry Bog at the Hither Hills Researchers measuring Phragmites Walking Dunes Calopogon, a rare orchid in- density in the bog. habiting the cranberry bog. Enhancing Shrubland Bird Habitat at Joseph Davis In New York State, shrublands are an birds have undergone significant popu- gists from OPRHP have developed a ephemeral habitat, generally created or lation declines in New York. restoration plan for the shrublands at maintained by natural disturbances Joseph Davis State Park, located on the Joseph Davis. Management occurred on such as fires, floods, or wind storms, or banks of the Niagara River, was desig- ten of the 85 acres of shrubland at the following abandonment of farmland. nated a Bird Conservation Area in part site, involving the removal of dense, Shrublands provide unique habitat and because of its important shrubland later-successional shrub and tree cover. host a diverse suite of associated bird habitat. These shrublands provide im- This project aims to restore optimal species. However, in the absence of fur- portant breeding habitat for species shrubland conditions, and to enhance ther disturbance, these shrublands that are declining elsewhere in the habitat for birds that require open, eventually mature into forest. Unfortu- state, in addition to serving as valuable early-successional shrublands. Bird nately for shrubland-dependent species, migratory stopover habitat for a wide response to this management will be many important disturbances have variety of songbirds. However, this closely monitored in order to determine been restricted in recent years, result- shrubland habitat is gradually filling in the success of this project and to inform ing in a loss of shrubland habitat with trees and becoming less suitable planning of future shrubland manage- throughout the state. As this habitat for shrubland-nesting birds. ment projects. has disappeared, populations of most In order to maintain this important Tray Biasiolli, Bird Conservation Area shrubland birds have been reduced. habitat and its associated birds, biolo- Program Specialist Since 1980, 70% of shrubland-nesting The shrublands at Joseph Davis State Park support a bird The restoration project will enhance habitat for shrub- community that is declining in many areas of the state. land-dependent birds such as the Field Sparrow. Page 2 Our P.a.p.e.r Natural Resources Strong Focus of Master Planning Process As part of Commissioner Ash’s agency Park’s next 20 years. Casey will be supporting the develop- directives, a new emphasis has been ment of a master plan for Robert G. Although not yet complete, the master placed on the master planning proc- Wehle State Park in the Thousand Is- plan will include planning information esses. Saratoga Spa State Park in the lands Region as well as an Interim on environmental topics from the per- Saratoga-Capital District Region is Management Guide for Mohawk River spective of a trained biologist. Thanks among the first State Parks to undergo State Park in the Saratoga-Capital Dis- to this input, information and recom- this process. As the region’s Natural trict Region. mendations on issues such as the fu- Resource Stewardship Biologist, Casey ture of successional old fields, storm- Holzworth has taken part in all master water management, streambank ero- plan core team meetings. At these Casey Holzworth, NRS sion, and endangered species protec- meetings, along with EMB staff, he is Saratoga and Thousand Islands tion, among others, will be included in working to bring the issues of environ- Regions the final master plan. In addition to mental stewardship and sustainability the completion of the master plan for to the forefront of planning for the Spa Saratoga Spa State Park, this year Geyser Creek Erosion Condition Diagram Geyser Creek Bio- engineering Erosion The OPRHP- NY Natural Heritage Program Partnership In 2008, a new partnership was help inform the Master Planning proc- lobed grape fern, was last observed in launched between OPRHP and the NY ess. the park in 1931! In the Palisades Re- Natural Heritage Program. Two Natu- gion, two rare moths were rediscovered, The first field season brought many ral Heritage Scientists, Julie Lundgren and several new rare plant populations exciting discoveries in parks through- (Ecologist) and Kimberly Smith were documented at Minnewaska State out the state. At Allegany State Park, (Botanist), were brought on to conduct Park Preserve. These findings repre- populations of two rare freshwater inventories of sent only a handful rare species of the discoveries and natural that were made dur- communities ing this field season, in state parks but they demon- throughout strate that New New York. York’s state parks Their ongoing store a wealth of work is pro- biodiversity, includ- ducing the ing some of the most up-to- state’s rarest species date maps and Hydrastis canadensis Kimberly Smith collecting and ecological com- reports of rare (goldenseal) in flower at data on rare plants at munities. species and Julie Lundgren collecting Minnewaska SP. Letchworth SP. natural commu- data on ecological communi- nities for each state park. This infor- ties at Brookhaven SP. mation is currently being utilized Kim Smith and Julie Lundgren, mussels and two rare plant species within OPRHP to guide natural re- were rediscovered. One of these plant NHP Botanist and Ecologist source management decisions and to species, the state-endangered blunt- Volume 2, Issue 1 Page 3 What is EBM? You might have heard the term floating tion of Interconnections within and around out there and that there are two among ecosystems; and Involvement of park staff (Lynn Schnurr and Kristen public. Cady-Sawyer) focused on implementing The other key item to think about is that and incorporating EBM into park pro- humans are integral components of eco- grams, but what is EBM? Is it water- systems thus EBM recognizes economic, the fish, wildlife and the local people. shed management? The term stands for social and community benefits and views. (That strengthens the interconnections Ecosystem-based Management, part too!) but why this “new term” or does it How can EBM be incorporated into Natu- really matter...? ral Resource Stewardship Projects? EBM, A Way of Thinking: It’s pretty straightforward actually, EBM The definition says EBM is “an inte- So EBM is a new (but not new) way of is not something new. Most NRS projects grated approach to management that managing ecosystems, the services they already have EBM elements but if some considers the entire ecosystem, includ- provide, as well as human activities. are missing, there’s usually a simple way ing humans”. OK, that is great and all The term is long, but the message is to incorporate them. It just takes a mo- but what does that mean for NYS short: being environmentally friendly is ment to think about the components and parks? Well that is just what Lynn and good for people. We all just need to keep how they could be further developed.