October 2010 OUR P.A.P.E.R Parks Are for People & Environmental Resources A publication of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Volume 3, Issue 2 Introduction As the field season ends, or slows down, it is time to take a look at some of the accomplish- ments of the Natural Resource Stewards and the rest of the team from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in the past few months. This issue of Our Paper will share the various habitat protection projects, natural resource surveys, invasive species public outreach programs, and other work completed by EMB in collaboration with many different partners. Inside this issue: Japanese Knotweed Removal—Amherst State Park Invasive Species 1 weed was removed from the trail Ecosystem Based Mgmt 2 network and streambank along Ellicott Creek. After this warm Rare Plants 3 day of work, two large dump- sters were filled with plant ma- Wildlife Management 4 terial and the stream bank was visible again! A follow-up re- Volunteer FORCES 5 moval is planned for next year and additional native plantings Habitat Restoration 6 will be restored to this area. - Meg Janis, NRS Meet the Biologist 6-7 Western District Regions Japanese knotweed along trails at Amherst State Park Amherst Sate Park is operated Council, U.S. Fish and by the Town of Amherst, lo- Wildlife Service, WNY cated in Erie County. Over the PRISM, and OPRHP, se- past year planning meetings lected one of two large have occurred to address the stands of Japanese knot- management of invasive weed to start the invasive plants within this state park. species management proc- In order to restore streambank ess. On July 17th, Buffalo habitat and diversity , a plan- Niagara Riverkeeper’s Re- ning team made up of mem- storeCorps, joined the plan- bers from the Town of Am- ning team and a large Volunteer crew working diligently cutting down and carrying herst, Amherst Conservation stand of Japanese knot- the large stalks of Japanese knotweed. Ellicott Creek is visible in the background. Master Planning and Ecosystem-based Management (EBM): Applying EBM to make a Difference Since the 2009 NY Ocean and Great master planning, so that the master tems, considering stakeholders, as well Lakes Ecosystem Conservation Council planning process more formally incor- as sustainability goals during the as- Report to the Governor, OPRHP has porates the principles of EBM. sessment of the Jamesport (Hallock) been working to implement and inte- Master Plan, the location of the nature/ EMB worked with the Planning Bu- grate EBM into its various programs visitor center was reevaluated and reau to develop EBM descriptions, as and activities. Several of these are eventually moved to further avoid sen- well as guidance language for the within the Environmental Management sitive resources. Master Plan Template. This language Bureau (EMB). For example, EMB’s has been included in Caumsett, The integration of EBM principles in Natural Resource project proposals now Jamesport (Hallock), Green Lakes, master plans introduces the concept to have a section on EBM elements in and Robert G. Wehle Master Plans more people, as it is read by park and each project. Also, EBM is regularly thus far. This language has now been facility managers, the public, and other included in discussions, inquired about, finalized into the template and all agencies. This furthers the goals of our and referenced within the bureau. plans moving forward will include Agency, and the work of EMB, to be In addition to trying to integrate EBM certain specific EBM elements and responsible environmental stewards into EMB’s own programs and activi- principles. Future plans (including while providing recreational opportuni- ties, we have also been working with those coming up this year (Grafton ties. other bureaus within OPRHP to inte- Lakes, Alfred E. Smith/Sunken Mead- We are continuing the work with other grate EBM into their programs and ows and Sampson) will also represent bureaus to integrate EBM into pro- activities; one of these bureaus is Re- EBM principles. grams and will continue to work with source Management’s Planning Bureau. We have also worked together during the Planning Bureau, Environmental It was recognized at the start of the the early developmental stages of spe- Analysts and the regions on applying EBM program that master plans were cific plans to make a difference. Re- EBM in master planning. incorporating EBM principles (i.e. pub- viewing plans and applying EBM lic out reach, continual reassessment, a principles has helped guide the dis- comprehensive information base) so the cussion of alternatives and analysis of - Kristen Cady-Sawyer & Lynn Bogan, collaboration between the EBM staff various park development and re- EBM Program Specialist and Ecologist and Planning Bureau was a natural source protection opportunities. For development. We saw an opportunity to example, applying science-based work together with respect to EBM and knowledge, interconnections of sys- Hallock Pond at Hallock State Park Preserve. A kettle hole pond, this significant resource (now a designated a Natural Heritage Area) will be protected from impacts. New location of nature center and maintenance facili- ties, which minimize impacts to significant natural areas while still allowing access to pond for education and viewing. Modified version of map originally pro- duced by NYSOPRHP GIS Unit, October 28, 2009 Page 2 Our P.a.p.e.r Rare Orchid Discoveries In New York, we often think of orchids renewed interest in the Small Whorled First, it reminds us of the importance of as big, showy flowers that grow in tropi- Pogonia and are conducting surveys in state parks for preserving biodiversity cal forests, but there are actually a similar habitat in the hopes of locating in New York. Secondly, it can help in- number of spectacular orchids that new populations. form us of the types of resources we grow right here in our own backyard. have in our parks and if we need to de- In early June, another rare orchid, This summer, Natural Heritage Scien- velop or adjust our management strate- Dragon’s Mouth Orchid (Arethusa bul- tist Kim Smith conducted a number of gies to help protect them. bosa) was found at Montauk Point State surveys for orchids in state parks and Park. This beautiful pink orchid had not New York’s orchids may be rare, but made some surprising discoveries. In been observed anywhere on Long Island thanks to state parks, many are still late May, the Small Whorled Pogonia in over 25 years! Also on Long Island, a there for us to enjoy! (Isotria medeoloides) was discovered at known population of the Yellow Crested Schunnemunk State Park. The Small Orchis (Platanthera cristata), was moni- Whorled Pogonia is a globally-rare or- tored this year at Hither Hills State - Kimberly Smith, Natural Heritage chid that had not been seen in New Park. This park provides habitat for the Program Botanist York State since 1976. This discovery largest and most vigorous population of is especially exciting because this or- Yellow Crested Orchis known in the chid has only been recorded five other state. times in New York’s history, from 1887 to 1923. Now that it’s confirmed to still Continued monitoring of these rare occur in New York, Kim and other bota- plant populations and new discoveries is nists from the Heritage Program have a important for a number of reasons. Small Whorled Pogonia (Isotria medeoloides) at Schunnemunk State Park Dragon’s Mouth Orchid (Arethusa bulbosa) at Montauk Point State Park Yellow Crested Orchis (Platanthera cristata) at Hither Hills State Park Volume 3, Issue 2 Page 3 New England Cottontail Sampling During the winter months of 2009 nestock. These new locations in- and 2010, Biologist Jesse Jaycox crease our understanding of the (Taconic/Palisades) sampled state overall distribution of this species parks in Columbia (Taconic, Lake in the park and the state, as well Taghkanic), Dutchess (Hudson as types of habitat used. Based on Highlands, James Baird), and Put- results to date, it appears that nam Counties (Clarence Fah- Clarence Fahnestock is one park nestock) for the presence of New that provides very important England Cottontail (Sylvilagus habitat for this species. The intro- transitionalis), a New York State duced Eastern Cottontail (S. flori- Species of Special Concern and a danus) was also identified from candidate for Federal listing. The many of the areas sampled, in- samples were collected in collabora- cluding parks where New Eng- tion with NYS DEC as part of a land Cottontail was not found, survey effort to determine the dis- such as Grafton Lakes State Park tribution of this species in eastern in Rensselaer County (sample by New York, as well as contributing to Biologist Casey Holzworth). Fu- a study that is looking at the detect- ture sampling efforts by OPRHP ability of this species, which is the and DEC are being planned to native cottontail east of the Hudson better understand the distribu- River. The samples, rabbit pellets, tion of the species in New York were collected from multiple loca- and further define the importance Cottontail pellets collected for fecal DNA analysis tions and the DNA was analyzed by of state parks for providing criti- Dr. Adrienne Kovach at the Univer- cal habitat for this species, which sity of New Hampshire to determine will enable us to maintain ade- the species. The OPRHP sampling quate habitat for this species. effort re-verified New England Cot- tontail in three locations in Hudson Highlands (1) and Clarence Fah- - Jesse Jaycox, NRS nestock (2) State Parks, and con- Taconic and Palisades Regions firmed five new sites, including one in Taconic and five in Clarence Fah- Two types of New England Cottontail habitat confirmed in Clarence Fahnestock State Park Page 4 Our P.a.p.e.r ESF F.O.R.C.E.S.