Listening to the lake Sunday mornings

Here's an Onondaga Lake experience you won't want to miss. Join us every Sunday morning at 6 am for "listening the the Lake," our chance to sit in silence along the shores of Onondaga Lake. Onondaga Lake, of course, has great spiritual significance as well as a long history of gross mistreatment on the part of industrial and municipal process.

We just sit 45 minutes in silence near the shore or actually over the water on a pier. Meet near the Salt Museum. You might want to bring something to sit on (pad, lawn chair, etc), and dress for the weather if it's cool (can be pleasantly breezey).

We finish by 7 or 7:15. Those of us who have been doing it find that we are discovering a "new" lake, or a new relationship with a much-maligned and abused body of water.

I always notice the birds-- last week eye to eye with Canada goose. Goslings wavering whistles, rather wigeon-like. Also heard common terns over the water, and the leaf patter of cottonwood under which we sat.

Fishin' out the carp...

Headed to breakfast at the Canal Walk Cafe in Baldwinsville this morning, I saw signs advertising the upcoming carp tournament in Baldwinsville. This article about the historical introduction of carp into the Seneca River appeared in my inbox not long afterward. It's certainly interesting the way some entrepreneurial local sport fishermen have capitalized on this problematic fish. What I want to know is; when they catch the fish, do they keep them or do they throw them back? There are few good ways to remove invasive fish species from an ecosystem; fishing them out is a good start. Fishermen acting as predators for these fish would benefit the ecosystem of the Seneca River and Onondaga Lake (which also has carp; they go through the locks in the Seneca River): reducing the number of carp in the system reduces predation and competition with our native fish species, and hastens their return to Onondaga Lake. Keep on fishin'!

Welcome to Revive Onondaga Lake - rethinking our relationship to Onondaga Lake

If a blog has a beating heart, for this blog it is the concept of Onondaga Lake revival. As watershed residents, rethinking our relationship to the lake is a critical part of revival. Your contributions to this blog drive the heartbeat and give the blog purpose.

As stated in the mission, this blog supports the goal of developing a shared, cross-cultural community vision for Onondaga Lake restoration.

By using unique features of the internet, the goal is to reach watershed residents in an innovative way (including those that would not ordinarily participate in formal gatherings). Sharing information and conversing about Onondaga Lake through the blog will build steps for the lake watershed community to collaborate productively around a shared vision. Restoration moves forward towards real healing of Onondaga Lake over the long-term. Ultimately, restoration progress creates a positive feedback loop for the collaborative effort. Our connection to Onondaga Lake is revived, and the heart of our community beats stronger.
Posted by Meredith Perreault