Miguel Berrios of Land Beyond the Sea in Ithaca, New York, is currently at work doing an inventory of street trees and trees in city parks, funded by an Urban Forestry Grant from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Last week, Berrios toured the wooded area around Oakdale Lake, and Hilary Hillman of the Conservation Advisory Council made this report on the visit.
[Last] Tuesday, Arborist Miguel Berrios got a tour of the Hudson Oakland Lake woodland trail system. Youth Director Liz Yorck and Youth Program coordinator Vanessa Baehr talked with Berrios about the tree canopy, the understory, and invasive species.… He and Baehr discussed methods of eliminating invasive species. They were also able to identify trees that could be potentially dangerous as well as non-native ones that are causing more desirable native trees to not thrive.
Berrios is also a Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Certified Technical Service Provider for Habitat Planning. Baehr who is very knowledgeable about all-things flora, Oakdale, and the history of the site, and Yorck, who is newer to this part of the county and to Oakdale, were able to augment their knowledge and confirm restoration concepts with Berrios. Yorck and Baehr are shaping a plan to eliminate invasives and create new outdoor education spaces and [are] designing trails that will lead to micro-environments within the site.
Thanks to Yorck, Baehr, Hudson DPW, and volunteers, a great deal of work was done on the trails and in the woods this summer. Much debris and overgrowth has been cleared out, and trees brought down by storms have been removed. On this trip, we were able to get all the litter in one grocery bag. I highly recommend a visit to Oakdale Lake trails. Stay tuned for future volunteer days at Oakdale to help with invasive weed removal and wildflower meadow plantings this fall.
When Berrios returns with his full presentation of his findings and management plan recommendations, we hope that the youth, the future stewards of Oakdale Lake Park, will be able to attend.
This is some progress, let's hope it doesn't peter out like other "Oakdale improvement" efforts have in the past. A caution to anyone considering a walk along the trail around the lake: there is still a 60 foot or so section in the back that is FULL of tree roots on angled ground and it is not recommended for all. It is dangerous, especially when wet. To say we have a trail for all around the lake is misleading. Removing the roots from the trail and making it level should be at the top of the list of things to improve at the park. It won't be easy or cheap but it's got to happen if we want to make Oakdale and the trail open to all and a place to be truly proud of. No one should have to worry about falling on their face when walking on a trail in an urban wooded park. A wealthier community would have dealt with this by now. How will Hudson? B Huston
ReplyDeleteHmmm, so when walking in the woods, one should expect their to be no tree roots? If they remove the roots, don't you think the trees attached to said roots might die? And maybe some fans should be added back there to keep the outdoors dry when it rains.
DeleteDid I say there should be no roots at all? No. Have you walked around the lake, MS? Have you seen how bad it is in the back for such a long distance? If you haven't, perhaps you ought to before you make conclusions about whats really going on. If you have, would you recommend anyone over the age of 60 to walk the entire "trail?" During or just after a rain or when the trail is covered in snow or slush? B Huston
DeleteActually I have walked around it very recently, when it was wet. Yes, I would recommend people over 60 walk the trail. I would recommend anyone walk it that is comfortable walking on trails. Yes in the snow or slush. Do you think people over 60 can't walk or hike? Should they pave it and shovel it?
ReplyDeleteThe former director of the Youth Dept, which is responsible for maintaining the park, wanted to cut another trail away from the rooted portion of the trail because he saw it for what it was: dangerous and not worthy of a public park. My guess is that the current director feels the same way.
DeleteYour sarcasm and hyperbole speak volumes, oh anonymous one.
B Huston