Onondaga Lake restoration projects fulfill decades of dreaming (Your letters)

To the Editor:

As residents of central New York for a combined 70+ years and scientists who have studied Onondaga Lake and portions of its watershed during much of that time, we are enthusiastic about the 20 projects listed in the Draft Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan ("How to restore Onondaga Lake? Fishing spots, wetlands, trails proposed," April 24, 2017). These projects are what many of us working on the lake have dreamed of for decades. Besides the numerous projects to greatly improve visitor access for recreational opportunities, other projects will really enhance the conservation value of existing wetlands and uplands that have been degraded by invasive species. Additionally, large tracts of native grasslands and other significant natural communities of native plants and animals will be created.

As good as the recreational opportunities have been for years on the lake, these proposed projects will make it the premier destination for anglers, hikers, bikers, rowers, sailors and others in the Northeast and beyond, and a perfect complement to Syracuse and the Erie Canal System. Educational opportunities for students at all levels, already remarkable in Central New York, will be increased by a magnitude or more.

These projects will benefit the largest number of people ever in the history of Onondaga Lake. Looking forward, it would be counter-productive to focus on what might have been here for the past centuries. Rather we should celebrate what these projects mean now for the lake's future. With children born and raised here and now with grandchildren, we are especially excited about the future of the lake, and reconnecting it to many generations ahead.

Onondaga Lake is indeed back. It's time for everyone in Central New York to return as well. These proposed projects, upon completion, will make that happen.

Neil H. Ringler, Ph.D.
Vice Provost and Executive Director, Onondaga Lake Science Center,
Distinguished Teaching Professor
Department of Environmental and Forest Biology
SUNY-ESF
Syracuse

Donald J. Leopold, Ph.D.
Distinguished Teaching Professor and Chair,
Department of Environmental and Forest Biology
SUNY-ESF
Syracuse

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