Native Plants, Birds, and Fish Return as Visible Progress Continues
Fifty volunteers gathered at Nine Mile Creek on Saturday, October 19, to plant shrubs and trees, and track native birds. They 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.
Volunteers plant native species along Nine Mile Creek near the canoe and kayak launch, which is scheduled to reopen in 2014.
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Nine Mile Creek is becoming part of a green corridor connecting habitat from Onondaga Lake to the Geddes Brook wetlands. To date, nearly 10 of 30 acres of Nine Mile Creek have been restored.
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“This is my second time volunteering for the Corps and today I brought my son with me,” said David Amidon, Corps member, science teacher in the LaFayette Central School District, and an alumnus of Honeywell Educators @ Space Academy. “We just planted a red oak that he named. I want him to be able to come back for years and say, ‘I planted that!’”
The work at Nine Mile Creek will transform 30 acres into improved wetlands, a healthier creek, improved habitat for wildlife, enhanced stream conditions for fish spawning and migration, and access for canoeing and kayaking.
On the shores of Onondaga Lake and along the lake’s tributaries, Honeywell will be improving a total of 50 acres of wetlands and planting about 1.1 million plants, shrubs, and trees. To date, about 200,000 shrubs and trees have been planted. Thirty-one acres of wetlands have been restored.
“Participants learned from experts about restoration progress to date, including the growth of native plants, trees, and shrubs that were planted by other volunteers over the past year,” said Heather Philip, senior scientist at Parsons (left).
Parsons engineering experts from the Nine Mile Creek and Geddes Brook wetland design and construction team answered questions and assisted Corps members during Saturday’s event. Several brought family members to volunteer.
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More than 50 species of fish, birds, and mammals have already returned to the restored wetlands and nearby areas, including the Great Blue Heron (left) and soldier beetle (right).
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Conservation Corps members track native birds on a birding walk along Nine Mile Creek. 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 Conservation Corps in summer 2012, seven events have brought together hundreds of volunteers who have become environmental stewards and Corps members. Founding members of the Corps include Montezuma Audubon Center, Onondaga Audubon Society, Parsons, O’Brien & Gere, and Honeywell.
To learn more about the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps or participate in future activities, please contact montezuma@audubon.org or call 315-365-3588. For more information on the Onondaga Lake cleanup, please visit www.lakecleanup.com.
For more photographs of the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps, click here.