Introduction...

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WARNING

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This blog contains graphic material which may be disturbing to naturalists.

Viewing discretion is advised.

This blog is intended for the purpose of graphically depicting the natural beauty of Oatka Creek Park through the seasons of the year. Until recently, this park has had very limited development within its boundaries with the exception of a lodge and surrounding mowed open playing field for random events such as disorganized softball games, frisbee throwing, pitching of tents for Boy Scout activities and other similar events which find the natural setting of this park the primary attraction. The only other developed areas within the park are the trails though "old field" and "shrub upland" which would otherwise close up without some occasional attention and would make walking there a major endeavor.

The really beautiful trails are those within the deciduous forested areas where simply walking on the trails maintains them without human intervention.

This park therefore has a relatively low cost of ownership since it does not require extensive maintenance to keep it functional as a gem for horseback riding, walking on trails, nature photography, fishing, wading in the creek, walking of dogs, bird-watching, geocaching, picnicking, and all the sorts of things that most people seek when they have little more than a small yard with perhaps just a few trees and would like to escape to an unspoiled natural wonderland.

The "Friends of Oatka Park" is the owner of this blog and firmly protest the intended development which has started here at the main park entrance to construct two soccer fields. This proposal as with many actions, has a simple origin and was not unreasonable initially. The Scottsville Athletic Association encountered difficulty getting playing fields during the peak times when everyone wanted a soccer field at the same time. For various reasons fields seemed to be scarce. Some investigation into that aspect has yielded a considerable number of fields which will be available from now on.

Since there initially appeared to be a need for more soccer fields, the Town of Wheatland made some unsuccessful attempts to locate and construct fields in more developed places around the town but did not materialize any results. This next led to inquiries to the Monroe County Parks Department through internal political connections and Oatka Creek Park looked like a site for the project.

It was the back-room deals out of public view or citizen input which "Friends of Oatka Park" most greatly detests. The process or "lack of process" to date, regarding this soccer fields project kept only the interested parties informed until the project was underway and obvious to nearby residences and park users. When the machinery for discussing needs and solving problems is run properly in the open, and appropriate citizens are informed, it is generally possible to achieve acceptable solutions. It is the back room and under the table tactics which make most citizens skeptical of government and distrusting of what has now been reported as a wonderful resource for all of Monroe County.

I am reminded of the amusing parallel of George W. Bush, then president, commending the Director of FEMA after the Katrina disaster in New Orleans, "Brownie", with the blessing: "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job!"

When I received my formal response from our Monroe County Executive regarding this issue, I could hear her commendation to the Director of Monroe County Parks Department: "Larry, you're doing a heck of a job".

The "Friends of Oatka Park" would like to see this project permanently stopped and the "already raped site" restored to some semblance of its original condition perhaps nurtured along the way with extensive reseeding of wild flowers or other appropriate vegetation which make the park entrance attractive again rather than an eye sore. This would avoid a guaranteed future cost of ownership as well as a perpetual nuisance during soccer season.

Temporary Restraining Order in Place...

This is the current state of the site chosen by Monroe County Parks Department within Oatka Creek Park to install two soccer fields. Work has ceased until 16 September 2009 at which time an article 78 proceeding will determine what will happen to a place which was formerly enjoyed by people who do not find scheduled group-sport a suitable activity for a nature park.

How it all Started...

It seemed strange that the open area in this picture, formerly an "old field" community/habitat type, with milkweed and a wide variety of other plants was mowed to ground level. This coincided with a period during which the park trails elsewhere had been ignored well beyond the regular summer maintenance interval and were returning to nature. I first thought it was just stupidity in play or make-work mowing but it turned out to be preparation work for intended soccer fields.

This "old field" which was originally an abandoned farm field was undergoing a process of succession in which nature restores a place through a transition of growing states sometimes back to what it may have been when the country was first discovered. Progress of succession was somewhere along in the order of 30 or more years at least. Thus recovery to bring it back if this project ceases will be lengthy but worthwhile in order to preserve wilderness and wildlife habitat.

The local citizens realized that something was about to happen when the heavy equipment moved in after the mowing job and removed the "upland shrub" which was forming around the "hedge row" behind the bull dozer and along the "deciduous forest" not visible in the photo to the left. Approximately 100 relatively large trees were also removed along the southern deciduous forest and the western hedge row.

This was the point at which the concerned citizens succeeded in stopping the next intended phase of the project for the grading of the site into two level and terraced soccer fields. The basis for halting the work was the "minor oversight" by the County that this project covered 3.5 acres and not the considerably smaller acreage originally claimed in the initial documentation which put the project forward. At this point the County proceeded to amend the first erroneous documentation into a newer more advanced level of erroneous documentation. The efforts of discovery by the "Friends of Oatka Park" to contest the new version went to Judge Barry of the New York State Supreme Court and were successful in stopping the dozers at least until 16 September 2009. Unfortunately just prior to the temporary restraining order, considerable excavation had already commenced in the process of producing the terraces for the soccer fields.

"Friends of Oatka Park" Protest...

On 25 August 2009 a protest was held by concerned citizens who choose to preserve the natural beauty of Oatka Creek Park and avoid bussed-in/drive-in activity for group sport and scheduled events in a place not appropriate for stadium-type congregation.

They detest the standard argument that the proposed soccer fields now in progress are a tiny part of the entire park. This statement in numerical terms is correct but it would be like wearing sneakers to a black tie event when wearing a tuxedo...perhaps accompanied by a striped beanie with a propeller.

"Propriety" seems to be something not well understood by the director of the Monroe County Parks Department.

The group known as "Friends of Oatka Park" have attempted by every public forum possible to engage the Town of Wheatland and the Monroe County Parks Department who are collaborating on this project to consider better alternatives. Given no interest to stop the dozers, the last resort has been to sue the lead agency of this project in an article 78 petition. Work is now stopped pending a hearing on 16 September 2009.

Winter along the Creek...

Winter often produces magical formations of ice on tree limbs which hang into the creek. It is sometimes like the jewelry of mother nature along the banks.

Oatka Creek Park is aptly named for the creek passing through it on the north side of the park lands. The creek was originally named Allen's Creek after an early settler to this region. The creek passes through Scottsville and empties into the Genesee River. A part of the creek was once used for transport as a part of the Scottsville-Genesee River Canal.

The creek was also a power resource for manufacturing and was damed at many places too turn water wheels for running machinery. An obvious dam is still visible at what was once the Ebsary Gypsum processing plant, now Sabin Metal Corporation. A less obvious damn was within the present park grounds at Garbutt and just west of the bridge crossing the creek on Union Street.

Winter is a great time to see the many ruins of the old manufacturing operations which were once present here within the lands now called Oatka Creek Park.

Animal tracks in the Snow...

Every season of the year offers new prospects of discovery in Oatka Creek Park. Winter is a great time to observe the foot prints of the animal occupants of the place. It is a real treat to be the first one in the park after a fresh snowfall and find no human foot prints on certain trails but a myriad of other prints left by the wild inhabitants. I find it interesting when my dogs plug their noses deep into the holes left by passing white tail deer so they can get a better scent of what it might have been.

Remnants of the Past...

Winter is the best time to observe the remnants of the gypsum mining operations once present in the area which has become Oatka Creek Park. These ruins were some of the processing facilities of the Lycoming Calcinating Company near Garbutt.

The existence of this park can be largely credited to the fact that most of the land now in the park is tunneled with abandoned gypsum mines. This makes the area relatively unsuitable for commercial development but ideal as a nature park. Many of the sunken trenches and pits around the park are not from surface excavation alone but from the collapse of the underground tunnels where gypsum was mined.

Gypsum was formed when ancient oceans covered this region and deposited material in strata which at this site consist of two parallel layers. One layer is near creek level and the other is at a higher elevation. This is a unique geology for gypsum deposits.

Fall...a time for Magic in the Park...

Fall is not only a time when colors abound in the park but the weather adds its brush to the artwork as well.

Mother nature Dresses up the Park...

Mother nature dresses Oatka Creek Park in spectacular ways when fall arrives.

The Source of Little Acorns...

The mighty oak in fall dress...

Park Main Entrance Road...

The view as one enters Oatka Creek Park on Quaker Road.

A left turn at the yellow gate gets you to the park lodge which was originally the only significant development in the park.

The natural beauty of this park is the limited development consisting of the lodge and surrounding mowed lawn where picnicking activities, frisbee tossing, and other disorganized games are often played. This is what a real nature park is about...nothing scheduled and bussed in routinely but a great place to enjoy the natural surroundings with some limited amenities.

Other limited development in the park consists of some mowed trails in places where navigation would be difficult unless the mower made the occasional pass to limit growth.

The most beautiful trails are those which stay open strictly from human traffic which maintains their natural appearance and which often are not easily detected during the height of the growing season. Walking along some creek paths is like an experience in the jungle at times if one goes there in mid-August.

The View Leaving the Park...

The view of Oatka Creek Park as one leaves the park from the lodge heading out towards the main park entrance at Union Street and Quaker Road. This is Quaker Road.

Quaker Road inside the Park...

Heading west on Quaker Road inside the park. Fall in the park is a natural painting.

Black Cohosh...

Black cohosh. This plant blooms in July and the scent of the bloom reminds me of burning plastic. It would not exactly be a model for some new perfume scent! Prior to knowing the actual name of the plant I referred to it as the "plastic plants".

Black cohosh is seen in the deciduous forest understory and is quite abundant in Oatka Creek Park.

Habitat for Butterflies...

Milkweed...a favorite of the monarch butterfly.

Summer Meadow...

A meadow bordering Oatka Creek in mid-summer.

Woodland Flowers...

Probably a panicle astor among the daisies.

The branch foliage along the stems of the common white daisy can actually be eaten and used on salads. Certain flower blooms themselves are edible.

The most entertaining thing I have ever witnessed was to observe cotton-tail rabbits in my yard plucking dandelions which had gone to seed tops, starting with the bottom of the stem and eating the entire thing, full stem and fuzzy top. At the very end of the feast as the fuzzy seeds went into the mouth, a few seeds which escaped, puffed away on the breeze. I observed this several times and thought it was a rare treat to witness.

Down the Main Trail...

This is the main wide woodland trail through Oatka Creek Park which follows if one jumps the yellow gate at the end of the main access road to the park lodge and continues west. One could actually drive down this beautiful dirt road before the park existed. This is actually the extension of Quaker Road after it crosses Union Street heading west. It eventually turns left and and heads out to Steward Road. The first time I ever drove down this dirt road I thought it was the most unique place I had ever driven a car. The only other road similar to this is Lacey Road which is not too far from here. Check it out some time.