History, Natural History & the Arts
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In the year 1900, York Avenue on Saratoga’s East Side was a quiet working-class neighborhood with a mix of young families, as well as older citizens, all living side by side. Listed on the street in that year’s census were laborers, painters, liverymen, and surprisingly, actors.
The neighborhood folks representing the theatre were Edward “Eddie” Fritz Smith, his wife Kitty Sharpe, and their children, Catherine, Sidney, Eddie, Jeal, and William. This couple was no stranger to the life in the spotlight, for even as they settled into a quiet life in Saratoga Springs they were still known across the globe as international celebrities. [Read more…] about The Smith Family of Acrobats and Clowns & Saratoga Springs
A New York City store owner recently paid a fine for illegally selling elephant ivory. The City is the nation’s largest port of entry for illegal wildlife goods
On November 23rd, 2021, Department of Environmental Conservation Investigator Harvey and Environmental Conservation Officer Brussel performed a plainclothes inspection of the Manhattan Art and Antiques Center on Second Avenue in Manhattan. The Center boasts it’s the nation’s largest with over 100 galleries. [Read more…] about Antique Store Busted For Selling Elephant Ivory
The Wild Center in Tupper Lake, NY will host “Connecting Youth, Science and Community Action: Building Capacity for Change,” a virtual workshop focused on empowering youth to take community action related to climate change and conservation, set for June 29th. [Read more…] about Connecting Youth, Science and Action: Building Capacity for Change
The Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, was the home of the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, from 1885 until his death in 1919. It’s located in Cove Neck, in Nassau County, NY near Oyster Bay on the North Shore of Long Island, about 25 miles east of Manhattan. [Read more…] about Featured Historic Site & Wild Area: Roosevelt’s Sagamore Hill
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the start of the 2022 “I BIRD NY” challenges for beginning and experienced birders.
Two levels of challenges provide the opportunity to identify birds and learn about birdlife and offer a chance to win birding equipment. With the launch of many New York State Birding Trail segments this year, DEC will be increasing the chances of winning if participants find birds on a New York State Birding trail site. [Read more…] about 2022 ‘I BIRD NY’ Challenges Announced
Gardening at night has its rewards. For me, it offers a way to stay on top of planting and weeding while balancing work and family responsibilities. It is also cooler at night, and the quiet act of having my hands in the dirt helps me unwind.
My favorite part of night gardening however, is following the starlit silvery trails of the garden slugs. These shimmery tracks are made of slug slime, whose mucus-like appearance belies its protective and locomotive qualities. [Read more…] about Slug Slime: A Secret Weapon
In partnership with the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry’s (ESF) Sustainable Resources Management Department (ESF), DEC recently installed a new trail bridge on Morgan Hill State Forest in the Town of Fabius, Onondaga County. [Read more…] about Morgan Hill State Forest Gets New Rec Trail Bridge
Salmon and trout stocking in Lake Ontario is complete for 2022 with 900,000 Chinook salmon, 505,200 rainbow trout, 480,000 brown trout, 320,000 lake trout, 121,000 coho salmon, and 125,000 Atlantic salmon to provide exceptional angling opportunities. [Read more…] about 2.4M Salmon & Trout Stocked in Lake Ontario
Each year the last full weekend in June is designated as “Free Fishing Days” in New York. This means anyone can fish the fresh waters of the state without a fishing license, making it a great opportunity to give it a try for the first time, introduce someone new to the sport, or reconnect with this fulfilling pastime. [Read more…] about It’s Free Fishing Weekend in New York State
The stock market may be down, but maple syrup production is up.
New York produced 845 thousand gallons of maple syrup in 2022, breaking the state’s own 75-year-old record from 2019, when its maple industry produced 820,000 gallons of syrup. [Read more…] about Banner Year for Northeast Maple Syrup Makers