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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarratooka Lake PreserveManagement Plan for the Marratooka Lake Preserve Jean Cochran, Supervisor Town of Southold 53095 Town Hall PiO. Box 1179 Southold, New York 11971 INTRODUCTION The Marratooka Lake Preserve, Mattituck, New York, was donated to the Town of Southold in 1997 by The Nature Conservancy, Long Island Chapter, located at 250 Lawrence Hill Road. Cold Spring Harbor. New York 11724. The approximately 11-acre Preserve was originally donated to The Nature Conservancy in 1973 by Mr. & Mrs. Willard J. Heggen. The Preserve was conveyed to the Town of Southold subject to the express condition that it shall forever be held as a nature preserve for scientific, educational, ecological, and aesthetic purposes. DESCRIPTION The Marratooka Lake Preserve consists of 10.7 acres on the north shore of Marratooka Lake. Approximately 8 acres, or 80% of the Preserve, is successional shrubtand. Most of this area is former pasture, hayfield, and cropland. Approximately 2 acres, or 20% of the Preserve, consists of freshwater wetland and black cherry, black locust, .and Norway maple woodland and hedgerows. The pond shore is dch in aquatic plants, wildflowers, and ferns such as pickerelweed, swamp Ioosestrife, jewelweed, iris, marsh St. John's-wort, and marsh and royal ferns. Further back from the water, red maples shade the shoreline and its rich shrub zone of highbush blueberry, sweet pepperbush, and white swamp azalea. The shore contains s~gnificant amounts of phragmites, an invasive non-native sFecles. The Preserve has approximately 790' of frontage on Marratooka Lake. The lake is a "kettle hole" pond, originally formed by a leftover large chunk of ice from the Pleistocene glaciers. The lake is fed by groundwater and runoff from the uplands of the surrounding area More than 190 species of plants, 86 species of birds, 8 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 12 mammals have been observed at the Preserve. The Preserve contains no foot trails or parking for visitors, CULTURAL HISTORY The area around Marratooka Lake was first inhabited by the Corchaug Indians, This tribe, oneof the thirteen tribes on Long Island that made up the Alogonquin fam y of ~he great Delaware Indian Band, fs believed to have settled m the area.m about 5,000 B.C'., In the 1600's, the Corchaugs sold the area designated as Mattituck to the New Haven Colony in Connecticut. The ColonY later sold the land to the people of Southold. For a number of years, the land was held in common. It was eventually divided and sold to the inhabitants. One of these early landowners was William Purrier. His land contained Mattituck ~ake, now known as Marratooka Lake. When William died, the properb/was passed.,to his grandson, Thomas Reeves. in the 1800's, the land and lake were acquired by Joseph Parker Wickham, a iNew York City merchant. The land passed into the hands of Joseph's son, Charles, who established afarm. Chades named the lake "Marratooka" meaning "place where the deer come to ddnk." Charles' farm became well known for its butter and ice. In the early 1900's, the area of the Marratooka Lake Preserve was sold to Preston Ruland. Preston lived there for twenty-six years. In 1947, the property was sold to Willard J. and Lorna E. Heggen. The Heggens donated the property to The Nature Conservancy in 1973 so that it would be maintained as a nature preserve in perpetuity. MANAGEMENT GOALS In keeping with the conveyance language of the deed, the Town will maintain the property as a nature preserve for scientific, educational, ecological, and aesthetic purposes. The long-term management goals are as follows: Mai ntain the Preserve in its natural state, except for such foot trails and property maintenance activities as may be appropriate without impairing the Preserve's natural character. Provide opportunities for the public to enjoy passive recreation such as walking, photography, bird watching, and the quiet contemplation of nature, being careful to prevent degradation of natural communities and wetland areas, including the shoreline. Restore and maintain the former agricultural fields (now shrublands) as meadows for native wildflowers, grasses, birds, butterflies, and other native plants and animals (if the Town determines such restoration and/or maintenance to be feasible). Strive to work cooperatively with the Mattituck School District and the Mattituck Park D[stdct. toprotect, manage, and use the three adjoining properties. Determine the feasibility of restoring the former scenic views of the lake on the SchoOl and/or Park District property. Protect the shoreline and water quality of Marratooka Lake. MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES In order to achieve the above management goals, the Town, at its discretion, may implement some or all of the following management strategies: Determine the feasibility of restoring the former agricultural fields currently in shrubland to meadows with mowing and brush cutting. Maintain the meadows with periodic mowing every 1 - 3 years. Mow after November 1 to allow the development of late-blooming wildflowers, grasses, and butterflies. Develop and maintain a public foot-trail system to provide opportunities for passive recreation such as walking, bird watching, and educational activities. Give special attention to: 1 ) preventing degradation of wet[ands, including the shoreline; 2) minimizing human disturbance of native plants and animals; 3) controtting unauthorized uses such as mountain bikes, horses, off-read vehicles, and dumping; 4) controlling erosion; and 5) minimizing disturbance to neighbors. Use the AMC Field Guide to Trail Building and Maintenance, by Robert D. Proudman and Reuben Rajala (Boston, MA, Appalachian Mountain Club, 1981) as a guide for trail maintenance. Meet with the Mattituck School District and Mattituck Park District to discuss the access, use, and maintenance of the three adjoining properties. Seek to develop and implement a memorandum of understanding (M.O.U.) or cooperative management agreement for the three properties. Determine the feasibility of developing and implementing a plan to control phragmites in an ecologically-sensitive manner. Obtain required wetlands permits from the New York State Department of Environmenta! Conservation. Discuss with the Mattituck School District and the Mattituck Park District the restoration, of the farmer scenic views of the lake from the Main Road to the west of the Preserve orn' Park and/or School District property. Erect an~d rnainta~n a sign in apr. omlnent location stating "This area was protected w~h ~he, ass]stance of The Nature Conservancy. CONCLUSION If carefully protected and maintained, the Marratooka Lake Preserve has the potential to provide a high-quality scientific, educational, ecological, and aesthetic resource for the citizens of the Town of Southold. THE TOWN OF SOUTHOLD Signat~r~~'~ Date Jean W. Coch~an Print name Supervisor, Southold Town Title 4 0UDITH T. TERRY TOWN CLERK REGISTRAR OF VITAL STATISTICS IVIARRIAOE OFFICER RECORDS MANAGE MEI~Vi~ OFFICER FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OFFICER Town Hall, 53095 Main Road P.O. Box 1179 Southold. New York 11971 Fax (516) 765-1823 Telephone (516) 765-1800 OFFICE OF THE TOWN CLERK TOWN OF SOUTI-IOLD THt$ IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION WAS ADOPTED BY THE SOUTHOLD TOWN BOARD AT A REGULAR MEETING HELD ON OCTOBER 28. 1997: RESOLVED that the Town and directs Supervisor Jean W. Cochran to for the Marratooka Lake Preserve, as Conservancy, Long Island Chapter, for the Board of th~ Town of Southold hereby authorizes execute the Management Plan prepared by The Nature l 1-acre Preserve which has been conveyed to the Town of Southold subject to the express condition that it shall forever be held as a nature preserve for scientific, educational, ecological, and aesthetic purposes; said plan all in accordance with the approval of the Town Attorney. Yudi~E T. Terry ~/ Southoid Town Clerk October 29, 1997