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.

Central New York community members enjoyed enhanced wetland areas and wildlife as they explored Nine Mile Creek and near-shore areas of Onondaga Lake in canoes and kayaks on Saturday, August 11. Nine Mile Creek is a thriving ecosystem and part of a green corridor connecting Onondaga Lake to upland areas as a result of Honeywell’s remediation and restoration work.

Left: Participants paddle from the public Nine Mile Creek canoe and kayak launch off of Pumphouse Road in Geddes to Onondaga Lake.
Right: Taylor (front) and Pamela Jones, of Baldwinsville, paddle down Nine Mile Creek.

The event was hosted by the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps. During the paddle, participants became citizen scientists as they learned about the enhanced wetlands at Nine Mile Creek and Onondaga Lake and how they are supporting the Onondaga Lake watershed and its value as an Important Bird Area. Habitat experts from Montezuma Audubon Center, Onondaga Audubon Society, Parsons, and Honeywell shared their expertise and discussed the enhancements made to Nine Mile Creek.

“The paddle was an amazing opportunity to see how much work has been done and learn why specific species were planted,” said participant John Scott, pictured above. “Seeing the habitat growth in the restored areas and the wildlife that has returned was incredible.”

The restoration of Nine Mile Creek included restoring forested wetlands, enhancing stream conditions for fish spawning and migration, and improving habitat along the creek. Thirty acres have been transformed into diverse new habitat, a healthier creek, and improved access for recreation. Nine Mile Creek is now home to more than 145 fish and wildlife species, including beaver, muskrat, white-tailed deer, bald eagle, and northern pike. The area is playing a significant role in creating a healthy Onondaga Lake watershed and a sustainable ecosystem.

The creek is open to the public for fishing, kayaking, and canoeing.

Watch a video to learn about the restored Nine Mile Creek.

Left: Along the course, participants identified 26 bird species, including great blue heron (pictured above), osprey, indigo bunting, green heron, belted kingfisher, and common yellowthroat.
Right: Jill and Marena Russo, of Baldwinsville, paddle in kayaks.

“As Onondaga Lake’s recovery continues, the community is enthusiastic about opportunities to use the lake,” said Honeywell Syracuse Program Director John McAuliffe. “The restoration work completed at Nine Mile Creek and along the shores of Onondaga Lake is providing increased recreational opportunities and lake access for the Central New York community.”

Nine Mile Creek is one of the primary tributaries of Onondaga Lake, flowing north and east through Camillus and entering Onondaga Lake as it passes under the Onondaga County West Shore Trail extension. The remediation of Nine Mile Creek was performed under the oversight of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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.

View a Nine Mile Creek wetlands plant list.

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 the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Since the formation of the Corps, 21 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.

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.

Nearly 400 Central New Yorkers viewed images of birds and other wildlife at the “Nature’s Resurgence at Onondaga Lake” photography exhibit March 24-25. The images taken by local photographers show the diverse range of species that have returned to recently restored and enhanced areas along the Onondaga Lake shoreline. The Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps hosted the exhibit in partnership with Audubon New York and Honeywell.

Left: “Happy Warbler” by John DeNicola.
Right: “Bon Appétit” by John Savage.

“Onondaga Lake is a story of conservation success that the entire community can be proud of,” said Chris Lajewski, center director, Montezuma Audubon Center. “Thanks to the hard work and commitment to conservation by Honeywell, Onondaga County, the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps, and hundreds of community volunteers, Onondaga Lake continues to thrive as an Important Bird Area that is home to songbirds, waterfowl, and birds of prey throughout the year. We are proud to showcase these amazing images that were captured by dedicated nature photographers who help us tell the story of nature’s resurgence at Onondaga Lake.”

Onondaga Lake became a priority Audubon Important Bird Area (IBA) in 1998 and was subsequently adopted by Honeywell, Montezuma Audubon Center, and Onondaga Audubon Society because of its value to waterfowl and bald eagles during the winter months. The IBA program is a bird conservation initiative that connects local communities to environmental stewardship and helps to improve the quality of habitat for birds and other wildlife.

This year’s exhibit featured seven local photographers pictured left to right (front row): Cheryl Lloyd, Michele Neligan, and Phillip Bonn; (back row): Greg Craybas, Diana Whiting, and John DeNicola. Not pictured: John Savage.

View photographs that were on display at the exhibit.

“Onondaga Lake has become a destination for humans and wildlife alike. The trail system has brought the people and the wetland restoration has brought the wildlife,” said John Savage, a local photographer who exhibited at the event. “It is amazing to see our national bird, the bald eagle, soaring in the skies and perching in the trees along the lakeshore. It’s a balance of man and nature that should be both celebrated and guarded.”

Left: “Hooded Merganser” by Greg Craybas.
Right: “Taking Flight” by Diana Whiting.

Visitors met the photographers who captured the images and had an opportunity to look for birds in their natural habitat with experts from the Montezuma Audubon Center and Onondaga Audubon Society.

Left: Barbara Johnson (right), of DeWitt, New York, learns about improvements at Onondaga Lake and nearby tributaries that are providing restored habitat for wildlife from Anne Burnham, a habitat expert from Parsons.
Right: Michele Neligan, a former Onondaga Audubon board member and a photographer exhibiting at the event, helps 10-year-old Ethan Jackson, of Elbridge, New York, use a scope to identify a red-breasted merganser.

Over the course of the two-day event, 20 bird species were spotted including pied-billed grebe and bald eagle.

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 more than 250 wildlife species. More than 120 unique bird species have been identified in and around Onondaga Lake, including several species categorized as threatened or of special interest in New York State.

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 780 community members have participated in Corps events.

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.

Ringler is an avid fisherman in his free time and is pictured above holding a largemouth bass caught in Onondaga Lake. He has studied the Onondaga Lake fishery for more than 30 years and is vice provost at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF).

Ringler discussed improvements at Onondaga Lake and nearby tributaries that are providing restored habitat for fish, birds, invertebrates, and plants, and how research and monitoring will continue to guide improvements to the ecosystem. According to SUNY-ESF, up to 64 species of fish have been recorded in Onondaga Lake, including brown trout, lake sturgeon, and Atlantic salmon.

Left: SUNY-ESF undergraduate research assistant Madison Searles holds a lake sturgeon caught in Onondaga Lake during a SUNY-ESF study in 2016.
Right: A brown trout caught in Onondaga Lake during a SUNY-ESF study in 2017.

Q&A with Dr. Neil Ringler

During the time that you have studied Onondaga Lake, what have you seen happen to the fish population?

SUNY-ESF began studies of Onondaga Lake in 1986. Over the past 30-plus years, we have caught 64 species of fish and typically about 40 species in a given field season. The fish population is very diverse. Over the years it has shifted from a large number of plankton-eating fish, such as gizzard shad, to fish- and aquatic insect-eating species, such as walleye, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass. This has led to increased public interest in fishing in the lake.

A tiger muskie caught in Onondaga Lake by Anne Burnham as part of her SUNY-ESF research in 2013.

We catch a large number (35 in 2013) of lake sturgeon; the largest we’ve identified measured 71 inches. We also find large brown trout (up to 25 inches) living in the lake about 10 months of the year. SUNY-ESF and Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery have stocked juvenile Atlantic salmon in Nine Mile Creek for the past five years; a few that were caught had grown to nearly 22 inches.

Can you describe SUNY-ESF’s fish program?

Each summer, graduate students conduct a survey of fish species in Onondaga Lake. About 35 graduate students have created thesis projects, and 20 students have collected data. Several graduates are now working on Onondaga Lake’s restoration.

Additionally, about 100 undergraduates have participated aboard our electro-shocker boat or on another research boat. We have recently begun studying the response of fish to newly installed habitat structures, a key component of Honeywell’s lake bottom restoration efforts.

Sixty-two porcupine cribs have been installed in Onondaga Lake. A porcupine crib is a fish habitat structure that provides shelter and feeding opportunities for small fish.

One major finding of the program is the expansion of underwater vegetation from only five species in the 1980s to at least 23 species today.

More than 80 percent of near-shore areas are covered by plants, compared to about 5 percent in 1986. We see a larger population of invertebrates, such as damselflies, in these areas. We expect invertebrate numbers and diversity to increase as a result of the lake cleanup and new lake bottom.

Atlantic salmon are now seen in the lake. What does that say about the lake’s health, and are there other species that have returned that you are surprised to see?

This is a result of the improvement in Onondaga Lake’s water quality. Atlantic salmon were historically the only native salmon species found in Onondaga Lake; their return represents a great accomplishment made possible by the many enhancements made to the ecosystem.

Several bird species utilizing newly restored wetlands along Onondaga Lake’s western shoreline.

Honeywell has created or restored nearly 90 acres of wetlands in the lake and nearby tributaries. How do these improved habitat conditions help support a healthy fishery? 

In addition to contributing to improved water quality, wetlands provide valuable feeding and spawning habitat for a variety of species. We are envisioning that the restored wetlands will assist with the continued recovery of northern pike, which are present in the lake in large sizes already.

The Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps has been involved in restoring some of the wetlands by building bird boxes and participating in other conservation efforts. What can the community do to continue to support the lake improvements? 

The most important thing is for the community to go out there and enjoy the lake – sail, fish, hike, bird watch, and chase butterflies. There are few examples nationwide of a major city adjacent to a marvelous waterbody like Onondaga Lake, and it represents literally thousands of years of vital human history of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

The cooperation among SUNY-ESF faculty, students, the Syracuse community, and Honeywell has been a phenomenal success story. We were happy that early studies at SUNY-ESF helped to guide some of the shoreline restoration plans. The sophistication of the dredging and capping program is a textbook case study in tackling a difficult, centuries-long problem. The current lake monitoring work is important to help ensure that the recovery is documented in a fashion that will be useful to solving future comparable environmental problems worldwide.

About the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps

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, 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 volunteers enhanced the Onondaga Creekwalk in downtown Syracuse Saturday, October 19, by planting native species and participating 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.

Left: Alex Thor, of Syracuse, plants native species near the Onondaga Creekwalk. Right: Julie Kunnumpurath and Philip Guinto, members of the Binghamton University chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a national coeducational service organization, identify bird species.

Approximately 600 pollinator-friendly native plant species were installed on Saturday, including wild bergamot, purple coneflower, and false sunflower. The species are expected to produce beautiful flowers during the summer months and will provide erosion control.

“The mission of the Corps is to enhance the Onondaga Lake watershed. Now we are moving outward from the lake and into the watershed with our projects,” said OBG Managing Scientist Steve Mooney, pictured above, teaching a volunteer about the importance of loosening plant roots before replanting. “Onondaga Creek is one of two major tributaries to Onondaga Lake influencing water quality of the lake. The volunteers helped remove less desirable vegetation and planted native pollinator species. They also got to see some of the wildlife that inhabits the creek.”

The Creekwalk, a 2.6-mile multi-use trail that connects downtown Syracuse to the southern shore of Onondaga Lake, offers opportunities for Central New Yorkers to enjoy recreational activities and fishing along the shoreline. The Onondaga Creekwalk will eventually connect to the Onondaga Lake Loop the Lake Trail; the Erie Canalway Trail, which is expected to connect canal communities from Albany to Buffalo; and the future Empire State Trail, a 750-mile hiking and biking trail from Buffalo to Albany and from New York City to Canada.

“The event was a great opportunity to get the community to a highly visible urban area in the Onondaga Lake watershed,” said Adellia Baker, a student at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), pictured above. “Students at SUNY-ESF prepared this site by pulling invasive species, and then volunteers planted native plants. The species that we planted will attract bees, butterflies, and songbirds, and beautify the area.”

In addition to planting pollinator species, volunteers removed litter as a part of Onondaga County’s Block Litter Program and participated in citizen science monitoring, identifying 15 bird species. Notable species identified include Field Sparrow, Fish Crow, and White-throated Sparrow.

Since the formation of the Corps in summer 2012, 19 events have brought together more than 780 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 Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps.