Fostering Stewardship to Help Protect Lake Restoration, Goal of Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps
Twenty-seven community volunteers gathered at the Onondaga Lake Visitors Center on Saturday, March 23, to attend an Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps event focused on sharing knowledge and tools to help preserve the watershed. Habitat experts from Montezuma Audubon Center, O’Brien & Gere, and Anchor QEA provided information that will enable the volunteers to become better environmental stewards. By learning from the experts and touring the Visitors Center, the stewards discovered the intricate connections between habitat improvements and the protection of birds and wildlife.
“Camp Green Teen is excited to be involved with the Corps so we can learn about the history of the area, how the lake is being cleaned up, and how we can help. We like being part of the improvement and helping to foster young environmental stewards,” said Christina Mills, program director, Camp Green Teen.
“Of all the resources invested in the restoration of Onondaga Lake, fostering stewardship to protect that investment is one of the most important. Through the Corps volunteer opportunities, we’re providing a sense of accomplishment for our youth, families, and community while achieving conservation results,” said Frank Moses, director of Montezuma Audubon Center.
Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps was founded with the goal of inspiring 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 the Onondaga Lake watershed and its value as an Important Bird Area.
“In the past we were waiting for a time when the lake was going to be restored; I hope you leave here today convinced that the time is now. We are reclaiming our lake by working to rebuild our relationship with the land,” said Tony Eallonardo, Ph.D., scientist at O’Brien & Gere.
“Creating and restoring habitat for the species of Onondaga Lake is critical for their recovery. The Corps volunteers are helping to create those habitats with the plantings that they have done and will do in the future,” said Ryan Davis, Ph.D., senior managing scientist at Anchor QEA.
Since the formation of the Conservation Corps in summer 2012, events have brought together hundreds of volunteers who have become environmental stewards and Corps members.
“The response and feedback from the previous events at Geddes Brook and Nine Mile Creek have been very positive, and we are proud to be one of the founding members of the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps,” said Tim Johnson, senior project manager at Parsons.
Conservation Corps activities this year will include plantings at Upper Harbor Brook and Nine Mile and Onondaga Creeks, as well as building habitat structures for attracting animals and birds. Schools, community groups, local organizations, and individuals are welcome.
Organizations providing volunteers and staff at Saturday’s event: Onondaga Audubon Society, Montezuma Audubon Center, Parsons, O’Brien & Gere, Anchor QEA, Honeywell, Habitat Gardening Club of Central New York, Camp Green Teen, Long Branch Elementary School, Westhill High School, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Alumni, Syracuse University, and Camillus Middle School.
To learn more about the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps or participate in future activities, please contact Frank Moses at montezuma@audubon.org or call 315-365-3588.
For more information on the Onondaga Lake cleanup, please visit www.lakecleanup.com.