- Target:
- Onondaga County County Executive and Legislature
- Region:
- United States of America
Onondaga County in Central New York wants to build a trail on Murphy’s Island, the roosting ground for newly returned Bald Eagles. Last year, the County agreed to place the trail at the back of the site, away from the eagles. Now, the County has reneged on even this minimal protection. Instead, it plans to build the trail near the shore and close it during a critical roosting season. While the trail will be closed December 15 to March 15, human traffic during the other 9 months will adversely affect the eagles’ presence in this area. Eagles can acclimatize to trains and cars, but not to the human form, which they view as a predator.
The Murphy’s Island trail is a bad idea for other reasons. The site is contaminated with industrial chemicals. Trail construction workers may be exposed to these toxins and, until a clean-up plan is developed and the full site is remediated, so may any trail users who leave the pavement. The County says the trail will be part of the Loop the Lake Trail, but has not found a way to connect this spur trail to the rest of the Loop. We do not believe they ever will.
We advocate making Murphy’s Island an Eagle Sanctuary which, combined with the City’s Lake Lounge viewing area at the end of the Creekwalk, will draw visitors to the area to shop, eat and stay overnight. This precious resource can also be used to educate our kids.
We, the undersigned, request that Onondaga County rescind its plan to build a trail across Murphy’s Island and instead dedicate the property as an eagle sanctuary with a public observatory nearby. The proposed Eagle Sanctuary would be an economic and educational benefit to the City of Syracuse and the County as a whole.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Petition to Protect the Onondaga Lake Bald Eagles petition to Onondaga County County Executive and Legislature was written by Richelle Brown and is in the category Environment at GoPetition.