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Lake Trail Extension Could Have Major Negative Economic Impacts On CNY Lake Trail Extension Could Have Major Economic Impacts

If DEC goes through with the plan for the trail, it may disturb Bald Eagles.

By Luca Serio

While many people have already expressed concerns about the environmental impacts of the proposed trail, Independent Consultant Brian Carr says that the economic impacts have to be considered as well.

A lot of people wouldn’t think of Syracuse as hotbed for eco-tourism, but it is. And the trail itself, at a third of a mile long, essential does nothing for central New York.

Carr, who consults for local hotels, says that they see some of the greatest benefit as out of state tourists flock to see the roosting Bald Eagles as the southern tip of the lake.

As most people know, Hotels in Central New York have very very low occupancy from December until April. There’s just not new business in Syracuse, there’s just not things that are going on.

Carr says that he and his wife counted over 50 eagles one day he visited the lake last winter, but others have reported nearly one hundred on other days.

There is nothing like this in the entire northeastern united states, so to build a one third of a mile dead end trail at the expense of potentially not having these beautiful birds come back here year after year would be a travesty.

Alison Kocek, president of the Onondaga Audubon, says that the hype about the Bald Eagles doesn’t really come as a surprise.

Any American is generally excited to see a Bald Eagle, we’ve had people in the hundreds coming out to see the eagles on the lake this past winter from out of state, from different parts of our state, so it’s really exciting.

Kocek has also heard of some businesses in Destiny Mall that are directly benefitting from the eagles.

One of the restaurant bars there has view of the lake and you can see the eagles right from there. They’ve actually told me that people come into their restaurant just to see the eagles so they’re benefitting from this happening.

I’m standing here outside of the OnCenter, where community leaders and elected officials are currently expressing concerns about a new walking trail on Murphy’s Island. They say that any disruption fo the bald eagle habitat would be very detrimental to the Winter Time economy of Central New York, which otherwise goes mostly dormant. The window for making public comment ends tomorrow at 5.

By Luca Serio, SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Alison Kocek, president of the Onondaga Audubon Society, and graduate student at SUNY-ESF says that not long ago, there weren’t any bald eagles that roosted at the southern tip of Onondaga Lake in the Winter. However, thanks to the efforts to clean up the lake, eagles now congregate on Murphy’s Island, right next to Destiny Mall.

“They’re still endangered in New York State, so getting top see 100 birds in one spot is just an amazing sight,” Kocek said.

A noted birder, Kocek that the national symbol attracts a large audience to Central New York.

“Any American is generally excited to see a Bald Eagle,” Kocek said. “We’ve had people in the hundreds coming out to see the eagles on the lake this past winter from out of state, from different parts of our state, so it’s really exciting.”

Recently, however, Onondaga County officials have been pushing to finalize their plans for a one-third of a mile walking path along the lake that would cross under the area where the eagles roost. Construction of the trail would require trees to be cut down, and the additional human activity has many environmental groups speculating about the future of the eagles.

While the environmental impact of losing a predator like the bald eagle would be extremely detrimental to the ecosystem of the lake, many people are worried about the economic impact this trail could have on the area as well. Brian Carr, an Independent Consultant, and local business owner, understands how difficult the winter is on the tourism industry in Syracuse.

“Hotels in Central New York have very, very low occupancy from December until April,” Carr said. “There’s just not new business in Syracuse, there’s just not things that are going on. ”

He said that all of those hotel guests who come to see the eagles spend money locally that support businesses in the area.

“It’s the room occupancy tax that goes to Onondaga County, the purchase of gasoline, visits to restaurants and stores, it’s all a benefit to our local economy, and the bald eagles have a big impact on that,” Carr said.

The eagles roost on Murphy’s Island because the water pumped back into the lake by the waste treatment plant keeps that section of the lake unfrozen in the winter which allows for the birds to hunt. All of these conditions are part of what makes having the eagles on Onondaga lake so unique.

“There is nothing like this in the entire northeastern United States,” Carr said. “So to build one-third of a mile dead-end trail at the expense of potentially not having these beautiful birds come back here year after year would be a travesty.”

Both Carr and Kocek made statements to the Department of Environmental Conversation at a public hearing at the OnCenter on Wednesday night. The DEC has extended the window for public input until Thursday at 5 p.m.

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