Cattaraugus UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN
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Cattaraugus UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN DRAFT Towns of Randolph, South Valley, Napoli, New Albion, Salamanca, Little Valley, Mansfield, Carrollton, Great Valley, Marchias, Franklinville, Humphrey, Allegany, Farmersville, and Lyndon County of Cattaraugus January 2014 DIVISION OF LANDS AND FORESTS Bureau of State Land Management, Region 9 182 E. Union Street, Suite 3 Allegany, New York 14706 www.dec.ny.gov Cattaraugus Unit Management Plan A planning unit consisting of 20 State Forests, in Cattaraugus County January 2014 Prepared by the Cattaraugus Unit Management Planning Team: Daniel Shaffer, Forestry Technician III Kaytlynn Walters, Clerk I David Paradowski, Regional Forester Shawn Plaisted, Lt. Forest Ranger Robert Stanton, Surveyor Emilio Rende, Wildlife Biologist Scott Cornett, Fisheries Biologist Christopher Miller, Mineral Resources Randy Durow, Conservation Operations Supervisor 2 Acknowledgments The Cattaraugus Unit Management Planning Team would like to gratefully acknowledge the efforts of all those who contributed to this plan. We particularly would like to thank the following people for information and review they provided: Bryan Ellis, Natural Resources Planner Dylan Walrath, Environmental Program Specialist 1 Josh Houghton, GIS Specialist/ Natural Resource Planner Jeremy Hurst, Wildlife Biologist Michael Schiavone, Wildlife Biologist Kenneth Roblee, Wildlife Biologist Tim Spierto, Wildlife Biologist Anne Rothrock, Wildlife Biologist Charles Cranston, Environmental Analyst 1 Rob Roth, Fisheries Technician Nicholas Brown, Forestry Technician Nathaniel Tucker, Forestry Technician Theresa Laurie, Forestry Technician “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called Stress. Working hard for something we love is called Passion.” Simon Sinek 2 DEC’s Mission "The quality of our environment is fundamental to our concern for the quality of life. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the State of New York to conserve, improve and protect its natural resources and environment and to prevent, abate and control water, land and air pollution, in order to enhance the health, safety and welfare of the people of the state and their overall economic and social well- being." - Environmental Conservation Law 1-0101(1) Vision Statement State Forests on the Cattaraugus Management Unit will be managed in a sustainable manner by promoting ecosystem health, enhancing landscape biodiversity, protecting soil productivity and water quality. In addition, the State Forests on this unit will continue to provide the many recreational, social and economic benefits valued so highly by the people of New York State. DEC will continue the legacy which started more than 80 years ago, leaving these lands to the next generation in better condition than they are today. This plan sets the stage for DEC to reach these ambitious goals by applying the latest research and science, with guidance from the public, whose land we have been entrusted to manage. 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS STATE Forest Overview Table of Contents DEC’S MISSION .............................................................................................................................................................. 3 VISION STATEMENT ...................................................................................................................................................... 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 PREFACE ...................................................................................................................................................................... 11 STATE FOREST OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................................................. 11 Legal Considerations .......................................................................................................................................... 11 MANAGEMENT PLANNING OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................. 11 Public Participation ............................................................................................................................................ 12 Strategic Plan for State Forest Management ..................................................................................................... 12 DEC’S MANAGEMENT APPROACH AND GOALS .................................................................................................................. 12 Forest Certification of State Forests ................................................................................................................... 12 Ecosystem Management Approach ................................................................................................................... 13 Ecosystem Management Strategies ................................................................................................................... 14 State Forest Management Goals ....................................................................................................................... 14 LOCATION MAP ........................................................................................................................................................... 17 INFORMATION ON THE CATTARAUGUS UNIT ............................................................................................................ 18 STATE LANDS IN THE UNIT ............................................................................................................................................. 18 Facilities Not Included in this UMP ..................................................................................................................... 19 HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE FORESTS ............................................................................................................................. 19 GEOLOGY ................................................................................................................................................................... 20 SOILS ......................................................................................................................................................................... 20 WATER RESOURCES ...................................................................................................................................................... 22 Major Streams, Rivers and Water Bodies........................................................................................................... 23 BIODIVERSITY .............................................................................................................................................................. 23 Common Species ................................................................................................................................................ 24 Habitat ............................................................................................................................................................... 24 Representative Sample Areas............................................................................................................................. 25 At-Risk Species.................................................................................................................................................... 27 VISUAL RESOURCES ...................................................................................................................................................... 30 HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES .............................................................................................................................. 30 History New York State Forest............................................................................................................................ 30 History of the Unit .............................................................................................................................................. 31 Inventory of Resources ....................................................................................................................................... 34 Historic and Archaeological Site Protection ....................................................................................................... 36 Archaeological Research .................................................................................................................................... 36 REAL PROPERTY ........................................................................................................................................................... 36 Boundary Lines ................................................................................................................................................... 37 Exceptions and Deeded Restrictions................................................................................................................... 37 Encroachments ................................................................................................................................................... 39 Land Acquisition ................................................................................................................................................. 39 INFRASTRUCTURE 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