New York Almanack

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Nature

Dedicated Forest Ranger Academy Announced

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Forest Ranger truck provided by Adirondack WildFor the first time, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Ranger training will be held at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) campus in the hamlet of Wanakena in the Adirondacks.

For decades, Forest Ranger recruits have had to share a training academy with Environmental Conservation Office recruits, where law enforcement and policing became the training emphasis. The two positions are very related, but also very distinct. [Read more…] about Dedicated Forest Ranger Academy Announced

Do We Report On Your Favorite Museum?

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New York Almanack Updated DailyIt costs time and money to report news and events from your favorite museum or cultural organization – we need your support.

Make a contribution online at our new Rally.org page: https://rally.org/f/4LBVKo9zYjO    Or, send a check [Read more…] about Do We Report On Your Favorite Museum?

The Turkey Vulture: A Welcome Invasive Species?

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eastern turkey vulture courtesy Wikimedia user Peter K BurianOver the past several centuries, there have been numerous additions to New York State’s flora and fauna. Invasive Species Awareness Week highlights some of the many forms of life that have invaded the region and are currently wreaking havoc with the established members of the region’s plant and animal communities.

However, not all organisms from outside the area adversely impact the environment like Eurasian milfoil or the zebra mussel. One of the largest transplants to New York’s North Country is the turkey vulture, a bird that occupies a niche for which few other creatures are so well suited. [Read more…] about The Turkey Vulture: A Welcome Invasive Species?

The End of Arbitrary Powers to Dam Adirondack Rivers

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Assemblyman John Ostrander, chairman of the Joint Legislative Committee on River Regulation, left, with Paul Schaefer, center, representing Friends of the Forest Preserve and the Adirondack Moose River CommitteeThe State Legislature has just adjourned, but on a good many nights this past month I grew sleepy watching legislative TV or legislative proceedings on the internet. For the non-debate pieces of legislation, meaning when the legislative majority is not allowing minority debate on bills, the viewer is treated to the following exchanges in a monotone, one after the other:

The speaker or his representative, or the Senate president or her representative: “The clerk will read the bill.”  The clerk: “a bill to” …whatever it does.  The speaker or his representative: “The clerk will read the final section.” The clerk: “this act shall take effect immediately.” The speaker, president or their representative: “The vote: 63 in favor. The bill is passed.” All of that has taken less than ten seconds. Next. [Read more…] about The End of Arbitrary Powers to Dam Adirondack Rivers

An Interview With Brad Edmondson On Adirondack History

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wild ideaThe most recent episode of “Empire State Engagements” features a conversation with author Brad Edmondson about his book A Wild Idea: How the Environmental Movement Tamed the Adirondacks (Three Hills/Cornell University Press, 2021).  [Read more…] about An Interview With Brad Edmondson On Adirondack History

Hinckley Reservoir Will Become A Campground

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Hinckley Reservoir Day Use AreaThe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has finalized the Unit Management Plan (UMP) for the Hinckley Reservoir Day Use Area, located on the south shore of the 2,880-acre Hinckley Reservoir in Herkimer County.

Once the UMP is implemented, the Hinckley Reservoir Day Use Area is expected to be transformed into the only public campground in the Southwestern Adirondacks. [Read more…] about Hinckley Reservoir Will Become A Campground

Study: Darkened Windows Save Migrating Birds

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male Black-throated Blue Warbler in flightBuilding lights are a deadly lure for the billions of birds that migrate at night, disrupting their natural navigation cues and leading to deadly collisions. But even if you can’t turn out all the lights in a building, darkening even some windows at night during bird migration periods could be a major lifesaver for birds. [Read more…] about Study: Darkened Windows Save Migrating Birds

The Environmental Movement That Tamed Adirondacks

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a wild ideaBook purchases made through this link support New York Almanack’s mission to report new publications relevant to New York State.

A Wild Idea: How the Environmental Movement Tamed the Adirondacks (Cornell University Press, 2021) by Brad Edmondson shares the story of the difficult birth of the Adirondack Park Agency (APA). [Read more…] about The Environmental Movement That Tamed Adirondacks