At this time of year you may see bird courting rituals, lots of singing, nest construction, and the beginnings of fragile new life. Spring also brings another season of the NestWatch citizen-science project from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, building its ever more valuable database on nesting birds. [Read more…] about Help Monitor Bird Families
Recreation
A New Spring Turkey Hunting Season on Long Island
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the dates for the first-ever spring Long Island wild turkey hunting season. The opening of this new season is the result of wild turkey reintroduction efforts DEC initiated in the mid-1990s. [Read more…] about A New Spring Turkey Hunting Season on Long Island
Recovery Plan for Hudson River American Shad Released
DEC has announced the release of the Recovery Plan for Hudson River American Shad. American shad is an economically and ecologically important migratory fish species that once supported a robust fishery in the Hudson River.
Decades of intense fishing pressure coupled with years of low reproduction and non-fishing-related mortality events have further impacted the stock’s resilience and exacerbated declines. [Read more…] about Recovery Plan for Hudson River American Shad Released
Conservationist for Kids in Spanish
Starting with the Winter 2023 “Rocks Rock!” issue of Conservationist for Kids, a Spanish version is available as a PDF download on DEC’s website. Since 2008, Conservationist for Kids has been mailed free of charge in classroom packets to all 4th grade classes in New York State, reaching more than 275,000 students each issue. [Read more…] about Conservationist for Kids in Spanish
Lake Champlain Program Seeks Assessment of Lake’s Economic Value
The Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for services to perform an economic assessment of major watershed-related uses, economic sectors, and economic impacts of these sectors to the Lake Champlain Basin. [Read more…] about Lake Champlain Program Seeks Assessment of Lake’s Economic Value
An American Literary Giant Takes A Hudson River Excursion By Sloop In 1801
The following text about a sloop journey up the Hudson River in 1801 was originally published In The Life of Charles Brockden Brown by William Dunlap (Philadelphia 1815). It was transcribed by Hudson River Maritime Museum volunteer researcher George A. Thompson and additionally edited and annotated by John Warren.
Very suddenly conceived the design of voyaging up the Hudson River, as far as Albany. Had heard much of the grandeur of its shores, but never had gone above ten miles from New York. My friend C. having some leisure was willing to adventure for ten days or a fortnight, and I having still more, and being greatly in want of air and exercise, agreed to accompany him. We found a most spacious and well furnished vessel, captain R.—– in which we embarked at sunset this day. The wind propitious [favorable] and the air wonderfully bland [not foul, like the air in New York at this time]. [Read more…] about An American Literary Giant Takes A Hudson River Excursion By Sloop In 1801
Unprepared Hiker Rescued From Ashokan High Point
On Wednesday, March 22 at about 5:30 pm, Forest Ranger Franceschina responded to a call from a hiker on Ashokan High Point in the town of Olive, Ulster County, who was worried they would not return before dark. Ashokan High Point is a 3,061 feet summit in the Catskills. [Read more…] about Unprepared Hiker Rescued From Ashokan High Point
The Rockland County Work Camp That Inspired The Civilian Conservation Corps
Ninety years ago this month, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the bill that created the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC established labor camps around the nation where unemployed men did forestry work and park improvements.
Much of their hard work is evident in state and national parks, which are still enjoyed by the public. At the time of its creation, the CCC was described as a “novel work-relief plan.” But it was not entirely novel. A similar program was being run in Rockland County, New York. [Read more…] about The Rockland County Work Camp That Inspired The Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps in the Catskills
The aims of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) were to provide jobs to young men and veterans, assist their struggling families and at the same time conduct conservation projects to reverse decades of environmental degradation, improve public lands and develop parks, trails and campgrounds for public enjoyment. [Read more…] about The Civilian Conservation Corps in the Catskills
2022 Bear Hunting Statistics
New York black bear hunters killed an estimated 1,318 black bears during the 2022 hunting seasons. Overall kills declined slightly compared to the 2021 hunting season, with the greatest density occurring in areas of the Catskills.
An estimated 458 bears were killed in the Northern Zone and an estimated 860 bears in the Southern Zone. [Read more…] about 2022 Bear Hunting Statistics