New York State Parks Announces Bird Conservation Area Designation at Green Lakes State Park

ALBANY, NY (06/14/2011)(readMedia)-- New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Rose Harvey today designated 1000 acres within Green Lakes State Park as a Bird Conservation Area (BCA). BCAs are designed to protect birds and enhance bird habitats.

"New York State parks are exceptional places for our patrons to see and learn about a diverse species of birds in their native habitats," said Commissioner Harvey. "Creating this Bird Conservation Area at Green Lakes State Park will help conserve unique forest habitat and important grassland habitat, which is on the decline across the State, in a manner that is compatible with and enhances recreation at this popular and special state park."

"Audubon New York applauds Commissioner Harvey and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for this important BCA designation and for their strong commitment to this one of a kind conservation program," said Albert E. Caccese, Executive Director of Audubon New York, the state program of the National Audubon Society. "The designation of the Green Lakes BCA and the implementation of its management plan will go far in protecting those species of birds that prefer grassland habitat. What is especially unique about this designation is its location within the Syracuse metropolitan area and the great potential for not only birding but environmental education."

In addition, Harvey and Caccese recognized New York State Park Central Regional Commission member John Marsellus for his continued dedication to habitat conservation in Central New York, his support of stewardship initiatives for children and college students and his work to conserve the critical habitats at Green Lakes State Park. Marsellus will be honored on June 15th at the seventh annual Montezuma Audubon Center benefit at the Sherwood Inn in Skaneateles, N.Y

A significant portion of the BCA, which encompasses about half of Green Lakes State Park, will be maintained as grassland for regionally declining birds such as the Grasshopper Sparrow and the threatened Northern Harrier. The forest portion of the BCA is mostly within the watershed of the meromictic Round Lake and is important breeding habitat for birds of mature forest such as the Ovenbird and Wood Thrush.

New York State's Bird Conservation Area Program, modeled after the National Audubon Society's Important Bird Areas Program, was enacted in 1997. The program is designed to safeguard and enhance bird populations and their habitats on selected state-owned lands and waters. Bird Conservation Area proposals are reviewed by an advisory committee of state and private wildlife experts based upon the site's ability to support an exceptional abundance or diversity of birds. The focus of the BCA program is to provide a model stewardship program and to develop interpretive and educational programs for bird conservation.

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 178 state parks and 35 historic sites. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456 or visit www.nysparks.com, connect on Facebook, or follow on Twitter.

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