Bikers Joan Schmitkons (left) and Tom Schmitkons (right) ride along the new trail extension near the Harbor Brook area.

Left: Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon (right) and New York State Assemblyman William B. Magnarelli (left) announcing the new trail extension on the southwestern shore of Onondaga Lake.
Right: The Loop-the-Lake Trail now extends nearly nine miles from Liverpool to Harbor Brook.

“The successful completion of the new trail extension marks another day of progress in the community. After almost 100 years, and as the result of an amazing public-private partnership, the public has access to and can enjoy this part of Onondaga Lake,” said Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon. “I want to thank and commend Honeywell for their collaboration and commitment to the lake, and for helping to reopen this body of water back to the public in ways it hasn’t been for generations.”

The new Loop-the-Lake Trail extension passes through wetlands where Honeywell has planted a variety of native plant species.

The Loop-the-Lake Trail extension (also called the Southwest Shore Recreation Trail Project) is one of several Natural Resource Damage Restoration projects on the Southwest Lakeshore; also included are improved fishing access, an angler parking lot, and the future installation of a deep-water fishing pier. These projects are being done as part of an agreement among Honeywell, Onondaga County, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to restore and protect wildlife habitat and water quality, and to enhance recreational opportunities.

As part of the Onondaga Lake cleanup, Honeywell has already restored about 90 acres of wetlands and about 1.1 million native plants are being planted. More than 270 wildlife species are now calling these areas home, and over 135 unique bird species have been identified in and around Onondaga Lake. Honeywell also is working with federal and state government officials on additional projects to restore and protect wildlife habitats and enhance recreational opportunities, including creating 100 acres of new native grassland habitat and conserving about 1,600 acres within the watershed.

Nearly 50 local students became citizen scientists this month during Honeywell Summer Science Week, which is organized by the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology (MOST). Throughout the week, students conducted research, monitored the Onondaga Lake watershed, and learned about the positive impact of the lake’s cleanup and what affects water quality.

The summer science experience, created by Honeywell and the MOST in 2006, has brought science to life for more than 850 Central New York students over the past 14 years. The program exposes participants to education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Experts lead students on a weeklong journey to sites around Onondaga Creek and Onondaga Lake, where they learn about the watershed and associated environmental sciences. A survey of past program participants shows that Honeywell Summer Science Week helps students gain greater confidence, knowledge, and interest in science and STEM careers.

2019 Honeywell Summer Science Week participants at Onondaga Lake

“Honeywell Summer Science Week provides a tremendous opportunity for students entering high school to contribute to our community by doing impactful science in the field with local scientists, engineers, professors, and current college students,” said MOST Chief Program Officer Peter Plumley, Ph.D. “The program is a wonderful hands-on scientific experience that complements the classroom learning experience by putting school studies into action during the summer break.”

“During Honeywell Summer Science Week, local students conducted real, scientific research throughout the Onondaga Lake watershed,” said Honeywell Syracuse Program Director John McAuliffe. “This one-of-a kind experience inspires the next generation of citizen scientists and gets students excited about careers in STEM.”

Left: Nicholas Rodriguez (left), from East Syracuse Minoa Central School District, and Eric Yao, from Fayetteville-Manlius School District, perform an engineering activity to learn about capping in Onondaga Lake.
Right: Participants tour wetlands along Onondaga Lake, studying bird and fish diversity, and microscopic organisms found in and around Onondaga Lake. Fish examined include juvenile largemouth bass, creek chub, and banded killifish.

“The Honeywell Summer Science Week program is an incredible, hands-on, immersive experience for rising high school students in Central New York,” said MOST President Lauren Kochian. “This type of summer program is exactly what makes the MOST so important to our local students’ science education. The MOST is fortunate to have such a wonderful community partner in Honeywell, and we are thrilled to share the wonders of discovery with students each year during Honeywell Summer Science Week.”

On opening day, students visited Honeywell’s Onondaga Lake Visitors Center in Geddes, where Montezuma Audubon Center led a birding expedition to teach students about the importance of birds and their habitats. Experts discussed fish in the lake, and students got an inside look at the Onondaga Lake cleanup, toured wetlands, learned about habitat restoration, identified microscopic organisms, participated in an engineering activity, and learned about watersheds using a hands-on model.

Left: Montezuma Audubon Center Director Chris Lajewski (center left) leads students on a birding expedition near Harbor Brook and the southwest shoreline of Onondaga Lake. Students identified 23 species, including osprey, bald eagle, common tern, caspian tern, common merganser, and hooded merganser.
Right: Students examine a juvenile smallmouth bass captured in a seine net by Parsons scientist Jesse Carr (right). Throughout the week students log observations about wildlife that has returned to the Onondaga Lake watershed.

Honeywell Summer Science Week also included visits to Heiberg Memorial Forest in Tully and Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery in Elbridge, and stops at various points along Onondaga Creek. Activities introduced students to environmental sampling procedures to examine water quality, soil, plants, and wildlife. Program participants toured the SyracuseCoE and the Metropolitan Syracuse Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The program was open to students who recently completed the seventh and eighth grades and ran July 8-12 and July 17.

Honeywell Discovery Day

Honeywell Summer Science Week concluded Wednesday, July 17, with Honeywell Discovery Day at the MOST. Students presented their scientific research to family members and teachers to share what they learned throughout the week. Students received one-year museum passes and certificates of participation.

Left: Steve Miller, from Honeywell, (center) speaks with Alex Fung (left) and Kevin Fratostitanu (right), both from Manlius Pebble Hill School, about their findings on fish populations.
Right: Shane Franklin Jr., from Syracuse City School District, receives a certificate of participation after completing Honeywell Summer Science Week.

Local companies, organizations, and individuals participating in the week included: Montezuma Audubon Center, Parsons, Onondaga County Parks Department, Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection, faculty and students from State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), and students from Syracuse University.

For more information on the Onondaga Lake cleanup, please visit www.lakecleanup.com.

Local wildlife photographers will display colorful images of birds of prey taken in recently restored and enhanced areas along the Onondaga Lake shoreline at the “Onondaga Lake Birds of Prey” photography exhibit March 30-31. The exhibit will showcase the diverse range of species including bald eagles, osprey, turkey vultures, hawks, owls, and falcons that have returned to Onondaga Lake. The Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps is hosting the exhibit in partnership with Honeywell, Audubon New York, and NextEra Energy.

The exhibit runs Saturday, March 30, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, March 31, from 1 to 4 p.m., at Honeywell’s Onondaga Lake Visitors Center, along the southwest lakeshore in Geddes. The suggested donation is $5/person and $15/family.

Left: “A Fish’s Last View” – Osprey by Walter Freeman.
Right: “Wind Walker” – Bald Eagle by Greg Craybas.

“The resurgence of the bald eagle and other birds of prey at Onondaga Lake is a sign that the lake is coming back to life,” said Chris Lajewski, Montezuma Audubon Center director and Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps director. “An astounding 74 bald eagles were found along the shoreline, sitting on the ice and soaring overhead, during a guided bird-watching event on March 2, making it the largest bald eagle winter roost in a New York State urban environment. Other raptors on the New York State threatened species list, like the northern harrier, have returned to the restored grassland and wetland habitats. Central New Yorkers are taking pride in this community asset once again, and we are proud to showcase these amazing images that tell the story of Onondaga Lake’s revival.”

Visitors will meet the photographers who captured the images and will have an opportunity to look for birds in their natural habitat with experts from the Montezuma Audubon Center and Onondaga Audubon. (Picture is from a previous photography exhibit.)

The images will be for sale and designated smaller sizes can be ordered. All proceeds will benefit Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps bird conservation and environmental education.

“The restoration of Onondaga Lake has surpassed all expectations for photographic opportunities of bald eagles and other birds of prey,” said Greg Craybas, nature photographer. “We are now inspired by the arrival of winter to visit the lake in all conditions to photograph this natural treasure. I have been photographing the lake’s wildlife for nine years, and this year is proving to be the best yet.”

Onondaga Lake became a priority Audubon Important Bird Area (IBA) in 1998 and was subsequently adopted by Honeywell, Montezuma Audubon Center, and Onondaga Audubon because of its value to waterfowl and bald eagles during the winter months. The IBA program serves as a catalyst for achieving bird conservation.

The Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps seeks to inspire future stewards of Onondaga Lake and its watershed through a hands-on, experience-based program that offers citizens and organizations the opportunity to participate in activities that help restore and sustain Onondaga Lake and its value as an IBA. Since its formation in 2012, more than 850 community members have participated in Corps events.

The Corps was founded by Honeywell in partnership with Montezuma Audubon Center and Onondaga Audubon and is now an Audubon New York program. Additional Corps supporters include Parsons, OBG, Anchor QEA, Bond Schoeneck & King, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and Wild Ones Habitat Gardening in CNY Chapter.

As part of the Onondaga Lake cleanup, Honeywell has already restored about 90 acres of wetlands and about 1.1 million native plants are being planted. More than 260 wildlife species are now calling these areas home, and 130 unique bird species have been identified in and around Onondaga Lake. Honeywell also is working with federal and state government on additional projects to restore and protect wildlife habitats and enhance recreational opportunities, including creating 100 acres of new native grassland habitat and conserving about 1,600 acres within the watershed.

To learn more about the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps or participate in future activities, please contact montezuma@audubon.org, visit http://ny.audubon.org/OLCC, or call 315-365-3588. Schools, community groups, local organizations, and individuals are welcome. Like the Corps on Facebook or Instagram, or visit YouTube to learn more.

To access Honeywell’s Onondaga Lake Visitors Center: From Points West: Take I-690 East to Exit 7, turn left onto State Fair Boulevard, take the first left passing under I-690, drive straight toward the lake and follow signs to the Onondaga Lake Visitors Center. From Points East: Take I-690 West to Exit 7, turn right at the off-ramp and follow signs to the Onondaga Lake Visitors Center.

More than 20 community members explored and learned about Onondaga Lake’s recovery on Oct. 20. The Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps partnered with the Central New York Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America’s Young Naturalist Leadership Team (YNLT) to record Onondaga Lake’s most recent improvements. Participants found evidence of thriving ecosystems, including 23 unique bird species. Notable bird species observed include bald eagle, white-throated sparrow, and ruby-crowned kinglet. Other significant finds included coyote tracks; white waterlily, which creates habitat in deep-water areas; and young-of-year largemouth bass, which indicate that fish are spawning in Onondaga Lake.

Left: Botanist Joe McMullen (center) shows Joe and Jan Hansen (left), of Liverpool, and YNLT member Kate Abbott (right) characteristics of plants found in wetlands along the southwest shoreline of Onondaga Lake. Young trees seen in the wetlands included swamp white oak, sycamore, and red maple.
Right: Autumn Keefe, of Syracuse, observes a cattail seed pod during a scavenger hunt to inventory plant species.

Throughout the event, participants worked with the Young Naturalist Leadership Team and habitat experts from Onondaga Audubon, OBG, and Parsons to inventory species found in the recently restored habitat areas at Harbor Brook, and the southwest and western shorelines of Onondaga Lake. The observations will be compiled with other data being collected by wetland ecologists to understand conditions of recently restored areas in the Onondaga Lake watershed. Participants also learned about aspects of maintaining a healthy ecosystem, such as pond ecology, the importance of macroinvertebrates to the environment, and creating seed bags for the wetlands, which are made of topsoil, small stones, and seeds placed in a small biodegradable burlap bag.

Tracy Willey (center), Biology Teacher at Westhill High School, examines and identifies macroinvertebrates with Tom Hughes (left), YNLT volunteer and Natural Resource Steward Biologist with New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and Katie Moranz (right), a wetland ecologist at Parsons. Macroinvertebrates found included mayfly nymphs, scuds, caddisfly larvae, daphnia, and water beetles.
“The experience today monitoring pond water quality along the western shoreline of Onondaga Lake was amazing,” said Willey. “When we scooped out material from the wetland, it didn’t look like there was anything there. But as we sat still and waited, a variety of tiny organisms emerged from the vegetation. I came today out of curiosity to see what’s here and it was a privilege to take part. I can bring this information back to the classroom.”

Left: Sisters Evie (left) and Autumn Keefe, of Syracuse, take turns tossing burlap seed bags containing pickerelweed seeds into the wetlands.
Right: YNLT member Candace Schermerhorn (center) removes fish from a seine net for closer observation with Matt McDonough (left) and Jim Molloy, of Parsons. Species found included banded killifish, emerald shiner, and rock bass.

Onondaga Community College student Kaitlyn Jordan (left), and Alivia Sheffield, YNLT volunteer and Piping Plover Project Coordinator with the New York State Office of Parks and Recreation and Historic Preservation, examine a shed snakeskin found in a wetland area on the western shoreline.
“Understanding and knowing the past of this area, it was incredible the amount of biodiversity we were able to find, from small macroinvertebrates to bald eagles and coyote prints,” said Sheffield. “This ecosystem is starting to thrive once again. Saturday not only showed that, but that the community cares and is willing to put in the effort to keep it that way.”

On the shores of Onondaga Lake and along its tributaries, about 90 acres of wetlands have been restored by Honeywell and about 1.1 million native plants are being planted. Nearly 260 wildlife species have been identified in and around Onondaga Lake, including more than 120 unique bird species.

The Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps is an expanding organization of community volunteers who are contributing to restoration projects that are creating, improving, and monitoring wildlife habitat in the Onondaga Lake watershed and sustaining its value as an Audubon Important Bird Area.

Since the formation of the Corps, over 30 events have brought together nearly 850 volunteers who have become environmental stewards and Corps members. In recognition of their work, the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps was awarded a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2015 Environmental Champion Award.

The Corps was founded in 2012 by Honeywell in partnership with Montezuma Audubon Center and Onondaga Audubon and is now an Audubon New York program. Additional Corps supporters include Parsons, OBG, Anchor QEA, Bond Schoeneck & King, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and Wild Ones Habitat Gardening in CNY Chapter.

To learn more about the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps or participate in future activities, please contact montezuma@audubon.org, visit http://ny.audubon.org/OLCC, www.facebook.com/onondagalakecc, or www.youtube.com/onondagalakecc, or @onondagalakecc on Instagram, or call 315-365-3588.

View more photographs of the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps.

Forty-three volunteers gathered along the future home of the Loop the Lake Trail extension Saturday, September 29, to build and install bird boxes, and participate in citizen science monitoring. The volunteers are part of the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps, an expanding organization of community volunteers who are contributing to restoration projects that are creating or improving wildlife habitat in the Onondaga Lake watershed. The volunteers built nearly 30 bluebird nesting boxes, which were provided through a partnership with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and FORCES (Friends of Recreation, Conservation and Environmental Stewardship).

Left: First-time Corps volunteers Ian (left), 6, and mom Rebecca Margiotta, of Baldwinsville, construct a wooden nesting box to attract Eastern bluebirds.
Right: Deborah and David Holihan (left), of Liverpool, install a bird box near Harbor Brook.

The boxes offer bird species a better chance to survive and thrive, reducing declines in population and restoring species to places they once inhabited. When birds nest in the structures, they have the best likelihood of raising their young successfully.

Tom Hughes (right), Natural Resource Steward Biologist with New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, demonstrates how to construct bird boxes.
“We at New York State Parks are committed to conservation efforts within our communities,” said Hughes. “Constructing and installing bluebird nesting boxes is one way we can all work together to create or enhance habitat for New York’s official state bird.”

Left: Kathy Chapin (left), of East Syracuse, installs a nesting box with Onondaga Audubon volunteer Frank Moses (right) along the southwest shoreline of Onondaga Lake.
Right: Three-year-old Eleanor Sunkes, of East Syracuse, decorates a bird box held by Barbara Kamerance, of Central Square, before it is placed in the field.

During the event, Corps members tracked native birds on a birding walk along Onondaga Lake’s western and southwest shorelines, and cleaned out existing nesting boxes to prepare them for the next breeding season.

Ten-year-old Leah Jarrett (right), of Liverpool, inspects the contents of a nesting box previously installed along the western shoreline with her parents Cathy (center) and Rich Jarrett.

Left: Liam Adams (left), 13, and mom Heather Adams, of Cicero, track native birds along the western shoreline of Onondaga Lake.
Right: Steve Mooney (center), Managing Scientist at OBG, examines the restored habitat with participants Steven Knowles (right), of Camillus, and Tim Gordon (left).

As part of the Onondaga Lake cleanup, Honeywell has restored about 90 acres of wetlands, and about 1.1 million native plants are being planted. The restored wetlands have become home to nearly 260 wildlife species, including more than 120 unique bird species that have been identified in and around Onondaga Lake.

The Corps seeks to inspire future stewards of Onondaga Lake and its watershed through a hands-on, experience-based program that offers citizens and organizations the opportunity to participate in activities that help restore and sustain Onondaga Lake and its value as an Important Bird Area.

Since the formation of the Corps, over 30 events have brought together more than 800 volunteers who have become environmental stewards and Corps members. In recognition of their work, the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps was awarded a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2015 Environmental Champion Award.

The Corps was founded in 2012 by Honeywell in partnership with Montezuma Audubon Center and Onondaga Audubon and is now an Audubon New York program. Additional Corps supporters include Parsons, OBG, Anchor QEA, Bond Schoeneck & King, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and Wild Ones Habitat Gardening in CNY Chapter.

To learn more about the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps, visit http://ny.audubon.org/OLCC, www.facebook.com/onondagalakecc, or www.youtube.com/onondagalakecc.

View more photographs of the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps.

For more information on the Onondaga Lake cleanup, please visit www.lakecleanup.com.

Forty-five community volunteers participated in citizen science monitoring on May 5 by examining and recording plant and animal species found in Onondaga Lake’s restored wetlands. During the event, volunteers identified nearly 80 species, including 30 bird species. Notable species included bald eagle, sora, snowy egret, Northern shoveler, yellow perch, and muskrat.

The event was hosted by the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps in partnership with the Central New York Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America’s Young Naturalists Leadership Team. It offered community members the opportunity to observe firsthand Onondaga Lake’s most recent habitat improvements.

Left: 14-year-old Nolan Gryzlo, of Skaneateles, New York, monitors water quality with assistance from Young Naturalists Leadership Team member Saadiya Sheekh-Nuur.
Right: Mike Serviss, Young Naturalists Leadership Team member, identifies vegetation at Geddes Brook wetlands.

Volunteers worked with the Young Naturalists Leadership Team and habitat experts from Onondaga Audubon Society, OBG, and Parsons to explore and inventory the abundant plant and animal life found in restored wetlands at Geddes Brook and along Onondaga Lake’s southwest and western shorelines.

Left: Matt McDonough (left) and Jesse Carr, Parsons habitat experts, use a seine net to catch and identify fish.
Right: Candace Schermerhorn, Young Naturalists Leadership Team member, nets aquatic species at Geddes Brook wetlands.

“The Young Naturalists Leadership Team creates opportunities to connect the Central New York community to conservation, restoration, environmental education, and stewardship projects,” said Young Naturalists Leadership Team Project Coordinator Shannon Fabiani, pictured above, right, with Schermerhorn, helping 7-year-old Josh Gates (center) identify plant and animal species. “We are excited to work with the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps to inspire environmental stewards throughout our community.”

The observations are being compiled with data collected by wetland ecologists to understand conditions of recently restored areas in the watershed.

“Today’s event provided me the opportunity to look at the health of Onondaga Lake and the surrounding land,” said Stephanie Cross, of Manlius, New York, pictured above (center). “I’m thrilled to be here to see the progress and the types of fish species that are now being found in Onondaga Lake.”

On the shores of Onondaga Lake and along the lake’s tributaries, Honeywell has improved nearly 90 acres of wetlands, and is planting about 1.1 million plants, trees, and shrubs.

Since the formation of the Corps, 20 events have brought together more than 800 volunteers who have become environmental stewards and Corps members. In recognition of their work, the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps was awarded a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2015 Environmental Champion Award.

The Corps is an expanding organization of volunteers who are contributing to restoration projects that are creating or improving wildlife habitat in the Onondaga Lake watershed. It was created to inspire future stewards of Onondaga Lake through a hands-on, experience-based program that offers citizens and organizations the opportunity to participate in activities that help restore and sustain Onondaga Lake and its value as an Important Bird Area.

The Corps was founded in 2012 by Honeywell in partnership with Montezuma Audubon Center and Onondaga Audubon Society. Additional Corps supporters include Anchor QEA, Audubon New York, Bond Schoeneck & King, Habitat Gardening in Central New York, OBG, Parsons and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

To learn more about the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps, visit http://ny.audubon.org/OLCC, www.facebook.com/onondagalakecc or www.youtube.com/onondagalakecc. For more information on the Onondaga Lake cleanup, visit www.lakecleanup.com.

View more photographs of the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps.

Watch a video to learn about habitat restored as a part of the Onondaga Lake cleanup.

Onondaga Lake is well on its way to becoming a sustainable ecosystem for generations to come. Through thoughtful planning and input from local scientists, wetland ecologists, and the community, as well as government oversight, dynamic and diverse wetlands are becoming the cornerstone of a renewed watershed.

Access more information about the habitat enhancements.

Today, the water quality in Onondaga Lake is the best it’s been in more than 100 years. A green corridor now extends from the restored areas to the lake, providing a diverse home for wildlife.  More than 250 wildlife species, some that have not been seen in decades, are now calling these areas home, and more than 120 unique bird species have been identified in and around Onondaga Lake, a priority Audubon Important Bird Area. Bird species on New York State’s threatened list, including pied-billed grebe, northern harrier, and bald eagle, have returned to the re-established wetlands.

Monitoring and maintenance will continue for years to come to ensure vegetation is established and returning wildlife is documented. Monitoring also helps identify invasive species so they can be removed.

In addition to the cleanup, in April 2017, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced a plan for 20 new projects to restore and protect wildlife habitat and water quality, and increase recreational opportunities.

The Onondaga Lake Cleanup Plan was issued in 2005 by DEC and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The cleanup, which was completed in 2016, included dredging 2.2 million cubic yards of lake material and capping 475 acres of lake bottom. The cap, which consists of natural materials, provides a new, clean lake bottom and a new habitat layer to promote underwater vegetation growth and fish spawning.

For more information on the Onondaga Lake cleanup, visit www.lakecleanup.com.

View photographs of the Onondaga Lake cleanup.

Click here for a pdf of the Habitat Report.

Thirty-eight volunteers gathered along the future home of the Loop the Lake Trail extension on Saturday, June 3, to plant trees and native wetland plants, and participate in citizen science monitoring by tracking bird species. The volunteers are part of the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps, an expanding organization of community volunteers who are contributing to restoration projects that are creating or improving wildlife habitat in the Onondaga Lake watershed.

Left: First-time Corps volunteer Ali Fasano (left), of Liverpool, New York, learns about planting wetland species from Parsons Environmental Engineer Natalia Cagide-Elmer. Right: Alex and Angela Thor, of Syracuse, install wetland plants.

“Onondaga Lake is a priority for Onondaga County Parks. The work done by County Parks around Onondaga Lake, and elsewhere, would not be possible without committed volunteers,” said Onondaga County Parks Commissioner Bill Lansley. “We look forward to continuing the community’s vision of completing the Loop the Lake Trail and support the volunteerism the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps is promoting through these events.”

Left: Onondaga Audubon Board Member Paul Richardson helps Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps Advisory Board Member Carol Biesemeyer identify bird species using a scope. Right: First-time Corps volunteer Ellen DuPree, of Fayetteville, New York, installs wetland plants.

Enhancements to 18 acres of diverse wetlands along Onondaga Lake’s southwest shoreline are supplying aquatic and fish spawning habitat. The enhanced wetlands are attracting a wide array of birds and wildlife and playing a significant role in creating a healthy Onondaga Lake watershed and a sustainable ecosystem. More than 900 native plants and trees were installed along the shoreline on Saturday, including swamp white oak, cardinalflower, common rush, and speckled alder.

“This was my first time volunteering with the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps, and it was an incredible experience,” said Todd Sealy, of Syracuse, pictured above. “It was inspiring to see the variety of birds inhabiting the shoreline and to think that the plantings we planted will one day provide a habitat for wildlife. This is an amazing resource for the community, and I’m thankful to have a part in restoring it.”

Volunteers identified 29 bird species during the event. Notable species identified include Willow Flycatcher, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Common Tern, and Dunlin.

On the shores of Onondaga Lake and along the lake’s tributaries, Honeywell is improving a total of 87 acres of wetlands and planting about 1.1 million native plants, shrubs, and trees. To date, nearly 600,000 shrubs and trees have been planted. More than 70 acres of wetlands have been restored.

Since the formation of the Corps in summer 2012, 17 events have brought together more than 650 volunteers who have become environmental stewards and Corps members. In recognition of their work, the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps was awarded a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2015 Environmental Champion Award.

The Corps seeks to inspire future stewards of Onondaga Lake and its watershed through a hands-on, experience-based program that offers citizens and organizations the opportunity to participate in activities that help restore and sustain Onondaga Lake and its value as an Important Bird Area.

Partners of the Corps include Audubon New York, Montezuma Audubon Center, Onondaga Audubon Society, Parsons, OBG, Anchor QEA, Bond Schoeneck & King, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Habitat Gardening in Central New York, and Honeywell.

To learn more about the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps or participate in future activities, please contact montezuma@audubon.org, visit http://ny.audubon.org/OLCC or call 315-365-3588. Schools, community groups, local organizations, and individuals are welcome. Like the Corps on Facebook or visit YouTube to learn more.

For more information on the Onondaga Lake cleanup, please visit www.lakecleanup.com.

View more photographs of the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps.

Dear Community Member,

Onondaga Lake is a story of growth and renewal. Wildlife is returning to restored wetlands and Honeywell finished dredging in 2014. Capping and habitat enhancements will be completed in 2016.

The early completion was the result of focused execution of a carefully designed project plan by hundreds of scientists, engineers, and skilled craft laborers. Nearly 90 percent of the workers live in Central New York and about 80 percent of project materials were supplied by New York State businesses.

The hard work of creative, knowledgeable, and dedicated professionals and members of the Central New York academic community has been critical to the success of this project.

Thousands of Central New Yorkers have learned about the cleanup by touring the Onondaga Lake Visitors Center along the southwest shoreline. In addition, hundreds of volunteers have joined the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps, a partnership among Montezuma Audubon Center, Onondaga Audubon Society, Parsons, O’Brien & Gere, and Honeywell, and become environmental stewards protecting the Onondaga Lake watershed. We invite you to join us.

We are proud of the historical milestones we have achieved and hope you share our excitement as you read our sixth annual update. You can learn more by visiting our website at www.lakecleanup.com.

Sincerely,
John P. McAuliffe
Syracuse Program Director