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Home My WebLink AboutUnique Natural Area Map-101.pdf- '-- TOWN OF ITHACA CITY OF ITHACA Cayuga Lake . • own UNA-IOI Newman Tract Tompkins County Environmental Management Council Inventory of Unique Natural Areas in Tompkins County Last Updated: September 1999 UNA boundaries were delineated by field biologists based on a review of air photographs, digital GIS base map data (roads, building footprints, 20 foot contours and streams) and field visits. UNA boundaries are approximate and should be used for general planning purposes only. As a prnctical matter the county does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information portrayed. The end user of this map agrees to accept the data "as is" with full Dknowledge that errors and ornrnissions may exist, and to hold harmless the County for any damages that may result from an inappropriate use of this map. N Village Cayuga Heights ..Unique Natural Area UNA-IOI I;,;;'~;~ij Other Unique Natural Area(s) ..Building Footprint IV 20 Foot Contour /V Road /\/Cayuga Lake N Municipal Boundary 1:6000 SITE NAME: Newman Tract SITE CODE: UNA-lOi DATA LAST UPDATED: ]/3/00 OLD SITE CODE: IT-19 ,,~. LOCATION Municipality: Town of Ithaca, Village of Cayuga Heights Latitude: 42 28 43 N USGS Quad: Ithaca East Longitude: 763049 W Tax Parcel Numbers Included in this Site: Tax parcel data is accurate as ofJuly J. J999. For up-to-date information on tax parcel descriptions and ownership. comaN the Tompkins County Assessment Department. When a UNA covered less than 0.025 ac. ofa parcel. the parcel was excludedfrom this list. IT 17.-3-1 IT 17.-3-2 IT 17.-3-3 IT 17.-3-4 IT 17.-3-5 IT 17.-4-1 IT 8.-1-10 1T8.-1-11 IT 8.-1-9 SITE AND VEGETATION DESCRIPTION This small but quite diverse forest area extends from the floodplain of Cayuga Lake up to the crest of the hill in Cayuga Heights. The west-facing site is open and dry, with exposed bedrock. It is bounded by two small ravines. The oak forests are quite undisturbed and the ravines are scenic. The ridges of the forested slope are dominated by red, white, black, and chestnut oaks, together with shagbark, pignut, and bitternut hickories. Also present are red and sugar maple, basswood, white ash, black cherry, and hemlock, species typical of more mesic sites. Hemlock is common along the small ravines. Basswood and cottonwood are found along the lowest portion of the slope. There, too, hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), a locally scarce species is found on a sheltered slope near the bottom of the ravines. Dwarf ericaceous shrubs are common in the understory. Species such as blueberry (Vacciniumm angustifo!ium), wintergreen, and trailing arbutus are present. Mosses and ferns are abundant near the gorge edges. The site is noted lor its rich bird fauna. REASONS FOR SELECTION • Quality example of plant community • Rare or scarce plants • Scenic/Aesthetic value • Old-growth forest • Designated natural area/preserve SPECIAL LAND-USE INFORMATION Special Land-Use Designations and Features • The Tompkins County Greenway Coalition has identitled a biological corridor which includes this site. • A mature forest stand with trees over 150 years old is found on this site. • This site is considered culturally valuable by local residents. There is a concentration of cultural resources, such as schools, libraries, museums and churches, in this area. • This site is wholly or partially located within a Cornell owned and designated otT-campus natural area. Water Resources • A stream runs through this site. • A NYS protected stream runs through this site, CONSERVATION OF THE SITE Adjacent Land-Use: Residential and middle school. Sensitivity of Site to Visitors: The site may be vulnerable to trampling by visitors. A path exists and is used, however access could be improved. Evidence of Disturbance and Threats to Site: There is little evidence of disturbance. A well developed path runs through the site. There has been some dumping of yard litter along the upper slope. Special Conservation/Management Needs: Some non-native weedy plant species shOUld be removed from the site. The site does not have an adequate protective butTer. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SITE Slope % Topographic Position Size (acres): 7.631 Elevation (ft,): 397 to 583 Aspect: west Flat Crest Topographic Features 3 to 15 Upper Slope Two small ravines. >1" 15 to 25 >I' Mid Slope Geological Features ;j'. Over 25 ,>I' Lower Slope Exposed bedrock along the ravines. Bottom Soils Present on the Site Soil characteristics ofthe site were determined manually and are approximate. in thefuture, digital soil data will provide more accurate information. Soil Name Hvdric (Wet) Erodibilitv Drainage Unmapped Area BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SITE General Cover Types Upland forest Rock outcrops and gravel banks Page 273 --------------------- -------------------- I Newman Tract Town of Ithaca, Village of Cayuga Heights UNA-lOI] Open water Ecological Communities Detailed information regarding each community type's rareness may befound in Appendix F. For up-to-date i'1formation on ecological communities, contact the NY Natural Heritage Program (518-783-3932). Rarity: (Key: No checkmarks indicate that no communities fall within those categories.) ~ Global -At least one community designated as rare or scarce at the global level by The Nature Conservancy is found on this site. ~ State -At least one community designated as rare or scarce at the state level by The Nature Conservancy and the New York Natural Heritage Program is found on this site. ~ Local -At least one community designated as rare or scarce at the local level by the Tompkins County EMC and the Cornell Plantations is found on this site. Ecological Communities Inventoried on this Site: Community Name Mixed oak forest Chestnut oak forest Oak-beech-hickory-pine type Rocky headwater stream Shale cliff and talus community Shale talus slope woodland Hemlock-northern hardwood forest Cliff and talus communities on shale Description A forest dominated by oaks found on steep south and west facing slopes. Soils may have calcareous materials at depth. Dominants are red, black, and white oak, and white pine. Black oak is an indicator of this ecological community type. Pignut hickory and red maple are usually presen~Flowering dogwood and chok~herry are often abundant ~th~nderstory. _ A hardwood forest with more than 60% canopy cover of trees that occurs on well-drained sites, mostly on exposed, steep, upper south and west facing slopes, mostly south of Ithaca. Soil is usually shallow to bedrock and acidic. Species diversity is less than in the Appalachian oak hickory forest type. Dominants are chestnut oak and red oak with some white oak, black oak, red maple, white pine, and hemlock. Pitch pine, and red pine may be present. Chestnut sprouts are common. The shrub layer is predominantly ericaceous; characteristic shrubs are mountain~urel, pink azale0lueberry, and maple-leaved viburnum. _ _ _ _ _ _ A forest usually found on hilltops and south to west facing slopes. Soils are acidic and well to moderately well drained, but usually have restricted rooting depth due to fragipan or bedrock. Beech, pine, or aspen may be among the dominant trees and trees of cool microclimates such as birch, hemlock, and striped and mountain maples are abundant in this ecological community type:....§hrubs and herbs are abundant and moderate!Ldivers~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ The aquatic community of a small to moderate sized rocky stream with a moderate to steep gradient that lacks persistent emergent vegetation. The cold water stream flows over eroded bedrock near the stream origin and contains alternating riffle and pool sections. These streams typically have mosses and algae present, but few larger rooted plants. _ _ _ _ _ _ A community with sparse vegetation that occurs on nearly vertical exposures of shale bedrock, ledges, and talus. The talus is unstable, there is little soil. Characteristic species include blunt lobed woodsia, rusty woodsia, hairy penstemon, herb-Robert, panic grass, Carex pensylvanica, and eastern red cedar. An open to closed canopy woodland that occurs on talus slopes composed of shale. Slopes are unstable and very well drained. Soils are shallow and dry. Canopy cover is less than 50%. Characteristics trees include chestnut oak, pignut hickory, red oak, white oak, white pine, white ash, and eastern white cedar. Characteristic shrubs include smooth sumac, poison ivy, hairy penstemon, everlastin~nd Pennsylvani~edge. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A forest that typically occurs on lower slopes of ravines, on cool, mid-elevation slopes, and at the edges of drainage divide swamps. Hemlock is a co-dominant species with one to three others: beech, sugar maple, red maple, black cherry, white pine, yellow birch, black birch, red oak, and basswood. Shrubs have low abundance, but striped maple may be present. Herbs characteristic of northern and montane areas are common. Open communities with less than 25% trees on a shale substrate. The Shale cliff and talus community and Shale talus slope woodland communities are often found together. The woodland community is structurally intermediate between forests and open canopy upland of the cliff and talus communilL, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Global/State/Local Rarity G4G5 S4 L4 G4 S4 L3L4 G4G5 S4 L4 G4 S4 L4 G4 S3? L3 G3G4 S3 L3 G4G5 S4 L4 G5 S4 L3 Plant Species Although substantial effort was made to identifY significant plant species on this site, it is possible that additional rare or scarce species exist that do not show up in this report. A.field check is always recommended prior to modifYing the landscape. Detailed i'1formation regarding each species' rareness and status may befound in Appendix D. For up-to-date i'1formation on species, contact the NY Natural Heritage Program (518-783 Rarity: (Key: No checkmarks indicate that no species fall within those categories.) o Global -At least one plant species designated as rare or scarce at the global level by The Nature Conservancy is found on this site. o State -At least one plant species designated as rare or scarce at the state level by The Nature Conservancy and the New York Natural Heritage Program is found on this site. ~ Local -At least one plant species designated as rare or scarce at the local level by the Tompkins County EMC and the Cornell Plantations is found on this site. Legal Status: o Federal -At least one Dlant sDecies desienated as threatened or endaneered bv the U.S. DeDartment of the Interior is found on this site. n State -At least one plant species designated in New York State as endangered, threatened, rare or exploitably vulnerable is found on this site. Significant Plant Species Inventoried on this Site: Scientific Name Common Name Global/State/Local Rarity Local Comments State Legal Status Solidago ulmifolia elm-leaved goldenrod L2 Rare None Celtis occidentalis hackberry L3 Scarce None Pa e 274 Animal Species The UNA Inventory currently does not contain much specific data regarding animal species (and very little regarding rare or scarce species) on UNA sites. Therefore, this data should be viewed as preliminary and incomplete. Afield check is always recommended prior to modifying the landscape. Detailed information regarding each species' rareness and status may befound in Appendix E. For up-to-date information on species. contact the NY Natural Heritage Program (518-783-3932). Animal Description: Woodland and migrant songbirds are present on this site. Rarity: (Key: No checkmarks indicate that no species fall within those categories.) Global At least one animal species designated as rare or scarce at the global level by The Nature Conservancy is found on this site. State At least one animal species designated as rare or scaree at the state level by The Nature Conservancy and the New York Natural Heritage Program is found on this site. Legal Status: Federal -At least one animal species designated as threatened or endangered by the U.S. Department ofthe Interior is found on this site. State -At least one animal species designated by NYS as threatened or endangered is found on this site. Animal Species Inventoried on this Site: Federal/State Scientific Name Common Name Global/State Rarity Lel!:al Status Comments No data Page 275