DRAFT A Feasibility Study for the Onondaga Escarpment Greenway By: Tom Anderson Lindsey Barker Kathleen Barnhill Nick Brown Lindsay Cray Paul Dawson Theresa Evans Molly Foley Malaika Green White Lake and Three Falls Woods, Source: Google Earth Shara Hilton Michaela Labriole Catherine Miles Amanda Morrison Matthew Plummer Blake Propst Elizabeth Schmidt Patrick Schuler Maxwell Sloan Scott Sterling Lucas Tiffany Corey Williams Max Woyton Split Rock, Source: Google Earth Li Zhang Editor and Supervising Professor: Diane Kuehn FOR 476/676: Ecotourism and Nature Tourism SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry January, 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................................V INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................1 DEFINITIONS OF LAND DESIGNATION TERMS.......................................................................................2 CORRIDOR-WIDE ASSESSMENT ..................................................................................................................4 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................................4 OVERVIEW OF CORRIDOR ...................................................................................................................................4 CORRIDOR-WIDE CONNECTIONS .........................................................................................................................6 ISSUES AND CONCERNS.......................................................................................................................................9 VISION..............................................................................................................................................................10 THEME..............................................................................................................................................................10 GUIDELINES......................................................................................................................................................11 CORRIDOR-WIDE RECOMMENDATIONS................................................................................................12 SPLIT ROCK .....................................................................................................................................................17 I. INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................................17 II. BENEFITS AND THREATS TO PUBLIC SAFETY OR HEALTH ..............................................................................18 III. NATURAL SETTING .....................................................................................................................................19 IV. SOCIAL, CULTURAL, HISTORICAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL, RECREATIONAL, OR EDUCATIONAL IMPORTANCE 19 V. INHERENT ECOLOGICAL, GEOLOGICAL, OR HYDROLOGICAL SENSITIVITY TO CHANGE THAT MAY BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY ANY CHANGE ........................................................................................................20 VI. SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................................21 SPLIT ROCK RECOMMENDATIONS..........................................................................................................23 ELMWOOD PARK............................................................................................................................................25 I. INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................................25 II. BENEFITS AND THREATS TO PUBLIC SAFETY OR HEALTH ............................................................................25 III. NATURAL SETTING .....................................................................................................................................26 IV. AGRICULTURAL, SOCIAL, CULTURAL, HISTORIC, ARCHAEOLOGICAL, RECREATIONAL OR EDUCATIONAL IMPORTANCE ....................................................................................................................................................26 V. ECOLOGICAL, GEOLOGICAL AND HYDROLOGICAL SENSITIVITY TO CHANGE THAT MAY BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY CHANGE.....................................................................................................................................28 VI. SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................................29 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ELMWOOD PARK.......................................................................................30 UPPER AND LOWER ONONDAGA PARK, KIRK PARK, AND VAN DUYN FIELD ...........................32 I. INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................................32 II. BENEFITS AND THREATS TO HUMAN HEALTH AND SAFETY.........................................................................33 III. NATURAL SETTING .....................................................................................................................................35 IV. SOCIAL, RECREATIONAL, CULTURAL, HISTORICAL, AND EDUCATIONAL IMPORTANCE..............................35 V. INHERENT ECOLOGICAL, GEOLOGICAL, OR HYDROLOGICAL SENSITIVITY TO CHANGE THAT MAY BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY CHANGE ................................................................................................................37 VI. SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................................37 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PARKS ALONG ONONDAGA CREEK ....................................................38 CLARK RESERVATION STATE PARK .......................................................................................................39 I. INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................................39 II. BENEFITS OR THREATS TO PUBLIC SAFETY OR HEALTH ..............................................................................39 III. NATURAL SETTING .....................................................................................................................................40 IV. CULTURAL, HISTORICAL, RECREATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL IMPORTANCE ............................................40 V. INHERENT ECOLOGICAL, GEOLOGICAL OR HYDROLOGICAL SENSITIVITY TO CHANGE THAT COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY CHANGE ................................................................................................................41 VI. SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................................42 CLARK RESERVATION RECOMMENDATIONS:.....................................................................................43 RAM’S GULCH ASSESSMENT......................................................................................................................45 I. INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................................45 II. BENEFITS AND THREATS TO PUBLIC SAFETY OR HEALTH ..............................................................................46 III. NATURAL SETTING .....................................................................................................................................47 IV. SOCIAL, CULTURAL, HISTORICAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL, RECREATIONAL, OR EDUCATIONAL IMPORTANCE OF LOCATION ........................................................................................................................................................48 V. INHERENT ECOLOGICAL, GEOLOGICAL, OR HYDROLOGICAL SENSITIVITY TO CHANGE WHICH COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY CHANGE ................................................................................................................48 VI. SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................................49 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RAM’S GULCH ............................................................................................49 WHITE LAKE SWAMP ...................................................................................................................................51 I. INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................51 II. BENEFITS & THREATS TO PUBLIC SAFETY OR HEALTH................................................................................52 III. NATURAL SETTING .....................................................................................................................................53 IV. SOCIAL, CULTURAL, HISTORICAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL, RECREATIONAL, OR EDUCATIONAL IMPORTANCE OF LOCATION ........................................................................................................................................................53