Using GIS To Target Land For Protection In The Skaneateles Lake Watershed

bacground - Bear Swamp, Skaneateles Lake Watershed

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is increasingly utilized by land trusts which are organizations dedicated to protecting land. Using the FLLT acquisition criteria, layers and a GIS methodology are developed to identify quality parcels. The layers developed are soils, archeology, protected parcels, ownership, hydrography, key areas and endangered species. Parcels matching four or more of the desired criteria are flagged.

The spectacular Skaneateles Lake area, which is situated in the Finger Lakes region of New York State, contains a quaint village, superb farmland, splendid views, deep gorges, enchanting forests and a pure drinking water source for 250,000 people. Natural and man made beauty, private ownership and close proximity to an urban center makes it vulnerable to development.

Founded in 1989, The Finger Lakes Land Trust is a non-profit, membership organization dedicated to protect and enhance the natural and working landscape of the Finger Lakes Region. With the help of volunteers and landowners, over 4,500 acres of wetlands, gorges, forests, farmland and streams have been protected. Acquisition and conservation easements are the primary protection tools. High Vista, 134 acres of forests and fields sits on the south slope of Skaneateles Lake.

[Finger Lakes Land Trust Webpage

Criteria Used to Identify Parcels for Protection The Finger Lakes Land Trust is interested in retaining the working and natural landscape of the Skaneateles Lake Region but have limited time and money. The FLLT developed a set of criteria to direct the process of acquiring and protecting land. This project used the following FLLT acquisition criteria:

• Property is in active agricultural use or has the potential to be.
• Property contains or buffers rare species or ecological communities, especially fen, bog, old growth forest.
• Property contains significant hydrological features such as wetlands, streams, lakes or ponds.
• Property is adjacent to protected land.
• Property offers educational or historical benefit such as an archeological site.

Prime agricultural sites are identified through attributes such as favorable soil, topography and moisture. . The FLLT seeks soils in the agricultural classification of I and II as developed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service and applied uniformly across the nation (Badruddin, 1992). Land with class I soil is considered prime agricultural land with no management limitations. Class II indicates generally fertile conditions but with limitations due to erosion, flood and drought potential. Some precautions are needed when working with class II soils (USDA Soil Conservation Service, 1994). For the purposes of this study, Class I and II soils are used to represent Prime Agricultural farmland.

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