According to a press release issued by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, on December 1, 2022 Forest Ranger Praczkajlo said he followed ATV (all terrain vehicle) tracks in the town of Franklin in Franklin County and determined the operators were riding their ATVs illegally on Forest Preserve land in the Adirondack Park. [Read more…] about ATV Drivers Caught Riding on Forest Preserve Land
DEC
Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center Getting Major Upgrade
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced plans to expand the Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center in the town of Cheektowaga, Erie County, and more than double the facility’s size.
The approximately 7,000-square-foot addition to the education building, will more than double its current square footage and enhance outdoor recreation and environmental education programs offered by Reinstein Woods while improving accessibility for visitors with mobility impairments and other disabilities. [Read more…] about Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center Getting Major Upgrade
Lows Lower Dam Rehabilitation Will Close Road
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the gate on the access road leading to the Bog River Dam, also known as Lows Lower Dam, will be closed starting December 6th, to allow for construction to maintain the dam, located on the Bog River near Tupper Lake, NY in the Adirondack Park. [Read more…] about Lows Lower Dam Rehabilitation Will Close Road
New York State Acquires Key Adirondack Park Land on Thirteenth Lake
On November 9th, New York State acquired from the Adirondack Land Trust 17 undeveloped acres with shoreline on Thirteenth Lake in the Adirondack town of Johnsburg, Warren County, NY.
Now public and protected by the Forever Wild clause of the state constitution, the tract helps protect some of the wild character of the lake’s 4.5-mile shoreline. The parcel is is bordered by the Garnet Hill Property Owners Association, a private home owners association which protects its lakeshore property with restrictive use covenants. [Read more…] about New York State Acquires Key Adirondack Park Land on Thirteenth Lake
Sharp Bridge Campground, One The Oldest In The Adirondacks, Getting Upgrades
The Adirondack Park Agency (APA) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) are holding a joint public comment period to solicit comments for the Sharp Bridge Public Campground and Day Use Area Draft Unit Management Plan (UMP).
The campground is located on NYS Route 9, 15 miles north of Schroon Lake in the town of North Hudson, Essex County. [Read more…] about Sharp Bridge Campground, One The Oldest In The Adirondacks, Getting Upgrades
Company Convicted of Illegally Dumping Railroad Ties
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos and Attorney General Letitia James this week announced the convictions of Cross Tie Disposal, Inc. (Cross Tie), a Kentucky-based freight shipping and trucking company, and its Vice President, Harold Young, 48, for illegally dumping contaminated railroad ties treated with hazardous materials in Chenango County and creating fake receipts to conceal the illegal disposal. [Read more…] about Company Convicted of Illegally Dumping Railroad Ties
It’s Time For Bird Nest Box Maintenance
Birdhouses are a simple addition to your yard that can provide nesting places for many kinds of birds and weeks of wildlife-watching opportunities.
Cavity-nesters, like tree swallows, house wrens, blackcapped chickadees, Eastern bluebirds, wood ducks, and American kestrels, all use nest boxes.
The type of birds you might attract depends on the size of the box and the nearby habitat; some birds prefer open fields while others prefer forests or wetlands. [Read more…] about It’s Time For Bird Nest Box Maintenance
Harmful Algal Blooms in NYS: A Season Summary
The 2022 Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) notification season has ended, and the Department of Environmental Conservation posted the summary of this year’s HABs notices to the HABs Archive webpage.
During 2022, 198 waterbodies statewide were listed with “Confirmed HABs” on the NY HAB System (NYHABS). Over 1,600 HAB reports were collected, and of these, over 1,000 met criteria for a Confirmed HAB. The reports ranged from a single observation to widespread blooms that were persistent throughout the season. [Read more…] about Harmful Algal Blooms in NYS: A Season Summary
Eiders Hit Hard By Avian Influenza; Little Response From DEC
Due to an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the St Lawrence waterway in Canada, an estimated 5-15% of nesting eider females died this year, negatively impacting the eider population, likely for several years. [Read more…] about Eiders Hit Hard By Avian Influenza; Little Response From DEC
Forest Rangers Battle More Wildfires In Eight Counties
In addition to battling at least nine wildland fires in nine different counties from last Friday, November 4th through Monday, November 7th, New York State Forest Rangers responded to an additional eight fires from Tuesday, November 8th through Sunday, November 13th. [Read more…] about Forest Rangers Battle More Wildfires In Eight Counties