A good start on Zoar Valley management plan

by Karen Blake

     There was a good turnout Tuesday evening as the DEC (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation) came to Gowanda to seek input from people interested in the future of Zoar Valley for inclusion into a draft management plan for the 29,000-acre, state-owned, multi-use area.

     At least 150 area residents, adjacent property owners Cattaraugus County, village and town officials, representatives of environmental, sportsmen, and recreational groups and others had the opportunity to voice their opinions on public access, safety, recreation, and land management for the Zoar Valley multiple-use area. The eventual finished plan will be a guide for the DEC for use and management of the Zoar Valley lands for future years.

     DEC Region 9 Chief Forester Wayne Cooper gave a brief history of the Zoar Valley area, explaining the state multi-use land was started by a gift of thousands of acres donated by the Herbert Darling family in the late I 960s. Other land was acquired through the state 1960 Recreation Bond Act.

     A description in a Cattaraugus County Watershed Proposal describes the area as "a deep, seven-mile pristine section of Cattaraugus Creek that flows through Zoar Valley, with 300-year-oId trees, bald eagles, spectacular views, informal trails, white-water rafting, canoeing, kayaking and diverse wildlife including robust fish populations."

     The 29,000 acres of the DEC's multiple-use area includes state lands, some formerly farmland, in the towns of Persia and Otto in Cattaraugus County and the Town of Collins in Erie County including a five-mile segment of Cattaraugus Creek and a two-mile segment of the south branch of Cattaraugus Creek. The DEC regulations for this area will also be updated as a part of the new management plan.

     Participants in this "scoping session" divided into four focus groups with DEC representatives listing the ideas, suggestions, concerns and comments that were shared with everyone at the end of the meeting.

     Preservation and protection of an area of large trees in the Zoar Valley gorge referred to as "old-growth forest" was of major concern to most of the participants in the focus groups. The popular consensus was to designate at least that "unique area of old-growth forest as "Forever Wild," with no management, cutting of trees, etc. A "buffer" protection zone 300 feet along the gorge where no logging, gravel mining, motorized access would be allowed was suggested. One participant stated "we should have one spot where we don't need to control," letting nature do its own management.

     There was much discussion of how to allow public use of the gorge and the upland areas for hiking, fishing, hunting and other recreational uses without harming the ecosystems. Concern was also expressed that increasing public use of Zoar Valley would ruin the quality of the "wilderness," destroying what they came to experience. The need to preserve the area's biodiversity in the other habitats in the area - ponds, meadows, swamp - maintaining open space by mowing, etc. was also noted. If these areas are not managed, they will all revert to trees.

     Allowing ATVs, dirt bikes and snowmobiles on existing logging trails was suggested. A long-time area property owner told of problems with motorcycles back in the '60s when the Valentine Flats area was heavily used by "hippies." He said land would erode and not be able to withstand wheeled traffic.

     It was suggested the multi-use land could be expanded all the way into the Springville area through more land acquisition by purchasing, land donations, easements, etc. Other ideas were connecting the area to "trail" networks and having guided "nature" interpretive walks, horseback riding trails, and cross-country skiing. People expressed the need for better signage: Kiosks with maps and posting rules and regulations; signs indicating boundaries of the state lands so people would know if they were venturing onto private property, signs indicating hunting season.

     Regarding public access, suggestions were: The need for a better road, and improved trail into Valentine Flats; leaving the access as is; replacing the Forty bridge; porta-johns; more "put-in/take-out points" for rafting, canoeing, fishing; allowing camping by permit to organized groups like the Boy Scouts. As to what to do about the occasional nudity observed over the years, a suggestion was made to perhaps designate an area as "clothing optional." Safety issues were of concern particularly if there is more public use of the area, increasing the burden on local emergency responders for rescues, etc. Suggestions were to have state help with training, equipment, money, etc.; the need for better emergency access; charging the persons rescued; prohibiting alcohol, drugs, glass, fires, guns (except for hunting season); having a "pack-in/pack-out" policy for trash; and liability protection for adjacent landowners.

     The DEC will compile all the suggestions and comments from this and another scoping session in Cheektowaga and will put the results on their web site under Zoar - Unit Management Plans. They hope to have a Draft Zoar Valley Management Plan ready next spring (2004), when new public meetings will be scheduled for comments on the plan. Copies will be available in local libraries and town halls.

     The DEC welcomes any further written comments until Dec. 1, to be sent to: Wayne Cooper, Regional Forester, NYSDEC, 182 E. Union, Suite 3, Allegany, NY 14706.