Tom Rankin
Well-known member
From January 22-February 26, the Shawangunk Ridge Biodiversity Partnership will hold a series of six lectures on how wildlife respond to changes in the environment. Lectures will be held on Thursdays from 7-8:30 p.m. and are open to the public and free of charge (no advance registration is necessary).
The Ridge’s natural resources, scenic beauty, and outdoor recreational opportunities make it a key focus for land protection efforts and research on the region’s wildlife and environment—information that is key to understanding the impact of environmental change on both natural and human communities.
With more than 250,000 acres of diverse natural landscapes, the Shawangunks support 1,400 species of plants and animals, including nearly 60 that are considered rare and imperiled. In addition, the region is classified as an Important Bird Area in recognition of its permanent habitat and role as a migratory resting and breeding spot.
For more information on the lecture series, contact Nadia Steinzor, Mohonk Preserve, at (845) 255-0919, or Cara Lee, The Nature Conservancy, at 845-255-9051. Cancellations due to winter weather will be listed on many area radio stations and effort will be made to reschedule any cancelled lectures in early March.
New Paltz Lectures
(Scroll down farther for Ellenville lectures beginning February 19)
All lectures will take place at the SUNY New Paltz Lecture Center, Room 100, except for the February 12 lecture which will be in Room 102. For directions and a campus map, see www.newpaltz.edu/map. The Lecture Center is located between the Library and the Humanities Building on the west side of the campus. No parking permit is required if you park after 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 22, 7 p.m. " How Fire Resets the Forest Clock" - With Gabe Chapin, The Nature Conservancy, and Rob Mecus, New York State Forest Ranger. Wildfire is a natural process key to the survival of some species of the Shawangunks. In the wake of the historic wildfire in Minnewaska State Park Preserve in April 2008, scientists and land managers have had a unique opportunity to study the ecological impacts of fire and the ability of animals and plants to rebound. This lecture will focus on such topics, as well as how communities can learn to live more safely in areas prone to wildfire.
Thursday, January 29, 7 p.m. "Local Knowledge/Global Research: How 100 Years of Shawangunk Data is Helping Answer Global Climate Change Questions" - With Ben Cook, Columbia University’s Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory and Paul Huth, Mohonk Preserve’s Daniel Smiley Research Center. As concerns over climate change grow, scientists are paying close attention to how wildlife are responding—offering a chance to understand long-term impacts on our landscapes and environments. Lecturers will discuss the links between the timing of natural events (such as bird migration and tree budding) and climate change, with a focus on the century-long data record of weather and natural history at the Mohonk Preserve’s Daniel Smiley Research Center.
Thursday, February 5, 7 p.m. "Beavers: Nature’s Wetland Engineers or Nuisance?" - With Dietland Muller-Schwarze, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York at Syracuse. Many people think of beavers—with their unique dam-building skills—as nuisances, but are less aware of the tremendous ecological benefits this species provides. Learn more about beaver habits and contributions to habitat creation, erosion control, and more; how beavers influence landscapes and are influenced by regional development; and how we can all learn to co-exist with beavers in our communities.
Thursday, February 12, 7 p.m. "Big Black Birds – Vultures, Crows and Ravens" - With Kimberley Corwin, Breeding Bird Atlas, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The region’s vultures, crows, and ravens play a central role in the region’s biodiversity and food chain. They are also key examples of how wildlife adapt to changing conditions, as they shift their ranges and feeding habits as landscapes and climate change. Learn about these “signature” birds and why the Shawangunks is a key migratory route for them.
Ellenville Lectures
The following lectures will be held at the Ellenville Public Library & Museum,
40 Center Street, Ellenville. (Parking on Route 52 [Canal Street], just west of Route 209.)
Thursday, February 19, 7 p.m. "How Fire Resets the Forest Clock" - Gabe Chapin, The Nature Conservancy, and Rob Mecus, New York State Forest Ranger. Wildfire is a natural process key to the survival of some species of the Shawangunks. In the wake of the historic wildfire in Minnewaska State Park Preserve in April 2008, scientists and land managers have had a unique opportunity to study the ecological impacts of fire and the ability of animals and plants to rebound. This lecture will focus on such topics, as well as how communities can learn to live more safely in areas prone to wildfire.
Thursday, February 26, 7 p.m. "Flight of the Bumble Bee" - Marie Springer, President of Friends of the Wallkill River and beekeeper. In the last few years, the media has featured many stories about “colony collapse” and the possible causes and negative consequences of the rapid decline in bee populations. Learn about the trends, behavior, life cycle, and ecological importance of this key pollinator, and what we all can do to help them survive.
Composed of non-profit and public agencies, the Shawangunk Ridge Biodiversity Partnership is dedicated to protecting the sensitive wildlife habitat and other natural resources of the Shawangunk Mountains. Informed by field research and scientific analysis, partners manage over 40,000 protected acres of the Shawangunks, provide environmental education, and work with local communities to preserve open space on the slopes of the ridge. For more information, visit www.gunksfireplan.org
The Ridge’s natural resources, scenic beauty, and outdoor recreational opportunities make it a key focus for land protection efforts and research on the region’s wildlife and environment—information that is key to understanding the impact of environmental change on both natural and human communities.
With more than 250,000 acres of diverse natural landscapes, the Shawangunks support 1,400 species of plants and animals, including nearly 60 that are considered rare and imperiled. In addition, the region is classified as an Important Bird Area in recognition of its permanent habitat and role as a migratory resting and breeding spot.
For more information on the lecture series, contact Nadia Steinzor, Mohonk Preserve, at (845) 255-0919, or Cara Lee, The Nature Conservancy, at 845-255-9051. Cancellations due to winter weather will be listed on many area radio stations and effort will be made to reschedule any cancelled lectures in early March.
New Paltz Lectures
(Scroll down farther for Ellenville lectures beginning February 19)
All lectures will take place at the SUNY New Paltz Lecture Center, Room 100, except for the February 12 lecture which will be in Room 102. For directions and a campus map, see www.newpaltz.edu/map. The Lecture Center is located between the Library and the Humanities Building on the west side of the campus. No parking permit is required if you park after 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 22, 7 p.m. " How Fire Resets the Forest Clock" - With Gabe Chapin, The Nature Conservancy, and Rob Mecus, New York State Forest Ranger. Wildfire is a natural process key to the survival of some species of the Shawangunks. In the wake of the historic wildfire in Minnewaska State Park Preserve in April 2008, scientists and land managers have had a unique opportunity to study the ecological impacts of fire and the ability of animals and plants to rebound. This lecture will focus on such topics, as well as how communities can learn to live more safely in areas prone to wildfire.
Thursday, January 29, 7 p.m. "Local Knowledge/Global Research: How 100 Years of Shawangunk Data is Helping Answer Global Climate Change Questions" - With Ben Cook, Columbia University’s Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory and Paul Huth, Mohonk Preserve’s Daniel Smiley Research Center. As concerns over climate change grow, scientists are paying close attention to how wildlife are responding—offering a chance to understand long-term impacts on our landscapes and environments. Lecturers will discuss the links between the timing of natural events (such as bird migration and tree budding) and climate change, with a focus on the century-long data record of weather and natural history at the Mohonk Preserve’s Daniel Smiley Research Center.
Thursday, February 5, 7 p.m. "Beavers: Nature’s Wetland Engineers or Nuisance?" - With Dietland Muller-Schwarze, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York at Syracuse. Many people think of beavers—with their unique dam-building skills—as nuisances, but are less aware of the tremendous ecological benefits this species provides. Learn more about beaver habits and contributions to habitat creation, erosion control, and more; how beavers influence landscapes and are influenced by regional development; and how we can all learn to co-exist with beavers in our communities.
Thursday, February 12, 7 p.m. "Big Black Birds – Vultures, Crows and Ravens" - With Kimberley Corwin, Breeding Bird Atlas, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The region’s vultures, crows, and ravens play a central role in the region’s biodiversity and food chain. They are also key examples of how wildlife adapt to changing conditions, as they shift their ranges and feeding habits as landscapes and climate change. Learn about these “signature” birds and why the Shawangunks is a key migratory route for them.
Ellenville Lectures
The following lectures will be held at the Ellenville Public Library & Museum,
40 Center Street, Ellenville. (Parking on Route 52 [Canal Street], just west of Route 209.)
Thursday, February 19, 7 p.m. "How Fire Resets the Forest Clock" - Gabe Chapin, The Nature Conservancy, and Rob Mecus, New York State Forest Ranger. Wildfire is a natural process key to the survival of some species of the Shawangunks. In the wake of the historic wildfire in Minnewaska State Park Preserve in April 2008, scientists and land managers have had a unique opportunity to study the ecological impacts of fire and the ability of animals and plants to rebound. This lecture will focus on such topics, as well as how communities can learn to live more safely in areas prone to wildfire.
Thursday, February 26, 7 p.m. "Flight of the Bumble Bee" - Marie Springer, President of Friends of the Wallkill River and beekeeper. In the last few years, the media has featured many stories about “colony collapse” and the possible causes and negative consequences of the rapid decline in bee populations. Learn about the trends, behavior, life cycle, and ecological importance of this key pollinator, and what we all can do to help them survive.
Composed of non-profit and public agencies, the Shawangunk Ridge Biodiversity Partnership is dedicated to protecting the sensitive wildlife habitat and other natural resources of the Shawangunk Mountains. Informed by field research and scientific analysis, partners manage over 40,000 protected acres of the Shawangunks, provide environmental education, and work with local communities to preserve open space on the slopes of the ridge. For more information, visit www.gunksfireplan.org
