Broome County Natural Resources Inventory JUNE 2019
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Broome County Natural Resources Inventory JUNE 2019 Prepared with contributions from: Broome County Environmental Management Council Broome County Planning and Economic Development Cover Photo Credit: “Woods Reflected” by Sandra Kirker First Place, Natural Landscape, 2017 JKLS Environmental Photography Competition Contents Introduction....................................................................................................................................................... 1 Broome County Overview ............................................................................................................................... 9 Resource Characterization ............................................................................................................................ 17 Natural Resources Inventory ........................................................................................................................ 19 Protected Open Space ............................................................................................................................... 21 Biodiversity Areas ...................................................................................................................................... 27 Water Resources ........................................................................................................................................ 35 Working Landscapes ................................................................................................................................. 53 Distinctive Character .................................................................................................................................. 61 Recreational Areas ..................................................................................................................................... 67 Connective Corridors ................................................................................................................................. 79 Tools and Strategies ...................................................................................................................................... 83 Goals and Action Items ................................................................................................................................. 89 Conservation Introduction is a state of When overlooking the beauty of Broome County’s flowing rivers and rolling harmony hills, it is easy to take our vast natural resources for granted. There appears to be no shortage of wild lands to explore, parks to visit, or water to drink. between men However, as our built environment changes over time, it is important to and land. occasionally take stock of our natural resources and the benefits they provide to guide our policy, planning, management and development decisions into Aldo Leopold the future. This document provides a framework for this and helps us plan for communities with a high quality of life that our residents have come to enjoy and that will attract new residents and visitors to our community. It is also valuable to define how natural resources contribute to the larger network of Open Space in a community. In this Plan we define Open Space as: “Any land that is not intensively developed for residential, commercial, industrial or institutional use, characterized by natural scenic beauty of whose natural condition or present state of use, if retained, would enhance the present or potential value of surrounding development or would maintain or enhance the conservation of natural or scenic resources.” The Environmental Management Council (EMC) has worked within the context of this definition. The EMC recognizes the need for economic development within Broome County and believes that long-term growth is possible while preserving, protecting, and even capitalizing on the area’s natural environment, and recognizing that a healthy network of green spaces, parks, and natural areas are a huge asset to the community. Value of Natural Resources and Open Space The quality of life benefits of open space lands have been formally acknowledged since the late 19th century, when communities all over America began to establish public greenspaces. Open space pioneers like Frederick Olmstead proposed that public parks should be established within urban areas to promote the physical and mental health of city residents. Similarly, early conservationists promoted the protection of unique or unspoiled natural landscapes for the preservation and protection of wildlife. One of the earliest local examples is Ross Park. As City of Binghamton officials began to recognize the need for a City Park, a local businessman, Erastus Ross, saw an opportunity to donate 90 acres of land to the City for this purpose. Even then, the multiple benefits of open space were clear, as he knew that a park would be an attractive place for residents and would help his business interests nearby. The park opened in 1875 and included the Ross Park Zoo, known as the Binghamton Zoo today, demonstrating how prioritizing open spaces can have long-term impacts for the community. In the early twentieth century the Endicott-Johnson Corporation, specifically George F. Johnson, helped shape the urban area with their investments in the community including many park lands. Johnson believed that providing recreational facilities for his workers would prevent labor problems and increase worker productivity. The parks that they created are still community assets to this day. All types of communities, from cities and suburbs to rural areas, can benefit from the natural areas, making preservation pragmatic. While larger protected spaces provide the most advantages, even small preserved areas can be beneficial. The social, environmental, and economic benefits include the following. Social Benefits When people expand their perspective of natural open spaces by participating in outdoor experiences they begin to make it an important part of their lives. Surrounded by the natural areas of the County, with its many parks and miles of meandering waterways, residents can take part in outdoor recreation and escape their everyday routine. The social benefits of open space include: Provide physical and mental health benefits Foster community involvement that enhances connection to the spaces Enhance aesthetic beauty Establish common ground that fosters ethnic and cultural harmony Create recreational opportunities for the disadvantaged and those with disabilities Encourages interaction with nature and education that instills a sense of environmental stewardship Environmental Benefits The provision and preservation of natural areas affords specific benefits that serve to improve the health and well-being of both human and wildlife communities. Environmental benefits include: Preserving biodiversity Preserve water quality for drinking water, recreation and other uses Absorb runoff to reduce flooding. Improve air quality Enhance groundwater recharge Prevent erosion. Economic Benefits There is a direct connection between a healthy natural environment, a livable community and a strong economy. Communities around the country are finding that natural areas and open space lands are not an expense but an investment with important economic benefits. Economic benefits include: Maintain the quality of life to attract new residents and businesses. Support recreation related businesses such as equipment sales and rentals. Increase outdoor recreation tourism 2 Increases property values Decrease the need for expanded infrastructure and utilities, reducing maintenance costs Enhances and maintains farmland and timberland for continued agricultural productivity Intent The preservation, protection and sustainable management of environmental resources in Broome County is an essential element in planning efforts including comprehensive, sustainability, and hazard mitigation planning. This document aims to promote awareness of these valuable resources, identify where and how these spaces are currently protected and where there is a need to preserve additional lands. Influences such as climate change, development pressure and changing energy infrastructure are expected to have widespread landscape impacts. By outlining areas where significant open space resources are located, municipal agencies and others interested in open space preservation can use this document to inform their planning efforts and apply the tools at their disposal to manage impacts and direct development appropriately. The goal of this document is not to restrict all development everywhere throughout the county, but to highlight what natural and cultural features make the County unique and special, so that we can plan for strategic growth and development while maintaining its character. Embodied in the general goal are the following specific objectives: Inventory and map existing protected open space lands. Ensure the quality of water resources. Preserve lands of distinctive character having local scenic, historic and heritage value. Preserve, protect and promote responsible agricultural and forestry operations in our working landscapes. Preserve and enhance the natural and cultural features that uniquely characterize Broome County. Provide protection for environmentally sensitive areas such as wetlands, floodplains, steep slopes, wildlife habitat areas and unique geological formations. Preserve and enhance key entryways or gateways into Broome County. Provide, expand