BOG RIVER UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT HORSESHOE LAKE WILD FOREST HITCHINS POND PRIMITIVE AREA LOWS LAKE PRIMITIVE AREA TUPPER LAKE BOAT LAUNCH CONIFER EASEMENT LANDS in FRANKLIN COUNTY HAMILTON COUNTY ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY Lead Agency: Department of Environmental Conservation Preparer of Draft: Department of Environmental Conservation Contact Person: Stewart Brown, Senior Forester Phone number: (315) 265-3090 November 12, 2002 i ii IN MEMORIAM On December 11, 2000 Dr. William T. Elberty of St. Lawrence University in Canton passed away. Bill became involved in mapping Forest Preserve lands soon after the 1995 Microburst. The maps he produced through satellite image analysis are considered the best we have of the forest disturbance created by the microburst. Since that time he and numerous SLU students spent countless hours mapping Forest Preserve lands, Easements and State Forests. Bill’s contributions to our management of State lands are sincerely appreciated. His knowledge, enthusiasm and experience are and will be missed. iii D.E.C. Planning Team Task Force Leader Stewart Brown Lands & Forests John Gibbs Public Protection Ken Didion Joe Kennedy Bernie Siskavich Fisheries Bill Gordon Wildlife Edward Smith Operations Paul Toohey Habitat Lenny Ollivett Public Relations Steve Litwhiler APA Chuck Scrafford Walt Linck Other Contributors: Clyde Black Kenneth Hamm Jim Papero Tom Brown Roger Hutchinson Dennis Perham Bruce Coon John Kramer Terry Perkins Dave Cutter Pat Marren Rich Preall Barbara Dunn Don Mauer Dr. Nina Schoch Lynn Durant Rob Messenger Dave Smith William Elberty John Montan Paula Snow Brian Finlayson Dick Mooers Tom VanDeWater Bill Frenette Peter O’Shea Chuck Vandrei Sandra Garlick JoEllen Oshier Robert Vanwie Jeff Gregg Pat Whalen iv TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................ 1 A. Planning Area ......................................................... 1 B. Unit Locations and Descriptions ............................................ 1 1. Horseshoe Lake Wild Forest ......................................... 1 2. Hitchins Pond Primitive Area ........................................ 1 3. Lows Lake Primitive Area .......................................... 2 4. Conifer Easement Lands ........................................... 2 5. Tupper Lake Boat Launch Intensive Use Area ........................... 3 C. Unit Acreage ......................................................... 3 1. Horseshoe Lake Wild Forest ......................................... 3 2. Hitchins Pond Primitive Area ........................................ 4 3. Lows Lake Primitive Area .......................................... 5 4. Conifer Easement Lands ........................................... 5 5. Tupper Lake Boat Launch Intensive Use Area ........................... 5 D. Access .............................................................. 6 E. History .............................................................. 7 II. INVENTORY, USE, AND CAPACITY TO WITHSTAND USE ........................10 A. Natural Resources .....................................................10 1. Physical ........................................................10 2. Biological .......................................................11 3. Visual .........................................................20 4. Critical Habitats ..................................................20 5. Wild, Scenic, and Recreational Rivers ..................................20 B. Existing Facilities .......................................................20 1. Horseshoe Lake Wild Forest .........................................20 2. Hitchins Pond Primitive Area ........................................21 3. Lows Lake Primitive Area ..........................................22 4. Conifer Easement ................................................22 5. Tupper Lake Boat Launch ..........................................22 C. Cultural ..............................................................22 D. Economic Impact ......................................................22 E. Public Use of the Area ..................................................23 1. Motor Vehicle Use ................................................23 2. Picnicking ......................................................23 3. Canoeing .......................................................23 4. Hunting ........................................................24 5. Public Use Restrictions .............................................25 6. Camping .......................................................25 7. Snowmobiling ....................................................25 8. Bicycling .......................................................26 v 9. Fishing .........................................................26 10. Hiking ........................................................27 11. Floatplanes and Motorboats .........................................27 F. Capacity of Resource to Withstand Use ......................................27 G. Carrying Capacity Concepts ...............................................28 III. MANAGEMENT AND POLICY ...............................................30 A. Past Management ......................................................30 B. Management Guidelines ..................................................31 C. Relationship of Management Unit to other Forest Preserve Lands ...................33 D. Administration of Conservation Easements ....................................33 E. Issues Affecting the Planning Area ..........................................33 1. Removal of Abandoned Buildings .....................................33 2. Bridge Brook Pond - Storage of Boats ..................................34 3. Motor Vehicle Access and Use ......................................34 4. Survey Needs ...................................................34 5. Parking Lots, Hiking Trail, Lean-tos ...................................35 6. Snowmobile Access ...............................................35 7. Mt. Arab Fire Tower and Trail .......................................35 8. Motorboats and Floatplanes .........................................36 9. Sanitation .......................................................36 10. Bog River Falls Picnic Area ........................................36 11. Trailered Boat Launching at Horseshoe Lake ............................37 12. Permitted Camping at Designated Campsites on Horseshoe Lake .............37 13. Bridge Brook Pond Picnic Area .....................................37 14. Coney Mountain Trail .............................................37 15. Historical Interpretation of Augustus Lows Former Estate ..................37 F. Management Principles, Goals and Objectives ..................................37 G. Alternatives Statement ...................................................40 IV. PROJECTED USE AND MANAGEMENT PROPOSED .............................45 A. Facilities Development and/or Removal ......................................45 1. Roads .........................................................45 2. Parking Lots ....................................................45 3. Sanitation .......................................................47 4. Removal of Dams and Bridges .......................................47 5. Camping .......................................................48 6. Picnic Areas ....................................................49 7. Hiking/Cross Country Skiing .........................................49 8. Canoeing and Boating ..............................................50 9. Bicycling .......................................................50 10. History of Augustus Lows Empire ....................................51 11. Snowmobiles ...................................................51 12. Gravel Mines ...................................................52 B. Maintenance and Rehabilitation of Facilities ...................................53 C. Public Use Management .................................................55 vi 1. Public Use Survey ................................................55 2. Camping .......................................................55 3. Bog River Falls Picnic Area .........................................55 4. Camping at Designated Sites on Horseshoe Lake .........................55 5. Canoes and Boats ................................................56 6. Motorboat/ Floatplane use on the Bog River Flow and Lows Lake .............56 7. Brochure Distribution ..............................................56 D. Fish and Wildlife .......................................................56 E. Fire Management ......................................................58 F. Administration .........................................................59 G. Land Acquisition .......................................................59 H. SEQR Requirements ....................................................59 I. Proposed Rules and Regulations ............................................59 V. SCHEDULE OF IMPLEMENTATION ...........................................60 BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES .............................................62 APPENDICES .................................................................66 Appendix A Historic Visit Account ............................................67 Appendix B Conservation Easement and Reserved Rights Summary. ..... 70 Summary of Yorkshire Easement Agreement .........................71 Otterbrook Fee Parcel Summary Reserved Rights