As autumn begins and insect populations dwindle, many waterfowl species rely increasingly on seeds as a food source. Common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), with its spherical bouquets of seeds now ripening, provides food for an array of ducks, geese, and other wetland denizens. [Read more…] about Buttonbush Is a Boon for Wildlife
wetlands
Keeney Swamp Wildlife Management Area
Located in Allegany County, Keeney Swamp Wildlife Management Area is a designated Bird Conservation Area (BCA) in the aptly named town of Birdsall.
The 708-acre parcel, located about 13 miles northeast of the village of Angelica and six miles southwest of the Village of Canaseraga, includes nearly 530 acres of shrub swamp, emergent marsh, and open water wetlands and approximately 150 acres of brush and grassland. The area is primarily made up of wetland habitat and is home to a variety of waterfowl and song birds. [Read more…] about Keeney Swamp Wildlife Management Area
$600,000 in Mohawk River Watershed Grants Awarded
$600,000 in grants have been awarded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to implement the goals and objectives of the Mohawk River Basin Action Agenda 2021-2026. The Action Agenda is a five-year plan advancing efforts to conserve, preserve, and restore the Mohawk River and its watershed and the grants will support local partnerships and initiatives throughout the region. [Read more…] about $600,000 in Mohawk River Watershed Grants Awarded
The Life of a Snapping Turtle
Until 65 million years ago, huge reptiles dominated our planet – and every summer I think they might be making a comeback. The sight of a snapping turtle hauling herself onto a sunny log or lifting her incredible bulk on mud-colored legs always fills me with prehistoric daydreams.
Turtles have roamed the Earth for about 200 million years, meaning they were around during the time of the dinosaurs. [Read more…] about The Life of a Snapping Turtle
American Woodcock: A Healthy Wetland Indicator Species
The American Woodcock — also known as the timberdoodle — is a bird of shrubby and wooded wetlands and uplands that belongs to the genus Scolopax. Woodcocks are unique birds known for their remarkable courtship displays, specialized feeding habits, and reliance on healthy wetland ecosystems. Their presence in wetland habitats serves as an indicator of environmental health and biodiversity. [Read more…] about American Woodcock: A Healthy Wetland Indicator Species
Native Plant Spotlight: New York Asters
New Yorkers will enjoy beautiful purple against red-and-yellow leaves this fall season with New York Asters (Symphyotrichum novi-belgii), a native wildflower found across the state. [Read more…] about Native Plant Spotlight: New York Asters
Adirondack Park Wetlands Project Approval Heading To Court
On June 15, 2023, the Adirondack Park Agency (APA), which oversees large or environmentally sensitive developments in thee Adirondack Park, approved a variance application for a commercial marina located in and around wetlands in Crescent and Ampersand Bays on Lower Saranac Lake in the Town of Harrietstown, Franklin County.
Wetlands are critical to conserving water quality, mitigating flooding, and harboring fish and wildlife. [Read more…] about Adirondack Park Wetlands Project Approval Heading To Court
Mink: New York’s Cutest Wild Animal?
Mink (Mustela vison), perhaps one of wetland’s cutest furbearers, are primarily nocturnal carnivores that feel just at home on land as they do in water. Both their dense underfur, which is protected by oily guard hairs that make their coat waterproof, and a diet heavy in fish during winter explain why they spend time in the water. [Read more…] about Mink: New York’s Cutest Wild Animal?
43 Acres Protected Along Cayuga Lake Inlet
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT), and The Wetland Trust (TWT) have announced the permanent protection of 43 acres along the Cayuga Lake inlet, just south of Ithaca in the Finger Lakes town of Newfield, Tompkins County. [Read more…] about 43 Acres Protected Along Cayuga Lake Inlet
Spotted Turtles: Rare and Reclusive
Named for their polka-dot-like markings, spotted turtles have declined throughout most of their range, which stretches from Maine south along the Atlantic coastal plain to northern Florida, and in New York, throughout the Hudson Valley, on Long Island, and in the lake plains of western and central New York into the eastern Great Lakes states. [Read more…] about Spotted Turtles: Rare and Reclusive