ECOS: The Environmental ClearinghouseECOS: The Environmental ClearinghouseECOS: The Environmental ClearinghouseECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse

Celebrating Our 43rd Year in Environmental Education

Vol. XLIV Number 8 July / August 2016

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Save the Date!

15th Annual ECOS Rachel Carson Celebration Thursday, October 13

FREE PUBLIC WORKSHOP ON TREE PRUNING

Life is better for both us and trees when we give our plants some help. ReTree Schenectady and ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse have teamed up to provide a free and informal public workshop on how to care for your trees. Participants can meet up at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 29, at 801 Bedford Road, Schenectady, with a rain date of the 30th at the same time. No pre-registration is necessary. Serving as guide will be Clarence " Rennie" Fountain, an ISA Certified Arborist with over 35 year caring for trees as a professional and as a passionate Regenerative Plant Care advocate. He will focus on many aspects of a tree’s life, including how to plant, prune, and manage your trees.

ReTree Schenectady is a not-for-profit, all volunteer organization dedicated to the planting, care, and conservation of Schenectady’s trees. In the past 25 years, ReTree Schenectady has helped to plant over 3,500 trees in Schenectady, thanks to funding from the City of Schenectady, National Grid, New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation, and pri-vate donations. For more information, see www.retreeschenectady.org.

ECOS Blog and Twitter Now Active

Visit www.ecosny.org to read our new Blog and follow ECOS on Twitter. The more followers we get on Twitter the better our local ranking becomes and the more people we will reach with information on local en-vironmental events.

En Plein Air - Art Outside with ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse & Earth Circles

It’s fun to “paint” outside in the open air with friends. Artists of every skill level are welcome. Won’t you join us? Sign-up by e-mailing: ArtOutsideNENY@gmail.com Everyone brings personal supplies and gear. Once there, each person chooses a view or subject, and works in the medium of choice. There is no fee. De-tails of exact location, date & time will be sent via e-mail. If you plan to come, please e-mail RSVP by the day before. If we have to cancel, it is good to know who is coming.

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ECOS NEWS

published ten times annually by

ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse, Inc.

P.O. Box 9118, Niskayuna, NY 12309

Office Phone: (518) 370-4125

E-mail: info@ecosny.org

www.ecosny.org

Executive Director: Patrick Clear

Office Assistant: Judy Smith

Fiscal Clerk: JoAnn Clear

Editor: Pauline Bono

Webmaster: Cliff Rhodes

Office Hours: Mon., Wed. & Thurs.

10 am — 3 pm and by appointment.

Board of Directors

President

Will Seyse

Vice President for Programs

Art Clayman

Vice President for Outreach

Arden Rauch

Secretary

Holly Hawkes

Treasurer

Bruce Bonacquist

Patricia Doyle Roberta Farrell

Margaret Litwin Juliana Post-Good

Rick Robinson Darwin Roosa

William Shapiro Peter Tobiessen

Barbara Walton

ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse

is a non-political, not-for-profit organization.

Our mission is to provide environmental

information and educational opportunities that

enhance appreciation of the natural world,

to build a community that is aware and

knowledgeable about environmental issues,

and to advocate informed action to preserve

our natural resources. ECOS is funded through

the support of our members and the community.

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eBay Giving Works

Did you receive a holiday gift you don’t want or need? Sell it on eBay and support ECOS. eBay Giving Works is the dedicated pro-gram for charity listings where you can buy or sell items to support nonprofit organizations. eBay Giving Works is the dedicated pro-gram for charity listings on eBay, enabling you to list items on eBay and donate part or all of the final sale price to your favorite non-profit organizations. Since 2000, more than $81 million has been raised for charity from listings sold on eBay worldwide. To learn how the program works visit ebay.com and click on Giving Works. ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse is participating in this program.

iGive.com

Shopping online this Holiday Season? If you are then you can sup-port your favorite charity, AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU, by visiting www.iGive.com. Over 800 of you favorite stores and cata-logs participate in this program in which the retailer donates a por-tion of your purchase to your favorite charity. In addition, there are special discounts and sales available through iGive.com. ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse has raised over $200 through this program so far.

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Bud & Sally Halsey 518-393-5711

Rowing Shells

Rentals Lessons Repairs

2855 Aqueduct Rd. Schenectady, N.Y. 12309

(off Balltown Rd. at Rexford Bridge)

PETE FRISONI

Owner

BARK EATER TREE SERVICE Technical Removals & Stump Grinding

Quality Pruning

(518) 381-4325 Fully Insured for Your Protection

Fernfeather Designs

Jewelry Touched by Nature

Designs also by Request

Pauline Sue Liebig 6A Gurry Circle

Watervliet, NY 12189-2340

518.713.4860 fernfeatherdesigns@gmail.com

Shade Tree Meteorology LLCShade Tree Meteorology LLCShade Tree Meteorology LLCShade Tree Meteorology LLC http://www.shadetreemeteorology.com

Severe Weather Event Reconstruction

Dick Westergard Certified Consulting Meteorologist

Tel 518-831-9374 Toll Free 888-580-0747 Fax 518-374-7743 Email: Dick.Westergard@shadetreemeteorology.com

COME WALK WITH US,

FOR FUN, FITNESS

AND FRIENDSHIP

EMPIRE STATE

CAPITAL VOLKSSPORTERS

WALKING FOR A GREEN PLANET!

For more information, to read our newsletters

and see our walk schedule,

go to: www.walkescv.org

samantha.vannness@nypa.gov

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ECOS Membership ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse, Inc.

P.O. Box 9118, Niskayuna, NY 12309 (518) 370-4125

Please check your membership contribution level. ____ $30. Individual ____ $55. Donor/Organization ____ $250. + Benefactor ____ $40. Family ____ $125. Sustainer $____ Additional Donation Please make your check payable to: ECOS Name________________________________________________ Phone__________________________ Address______________________________________________________________________________ Email:______________________________________________

____ As a GE employee (or retiree) my contribution is eligible for GE Foundation Matching Funds. I have registered with GE for the matching gift by computer at www.gefoundation.com. (If you do not have computer access, call customer service at 1-800-305-0669.) ____ My employer will match my contribution. I’ve enclosed my matching gift form. ____ I would like to be a volunteer. Please send me more information.

ECOS Summer Outings

July 6: Bike tour of Saratoga National Historic Park with ranger as guide. Wednesday, July 6, from 6 pm to 8 pm. This ride will be five miles, with multiple stops for commentary. Meet at flagpole in front of visitors cen-ter. Helmets required. Free of charge. Ride is for adults and kids ages 10 and over. Rain cancels. July 9: Hike in Christman Preserve. Saturday, July 9th, from 10 till noon. This is a 120-acre preserve in Duanesburg with 2.1 miles of hiking trails. It features woods, conifer plantations, and a picturesque 30-foot waterfall that creates a pool with numerous cascades. Easy hiking. For adults and kids over seven (unless in a back carrier). Bring water, a snack, good sneakers or hiking boots, and bug and tick spray if desired. Rain date July 10th. Directions: Take Route 20 (Western Avenue) west from the Albany area. Approximately 2 miles after the Schenectady County line, turn left on Schoharie Turnpike. Cross railroad tracks in approximately 3 miles. About 0.3 mile after the railroad crossing, park in designated area on your left. July 20: Bike ride led by Art Clayman on bike path between Niskayuna Train Station and Colonie Town Park. Wednesday, July 20th, from 5:30 pm -7:30 pm. This will be a 14-miler at a leisurely pace with no rider left behind. Meet at train station parking lot on River Road. Helmets required. Ride is for adults and kids ages 10 and over. Rain cancels. August 27: Hike in Indian Kill Preserve. Saturday, August 27th, from 10 till noon. Indian Kill is a beautiful nature preserve in Glenville, consisting of 100 acres of diverse habitats including native hardwood forest, coni-fer plantations, and wetlands. There are some ups and downs, but nothing too difficult. The trails cross sev-eral bridges, wetlands and streams. Please wear footwear that will work in muddy conditions, as there are places that could be a bit soggy. Bring water and a snack, as well as bug and tick spray if desired. Meet at parking lot across from Schenectady County Recycling Facility on Hetcheltown Road. Rain date is Aug. 28th.

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Schoharie River Center 2016 Summer Programs

For the summer of 2016 Schoharie River Center will have four week-long Freshwater Ecology Summer Adventure Programs for middle school and high school age youth. Each of these week long programs is designed to teach youth how to assess water quality using the WAVE methodology, while having fun outdoors. Data that is collected will be shared with NYS DEC. Additionally we are offering a week-long Archaeology Field School for anyone 12 years of age and older - youth and adults!

7/11/16 - 7/15/16 - Fort Plain Summer EST Program 7/18/16 - 7/22/16 - Fort Plain Archaeology Field School 7/25/16 - 7/29/16 - Minekill State Park Freshwater Ecology Field School 8/01/16 - 8/05/16 - Amsterdam Freshwater Ecology Field School 8/08/16 - 8/12/16 - Schoharie Creek Freshwater Ecology Summer Adventure

Enrollment is limited. A registration form is available at www.schoharierivercenter.org. For more information on any of our programs, please contact the Schoharie River Center.

HVCC to Offer Summer Technology Camp,

Forensics and Geocaching Programs at

Malta TEC-SMART Facility

Hudson Valley Community College will offer two Technology Enrichment Camps as well as Summer Academy programs in forensic science and geocaching this summer at its TEC-SMART extension center at 345 Hermes Road in Malta.

Designed to encourage scientific experimentation and innova-tion in middle and high school students, each of the week-long Technology Enrichment sessions will include daily modules that cover topics like design, engineering, electronics and energy conservation. Participants will work in teams to design and build structures, explore computer-aided design and solve prob-lems using technology.

The week-long middle school program, for students entering grades 6 - 8, will run August 8 - 12. The high school program, for students entering grades 9 - 11, will run August 1 - 5. Both sessions will be Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. The cost is $265. Technology Enrichment instructors will be teachers from the Argyle and Ballston Spa Central school dis-tricts.

Also at TEC-SMART this summer, half-day Summer Academy programs “Forensic Crime Scene I” and “Geocaching” will be offered for students entering grades 6 - 8. Both programs will be offered August 1 – 5, with forensics in the morning and geo-caching in the afternoon. Campers can chose one or take both. The cost is $99 per session.

For more information or to register, contact the college’s Office of Community and Professional Education, (518) 629-7339, or go to www.hvcc.edu/kidscamps.

HVCC Clean Energy Management (A.A.S.) - New Fall 2016!

The Clean Energy Management Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree program combines renewable energy and busi-ness courses to meet industry demands for a workforce that pos-sesses a blend of technical skills and business management abil-ity.

In addition to basic electrical theory and an exploration of photovoltaic, geothermal, wind and fuel cell energies, the pro-gram focuses on the essential principles of finance, marketing and business development. The interdisciplinary curriculum also provides technical training in PV installation, troubleshoot-ing and maintenance. There is flexibility in the choice of elec-tives. The only associate degree program of its kind in this area, Clean Energy Management is designed to lead to immediate employ-ment. Courses are taught at both the main campus and TEC-SMART, the college's extension center in Malta. Online offer-ings account for 50 percent of the coursework.

The degree program is offered through the college's Building Systems Technology Department. www.hvcc.edu

Hudson River (and Mohawk River)

Environmental Conditions Observing System

The Hudson River (and now Mohawk River too) Environmental Conditions Observing System, HRECOS, is a robust environ-mental monitoring network operated and managed by a consor-tium of governmental, academic, and private institutions with shared interest in high-frequency monitoring in the Hudson River watershed. HRECOS monitoring stations are geographi-cally distributed along the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers, and are equipped with sensors that continuously record a suite of water quality and weather parameters every 15 minutes, with most stations operating year-round. Remote telemetry at each station transmits real-time data for the public to freely view and download using an easily-accessible interface at hrecos.org.

HRECOS works to improve the capacity of regional river and estuary stakeholders to: understand the ecosystem and manage water resources, provide baseline monitoring data necessary for applied research and modeling, support the use of real-time data in educational settings, provide policy makers and emergency managers with data products to guide decision making, and pro-vide information for safe and efficient commercial use and rec-reational activities.

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ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse is located in the Niskayuna Community Center,

2682 Aqueduct Road, Niskayuna, NY.

ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse P.O. Box 9118

Niskayuna, NY 12309

Return Service Requested

Non-Profit

U.S. Postage

Paid

Permit #20

Rexford, NY

FLORENCE JONES REINEMAN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY & NATURE CENTER

2016 NATURE PROGRAMS

LOCATION: The Nature Center of the F. J. REINEMAN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY is located at 399 Belden Corners Road, 1½ miles off Route # 29. Belden Corners Road is approximately 4 miles east of Dolgeville and 15 miles west of Johnstown, in Fulton County, New York. There is a sign at the intersection of Route # 29 and Belden Corners Road that will help guide you. TIME OF PROGRAMS: Programs are presented in the Reineman Nature Center every Saturday at 7:00 P.M., unless otherwise stated, from June 25th. through August 20th. These programs are FREE OF CHARGE. For more information, call the manager: Karen Bone at 518/568-7101. No advance reservations are needed for these programs. Reservations are needed for field trips or special programs. Email: reineman@frontiernet.net Reineman: 1/518/568-7101 Beaversprite: 1/315/429-3785

July 2 “HABITATS” by Utica Zoo staff members. A discussion including live animals with the Zoo Mobile, Utica, NY. Different animals from different areas. July 9 “ALLIGATORS” by Mark Perpetua, Herpetologist, Saugerties, NY. A discussion including live alligators of different sizes. July 16 “BIRDS OF PREY” by Brian Robinson, Naturalist, Saugerties, NY. A discussion including live animals. Brian will be flying one of the birds. July 23 “ANIMALS NOBODY LOVES” by Dean Davis, Director of Living World Ecology Center, Ravena, NY. A discussion including live animals. Always a lively time. July 30 “WORLD OF ANIMALS” by Brian Robinson, Naturalist, Saugerties, NY. A discussion including live animals. Reptiles and Birds. August 6 “HYDROPONICS” by Tim Cavaleri, F.J. Reineman Sanctuary staff member Oppenheim, NY. Growing plants indoors. A discussion and examples. August 13 “SNAKES” by Mark Perpetua, Herpetologist, Saugerties, NY. A discussion including live animals. This year he will have a viper, rattler, boa and more. August 20 “NOCTURNAL ANIMALS” by Utica Zoo staff members. A discussion including live animals with the Zoo Mobile, Utica, NY.