The Finger Lakes National Forest is New York’s only National Forest. “Whether to hike, ski, or admire the fall foliage, diverse recreation opportunities draw in visitors year-round,” says the U.S. Forest Service website.
The Trump regime is planning to cut down more of the Finger Lakes National Forest in order to reach a goal of increasing United States timber production by 25%. “All relevant agencies shall eliminate, to the maximum extent permissible by law, all undue delays within their respective permitting processes related to timber production,” Trump’s Executive Order says.
“Additionally, all relevant agencies shall take all necessary and appropriate steps consistent with applicable law to suspend, revise, or rescind all existing regulations, orders, guidance documents, policies, settlements, consent orders, and other agency actions that impose an undue burden on timber production.”
Once the lands of the Iroquois, the Finger Lakes National Forest lies on a ridge between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes in the northwest Schuyler and southwest Seneca Counties. Rochester, Syracuse and Binghamton are all within a two-hour drive of the Forest, which is easily accessed from 1-90 and 1-81 and State Route 17.
The Finger Lakes National Forest is small however, the second smallest in the National Forest System. As a result, it’s managed jointly with Green Mountain National Forest from an U.S. Forest Service office in Mendon, Vermont. There is also a small Ranger Station on State Route 414 in Hector.
(The Green Mountain National Forest, which is included in Trump’s order, is over 400,000 acres, the largest contiguous public land area in Vermont.)
According to existing laws and regulations New York’s only National Forest is supposed to be managed to provide a diversity of native forestlands, shrublands and grasslands, including areas of native older forests, diverse wildlife habitats, quality recreation areas and forage for livestock.
Woodlands interspersed with ponds and open pastures make the Forest a popular destination for camping, hunting, horseback riding, and more. A large proportion is already maintained as grasslands for grazing.
The most popular season is autumn when the trees and pastures are ablaze with color. Hunters enjoy the woods and brush lands of the forest during this time. Summer is a popular time for camping, hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, and fishing.
Winter brings out cross country skiers, snowmobiles, and snowshoe enthusiasts. In spring, the Forest bursts forth from the grip of winter with emerging leaves on the trees, bird flyway activity, and numerous wildflowers that are visible along many of the Forest trails and pastures.
The forest has over 30 miles of interconnecting trails that traverse gorges, ravines, pastures and woodlands. It’s one of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s “Watchable Wildlife” list of places noted for their popularity and the easy access to see wildlife, especially birds.
Grassland birds, including the rare Henslow’s sparrow, grasshopper sparrow, American kestrel, northern harrier and bobolink all make the National Forest home, as do shrubland birds such as the yellow warbler, Eastern towhee, brown thrasher, yellow-billed cuckoo and goldfinches. Forest birds including the Northern goshawk, ruffed grouse, American woodcock and scarlet tanager can also be more frequently seen.
Suffrage Connections
Caywood Point is the only part of the Finger Lakes National Forest bordering Seneca Lake. The Fossenvue Trail is a gravel path that descends through forest to an open area beside the lake with a gravel beach and panoramic views.
The Point also contains the grounds of the former Camp Fossenvue (occupied 1875-1908, the name is an anagram of “seven of us”), a summer retreat for the area suffragists in Lodi, Seneca County.
Its sole remaining cabin, which remains closed to the public, is the 1881 “Queen’s Castle,” dedicated to co-founder Elizabeth Smith Miller, the daughter of abolitionist Gerrit Smith.
In 1924, the site was sold to the Elmira Council of Boy Scouts for Camp Seneca, which continued to operate until 1989. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA, which operates the U.S. Forest Service) purchased the property in 1996, adding it to the Finger Lakes National Forest.
The Forest Service has been accepting comments on a new recreation plan for Caywood Point and Fossenvue. Hector District Ranger Jodie Vanselow (sm.fs.caywood@usda.gov) is compiling them for review.
In addition, a public meeting will be held on May 22 from 5 until 7 pm at the Valois-Logan-Hector Volunteer Fire Department at 5736 State Rte 414, in Hector, NY.
Illustrations: Finger Lakes National Forest Ranger Station in Hector, NY; Finger Lakes National Forest map; and Camp Fossenvue on Caywood Point.
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