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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSMP-Arshamomaque Preserve Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 1 of 19 Town of Southold Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Latest Revision: January 14, 2016 Adopted by the Town Board on February 23rd, 2016 by resolution 2016-237. Properties included in plan: SCTM# Location Project Funding Acquisition Pursuant To 1000-45.-1-9.1 60100 County Road 48 Levin CPF Chapter 185 1000-53.-1-1.4 68775 Route 25 Manor Grove CPF Chapter 185 1000-53.-1-1.7 650 Albertson Ln Manor Grove CPF Chapter 185 Purposes of Property Acquisition These properties were purchased for the purposes of open space protection; passive recreation; fresh and saltwater marsh/wetland protection and biological diversity protection. Proposed uses of the property may include the establishment of a nature preserve, passive recreational area with trails, and limited parking for access purposes. Special Conditions Since SCTM# 1000-45.-1-9.1 and 1000-53.-1-1.7 are owned jointly with Suffolk any Suffolk County rules and policies pertaining to these properties will be adhered to by the Town. Should any elements of this plan conflict with Suffolk County rules or policies the plan will be updated accordingly to remove the conflict(s). Prohibited Activities All activities not related to the purposes of the property acquisition are prohibited. Use of motorized vehicles and equipment is prohibited with the exceptions of: vehicles and equipment necessary for approved stewardship work; emergency/public safety vehicles; motorized wheelchairs/scooters for the handicapped; and registered vehicles used by visitors to access the designated parking area on the preserve for parking purposes only. The creation of new trails except as outlined in the Allowed Activities section below. Trapping of wildlife with the exception of Town approved trapping of diseased wildlife and feral cats. Fireworks. Weddings, parties, reunions, flea markets, swap meets, antique shows, car shows. Camping, fires, bonfires. Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 2 of 19 Prohibited Activities (continued) Sports whether organized or “pick up” in nature. Paintball and other similar war games. Town Approval of Activities No activities related to the purposes of the property acquisitions are allowed on the properties without the explicit approval of the Town Board except for the activities listed in the Allowed Activities section below. Allowed Activities Section I Public Uses Access shall be from dawn to dusk unless posted otherwise or approved per the Town Approval of Activities section above. Hiking, jogging, walking. Cross country skiing. Nature walks/surveys, bird watching, citizen science surveys. Star gazing. Pets are allowed per Appendix 5. Deer hunting per the Town’s Deer Management Program. Participation in the General Activities outlined below. Section II General Activities Inventories of the property including flora, fauna, trails, trash, archaeological features, structures and any other aspects provided that conducting such inventories does not alter or damage the properties. Invasive species control and removal provided same is conducted as per the invasive species plan in Appendix 6 or additional formal invasive species plans using Best Management Practices are approved, made part of this management plan and followed. The invasive species plans will be updated, expanded and amended as needed based on monitoring of the property for the extent of invasive species present. Clean up of man made trash provided such clean up does not damage the property. Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 3 of 19 Section III Infrastructure Signage – the following signage is allowed: entrance sign, trail head kiosk, Town open space signs, posted/no hunting signs, safety signs, rules/regulations signs, directional trail signs and Deer Management program signs. Parking areas constructed of crushed stone or a similar material with fencing to delineate the areas are allowed at the trail heads as depicted in Appendix 1 and may be maintained as needed. The trails as depicted in Appendix 1 shall be maintained as the official trail system. The trails shall be maintained so they are approximately 4 to 8 feet wide and passable with vegetation not to exceed six inches in height. As needed the trails may be mowed and trimmed, fallen branches/trees that block or partially block the trails may be removed, sections of the trails that have been damaged by erosion or ATVs may be restored and leveled using soil or wood chips, areas of the trails subject to becoming wet and muddy may be covered with a layer of wood chips. Wood chips may also be used to reduce or eliminate the need for regular mowing of the trails. Trail maintenance will be kept to the minimum necessary to maintain the trails in a condition that allows the public to use the trails safely. See Appendix 6 for additional trail maintenance standards related to invasive species that encroach on the trails. The trails may be expanded onto the former Manor Grove properties per the concept plan on the open space project list. See Appendix 1 for the trail expansion area. The trails or any sections thereof may be closed to the public should any unsafe conditions exist or for the purposes of protecting native flora and fauna. Signage denoting such closures is allowed. The boardwalks noted on the attached trail map may be maintained and repaired within their current footprints. The boardwalks will not be painted. The wooden fence at the irrigation pond to prevent visitors from falling into the pond may be maintained and repaired within its current footprint. The observation platform may be maintained and repaired within its current footprint and dimensions. The observation platform will not be painted. The service entrance will be maintained for the occasional access of stewardship related equipment but not on a regular basis as a trail. The service entrance will be properly signed in order to delineate it from the official trails. The open meadow area depicted in Appendix 1 shall be maintained by mowing every one to three years in between late November and late March to encourage the spread of native grasses and wildflowers and keep the area in a generally open state. Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 4 of 19 Appendices 1. Trail System Map 2. Fauna Inventory 3. Flora Inventory 4. Arshamomaque Preserve Bird Species Listing 5. Pets 6. Invasive Species Plan Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 5 of 19 Appendix 1 Trail System Map Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 6 of 19 Appendix 2 Fauna List for Arshamomaque Preserve Prepared by Cornell Cooperative Extension Mammals □ Opossum Didelphis marsupialis □ Raccoon Procyon lotor □ Red Fox Vulpes vulpes □ Eastern Cottontail Sylivagus floridanus □ Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis □ Southern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys volans □ Star-Nosed Mole Condylura crisata □ Short-Tailed Shrew Blarina brevicauda □ Little Brown Bat Myotis lucificus □ Big Brown Bat Eptesicus fuscus □ Feral Cat Felis domestica □ White-Footed Mouse Peromyscus leucopus □ Deer Mouse Peromyscus maniculatus □ Muskrat Ondatra zibethica □ White Tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus Reptiles and Amphibians □ Snapping Turtle Chelydra serpentina □ Eastern Box Turtle Terrapine carolina carolina □ Eastern Painted Turtle Chrysemys picta picta □ Diamond Back Terrapin Malaclemys terrapin terrapin □ Spotted Turtle Clemmys guttata □ Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis □ Brown Snake Storeria dekayi dekayi □ Northern Water Snake Nerodia sipedon □ Eastern Hognose Snake Heterodon platirhinos □ Milk Snake Lampropeltis triangulum □ Ring-Necked Snake Diadophis punctatus edwardsii □ Red-Backed Salamander Plethodon cinereus □ Red-Spotted Newt Notophthalmus viridescens □ Spring Peeper Pseudacris crucifer □ Grey Tree Frog Hyla versicolor □ Green Frog Rana clamitans □ Southern Leopard Frog Rana sphenocephala □ American Toad Bufo americanus □ Fowler’s Toad Bufo fowleri Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 7 of 19 Birds □ American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos □ Fish Crow Corvus ossifragus □ Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata □ American Robin Turdus migratorius □ Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis □ Wood Thrush Hylocichia mustelina □ Red-Bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus □ Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens □ Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus □ Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus □ Black-Capped Chickadee Parus atricapillus □ Tufted Titmouse Parus bicolor □ Dark-Eyed Junco Junco hymenalis □ Yellow-Rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata □ Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis □ Ring-Necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus □ Ruffed Grouse Bonasa umbellus □ Bobwhite Quail Collinus virginianus □ Canada Goose Branta canadensis □ Black Duck Anas rubripes □ Mallard Anas platyrhynchos □ Wood Duck Aix sponsa □ Double-Crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus □ Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias □ Great Egret Ardea alba □ Snowy Egret Egretta thula □ Whippoorwill Caprimulgus vociferus □ Common Nighthawk Chordeilus minor □ Ring-Billed Gull Larus delawarensis □ Great Black-Backed Gull Larus marinus □ Herring Gull Larus argentatus □ Least Tern Sterna antillarum □ Common Tern Sterna hirundo □ Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon □ Red-Tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis □ American Kestrel Falco sparverius □ Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus □ Sharp-Shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus □ Coopers’s Hawk Accipiter cooperii □ Osprey Pandion haliaetus □ Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus □ Eastern Screech Owl Otus asio Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 8 of 19 Appendix 3 Flora List for Arshamomaque Preserve Prepared by Cornell Cooperative Extension Aceraceae (Maple Family) □ Acer negundo Box Elder □ Acer rubrum Red Maple Acoraceae (Calamus family) □ Acorus americanus Sweet Flag Anacardiaceae (Sumac Family) □ Rhus copallinum Dwarf or Winged Sumac □ Toxicodendron radicans Poison Ivy Apiaceae (Carrot Family) □ Sium suave Hemlock Water Parsnip Aquifoliaceae (Holly Family) □ Ilex opaca American Holly □ Ilex verticillata Winterberry Araceae (Arum Family) □ Arisaema triphyllum Jack-in-the-Pulpit Araliaceae (Ginseng Family) □ Aralia nudicaulis Wild Sarsaparilla Asclepiadaceae (Milkweed Family) □ Asclepias incarnate Swamp Milkweed □ Asclepias syriaca Common Milkweed Asteraceae (Aster Family) □ Achillea millefolium Common Yarrow □ Ambrosia artemisiifolia Ragweed □ Artemisia vulgaris Mugwort □ Euthamia graminifolia Lance-leaved Goldenrod □ Hieracium caespitosum Meadow Hawkweed □ Hieracium sp. Hawkweed □ Hypochaeris radicata Hairy Catsear □ Solidago Canadensis Canada Goldenrod □ Taraxacum officinale Common Dandelion Balsaminaceae (Touch-Me-Not Family) □ Impatiens capensis Jewelweed Betulaceae (Birch Family) Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 9 of 19 □ Betula populifolia Gray Birch Blechnaceae (Chain Fern Family) □ Woodwardia areolata Netted Chain Fern Brassicaceae (Mustard Family) □ Alliaria petiolata Garlic Mustard Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family) □ Lonicera japonica Japanese Honeysuckle □ Lonicera morrowii Morrow’s Honeysuckle □ Lonicera tatarica Tartan Honeysuckle □ Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis Elderberry □ Viburnum acerifolium Maple-Leaf Viburnum □ Viburnum dentatum var. lucidum Southern Arrowwood Celastraceae (Bittersweet Family) □ Celastrus orbiculata Asian Bittersweet Clethraceae (Clethra Family) □ Clethra alnifolia Sweet Pepperbush Convolvulaceae (Morning-glory Family) □ Convolvulus sp. Bindweed Cupressaceae (Cypress Family) □ Juniperus virginiana Eastern Red Cedar Cyperaceae (Sedge Family) □ Carex crinita Fringed Sedge □ Carex debilis White Edged Sedge □ Carex stricta Upright Sedge □ Cyperus sp. Flat Sedge Dennstaedtiaceae (Bracken Fern Family) □ Pteridium aquilinum Bracken Dryopteridaceae (Wood Fern Family) □ Onoclea sensibilis Sensitive Fern □ Polystichum acrostichoides Christmas Fern Elaeagnaceae (Oleaster Family) □ Elaeagnus umbellate Autumn Olive Ericaceae (Heath Family) □ Gaylussacia frondosa Huckleberry □ Kalmia latifolia Mountain Laurel □ Leucothoe racemosa Fetter-Bush; Swamp Dog-hobble Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 10 of 19 □ Rhododendron viscosum Swamp Azalea □ Vaccinium corymbossum High-bush Blueberry Fabaceae (Pea Family) □ Apios Americana Groundnut □ Robinia pseudoacacia Black Locust □ Trifolium pretense Red Clover □ Trifolium repens White Clover Fagaceae (Beech Family) □ Fagus grandifolia American Beech □ Quercus alba White Oak □ Quercus bicolor Swamp White Oak □ Quercus palustris Pin Oak □ Quercus prinus Chestnut Oak □ Quercus velutina Black Oak Geraniaceae (Geranium Family) □ Geranium maculatum Spotted Geranium Juglandaceae (Walnut Family) □ Carya alba Mockernut Hickory □ Carya glabra Pignut Hickory Juncaceae (Rush Family) □ Juncus effuses Soft Rush □ Juncus tenuis Old Path Rush Lamiaceae (Mint Family) □ Lycopus uniflorus Northern Bugleweed □ Lycopus virginicus Virginia Water Horehound Lauraceae (Laurel Family) □ Sassafras albidum Sassafras Lemnaceae (Duckweed Family) □ Lemna minor Duckweed Liliaceae (Lily Family) □ Allium canadense Wild Garlic □ Maianthemum canadense Canada Mayflower □ Maianthemum racemosa False Solomon’s Seal □ Uvularia sessilifolia Sessile Bellwort Lythraceae (Loosestrife Family) □ Decodon verticillatus Waterwillow; Swamp Loosestrife Malvaceae (Mallow Family) Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 11 of 19 □ Hibiscus moscheutos Crimson-eyed Rose-mallow □ Hibiscus moscheutos ssp. Moscheutos Swamp Rose-mallow Myricaceae (Bayberry Family) □ Morella pensylvanica Northern Bayberry Nyssaceae (Sour Gum Family) □ Nyssa sylvatica Blackgum; Tupelo Oleaceae (Olive Family) □ Ligustrum vulgare Privet Onagraceae (Evening Primrose Family) □ Epilobium sp. Willowherb; Fireweed Orobanchaceae (Broom-rape Family) □ Epifagus virginiana Beechdrops Osmundaceae (Royal Fern Family) □ Osmunda cinnamomea Cinnamon Fern □ Osmunda claytoniana Interrupted Fern □ Osmunda regalis Royal Fern Pinaceae (Pine Family) □ Pinus rigida Pitch Pine □ Pinus thunbergiana Japanese Black Pine Plantaginaceae (Plantain Family) □ Plantago major Common Plantain Poaceae (Grass Family) □ Andropogon virginicus Broomsedge □ Panicum virgatum Switchgrass □ Phragmites australis Common Reed □ Schizachyrium scoparium Little Bluestem Grass Polygalaceae (Milkwort Family) □ Polygala verticillata Whorled Milkwort Polygonaceae (Buckwheat Family) □ Polygonum arifolium Halberd-leaved Tearthumb □ Polygonum pensylvanicum Pennsylvania Smartweed Primulaceae (Primrose Family) □ Lysimachia terrestris Earth Loosestrife □ Trientalis borealis Starflower Pyrolaceae (Shinleaf Family) Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 12 of 19 □ Chimaphila maculate Striped or Spotted Wintergreen Ranunculaceae (Buttercup Family) □ Ranunculus recurvatus Hooked Crowfoot; Blisterwort Rosaceae (Rose Family) □ Amelanchier arborea Shadbush □ Fragaria vesca Woodland Strawberry □ Geum sp. Avens □ Prunus serotina Wild Black Cherry □ Prunus virginiana Choke Cherry □ Rosa multiflora Multiflora Rose □ Rosa palustris Swamp Rose □ Rubus hispidus Bristly Dewberry □ Rubus sp. Brambles, Blackberry, Raspberry Rubiaceae (Madder Family) □ Cephalanthus occidentalis Buttonbush □ Galium aparine Cleavers; Stickywilly Salicaceae (Willow Family) □ Populus heterophylla Swamp Cottonwood □ Salix sp. Willow Simaroubaceae (Quassia Family) □ Ailanthus altissima Ailanthus; Tree of Heaven Smilaceae (Catbrier Family) □ Smilax rotundifolia Roundleaf Greenbrier; Bullbrier Sphagnaceae (Peat Moss Family) □ Sphagnum sp. Sphagnum Moss Thelypteridaceae (Marsh Fern Family) □ Thelypteris noveboracensis New York Fern □ Thelypteris palustris Marsh Fern □ Thelypteris simulate Bog/Massachusetts Fern Typhaceae (Cattail Family) □ Typha angustifolia Narrow-leaved Cattail Vitaceae (Grape Family) □ Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia Creeper □ Vitis labrusca Fox Grape Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 13 of 19 Appendix 4 Arshamomaque Preserve Bird Species Listing as of March 2015 based on eBird observations beginning in 2003 Seq Species DEC Status Audubon Watch List NY SGCN Status Breeding Status 1 Snow Goose 2 Canada Goose Confirmed 3 Mute Swan Probable 4 Wood Duck Confirmed 5 Gadwall 6 American Wigeon 7 American Black Duck High Priority SGCN 8 Mallard Confirmed 9 Blue-winged Teal SGCN 10 Northern Pintail SGCN 11 Green-winged Teal 12 Ring-necked Duck 13 White-winged Scoter SGCN 14 Bufflehead 15 Hooded Merganser 16 Red-breasted Merganser 17 Ruddy Duck SGCN 18 Northern Bobwhite High Priority SGCN 19 Silver Pheasant 20 Pied-billed Grebe Threatened SGCN 21 Double-crested Cormorant 22 Great Cormorant 23 Least Bittern Threatened SGCN Confirmed 24 Great Blue Heron 25 Great Egret SGCN 26 Snowy Egret SGCN 27 Green Heron Probable 28 Black-crowned Night-Heron SGCN 29 Turkey Vulture 30 Osprey Special Concern Confirmed 31 Northern Harrier Threatened SGCN 32 Sharp-shinned Hawk Special Concern 33 Cooper's Hawk Special Concern 34 Bald Eagle Threatened SGCN 35 Red-tailed Hawk 36 Virginia Rail Confirmed 37 American Coot 38 Killdeer 39 Spotted Sandpiper 40 Solitary Sandpiper 41 Greater Yellowlegs SGCN 42 Least Sandpiper 43 Semipalmated Sandpiper Yellow Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 14 of 19 Seq Species DEC Status Audubon Watch List NY SGCN Status Breeding Status 44 Wilson's Snipe 45 American Woodcock SGCN Probable 46 Laughing Gull SGCN 47 Ring-billed Gull 48 Herring Gull 49 Great Black-backed Gull 50 Least Tern Threatened Red SGCN 51 Common Tern Threatened SGCN 52 Forster's Tern SGCN 53 Royal Tern 54 Rock Pigeon 55 Mourning Dove Probable 56 Black-billed Cuckoo SGCN 57 Great Horned Owl Probable 58 Northern Saw-whet Owl 59 Chimney Swift 60 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 61 Belted Kingfisher Probable 62 Red-bellied Woodpecker Probable 63 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 64 Downy Woodpecker Probable 65 Hairy Woodpecker Probable 66 Northern Flicker Probable 67 Merlin 68 Eastern Wood-Pewee 69 Alder Flycatcher 70 Willow Flycatcher Yellow 71 Eastern Phoebe 72 Great Crested Flycatcher Probable 73 Eastern Kingbird Probable 74 White-eyed Vireo Probable 75 Yellow-throated Vireo 76 Blue-headed Vireo 77 Warbling Vireo 78 Red-eyed Vireo 79 Blue Jay Probable 80 American Crow 81 Fish Crow 82 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 83 Purple Martin 84 Tree Swallow Probable 85 Bank Swallow 86 Barn Swallow 87 Black-capped Chickadee Probable 88 Tufted Titmouse Probable 89 White-breasted Nuthatch Probable 90 Brown Creeper Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 15 of 19 Seq Species DEC Status Audubon Watch List NY SGCN Status Breeding Status 91 House Wren Confirmed 92 Winter Wren 93 Marsh Wren 94 Carolina Wren Confirmed 95 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 96 Golden-crowned Kinglet 97 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 98 Veery 99 Hermit Thrush 100 Wood Thrush Yellow SGCN Probable 101 American Robin Probable 102 Gray Catbird Probable 103 Brown Thrasher High Priority SGCN 104 Northern Mockingbird 105 European Starling 106 Cedar Waxwing 107 Ovenbird 108 Worm-eating Warbler SGCN 109 Louisiana Waterthrush SGCN 110 Northern Waterthrush 111 Blue-winged Warbler Yellow SGCN Probable 112 Black-and-white Warbler 113 Nashville Warbler 114 Common Yellowthroat Confirmed 115 Hooded Warbler 116 American Redstart 117 Cape May Warbler High Priority SGCN 118 Northern Parula 119 Magnolia Warbler 120 Blackburnian Warbler 121 Yellow Warbler Confirmed 122 Chestnut-sided Warbler 123 Blackpoll Warbler 124 Black-throated Blue Warbler SGCN 125 Palm Warbler 126 Pine Warbler 127 Yellow-rumped Warbler 128 Prairie Warbler Yellow SGCN 129 Black-throated Green Warbler 130 Wilson's Warbler 131 Eastern Towhee Probable 132 American Tree Sparrow 133 Chipping Sparrow 134 Field Sparrow 135 Fox Sparrow 136 Song Sparrow Probable 137 Lincoln's Sparrow Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 16 of 19 Seq Species DEC Status Audubon Watch List NY SGCN Status Breeding Status 138 Swamp Sparrow Probable 139 White-throated Sparrow 140 Dark-eyed Junco 141 Scarlet Tanager SGCN 142 Northern Cardinal Probable 143 Rose-breasted Grosbeak Confirmed 144 Indigo Bunting 145 Red-winged Blackbird Confirmed 146 Rusty Blackbird Yellow High Priority SGCN 147 Common Grackle Confirmed 148 Brown-headed Cowbird Confirmed 149 Orchard Oriole 150 Baltimore Oriole Probable 151 House Finch Probable 152 Purple Finch 153 American Goldfinch Probable 154 House Sparrow Current Status Notes: NYS DEC  Special Concern: Any native species for which a welfare concern or risk of endangerment has been documented in New York State. (New York State DEC, 2001).  Threatened: Those designated by the DEC as likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of their range.  Endangered: Those designated by the DEC as seriously threatened with extinction. Audubon Watch List  Yellow: This category includes those species that are declining but at a slower rate than those in the red category. These typically are species of national conservation concern.  Red: Species in this category are declining rapidly, have very small populations or limited ranges, and face major conservation threats. These typically are species of global conservation concern. New York Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)  High Priority SGCN: The status of these species is known and conservation action is urgent in the next ten years. These species are declining and must receive timely management intervention or they are likely to reach critical population levels in New York.  SGCN: The status of these species is known and conservation action is essential. These species are expected to experience significant declines over the next ten years and will need management intervention to secure their populations.  Non-SGCN Species of Potential Conservation Need: The trends in abundance and distribution of these species are poorly known, but there is an identified threat to the species, or the species has a high level of intrinsic vulnerability. Further research and surveys are needed to determine their actual population status. Although not classified as SGCN, actions for their conservation will be identified and they will be included in the State Wildlife Action Plan. Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 17 of 19 Appendix 5 Pets on Arshamomaque Preserve o Unless posted otherwise, pets are allowed provided that they are leashed and under control at all times while on the preserve. o The Town may permanently or temporarily restrict pets from the preserve or designated areas of the preserve for reasons including, but not limited to, wildlife and nesting habitat protection and public safety. Such restrictions will be approved by the Town Board and will be posted at the preserve. o All pet waste must be picked up and properly disposed of as required by Southold Town Code. o Failure to follow pet rules may result in all pets being prohibited from using the preserve. Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 18 of 19 Appendix 6 Invasive Species Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve The trails at Arshamomaque Preserve have issues with the following invasive species encroaching and/or blocking the trails: Autumn Olive, Russian Olive and Oriental Bittersweet. In addition these invasives also occur in off trail areas of the preserve where they hinder the growth of native species. Trimming of these invasive species has proven ineffective in keeping the trails open as the trimming serves as pruning which causes faster growth and more seed to be produced. Since these are invasive species that are preventing the normal growth of native species and creating trail maintenance issues the following maintenance standards will be followed for these species:  Should any specimens of these species be found on the preserve whether along the trails or in off trail areas, the entire specimen will be cut down as close as possible to the ground and either removed from the preserve or cut up/chipped so that it does not encroach on the trail.  If necessary herbicide may be applied to the stump to prevent new growth. Use of herbicide will be per the Town’s Policy for the Use of Pesticides & Fertilizers.  Specimens treated will be monitored for new growth. Should any new growth be detected the specimen will be cut and treated with herbicide as above.  Where Oriental Bittersweet has been cut off at ground level and it is not practical to pull the rest of the plant down from where it has climbed the plant will also be cut as high above ground as practical to prevent the cut portion of the plant from becoming an easy vector for new growth to climb up again. Arshamomaque Preserve also has issues with Mile-a-minute Weed. The following shall apply for the control of this invasive throughout the preserve:  Where practical it may be mowed or weed wacked to prevent it from covering other species and producing seed.  It may be removed by hand pulling. If it is removed prior to having viable seeds it may be left off trail. If the seeds are viable the pulled plants will be placed in plastic bags and allowed to bake in the sun long enough to kill the seeds.  Any plants or portions of plants that have grown over other desirable plants shall be pulled off to allow the other plants to grow normally. Arshamomaque Preserve also has issues with Chinese Bush Clover. The following shall apply for the control and removal of this invasive:  Integrated management: A combination of complementary control methods will be used for more rapid and effective control of Chinese Bush Clover Sericea lespedeza. Integrated management includes not only killing the target plant, but establishing desirable species and discouraging non- native, invasive species over the long term.  Plants should be mowed when they reach a height of 12-18 inches, and should be cut as close to the ground as possible.  Mow again when plants are producing flower buds, because root carbon reserves are then at their lowest levels.  It is crucial to inspect and mow any remaining plants before seed is set.  A final cutting in late fall just prior to senescence may weaken plants by reducing carbon storage.  Cutting treatments will need to be repeated for several seasons. Mowing in the flower bud stage for 2 to 3 consecutive years will reduce stand vigor and control further spread. Stewardship Management Plan for Arshamomaque Preserve Page 19 of 19  Hand digging can be effective for controlling small, scattered populations. Digging or pulling activities that remove the root crown, but not necessarily the entire root system, would be sufficient to kill the plant.  Establishing desirable native species: In year four following three consecutive years completing the prescribed mowing schedule evaluate the affected area. If Bush clover population appears to be under control plant desirable native species such as Switch grass, Pennisetum virgatum 18 inches on center in the affected area.  Note: New planting must be undertaken without mechanical site preparation. Disking well established or "run down" Sericea lespedeza stands may result in stand enhancement, rather than degradation, presumably due to enhanced seedling establishment combined with root crown sprouting. The extent of any invasive infestations will be monitored each year and documented with photos to record the status of the infestations.