Friends of Zoar,
The NYS Department of
Environmental Conservation has issued the Draft Unit
Management Plan for the public land at Zoar Valley,
and there is much good news. However, about half of Zoar's 3,000 acres
would be protected under the plan, the other half would be opened to
logging and the creation of a hunting preserve introducing non-native
species.
Heartwood Alert has
posted more information and a sample comment letter you can use.
The DEC has proposed placing
much of Zoar Valley into a "Protection Area".
The DEC is recommending that the State Legislature place all of the
public land in the gorges (both Main and South Branch Cattaraugus
Creek), plus 300 foot buffers around the gorges, and 200 foot buffers
along trails, into the NYS Nature and Historic Preserve Trust
(the "state forest preserve"). This is the highest level
of land protection in NYS. The DEC reports that State Sen. Cathy
Young has agreed to sponsor such legislation in the future (and we will
all need to express our support and make sure it gets passed!)
This recommendation by
the DEC is a major victory in the effort to protect Zoar Valley's
natural resources, and everyone who wrote a letter, participated in a
meeting, signed a petition, marched in a protest, banged a drum in
public or in private, or in some other way participated in the process
as a citizen and a friend of mother nature, can feel good about their
efforts. Let's all keep working to get Zoar Valley placed
into the forest preserve.
The DEC proposes that the
remainder of the public land, the uplands outside of the gorges and
outside the buffer protection areas, continue under a
Multiple Use Area designation. While this is necessary and
suitable for many of the upland areas - beaver ponds, meadows, wildlife
habitat, Chestnut Foundation plantation, etc., the DEC's proposals for
other upland areas, particularly forested areas, should be reviewed in
depth, discussed with the DEC and commented on in writing by the
public before the written comment period ends (8-22-06). The
DEC proposes plantation tree lots and timber harvesting in some of
the upland areas. The DEC proposes this to be a
ten-year plan, with a review after five years.
While this is by no means
comprehensive, a few other highlights include:
* no road building
* no rebuilding of the Forty
Road bridge
* no public motorized/ATV
vehicle use
* no horse trails (possible
consideration of horse and snowmobile trails on detached Zoar parcel to
the east (in Otto))
* improved and increased foot
trails
* signage and kiosks with maps
and safety info.
* posting of boundary
signs to help the public stay off private land
* getting rid of the no wading
rule
* adopting no alcohol and no glass container
rules
* addressing the needs of the
handicapped in parking areas and vista spots
* a desire for stewardship
agreements and trail maintenance agreements with local groups
* a goal of acquiring
additional land from willing sellers (though the NYS Environmental
Protection Fund, from where funds would come to acquire land under the
NYS Open Space Plan, currently is budgeted for ZERO dollars by our
state government representatives. We need to work to rectify
this!!!!),
and, drumroll please,
* for the first time, the DEC
has included a definition of Old Growth Forest in a unit
management plan. Let all good things flow from Zoar!
Please read the plan, participate in the
process, submit written comments, pass the word, and keep enjoying Zoar
Valley and the fruits of your efforts.
Julie Broyles
Zoar Valley Nature Society
716-380-1430