New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Lands & Forests Bureau of State Land Management SHAWANGUNK RIDGE UNIT MANAGEMENT PLAN DRAFT Towns of Deerpark, Greenville, Mount Hope, Mamakating, Shawangunk, Wawarsing, and Gardiner Counties of Orange, Ulster, and Sullivan September, 2013 NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Region 3 21 South Putt Corners Road New Paltz, Ny 12561 Governor ANDREW M. CUOMO Commissioner JOSEPH J. MARTENS State Forester ROBERT S. DAVIES Shawangunk Ridge Draft Unit Management Plan A planning unit consisting of approximately 6,000 acres within 6 State Forests, 2 Multiple Use Areas, and 3 Detached Parcels of Forest Preserve in 3 Counties: Huckleberry Ridge, Graham Mountain, Wurtsboro Ridge, Roosa Gap (and adjoining detached Forest Preserve parcel), Shawangunk Ridge and Gobbler's Knob State Forests Witch’s Hole (and adjoining detached Forest Preserve parcel) and Shawangunk Multiple Use Areas Oregon Trail Detached Forest Preserve Parcel January 2013 Prepared by the Shawangunk Ridge Unit Management Planning Team: Matthew C. Paul, Senior Forester Patrick Miglio, Real Property Surveyor’s Assistant Nathan Ermer, Wildlife Biologist Robert Angyal, Fisheries Biologist Acknowledgments The Shawangunk Ridge 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: Ethan Pierce, Jessica Bohn, Mike Pogue, Janet Brown, Division of Environmental Remediation, Division of Law Enforcement, Division of Fish and Wildlife, The NY Natural Heritage Society, The New York/New Jersey Trail Conference, Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conservancy, The Open Space Institute, The Shawangunk Ridge Biodiversity Partnership. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Lands and Forests Region 3 1 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 Shawangunk Ridge 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. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS DEC’S MISSION ................................................................................................................................................... 2 VISION STATEMENT ........................................................................................................................................... 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................................................... 3 PREFACE ............................................................................................................................................................ 5 STATE FOREST OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................ 5 Legal Considerations ............................................................................................................................................ 5 MANAGEMENT PLANNING OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................... 5 Public Participation .............................................................................................................................................. 6 Strategic Plan for State Forest Management ....................................................................................................... 6 DEC’S MANAGEMENT APPROACH AND GOALS .................................................................................................................... 6 Sustainability and Forest Certification ................................................................................................................. 6 Ecosystem Management Approach ..................................................................................................................... 7 Ecosystem Management Strategies ..................................................................................................................... 8 State Forest Management Goals ......................................................................................................................... 9 LOCATION MAP................................................................................................................................................. 11 INFORMATION ON THE SHAWANGUNK RIDGE UNIT .......................................................................................... 13 STATE LANDS IN THE UNIT ............................................................................................................................................. 13 SOILS ......................................................................................................................................................................... 13 WATER RESOURCES ...................................................................................................................................................... 14 Major Streams, Rivers and Water Bodies ........................................................................................................... 15 BIODIVERSITY .............................................................................................................................................................. 16 Common Species ................................................................................................................................................ 16 At Risk Species .................................................................................................................................................... 17 Habitat ............................................................................................................................................................... 17 At‐Risk Species .................................................................................................................................................... 19 HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES .............................................................................................................................. 20 Natural History of the Unit ................................................................................................................................. 20 Inventory of Historic and Cultural Resources ..................................................................................................... 22 Archaeological Site Protection ........................................................................................................................... 23 Archaeological Research .................................................................................................................................... 23 REAL PROPERTY ........................................................................................................................................................... 23 Boundary Lines ................................................................................................................................................... 24 Land Acquisition ................................................................................................................................................. 24 Roads and Trails ................................................................................................................................................. 25 Signs/Kiosks ........................................................................................................................................................ 26 Designated Campsites and Lean‐tos .................................................................................................................. 27 Communications Facilities ................................................................................................................................ 27 Other Facilities ................................................................................................................................................... 27 FORMAL AND INFORMAL PARTNERSHIPS AND AGREEMENTS ................................................................................................. 28 RECREATION ..............................................................................................................................................................