The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is requesting public input on a draft Unit Management Plan (UMP) for the Onondaga Unit. Located in Central New York, the Onondaga Unit includes Camillus Forest and Split Rock Unique areas, covering approximately 384 acres in Onondaga County. The UMP will update the previously published Camillus Forest Unique Area UMP, adding the 34-acre Split Rock Unique Area.

Camillus Forest Unique Area is located in the town of Camillus and currently has more than five miles of designated hiking trails that provide access to 40 acres of sugar maple and beech old forest. Split Rock Unique Area is located on the boundary of the towns of Camillus and Onondaga. This small area includes a steep limestone bank with a population of American Hart’s Tongue fern, a state and federally listed endangered plant monitored by DEC in collaboration with the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Unit Management plans assess the natural, physical, social, and recreational resources of the landscape and provide a solid foundation for the development of long-term land management goals, objectives, and actions. The public is encouraged to share ideas about the UMP development during the comment period, which runs from August 10 to October 10, 2017.

The public can share feedback on the plans by: 

• Attending an open house on Thursday, August 10, 2017 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at:
  Camillus Town Hall
  4600 West Genesee Street
  Syracuse, NY 13219

DEC Forestry staff will provide a brief presentation on the UMP process, background on the unit, and review the wildlife habitat and recreational improvements that have been successfully implemented over the last 10 years. After the presentation, DEC Forestry staff be available to meet and receive comments or ideas;

• Mailing written comments/ideas by October 10, 2017 for the draft UMP to:
  NYS DEC
  Division of Lands and Forests
  Attn: Onondaga UMP
  1285 Fisher Avenue
  Cortland, NY 13045
• Emailing comments/ideas by October 10, 2017 to UMP@dec.ny.gov; or
• Calling Senior Forester Matt Swayze at (607) 753-3095 ext. 220 to leave comments by October 10, 2017.

Additional information about Camillus Unique Area is available on DEC’s website at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/63131.html. The current Camillus Forest Unique Area Unit Management Plan is available at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/28312.html.