Central and Western New York Chapter
A Presentation to the Open Space Planning Class
2006 SUNY ESF
By Michelle Peach
Tug Hill Project Director
The Mission of The Nature Conservancy
Black-throated blue warbler
To preserve the plants,
animals, and natural
communities that
represent the diversity
of life on Earth by
protecting the lands
and waters they need
to survive.
How We Work
Science-based
Collaborative
Non-confrontational
Entrepreneurial
Results-oriented
Worldwide
> 400 offices worldwide
5 Continents
32 countries, including 5 in
Africa
>3,200 full-time employees
worldwide, 720 of whom are
scientists.
1,500 volunteer trustees
legally governed and guided
by a diverse Board of
Directors.
First TNC Land Purchase
Mianus River Gorge
• 1955—First TNC
Preserve
• 60 Acres
• Response to
development threat
• To protect remnant old
growth hemlock stand
Eastern Lake Ontario
Dunes
Wetlands
Birds
Threats
Incompatible human use
Invasive species
Conservation success
Tug Hill Plateau
Landscape scale conservation
Unfragmented forest
Exemplary wetands
High quality streams
Unique Gulfs or Gorges
FOR SALE
45,000-acres
on the Tug Hill
Plateau
A Great Opportunity
The end result:
• TNC buys entire 45,000acre property in June 2002
for $9.1 million
• TNC retains 13,000-acre
conservation area
• TNC conveys NYS DEC
1,350-acre corridor on East
Branch of Fish Creek
• TNC conveys NYS DEC
30,300-acre conservation
easement
• TNC conveys timber
investor same 30,300 acres
subject to easement
BALSAM FLATS
PHLOX MACULATA
-1
-1
SPRUCE-FIR SWAMP
-1
POLEMONIUM VANBRUNTIAE
JEFFERSON
PHLOX MACULATA
PHLOX MACULATA
POLEMONIUM VANBRUNTIAE
SPRUCE-FIR SWAMP
SHRUB SWAMP
CAREX BUXBAUMII
SHRUB SWAMP
CAREX WIEGANDII
PICOIDES TRIDACTYLUS
SPRUCE-FIR SWAMP
SEDGE MEADOW
INLAND POOR FEN
SPRUCE-FIR SWAMP
BEECH-MAPLE MESIC FOREST
DENDROICA CASTANEA
-1
LEWIS
OSWEGO
-1
LANIUS LUDOVICIANUS
ROCKY HEADWATER STREAM
0
-1
0
-1
MIDREACH STREAM
LISTERA CONVALLARIOIDES
-1
-1
-1
0
-1
ROCKY HEADWATER STREAM
DWARF SHRUB BOG
-1
-1
-1
-1
-1
-1
ONEIDA
-1
-1
-1
-1
-1
-1
-1
-1
-1
-1
Local concerns—Timber
35
30
25
20
Employment as % of total
county employment
15
Payroll as % of total
county employment
10
5
O
sw
4eg
co
o
un
ty
re
gi
on
NY
S
to
ta
l
da
O
ne
i
Le
wi
s
Je
ffe
rs
on
0
2/3 of the Hancock property available
for sustainable timber harvest
Local Concerns—Traditional Uses
Non-motorized public
access most of the
year
Public hunting
Private hunting leases
Snowmobile corridor
Local Concerns—Taxes
%of
Total
Martinsburg
Montague
Osceola
West Turin Grand Total
School
$3,559.29
$26,584.68
$9,033.59
$19,840.99
$59,018.54
48.71%
Town
$1,893.03
$13,659.03
$5,589.10
$8,231.28
$29,372.44
24.24%
County
$2,051.47
$15,321.96
$4,358.77
$11,036.41
$32,768.62
27.05%
Totals
$7,503.80
$55,565.67
$18,981.45
$39,108.68
$121,159.60
Implications of Landscape Scale
Conservation
More complicated science
Impossible to own all the
land—partnership
essential
Greater impacts
•
•
•
Ecologically
Economically
Socially
Moving Forward—Conservation
Planning
Site Scale
Landscape Scale
Conservation Area Management Plan
Conservation Area Management Plan
Invasive Species Monitoring
#
#
#
#
#
#
Mad River
East Branch of Fish Creek
####
#
#
Mad River Swamp
#
#
Monteola Bog
Legend
TNC Property
GMO Property
Streams
±
#
#
##
#
Page Swamp
Conservation Action Planning
Targets
Species
Communities
Threats
Success
Systems
Number and
Distribution
Invasive
Species
Water
Quality
Strategies
Riparian
Fencing
Education and
Outreach
Development
Salmon River Watershed Natural
Resources Assessment
Salmon River Watershed Natural
Resources Assessment
STEP 1: Identify Natural Resource Targets
Potential Target List
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Estuary
Non-estuarine Wetlands
High Order Riverine System
Open Water
Open Terrestrial Communities
Forest
Falls Gorge
Headwater Streams
Salmon River Watershed Natural
Resources Assessment
STEP 2: Viability Analysis—On-going
Poor
% natural cover w/i
500 m buffer
Fair
≤ 80%
Good
80-95%
Very
Good
95100%
Salmon River Watershed Natural
Resources Assessment
STEP 3: Identify Threats to the Targets—April 07
Salmon River Watershed Natural
Resources Assessment
STEP 4: Identify Strategies to Abate the Threats—July 07
Incompatible Forestry
Nitrogen Deposition
Nitrogen Deposition
Water
Trees
Foliage
Understory plants
Soil
Mercury in Songbirds
Collaborative effort between
TNC, Biodiversity Research
Institute, and others
High mercury levels in
songbirds with no direct
link to lakes
Suggests that mercury is
absorbed by soil and fallen
leaves that are food for
insects
Focuses attention on the
need for policy solutions
Tony Cenicola, The New York Times
Education and Outreach
Thank you!