NELSON, N.Y. — Crews have completed work on the half-mile Chittenango Creek boardwalk accessible-trail project through Nelson Swamp Unique Area in Madison County. The trail and boardwalk “meander through a mosaic of low-lying wet meadows, deciduous woods, dark groves of cedar and pine,” and the upper portion of Chittenango Creek as it winds toward Lake […]
NELSON, N.Y. — Crews have completed work on the half-mile Chittenango Creek boardwalk accessible-trail project through Nelson Swamp Unique Area in Madison County.
The trail and boardwalk “meander through a mosaic of low-lying wet meadows, deciduous woods, dark groves of cedar and pine,” and the upper portion of Chittenango Creek as it winds toward Lake Ontario, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) said in its announcement.
The $760,600 boardwalk project was funded through the state’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF).
“DEC is thrilled to join our town of Nelson partners to dedicate the accessible, collaboratively designed Chittenango Creek Boardwalk that will provide convenient recreational opportunities at the remarkable Nelson Swamp Unique Area in Madison County,” Dereth Glance, director of DEC region 7, said in the announcement. “The boardwalk project connects people of all ages and abilities to the Nelson hamlet area and boasts scenic overlooks of the creek and bench seating to soak in the wonderous sights and sounds of this lush wetland.”
The 979-acre Nelson Swamp Unique Area is about 20 miles southeast of Syracuse featuring more than 400 cataloged species of plants, including several species of orchid. The area is also known to support a diverse population of breeding birds as well.
The DEC recently added 7.5 acres to the unique area following a donation by the Town of Nelson government that included a 0.2-mile section of trail and boardwalk completed by the town in 2021.
The full 0.5-miles of accessible trail is now part of a 1.3-mile pedestrian walkway loop connecting local businesses, town offices, natural resources, and town parkland. The DEC worked with the Town of Nelson, Nelson Swamp Trail Committee, and Nelson Streetscape committee to design the new trail and boardwalk to support the community’s connectivity vision, the department said.
“Through our partnership with DEC, the Chittenango Creek Boardwalk trail provides the public with access to the ‘uniqueness’ of Nelson Swamp Unique Area and our community with connectivity throughout the hamlet,” Nelson Town Councilor Jennifer Marti said. “The project places Nelson on the map for the beauty of our outdoors and the potential that our location offers for smart growth into the future.”
