sign in sign up
<<
Home , Bearpen Mountain, Bear Spring Mountain, Blackhead (New York), Clum Hill, Dry Brook Ridge, Little Roundtop Mountain

Peekamoose Valley Riparian Corridor: Public Safety, Water Quality, and Natural Resource Protection ([P

([PP ([P ([(P[P ([P W ([P ([P ([P ([P ([P ([P W ([P ([P

IA ([P

([P IA IA IA W IA IA

IAW

T e

. n ONEONTA Bates Co m

Albany IA IA

i

State l High e DAVENPORT Stamford Ca Knob Forest Co. tski IA Greene ll IA State IA HARPERSFIELD GILBOA Forest South Mountain GREENVILLE KORTRIGHT Utsayantha Mt Steenburg Mt. D ?Ü 3213 CONESVILLE 2560 State Forest ?« ! Syracuse MEREDITH C ! Rochester Mt. Pisgah re Albany ?ó ek ?s ! S 2912 r ch . D e Del oh s a e W Hobart iv awa rie R Co R [ü re . Ashland Co D Richmond Mt. ! IA . Pinnacle

Kingston IA 3220 State Forest e

Grand Gorge i State Forest r ([P D IA a D State Forest DURHAM h D Mt o Hunterfield !0 Ashland h Huntersfield Hayden IA c Pinnacle S State Forest Mt 3423 2920 Ginseng Mt ! Br k City ?g IA are oo ?l 3060 w 2800 Cairo Lockwood ?Ó ela D D D !\ State Forest STAMFORD Mt Zoar 2760 ?ó IA IA Relay h State Forest ASHLAND WINDHAM anc Windham FRANKLIN Br ([P PRATTSVILLE High Peak Prattsville 3524 D Red Falls Windham ([P S ?ó 3180 c Ashland Elm Cairo h IA !0 Ridge D o Acra IA Roundtop Mt h Elm Ridge D a ([P Point 3640 via K Wild Forest t r a i s D i t l 3100 CAIRO

e ROXBURY e a l IA Elm Ridge W B ([P DELHI Tower Mt Wild Forest W r Plattekill ?ô D D ve 2960 Cave IA Ri State Forest IA Thomas Delhi Mt 3100 Cole Mt !0 BOVINA State Forest 3940 !] D D Batavia Kill IA D Mt 3940 C IAIA Black Cairo ?ó re D r e Dome wa e 3980 Windham Blackhead 1436 D IA la Bearpen Mt k JEWETT IA e Range Wilderness ?g D 3600 Little ?Ê 23C ^? Colgate Lake D WMA Lexington ?s k IA IA Wild Forest o r Vly Mt ([P o e r v B i 3529 Jewett Center Cologate Lake Stoppel R Pine CATSKILL Island IA !b!| Point Mt S D 3420 ?¨ Packsaddle Mt 3140 ch D Halcott P oharie ([ 3100 D Onteora Mt D North/South D Hunter ([P 3220 North Mt Lake Campground ([P WiDld Forest 3180 t[ Halcott Evergreen Mt IA !|!b Colonels HUNTER Haines LEXINGTON 3360 D D Chair Tannersville Falls ([P ([P Wild Forest IA Rusk Mt 3200 ?ô W 3680 ?ô !b !\ ([P e ([P D De s ([P e la t !b John So r wa ut a re Ki P Robb !0 Hunter Mt 2380 D h M P w Andes Co Halcott Mt ([P D ll ([ t 2 ([ WALTON la . P C 48 e HAMDEN D 3520 Balsam Mt 4040 ([ 0 D Mt. Sherrill D r P 3340 e ([ h D 3540 e st c D West Palenville a n Kill Mt Devil's k E ra Diamond D B 3880 D !0 Tombstone 3610 Notch Roundtop Mt Kaaterskill Uls Gre Wolf Hollow Gre ([P D ?t MIDDLETOWN en Campground 3449 Wild Forest ter en WMA e !0 Spruce C e C Uls Co. o o !b ?Ó !b ter Devil's Acre t[ Top High Peak . . Co 3380 (Kaaterskill) Arkville . Hunter- D ([P t Fleischmanns D Rose Mt 3655 es Margaretville Highmount Shandaken Mountain Wilderness P Rochester 3090 W ([ Belleayre Hollow Wild Forest ([P !\ ANDES Mountain !0 ([P ([P Plateau Mt D D Ski Center Mt (Mink) ([P Murphy Hill ?¨ 3840 !0 ([P Pakatakan D 3800 Twin Mt State Forest Lanesville Mink Mt. 2480 Shandaken Hollow D 3640 ?s !|([P Indian Wild Forest Head Mt Belleayre Shandaken Olderbark Mt 3573 Belleayre Mountain ([P IA Phoenicia 3440 D !0 t[ ([P !0 D IAIA D Campground ([P Mapledale Day Use Area s ?g Wild Forest Devils Belleayre Mt Esopu Kitchen (P !0 C Indian Head D [ Wild Forest 3420 r Dry Hirschland e IA Plattekill Mt ([P Fox e !b ?ï ([P Wilderness Echo Brook D Hollow!0 k Lake !0 3100 Bear Spring Ridge ([P ([P Mountain WMA ?è ?l 3440 Big Indian SAUGERTIES !0 Empire State ([P Rider D Balsam Mt Railway Museum Hollow D Downsville !\ 3600 !] Phoenicia Dry Brook Ridge Tremper Overlook Mt P e Wild Forest P Willow 3140

p a P ([ !0 IA k Mountain c t o ([ SHANDAKEN

Res e D River IA n ervoir Dry Brook !0 Saugerties Ridge !0 e Tremper Mt ([P D IA r IA ([P McKinley ([P ([P !0 2740 Phoenicia C IA Overlook Barkaboom Mt Baldwin

Delaware !0 Mill Eagle Mt Wild Forest Mountain !0 d

3100 Kelly D E Memorial Cooper WOODSTOCK Wild Forest 3600 n

Hollow Balsam Lake Brook Panther Mt s D Lake Wild Forest a o D Mountain Wild Forest ([P D 3720 l p Mt. Tobias 2540

e ([P Brock Mt Balsam ([P d u r Mary s IA P Campbell Mt o ([ a 2860 !| ([P Lake Mt HARDENBURGH w D Smith Hill ([P 3723 o IA ([P a 2353 47 Woodland Valley Woodstock l Big D ?Z !] 2767 !0 W B e !0 Cat Alder Lake Graham Mt !0 Campground Mount D D Beaver Shandaken Giant High Woods ([P ra ([P Hollow Pond 3868 Big Indian D Pleasant n D Meadow Balsam D Brook Ledge Catskill ?í Multiple ([P !b!| t[([P 2800 c COLCHESTER ([P Middle Mt ([P Lake Mtn !0 Wilderness 3200 Terrace D Kenneth L.Wilson h Big D C Interpretive Use Area ([P IA IA 2975 Mountain Center Campground IA ([P !b Doubletop Mt Indian r t[ Mt Fir Mt !0 D e Turkey Point Delaware Turnwood 3860 D 3620 D e !] ([P t[!b([P ?l Delaware Little Pond 3700 ([P Terrace Mt k State Forest Wild Forest ([P Spruce Mt IA Wild Forest Campground 3380 2860 ([P IA D IA East ([P Trout Pond Hemlock Mt Slide Mountain ?m Trail N & S !0 !b ([P ?¿ D 3240 ([P !b Uls ([P Biscuit Wilderness Wittenberg Tomannex te !0 D Boiceville Tonshi Mt r Brook P 3780 State Forest Pelnor Co. ([ D 2020 )¦ ?è !0 Lewbeach Hardenburgh D IA D Hollow D D Ticetonyk Mt ?s Su Cornell Mt 2500 ULS lliva Fall Slide Mt Samuels\ Point n !0 3860 IA IA C D Brook 4180 2885 TER ([P o Friday Mt !b . Mongaup Mt ([P KINGSTON 3694 D r Onteora Kill 3177 Big Indian o i ([P r v Lake Wilderness se IA Rocky Mt Shokan ?g e ([P IA Beaverkill Quick D D R !|!b IA !0 3508 ?â t[Campground Lake Wildcat Mt Lone Mt D Balsam HANCOCK IA Mongaup Pond Willowemoc 3160 Cap West Shokan IA t[ Wild Forest 3721D 3623 Bluestone Be Campground ([P IA Tr aver r Table Mt Wild Forest W o K IA e ROCKLAND D A ut i v Waneta ([P 3847 s B l l Butternut Grove a !|!b Sundown D Hanover Mt ho ro e Lake ([P Table Mt/ k o B Wild Forest Peekamoose 2540 an !\ k Bouton !0 D H l D l Woodhull Mt Mt 3843 HURLEY i !b!| Willowemoc DENNING Memorial IA 3040 Van Wyck Mt u IA([P K Wild Forest !b IA ([P D 3206 ?h d B ([P s e ?¸ Debruce ([P !] %r o a Long Sundown v !0 n e Roscoe Catskill Fly Fishing Environmental ([P Pond Wild Forest !b Kingston !] r Center & Museum !] Education Camp ([P Ashokan Olivebridge IA k D IA IA IA ree D ([P High Point IA Willowemoc C ?¨ 3080 OLIVE W c k Red Hill !b illow emo o o Claryville Debruce Wi c Fir Br 2990 ([P llowemo Mombaccus Mt IA D D Livingston Manor IA ([P 2840 Denman Sampson Mt IA IA Mt 3053 ?Ý D 2812 . IA IA IA ?s Co ?Ü ([P ?î re Walter wa IA Willowemoc a L Creek R Del i Wild Forest Sundown Williams tt i le Preserve !| v ([P ([P e IA r Crystal Lake P ([ MARBLETOWN r. Wild Forest C IA ?í t ?¹ u ([P !| B NEVERSINK o W e d

FREMONT a Sundown n

v o e Wild Forest ([P ?î r ?ß !\ R Creek N e v

e

r !\ CALLICOON s Grahamsville ?¬ ?¼ i n R ROCHESTER ?î k o )¦ n ?å d ESOPUS o u Esopus R t LIBERTY e ?½ k e s e . r C R !\ e s e r v ROSENDALE ?Á o i r n ?¨ Wallkill oo River IA ic ll Liberty !| a C h ? nc FALLSBURG Vernooy Kill IA ra State Forest !"d$ B N +º R ?í e ?s IA th o Chodikee r Jeffersonville ?¼ Loch v n o e IA d NEW PALTZ Lake N Sheldrake r o s u in IA t IA ?¼ k !| Accessible Trail Forest Preserve Land Classes !b DEC Office !| Opportunity W IA Wilderness ?Á Finger Lakes Trail IA WAWARSING P DELAWARE Angler Parking ([ Parking Area NYNJ Trail Wild Forest !| New ek Wallkill !0 Lean-to ! Gateway Community Intensive Use re )« River Paltz Waterway Access Site* C !\ Scenic Vista !| (Car Top) IA Uls !| Public Fishing Right Unclassified te ?Á IA r Co. ?Í Environmental !] Visitor Information* IA Primitive Corridor j[ Education Camp* State Park IA Witch's Hole IA Watershed Lands r k Shawangunk LLOYD Firetower State Forest State Forest a t[ DEC Campground* P Multiple Use Area Fishing Access by Permit Only BETHEL IA e Wildlife Management Be r Kil t e . l a Area (WMA) Access by Permit Only West Br t S IA Ellenville a No Permit Required ?Á k s Miles a w 0 2.5 5 10 THOMPSON Su e COCHECTON lliv n GARDINER a i n Kilometers n C Oak Ridge R o M PLATTEKILL 0 3.75 7.5 15 * Fee may apply iv . Multiple Map Scale 1:123,430 er Use Area ?¼ 1 in = 2 miles µ Map data current as of June 2012 IA

IA W

([P

IMPACTS

Management Actions 2015 2016 • Resurfaced/defined 4 closest • Installed kiosks at parking areas ~ 33 spaces Peekamoose/Table trailhead and • 2 electronic highway billboards Blue Hole access trail installed • Installed 2 port-a-johns and bear • 20 barrel barricades placed in illegal proof refuse container parking areas • Installed additional “No Parking” • Assigned back country stewards to signs at areas commonly used for work weekends at Blue Hole illegal parking • Weekly garbage sweeps by • Created/defined Peekamoose Department staff and volunteers Valley Riparian Corridor • Installed port-a-john and refuse • Enacted Emergency Regulations for container the Corridor • Law enforcement assigned to area Blue Hole Access Trail Information Kiosk Special Regulations (2017) • Public use of the corridor prohibited from ½ hour after sunset to ½ hour before sunrise • The use of any type of fire prohibited including the use of charcoal, wood, gas/propane stoves or other portable stoves • Glass containers prohibited • Portable generators prohibited • No person shall play a musical instrument or audio device unless the noise is rendered inaudible to the public by personal noise- dampening devices such as headphones or ear buds • No person shall deposit any type of waste (human/garbage) within the corridor except at receptacles provided by the Department • No parking within the corridor except at designated areas 2017 Leave No Trace Hot Spot 2018: Blue Hole Permit Requirement

(i) From May 15th thru October 15th of each year on Saturdays, Sundays and state and federal holidays no person shall enter the Peekamoose Valley Riparian Corridor east of the County Route 42 bridge crossing the Rondout Creek, an area that includes that portion of the Rondout Creek known as the Blue Hole, except under permit from the Department.

How to get a Blue Hole Permit

• Permits are free of charge • Must be acquired at least 24 hours in advance, but no more than a week in advance. • Only advance registrations will be accepted. No walk-in registrations are available. • Each permit will be limited to 6 individuals. Visitors must have a permit with them at all times. • A total of 40 permits will be allotted per day (maximum of 240 individuals). • Permits can be acquired from Reserve America at: https://newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com/ 2018 Peekamoose Blue Hole Stewards

• Funded by the Rondout Neversink Stream Program. Rondout Neversink Stream Program is a project of Sullivan County Soil & Water Conservation District in partnership with the Towns of Denning and Neversink funded by NYC Department of Environmental Protection. • New York State Department of Environmental Conservation • Catskill Center 2018 Peekamoose Blue Hole Stewards

• Two stewards working full time through weekends and holidays during the months of May - October • Goal: educate visitors about Leave No Trace, primary impacts, special regulations, and alternative swimming areas • The interpretive link between the visitor experience, natural resources, and management goals Photo: Brian PJ Cronin https://highlandscurrent.org/2018/09/05/out-there-saving-blue-hole/

Enriching a Leave No Trace Culture Stewardship Metrics

• Visitor engagement reach of over 15,000 people • Over 180 bags of litter collected (~ 2,700 lbs.) • 18 fire rings deconstructed, sites rehabilitated • 13 rock dams deconstructed • 92 rock stacks removed • 106 days of stewardship at the Blue Hole • 48 questionable weather days Blue Hole Visitation: Demographics

Blue Hole Demographics via Permits

3.84% 4.34%

22.5% 11.87% Upstate NY NYC Metro Area NJ Other States, Canada Local

57.45% Blue Hole Visitation: Summer Season Total

June 30th - October 15th, 2018 Total Visitation: 15,180

Weekday Totals

4,851

Weekends & Holidays Total

10,329 Blue Hole Visitation: Permitted vs. On Site

June 30th – October 15th

Permitted Visitors On Site

1657

Permitted Visitors

3815 Blue Hole Visitation: Allowed vs. Turned Away

June 30th – October 15th

Permitted Visitors On Site

1657

People Turned Away

6127 Blue Hole Visitation: Monthly Totals

Booked Permitted Visitors Permitted Visitors On Site Turned Away Total Visitation 6245 3826 3510 2809 2151 2013 1630 1226 1203 1075 1000 751 597 454 411 342 172 153 105 41 0 0 0 0

MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER What Worked?

• Reduction of impacts to the resource • Visitor experience greatly improved on weekends and holidays • Trash and litter reduction • Herd path/social trail reduction • Reduction in human waste on trail sides • Less parking infractions • Less need for forest rangers on site with steward presence Looking Ahead

• Evolution of the permit system • Evolution of the stewardship program • New parking area • Trail access • Reducing forest ranger presence • New educational signage, displays, and culture surrounding the riparian area Questions? Presenters

Bill Rudge Andy Mossey Natural Resources Supervisor Stewardship & Advocacy Coordinator NYS DEC Region 3 Office Catskill Center 21 South Putt Corners Road PO Box 504 New Paltz, NY 12561 Arkville, NY 12406 845.256.3092 Phone 845-586-2611 x118 [email protected] [email protected]

Connect with us: Facebook: www.facebook.com/NYSDEC Twitter: twitter.com/NYSDEC Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/nysdec