HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarratooka Lake Preserve Adopted 1997 � R
MARRATOOKA LAKE
PR SE,RR E
MANAGEMENT
PLAN
r
ADOPTED 0CTOBER 2 1997
S O THOLD TOWNS B 0 RD
� G
JUDITH T.TERRY y1 Town Hall, 53095 Main Road
TOWN CLERK CC13 2 P.O. Box 1179
v' Southold,New York 11971
REGISTRAR OF VITAL STATISTICS Fax (516) 765-1823
MARRIAGE OFFICER O
RECORDS MANAGEMENT OFFICER �l �a Telephone(516) 765-1800
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION OFFICER
OFFICE OF THE TOWN CLERK
TOWN OF SOUTHOLD
THIS 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 Board of the Town of Southold hereby authorizes
and directs Supervisor Jean W. Cochran to execute the Management Plan
for the Marratooka Lake Preserve, as prepared by The Nature
Conservancy., Long Island Chapter, for the 11-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.
Judith T. Ter
ry
Southold Town Clerk
October 29, 1997
V
Management Plan for the Marratooka Lake Preserve
Jean Cochran, Supervisor
Town of Southold
53095 Town Hall
P.O. 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
shrubland. 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 rich in aquatic plants, wildflowers, and ferns such as
pickerelweed, swamp loosestrife, 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 significant amounts of phragmites, an invasive non-native species.
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.
t
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, one of the thirteen tribes on Long Island that made up the Alogonquin family
of the great Delaware Indian Band, is believed to have settled in the area in 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 Lake, now known as Marratooka Lake. When William died, the
property was passed to his grandson, Thomas Reeves.
In the 1800's, the land and lake were acquired by Joseph Parker Wickham, a
New York City merchant. The land passed into the hands of Joseph's son, Charles,
who established a farm. Charles named the lake "Marratooka" meaning "place where
the deer come to drink." 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 Loma 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:
1. Maintain 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.
2
i
2. 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.
3. 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).
4. Strive to work cooperatively with the Mattituck School District and the Mattituck
Park District to protect, 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.
5. 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:
1. 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.
2. 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 wetlands, including the
shoreline; 2) minimizing human disturbance of native plants and animals; 3)
controlling unauthorized uses such as mountain bikes, horses, off-road vehicles,
and dumping; 4) controlling erosion; and 5) minimizing disturbance to neighbors.
3. 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.
4. 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.
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5. 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 Environmental Conservation.
6. Discuss with the Mattituck School District and the Mattituck Park District the
restoration of the former scenic views of the lake from the Main Road to the west
of the Preserve on Park and/or School District property.
7. Erect and maintain a sign in a prominent location stating "This area was
protected with the assistance 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
W
CtCA11/13/97
Signatur Date
Jean W. Cochran
Print name
Supervisor, Southold Town
Title
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Marratooka Lake
Preserve
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MARRATOOKA LAKE
SCALE' LEGEND:
0 ISO OPEN FIELD TIMOTHY
I I FEET (APPROX.) El RED MAPLE
LOW DECIDUOUS GROWTH (MIXED)
} MIXED CONIFERS
%�i''• PICK ERE LWEED/LOOSESTRIFE
ELEVATION IN FEET (APPROX)
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MARRATOOKA LAKE PRESERVE
Suffolk County
..11 Acres
Of Interest An outstanding 11-acre parcel of land, i
Marratooka is'one of the'few undisturbed ket-
tlehole areas on Long Island. It borders on Mar-
'ratooka Lake of 22 acres.A great variety of vegeta-
tion is found here because of the differing habitats i
-- _
of the Sanctuary.The shores of.the Lake are rich in
—_.aquatic plants such as pickereiweed,water milfoil,
and swamp loosestrife.The two major fields on the
eastern portion of the Sanctuary are mowed and
_ -— consist mainly of timothy grass. The woodlands
-vary from black cherries and black locusts sur-
rounding the Lake, to Norway maples and black
locusts surrounding the.open fields.
The Lake attracts osprey, heron, and a variety of ducks. Small mammals, 'such as op- j
posums, masked shrews, eastern cottontails,white-footed mice, red foxes and gray squir-
rels may be found, as well as a variety of amphibians and reptiles.
History The preserve was donated to'The' Nature Conservancy in 1972 by,Mr. & Mrs. I
Willard J. Heggen. The area was originally inhabited by the Corchaug Indians. The word,
"Marratooka"is Indian for"where the deer come to drink".After sale by the Indians the land
was held in common for a number.of years. Later the area was subdivided and sold to
private interests..lt was then used to pasture farm animals and, later, for potatoes, sweet.
corn and alfalfa.
Admission to Preserve Like other preserves, this area is open,to individuals and groups
who obtain prior permission from-the Conservancy and who abide by the Conservancy's
policies on preserve use.
Directions .Take the Long Island.Expressway to the end (Ex.It 73)and then"follow.County;
Road 58 east. In approximately 4 miles;Route 58_merges with Route 25. Follow Rou#e 25: , . . .
east to Mattituck.Approximately one-half mile pasf:Mattit' kis Mattituok High School on
the north side of the road.*The preserve is Just past the high school on the south side of the ,; '
road.Just before reaching Sunset Lane there is a dirt road leading to the south.'Turn Into
this road and park along the'edge of,the field-
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Sample Statement Regarding Minimal Deed Restrictions
"This conveyance is made subject to the express condition and limitation that the
premises conveyed shall forever be held as a nature preserve for scientific, educational,
and aesthetic purposes, and shall be kept entirely in its natural state, excepting only
such fences, foot trails, improvements, and property maintenance activities as may be
appropriate to effectuate the foregoing purpose without impairing the essential natural
character of the premises.
Should the premises cease to be used solely as provided herein, then the estate
hereby granted to the Grantee shall cease to exist and shall revert to and vest in The
Nature Conservancy, 1815 North Lynn Street, Arlington, VA 22209. Said reversion
shall not be automatic, but in the nature of a right of entry for condition broken or
executory interest, which right, if exercised by The Nature Conservancy upon violation
of the above conditions, is exercised by mailing a notice of violation by certified mail to
the Grantee. Said notice shall describe the breach and shall declare that the power of
termination will be exercised if the breach is not corrected within a period of ninety
days. A copy of the notice shall simultaneously be recorded on the appropriate land
records.
The Nature Conservancy shall have the right to enforce this restriction by an action in
law or in equity before a court of competent jurisdiction.
As part of the consideration for this Deed, and by acceptance thereof, the Grantee
agrees to erect and maintain a permanent plaque or other appropriate record at a
prominent location on the within described premises bearing the following statement:
`This area was acquired with the assistance of The Nature Conservancy."'
TASTEWARD\BJ\DEEDRES 1.DOC