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A Syracuse High School Student Advocates For Local Bald Eagles A Syracuse High School Student Advocates For The Local Eagles

Public hearing on Onondaga Lake trail extenstion set for Wednesday night.

By Darianny Abreu

Intro: As bald eagles continue to flock towards Murphy’s Island,
Ryan Dunn, A local high school student who started an environmentally conscious club at his school says he is worried that a proposed county project to build a path through the eagle’s habitat will harm them.

SOT: Ryan Dunn
“When I heard of what was happening I thought, I have to get involved in this. The trail doesn’t have to go through the eagle’s habitat and risk possibly hurting this magnificent species that just got off the endangered list.”

Intro: Dunn says bringing awareness to this issue is important to him because for a while he didn’t even know the eagles were there.

SOT: Ryan Dunn
“The crazy thing is, I didn’t even know about it. I’m interested in the environment and I didn’t know there were eagles right by destiny. It’s kind of insane to imagine that.”

Intro: Toxic chemicals found at Murphy’s island are also a concern.

SOT: Ryan Dunn
“One of our biggest concerns is that Murphy’s Island is a toxic waste sight and that the county is not planning on telling the people that. They’re only plan is to put up a sign that says sensitive area.”

Intro: The County has proposed closing the trail from December to March but Diana Green a facilitator for The Friends of The Onondaga Lake Bald Eagles organization says this wouldn’t stop people from walking on to the site.

SOT: Diana Green
“When you also build a trail and people get use to going on it. They will go on it even when closed. And they are not really securing that island from trespassers. They haven’t really attempted to do that at any point and time.”

Outro: The D-E-C has scheduled a public hearing next Wednesday at the OnCenter.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Ryan Dunn was not expecting to become an advocate for bald eagles when he started homeschooling back in August. But when he discovered the eagles flying over Onondaga Lake, near Destiny USA, he got inspired to protect them.

Dunn became the social media manager for a local environmental organization in Syracuse that is spearheading the conversation about the local eagle habitat. After hearing about the Onondaga County’s new proposal for a trail in Murphy’s Island, the small parcel of land closest to Destiny USA, Dunn jumped into action and created a list of online posts for the Friends of the Onondaga Lake Bald Eagles organization.

That organization and other environmentalists have raised enough concerns about the county’s plan to complete the trail loop all around Onondaga Lake that the state Department of Environmental Conservation will hold an open forum Wednesday to hear residents’ concerns.  

The county’s plans include  preserving the trees there and closing the trail from December to March  when the bald eagles roost there.  

 

Woman standing in front of fence by the creek.
Diana Green, the facilitator for the Friends of The Bald Eagles, says the eagles nest beyond this point.
© 2019 Darianny Abreu

Diana Green, a facilitator for the Friends of The Onondaga Lake Bald Eagles organization, said the  project also comes at a high cost.

“They’re planning on cutting down trees to clear the path and that will infringe on the eagle roost,” Green started, “And will cost nearly $1,000-a-foot with taxpayer funds.”

County officials say the cost has only risen due to the more efficient and environmentally-friendly  plans for the trail.

Dunn is not sure if the goals of the county are viable, but said he is simply trying to offer a different perspective on the route, he said.

“When I heard of what was happening I thought, I have to get involved in this,” Dunn said. “The trail doesn’t have to go through the eagle’s habitat and risk possibly hurting this magnificent species that just got off the endangered list.”

And to spark the conversation among  county residents , Dunn took to social media to advocated for the eagles, who’ve recently returned to the area.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation extended the comment period for the project and will hold a public hearing Wednesday night at 6 p.m. at the OnCenter to hear  concerns.

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