Sunset Paddle to be held on Onondaga Lake and Nine Mile Creek
The Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps will lead a paddle Wednesday, August 12 from 6 PM – 8 PM down the recently restored Nine Mile Creek, a key Onondaga Lake tributary. During the sunset paddle, participants will explore Nine Mile Creek and Onondaga Lake where shorebirds, marsh birds, songbirds, and raptors rest during their long and impressive journey. The autumn bird migration has begun and the Onondaga Lake watershed is an important stopover area for millions of migratory birds.
Experts from the Montezuma Audubon Center and Onondaga Audubon will discuss how enhanced wetlands at Nine Mile Creek, Geddes Brook, and Onondaga Lake are supporting the Onondaga Lake watershed and its value as an Important Bird Area. The event is sponsored by Honeywell, Ramboll, and Parsons.
The paddle will begin from Pumphouse Road in Geddes and continue to Onondaga Lake. A limited number of canoes and kayaks are available and will be reserved in advance on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants may also use their own non-motorized personal watercrafts. Paddleboarders are welcome.
There is a fee of $15 per person without a boat rental, $25 for a solo kayak rental, and $40 for a tandem canoe rental. Click here to register.
Nine Mile Creek is open to the public for fishing, kayaking, and canoeing. It is part of a green corridor connecting Onondaga Lake to upland areas as a result of Honeywell’s remediation and restoration work.
The work included restoring forested wetlands, enhancing stream conditions for fish spawning and migration, and improving habitat along the creek. Thirty acres have been transformed into diverse new habitat, a healthier creek, and improved access for recreation. More than 150 fish, birds, and other wildlife species have returned to Nine Mile Creek restored wetlands and nearby areas. The area is playing a significant role in creating a healthy Onondaga Lake watershed and a sustainable ecosystem.
The Corps is an expanding organization of community volunteers who are contributing to restoration projects that are creating or improving wildlife habitat in the Onondaga Lake watershed. The organization was founded in 2012 by Honeywell in partnership with Montezuma Audubon Center and Onondaga Audubon and is now an Audubon New York program. Additional Corps supporters include Parsons, Ramboll, Anchor QEA, Bond Schoeneck & King, Applied Ecological Services, Koester Associates, Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, and the Central New York Community Foundation.
To learn more about the Onondaga Lake Conservation Corps or participate in future activities, please contact [email protected], visit http://ny.audubon.org/OLCC, or call 315-365-3588. Schools, community groups, local organizations, and individuals are welcome. Like the Corps on Facebook or Instagram, or visit YouTube to learn more.
