History, Natural History & the Arts
The presentation Science Knows No Gender: Eunice Newton Foote and the Cause of Global Warming, by University of California Santa Barbara Visiting Scholar John Perlin, has been made available online.
Eunice Newton Foote, born July 17th, 1819, was an American scientist (including biology, especially botany), an inventor, and a women’s rights campaigner from Seneca Falls, New York. She died on September 30th, 1888. [Read more…] about Science Knows No Gender: Eunice Newton Foote And Climate Change
In 1844 New York State published a volume on birds in Natural History of New York. Written by James E. DeKay with hand-colored lithographs by John William Hill, it was the State’s first attempt at a comprehensive scientific cataloging of New York’s birds. At the time about 301 species of birds were known to be present in the state.
Sixty years later another effort was made to bring together the State’s bird knowledge. The first of the two-volume of Birds of New York – Water Birds and Game Birds – was published to much acclaim. The book was a collaboration between wildlife artist Louis Agassiz Fuertes and author Elon Howard Eaton. Birds of New York listed an additional 100 species – several of which were then “well known,” but unknown in the 1840s. The book would serve as a model for those that followed.
[Read more…] about Birds of New York: Scientific Cataloging In Historical Context
Reindeer have been soaring since long before Christmas came into being. For some reason, the fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria), a lovely red-and-white polka-dotted ‘shroom bearing an uncanny resemblance to a Christmas ornament, is attractive to these creatures. It’s also hallucinogenic, and Comet, Cupid, and loads of other blitzed reindeer have been observed lurching about after munching the mushrooms (Santa’s sleigh makes more sense after you learn about this little reindeer game).
Regrettably, flights of any sort will become less frequent for these animals, as their population is in steep decline as a result of a warmer Arctic. [Read more…] about Santa’s Reindeer Hit Hard By Our Warming Climate
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced more than $2.2 million in Conservation Partnership Program grants for 50 not-for-profit land trusts across the state. [Read more…] about DEC Conservation Partnership Program Grant Awardees
Building on more than three decades of protecting land in and around the Adirondack Park, the Open Space Institute (OSI) has announced the permanent protection of land in the Town of Lake Luzerne.
The newly protected 1,260-acre “West Mountain” property is located west of the West Mountain Ski Area, between the southeastern boundary of the Adirondack Park and Moreau Lake State Park and adjacent to Ralph Road State Forest.
[Read more…] about OSI Protects Land Near West Mountain, Warren County
The Adirondack Council released its 2020-21 State of the Park report subtitled “Landscape of Hope,” noting that the park has become a place of refuge during the COVID-19 crisis, which has only increased the park’s popularity.
The report also notes that the state is beginning to make progress on addressing the overused trails and campsites of the High Peaks Wilderness Area, detailing what has been accomplished and what remains to be done. A third major focus of the report – taking up its entire center spread – is the pending sale of the 36,000-acre Whitney Estate in Long Lake, Hamilton County. [Read more…] about 2020 State of the Adirondack Park Report Issued
I love the summer. It’s the time of year when animals are most active; when the sun is warm and plants of all kinds are thriving; and when the first harvests start to ripen.
I was talking with a friend of mine recently and asked his young grandson if he liked the flowers in my garden. His response was, “Plants make me sneeze,” to which I lightheartedly replied, “Me too.” [Read more…] about Plants That Make You Sneeze
Adirondack Water Week is set to take place Sunday August 23rd through Friday August 28th. The inaugural event showcases a newly formed partnership between Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute and Northwood School in Lake Placid.
Water Week is designed for the general public to learn about our freshwater resources and discover ways to take action to protect Adirondack lakes and streams. [Read more…] about Adirondack Water Week 2020 Kicks Off Sunday
The Shore Owners’ Association of Lake Placid (LPSOA) is seeking public input to help inform the development of a lake management plan for Lake Placid.
Earlier this year, LPSOA began working with Dr. Brendan Wiltse from the Ausable River Association on the development of a lake management plan. Lake Placid is classified as AA-S by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the highest water quality classification possible. The lake serves as the drinking water source for the Village of Lake Placid and is an important recreational asset to the area. [Read more…] about Public Input Sought For Lake Placid Management Plan
To a highly mobile species like humans, the fact that other animals relocate their families – or entire populations – isn’t a big surprise. We know historical migrations have been the norm, though the fossil record shows that generally these changes happened at a snail’s pace.
The “Great American Interchange” in which northern animals spread southward and South American critters expanded north during the Pliocene Epoch, took a million years. Give or take a few, I assume. [Read more…] about Northern Tree Migrations: Nature on the Move