What's New

STC KEEPS ON GROWING AND GROWING AND GROWING!

The end of 2007 was a busy time for STC with three new acquisitions, two new nature preserves, one in Lysander and one in Oswego as well as a twenty acre addition to Heron Marsh!

36 ACRES OF WOODED WETLAND AND MEADOW IN LYSANDER

Thanks to a donation of land from Joy and Stephen Swenson, STC now has a new preserve. The Swensons subdivided the new preserve from the land that their timber frame home is on. The Swensons owned the property since 1997 and wanted to see the land permanently protected. The property is on Emerick Road, about mile due east of Beaver Lake Nature Center, in the hollow between Emerick and Church Roads.
The new preserve boasts a wide range of landscapes, including open meadows, early successional forest, wetlands, and groves of mature hemlock.
Eagles and osprey can frequently be seen from the property as they fly between the nearby Three Rivers State Wildlife Management Area and Beaver Lake Nature Center. The preserve is also host to many species of wildlife including deer, foxes, and coyotes, among others.
Our access is through a 15 foot wide easement on Emerick Road. At this writing, the
access is unmarked and somewhat difficult to find. STC is planning to offer a tour of the property as part of our annual Spring on the Land Hike in 2008.

STC ADDS A FOURTH PRESERVE IN OSWEGO COUNTY
 

Richard Slobe of Louisville Colorado gave Save the County 50 acres of wooded hillside and wetland in the Town of Oswego. The property is located west of Rathburn Road and east of County Route 7. This preserve, as yet unnamed, is located 2 miles north of our Fen at Silver Lake Nature Preserve and 1.5 miles upstream from the Rice Creek Field Station of SUNY Oswego.
About 70 % of the property is in the Furnisse Wetland, a tributary of Rice Creek; beaver activity has helped increase the acreage of emergent wetland over the years. Most of the remainder of the property is hillside, covered in shrubs and second-growth forest. The preserve has no road frontage, but has deeded easement to Rathburn Road.
 

NEW LAND AT HERON MARSH

A twenty acre addition, abutting the northern edge of the Cicero portion of our Heron Marsh Preserve, was donated by Cicero Associates, the developer of the new Target store on Brewerton Road. The addition extends the preserve to 90 acres and contains one of the main drainage channels that flows into the Stanley J. Hamlin Wildlife Management Area. The preserve hosts a wide variety of waterfowl during the fall migration.
 

South Meadows Nature Area Scout Project
By Larrian Johnston

          At long last, we have park benches at South Meadows Nature Area thanks to Eagle Scout Candidate, Charles “Chuck” McDevitt, and his scout advisor, Mark Guttendorf.  After many planning sessions, Chuck received approval from the Onondaga Scout Council, STC and the Tully Action Group (TAG) for his overall project plan which included design, construction, location and installation of three new benches. Approximately 25 scouts and parents from Troop 62 plus a few TAG members were involved in the various aspects of the two day project. After the lumber was selected, it was cut to specification at Kennedy Hardwood. Installation of the benches commenced on a snow covered Saturday morning, Nov.17, at 8:30 AM following hot cocoa and donuts in Cummings Park pavilion.  The bench parts were hand carried to the preselected sites where the bench legs were sunk 3 feet into the ground and compacted in with rock and dirt to provide both stability and security. As the work of digging and hauling rocks progressed, winter coats were hung on nearby trees. 

            The benches were located strategically around the park.  Bench #1 takes advantage of a shady woodland area a small distance into the park. Bench #2 is located at the highest point of the park and from there one has a bird’s eye view of the town, village and surrounding hills.  Bench #3 overlooks wet lands where early morning bird watchers would enjoy looking for their feathered friends. Chuck and Mark were very busy overseeing each of these installations, but they had time for a quick pizza lunch.

            STC and TAG would like to thank Chuck, Mark, troop 62 and Mr. and Mrs. Scott Kennedy for their donation of time and materials. We invite everyone to visit the park and enjoy the benches, delightful even in winter. Also, we would like to recognize Mr. and Mrs. Fred Odhner for their vision and early guidance in this project. Chuck, a senior, will receive his Eagle Scout Award in 2008. He plans to advance his career in Taxidermy and Wild Life sciences.