History, Natural History & the Arts
Spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive pest that feeds on a variety of plants including grapes, hops, and maple trees, posing a severe threat to New York’s forests and agriculture.
SLF has been found in several locations in New York but has not yet spread to much of the state. One potential pathway for the spread of SLF is its preferred host plant, tree-of-heaven (TOH), which is already found in many locations across New York. [Read more…] about Help Track Spotted Lanternfly
The story of the founding of the United States is a familiar one. It usually (but not always) begins with English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia in 1607, describes the founding and development of thirteen British North American colonies that hugged North America’s eastern seaboard, and then delves into the imperial reforms and conflicts that caused the colonists to respond with violent protests during the 1760s and 1770s.
Then there is the war, which began in April 1775 and ended in 1783. The adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. And the story of how against all odds, the Americans persevered and founded an independent United States.
Have you ever wondered where this familiar narrative came from and why it was developed? [Read more…] about Memory, History and the American Revolution
The Clinton County Historical Association (CCHA) will host a tour of the historic Bluff Point Lighthouse on Valcour Island on Lake Champlain on Sunday, August 8th. [Read more…] about Lake Champlain Bluff Point Lighthouse Tour August 8th
Recently, volunteers from the bike group CNY D.I.R.T. worked together at Morgan Hill State Forest in southern Onondaga and northern Cortland counties to build an additional 1.3 miles of single-track multiple-use trail. The forest now hosts 10.8 miles of designated multiple-use trail, with another 4+ miles planned in the next few years. [Read more…] about Volunteers Improve Trails at Morgan Hill State Forest
Stewart’s Shops and the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) are partnering this summer and fall to educate visitors on backcountry preparedness. As part of the Love Your ADK campaign, there will be messages aired at Stewart’s Shops locations about using the restroom before heading out to the trailhead and making sure adequate supplies are packed. [Read more…] about ROOST, Stewart’s Launch ‘Go Before You Go’ Campaign
As the title of the animated TV series Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! suggests, getting lost was a frequent premise. From 1969 onward, the cadre of teen gumshoes has spent a lot of their time looking for young Shaggy, who always disappears to smoke a joint (so it’s implied), and then to satisfy his raging munchies afterward. His dog Scooby-Doo of course tags along for the food. I recall one episode where Shaggy attempts to navigate a forest by looking for moss on the north sides of trees. He should’ve just asked Scooby for directions. [Read more…] about Metal Heads and Canine Compasses: Dog Navigation
The teaching of anatomy at European medical schools had become standard practice by the middle of the sixteenth century. Instruction included the dissection of a human corpse. Initially, bodies at hand were those of (male) criminals or heretics.
The occasional dissection of a woman, it being a public event, attracted large numbers of spectators by the prospect of the exposure of female organs. A dissection at the time was both education and spectacle. It was attended by professionals, painters, and the curious alike. The cutting up of a body was a celebration of scientific progress. [Read more…] about Body Snatching at New Rochelle: Cobbett & Paine
The Western New York Land Conservancy and its design partners W Architecture, Hood Design Studio, and Green Shield Ecology presented their final concept designs for The Riverline at a press conference at the Tewksbury Lodge Pavilion in Buffalo last week.
The Riverline is the Conservancy’s proposed urban nature trail and greenway that stretches along an unused railroad corridor from Canalside at the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad Terminal Terminal in downtown Buffalo to the Buffalo River across from Riverbend and Tesla. [Read more…] about Buffalo Riverline: A Unique Urban Nature Trail Design Unveiled
The Genesee Country Village & Museum (GCV&M) has announced their full schedule of events for the month of August, special discounts for families, and more. [Read more…] about August Events at Genesee Country Village & Museum
The Oneida County History Center (OCHC) will host its fifth annual Historical Selfie Scavenger Hunt, a county or city-wide scavenger hunt to learn about the people, places, and events that shaped Oneida County, starting August 2nd. [Read more…] about Oneida County Historical Selfie Scavenger Hunt