Town of Hartwick - Herbicide Application to Establish Forest Regeneration

Negative Declaration

Otsego County - The New York State Department of Environmental Conversation (NYS DEC), as lead agency, has determined that the proposed Herbicide Application to Establish Forest Regeneration will not have a significant adverse environmental impact. The action involves the application of registered herbicides to 77 acres on Arnold Lake State Forest to remove undesirable vegetation prior to a timber sale. Target species include American beech, striped maple greater than one inch diameter at the root collar, as well as ferns (New York and Hayscented fern) and invasive species, including Multiflora rose, Japanese barberry and honeysuckle, currently occupying the site. Application methods may include "hack and squirt", basal bark spray, cut stump and foliar spray. Herbicide application prior to a timber sale will create conditions suitable for seed germination and the establishment of desirable commercial timber species and ecologically valuable habitat within one to two years. This will be augmented by planting Norway spruce on the site to establish trees of the same age. The abundance of undesirable plant species present on the site are growing at a density that interferes with the development of desirable forest regeneration. This FEAF/Negative Declaration covers subsequent treatments, as necessary to meet targeted goals. The project is located Otsego RA #7, Arnold Lake State Forest, Stands A-18 and A-20, located in the Town of Hartwick, New York.