Open Space Plan - without e-Appendices (PDF, 4 MB)

321 Pages·2016·4.01 MB·English

Department of Parks, Recreation Department Agriculture Department of
Environmental and Historic of State and Markets Transportation
Conservation Preservation
2016
NEW YORK STATE
OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PLAN
www.dec.ny.gov
This page intentionally left blank
Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor
Lead Agencies:
The Department of Environmental Conservation
Basil Seggos, Commissioner
The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
Rose Harvey, Commissioner
Partnering Agencies:
The Department of Agriculture & Markets
The Department of Transportation
The Department of State
DEFINITION OF OPEN SPACE
Open space is defined as land which is not intensively developed for residential, commercial,
industrial or institutional use. Open space can be publicly or privately owned. It includes
agricultural and forest land, undeveloped coastal and estuarine lands, undeveloped scenic
lands, public parks and preserves. It also includes water bodies such as lakes and bays. What
land is defined as open space depends in part on its surroundings. A vacant lot or a small
marsh can be open space in a big city. A narrow corridor or pathway for walking or bicycling is
open space even though it is surrounded by developed areas. And while not strictly open
space, this Plan also discusses cultural and historic resources which, along with open space,

are part of the heritage of New York State.
Inside Cover:
View of Henderson Lake, Tahawus Tract
acrylic by Lauryn Kashdan-Schrom
Cover:
Clockwise from left. Ashland Pinnacle State Forest by Melody Wolcott; Catskill Challenge
2016; Playground at Roberto Clemente State Park by John Rozell; Essex Chain of Lakes
by Melody Wolcott.
This page intentionally left blank
TABLE OF CONTENTS
NEW YORK STATE
OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PLAN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0B
NEW YORK STATE’S _____________________________________________________ 1
OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PLAN ________________________________________ 1
It starts with the land. ________________________________________________________ 1
11B
New York’s Open Space Conservation Goals ______________________________________ 1
12B
New York’s Open Space Conservation Principles ___________________________________ 2
A LEGACY OF CONSERVATION _____________________________________________ 4
13B
A Tradition of Recreation ______________________________________________________ 9
14B
Ensuring Environmental Justice ________________________________________________ 10
15B
Enhancing Our Approach _____________________________________________________ 10
16B
Continuing New York’s Conservation Legacy _____________________________________ 13
2B
PROMOTING OUTDOOR RECREATION _____________________________________ 16
17B
Recreational Access for All ____________________________________________________ 16
18B
Connecting our Children with Nature ___________________________________________ 19
19B
Meeting the Open Space Needs of our Urban Communities _________________________ 21
3B
ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE __________________________________________ 25
20B
Protecting Our Coastlines ____________________________________________________ 32
21B
Establishing Riparian Buffers __________________________________________________ 35
22B
and Wetland Protections _____________________________________________________ 35
23B
Mitigation and Adaptation through Sustainable Forestry Management _______________ 38
24B
Promoting Urban Forestry and Green Infrastructure _______________________________ 40
4B
ENSURING CLEAN WATER, AIR AND LAND FOR A HEALTHY PUBLIC AND VIBRANT
ECONOMY ____________________________________________________________ 45
25B
Providing Watershed and Water Quality Protections ______________________________ 45
26B
Community Greening for Environmental Justice __________________________________ 48
27B
Health Benefits of Forests and Open Space ______________________________________ 48
28B
Connecting To Our Food and Our Neighborhoods _________________________________ 49
29B
Promoting Smart Growth and Improving Our Transportation Uses ___________________ 51
5B
PROTECTING, UTILIZING AND CONSERVING OUR STATE'S NATURAL RESOURCES AND
CULTURAL HERITAGE ___________________________________________________ 58
30B
Supporting Our Working Farms and Forests ______________________________________ 58
2016 NEW YORK STATE OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PLAN i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
31B
Stewarding Our Open Spaces _________________________________________________ 62
32B
Preserving Our Scenic, Historic and Cultural Heritage ______________________________ 69
6B
CONCLUSION _________________________________________________________ 73
REGIONAL PRIORITY CONSERVATION PROJECTS _____________________________ 79
33B
NEW YORK STATE'S REGIONAL OPEN SPACE ADVISORY COMMITTEES _________________ 79
34B
NEW YORK STATE'S PRIORITY OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PROJECTS ________________ 79
35B
REGION 1/LONG ISLAND _____________________________________________________ 80
36B
REGION 2/NEW YORK CITY/5 BOROUGHS _______________________________________ 86
37B
REGION 3/LOWER HUDSON VALLEY ____________________________________________ 92
38B
REGIONS 3 & 4 ____________________________________________________________ 106
39B
REGION 4/CAPITAL REGION __________________________________________________ 118
40B
REGIONS 4 & 5 ____________________________________________________________ 123
41B
REGION 5/EASTERN ADIRONDACKS/LAKE CHAMPLAIN ____________________________ 124
42B
REGIONS 5 & 6 ____________________________________________________________ 132
43B
REGION 6/WESTERN ADIRONDACKS ___________________________________________ 133
44B
REGIONS 6 & 7 ____________________________________________________________ 137
45B
REGION 7/CENTRAL NEW YORK ______________________________________________ 137
46B
REGIONS 7 & 8 ____________________________________________________________ 140
47B
REGION 8/WESTERN FINGER LAKES ___________________________________________ 143
48B
REGIONS 8 & 9 ____________________________________________________________ 146
49B
REGION 9/WESTERN NEW YORK ______________________________________________ 147
50B
MULTI-REGION ____________________________________________________________ 152
51B
STATEWIDE _______________________________________________________________ 155
LAND CONSERVATION RESOURCES _______________________________________ 165
52B
RESOURCE INVENTORIES ____________________________________________________ 165
53B
PROGRAMS and PARTNERS __________________________________________________ 176
54B
PROMOTING OUTDOOR RECREATION _________________________________________ 177
55B
ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE ______________________________________________ 187
56B
ENSURING CLEAN WATER, AIR AND LAND FOR A HEALTHY PUBLIC AND VIBRANT ECONOMY
________________________________________________________________________ 195
57B
PROTECTING, UTILIZING AND CONSERVING OUR STATE'S NATURAL RESOURCES AND
CULTURAL HERITAGE _______________________________________________________ 202
9B
REGIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS _____________________ 221
2016 NEW YORK STATE OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PLAN ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
58B
LONG ISLAND - REGION 1 ____________________________________________________ 221
59B
NEW YORK CITY - REGION 2 __________________________________________________ 229
60B
LOWER HUDSON VALLEY - REGION 3 __________________________________________ 242
61B
CAPITAL DISTRICT -REGION 4 ________________________________________________ 251
62B
EASTERN ADIRONDACKS & LAKE CHAMPLAIN - REGION 5 _________________________ 257
63B
WESTERN ADIRONDACKS / EASTERN LAKE ONTARIO / UPPER MOHAWK VALLEY - REGION 6
________________________________________________________________________ 272
64B
CENTRAL NEW YORK - REGION 7 ______________________________________________ 282
65B
WESTERN FINGER LAKES - REGION 8 ___________________________________________ 292
66B
WESTERN NEW YORK - REGION 9 _____________________________________________ 299
STATE AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION __________________________________ 308
2016 NEW YORK STATE OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PLAN iii
This page intentionally left blank
NEW YORK STATE’S OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PLAN
NEW YORK STATE’S
0B
OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PLAN
It starts with the land. New York has one of the largest public land bases in the country, with
spectacular scenery and terrain representing every major ecosystem. Ranging from the salt marshes of
Long Island to the alpine tundra of the Adirondack High Peaks and the cascades of Niagara Falls, these
lands are held for our state's citizens and represent a legacy of more than 100 years of land
conservation and stewardship. Privately held lands, including farms and forests, also contribute to open
space protection and are part of the rich fabric of New York's outdoor heritage.
Under the leadership of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New York has made great strides to continue our
conservation legacy including record funding of $300 million for the EPF in the 2016-17 state budget,
the guidance of the 2100 Commission Report and the passage of the Community Risk and Resiliency
Act. We have made great strides in fulfilling our state's mission of protecting ecosystems, preserving
open space, preserving a sustainable quality of life, providing for future environmental benefits and
recreational benefits on some of the most heavily used public lands. We will need to continue to work in
partnerships and provide adequate funding and other tools to accomplish the goals of this Plan,
conserving and maintaining land for our ecosystem health and for our own well-being, providing access
to recreational resources and increasing tourism.
New York’s formal Open Space Conservation program began in 1990 and was designed to ensure citizen
input into the land acquisition decisions made by the State Department of Environmental Conservation
(DEC) and the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). Since its beginning,
the program has developed a comprehensive statewide Open Space Conservation Plan (Plan) that
represents current open space conservation actions, tools, and programs administered by DEC, OPRHP,
the Department of State (DOS), the Adirondack Park Agency (APA), the Department of Agriculture and
Markets (DAM) and the Department of Transportation (DOT). It has become an important and popular
voice for conserving our State's open spaces and the quality of life that they provide us.
New York’s Open Space Conservation Goals
11B
 To protect water quality, including surface and underground drinking water supplies, lakes,
streams and coastal and estuarine waters needed to sustain human life and aquatic ecosystems.
 To provide accessible, quality, outdoor recreation and open space to all New Yorkers.
 To protect habitat for the diversity of plant and animal species to ensure the protection of
healthy, viable and sustainable ecosystems
 To improve quality of life and overall health in our communities, especially those with limited
current access to open space.
 To maintain critical natural resource-based industries such as farming, forest products,
commercial fishing and tourism.
2016 NEW YORK STATE OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PLAN 1
NEW YORK STATE’S OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PLAN
 To address global climate change by encouraging more compact community design patterns.
 To address global climate change by sustainable stewardship of our forests for climate mitigation
and adaptation.
 To address climate change by protecting our coastlines, broad riparian corridors and wetlands.
 To address global climate change by adding to the tree canopy in our urban centers and urban
communities to moderate temperature fluctuations, thereby lowering our energy consumption
 To maintain an interconnected network of protected lands and waters enabling flora and fauna to
adapt to climate change
 To protect habitat to sustain the traditional pastimes of hunting, fishing, trapping and wildlife
viewing
 To provide places available to all New Yorkers for education and research relating to ecological,
environmental and cultural resources
 To protect and enhance scenic, historic and cultural resources considered to be valued parts of
the common heritage of our citizens
 To strategically preserve, restore, and/or create a matrix of natural systems sufficiently complex
and interconnected to be self-sustaining while performing the critical natural functions necessary
to sustain us
 To improve quality of life with targeted green infrastructure that restores environmental benefits
of open space, aesthetics, clean air, water, soil and access to nature in disadvantaged
communities that have suffered an excessive, unfair share of environmental degradation
 To identify, sustain, and rebuild natural lands, features, and systems that prevent or buffer
impacts to life and property from extreme weather events.

New York’s Open Space Conservation Principles
12B
 Work in partnership with other levels of government, community groups, not-for-profit
conservation organizations and private landowners to establish and achieve land conservation
goals.
 When using land acquisition as a conservation tool, deal fairly and openly with property owners
on a willing seller/willing buyer basis and work cooperatively with local governments and
citizens.
 Expand the conservation tools available to communities and to individuals for undertaking
complementary action at the local and regional level.
 Establish focused and achievable priorities for state action to conserve specific open space
parcels and cultural resources.
 Identify various conservation tools, methods, strategies and actions for protecting a variety of
open space resources.
 Establish conservation priorities through the objective measurement of urban and rural land
conservation needs and broad-based citizen opinion.
 Identify future funding needs and stewardship expenses when proposing acquisition as a tool for
land conservation.
 Strive to combat sprawl through smart growth planning at the local, regional and state planning
level.,
2016 NEW YORK STATE OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION PLAN 2