THE LAND STEWARD Newsletter of the Finger Lakes Land Trust Vol. 17, No. 1 working to protect the natural integrity of the Finger Lakes Region Winter 2004-05 Land Trust Looks To Conserve Key Terrain Within Skaneateles Highlands egarded as one of the jewels of the region, Skaneateles Lake Bill Hecht Ris known for its crystal clear waters that serve as a drinking water supply for thousands of Central New York residents. One of the reasons for this clear water is the dense forest cover that characterizes much of the lake’s southern watershed. This land- scape also contains globally rare wetlands, spectacular waterfalls, and habitat for a variety of wildlife species, including the Cerulean Warbler – a species of special conservation concern. To ensure the future of this landscape, the Land Trust plans an ambitious effort to conserve important undeveloped lands by securing additions to two existing preserves and promoting the use of conservation easements on other lands within the watershed. Bear Swamp Creek will be a major focus of the Land Trust’s efforts. Located in the southwestern portion of the Skaneateles Lake watershed, the creek is one of the lake’s largest tributaries. Aerial view of Skaneateles Lake and the Bear Swamp Creek Designated as a priority for protection in New York State’s open corridor space plan, the creek makes its start in the extensive wetlands also found there. located within and adjacent to Bear Swamp State Forest, high As Bear Swamp Creek continues its journey to the lake, it above the southern end of Skaneateles Lake. The State Forest rushes through a deep gorge and an impressive series of water- itself is a popular destination for hikers and cross-country skiers. falls. In 1998, the Land Trust acquired a portion of the gorge The forest wetlands include a pristine fen, which harbors plants through the establishment of the Bahar Preserve. We’ve now considered rare in our region. Many waterfowl and river otters are continued on page 2 Cayuga Watershed Project Identifies Critical Lands Spanning close to 500,000 acres, the Cayuga Lake watershed is the largest in the Finger Lakes region. To prioritize land protection efforts in this vast area, Andrew Zepp last year the Land Trust embarked on a systematic analysis of the watershed. and Trust staff and volunteers, along with Cornell graduate Lstudent Thor Snilsberg, interviewed leading experts, public officials and community leaders. We also collected data and conducted field surveys to assess undeveloped lands within the watershed. As part of the study, a written survey was distributed to every town supervisor and planning board chair within the watershed. This year-long effort has resulted in a plan for conserving lands that are most important to the integrity of the watershed – for maintaining water quality, wildlife habitat, rare plant and animal species, scenic vistas, recreational greenways and Cayuga Lake’s water quality is directly related to the health of productive farmland. its watershed. continued on page 4 PERSPECTIVES n Election Day, placed conservation funding measures on growth pressures and responded by Othough you may the ballot this November, the Long Island voting to retain a high quality of life by not have heard about counties of Nassau and Suffolk approved investing in open space protection. it, voters across the funding for open space, as did five New Visiting communities that have country sent a strong York municipalities. Also, the nearby passed these measures, I’ve observed that message in support community of Webster, in Monroe they succeeded not only in conserving of open space con- County, passed a $5.9 million bond for their cherished open spaces but also in servation. While most of us were focus- open space earlier this year. enhancing their local economies. By ing on the presidential election, voters in The success of these measures high- protecting open space, voters have taken 120 communities in 26 states passed lights the broad support for open space steps to ensure that their communities ballot measures resulting in $3.25 billion conservation that exists throughout our will be desirable in the future. for protecting land as parks and open country. From New York to New Mexico, I’ve also learned one lesson above space. Connecticut to Colorado, voters have all: the longer you wait, the more you Overall, 120 of 161 measures on the responded favorably. “Voter reaction to pay. ballot were successful – an impressive the pressures of uncontrolled growth and rate of 75 percent. In fact, since 1997, sprawl is bipartisan,” says Ernest Cook, 1,000 out of 1,301 conservation ballot director of conservation finance for the measures have been passed in 44 states, Trust for Public Land. raising more than $25 billion for land Here in the Finger Lakes, we have conservation! the opportunity to learn from other com- —Andrew E. Zepp While none of our local communities munities that have already faced greater Executive Director Land Trust Looks To Conserve Key Terrain Within Skaneateles Highlands continued from cover negotiated a contract to purchase a critical addition to the pre- private land around the state forest. One landowner has already serve. This new parcel encompasses several ravines and water- expressed interest in protecting his land through the use of a falls as well as mature forests visible from Skaneateles Lake. conservation easement. Acquisition of the tract will also secure the preserve’s parking On the east side of Skaneateles Lake, the Land Trust is area. also working to conserve additional forest land in the vicinity The Land Trust has begun exploring conservation relation- of its High Vista Preserve. Already spanning 135 acres, High ships with owners of land along the creek as well as owners of Vista’s dense forest cover provides habitat for resident Cerulean Warblers – a bird of conservation concern whose population has declined at an alarming rate in recent years. These sky-blue, insect-eating birds live high in the canopy of mature hardwood forests such as those found at High Vista. The preserve also supports numerous springs and seeps Andrew Zepp that provide water to the lake. Protection of additional lands here will help ensure that these hillside forests continue to supply cool, clean waters to nearby Skaneateles Lake. We recently secured agreements to acquire two additional forest parcels bordering the preserve. By expanding the preserve, we will ensure that visitors, as well as resident warblers, and other wildlife, will continue to enjoy its peaceful forests. Development pressures are increasing rapidly within the Skaneateles Lake watershed, and the Land Trust must move quickly to be successful in these efforts. Please contact the Ithaca office if you would like to get involved. Look for additional information on this project in upcoming issues of The Land Steward. – Andy Zepp Bear Swamp, the headwaters of Bear Swamp Creek, one of Skaneateles Lake’s largest tributaries 2 The Land Steward Skaneateles Lake: Local Natural Wonder eople know it’s hard to keep a good Pthing to themselves, and while the splendors of Skaneateles Lake may once have been mostly appreciated by local folks, that may not hold true much Andrew Zepp longer. The Finger Lakes are establishing themselves as a major tourist attraction, and with tourism comes development. For this reason, among others, the Land Trust has good reason to focus future conservation plans on the cleanest of the Finger Lakes. Quite simply, the Skaneateles Lake watershed is special. The lake’s blue- green water may more aptly belong in the Caribbean, as if the pure water itself had been transplanted to Central New York and the warm weather and palms were left behind. Bordering Onondaga, Skaneateles Lake looking east from the Land Trust’s Bahar Preserve Cortland and Cayuga counties, the watershed supplies municipal water for into lakes via runoff that travels across of any of the Finger Lakes. Owasco Lake, Syracuse and neighboring communities, roads and farmlands. But here, a small for example, is a little smaller but has a quenching the thirst of roughly 200,000 amount of land makes up the Skaneateles land to lake ratio of more than 18 to one. people. Furthermore, the lake belongs to watershed compared to the size of the To keep the water pure, the Land a select group of fewer than 10 city water lake itself. Like a bowl very full with Trust has partnered with the City of sources in the U.S. that require no filter- water, there is not a lot of area along the Syracuse to develop a land protection ing, and only minimal basic treatment. sides of the bowl for flowing water to program that places conservation ease- Unusually low levels of algae and pick up nutrients and pollutants. The ments on the areas most vital for protect- other free-floating organic matter con- watershed spans close to 59 square miles ing the watershed. The Land Trust has tribute to the water’s clarity and unusual while the lake itself covers roughly worked in the past to educate the public hue. Nutrients and pollutants that pro- 13 and a half square miles. That makes and promote watershed stewardship mote algae are scarce in Skaneateles the ratio of land to lake a little more than through a popular three-year talks-and- Lake. That’s because these nutrients get four to one, by far the smallest such ratio treks series. The City of Syracuse also reports that 95 percent of the farmlands in the area prescribe to a best management program that reduces a farm’s impacts on the watershed. On the southwestern side of the lake, Emily Eisman the Land Trust’s Bahar Preserve already lies at the mouth of one of the lake’s largest tributaries, Bear Swamp Creek.