The Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy enhances the quality of life in the Mohawk and Hudson River valleys by preserving natural, scenic, agricultural and historic landscapes, and conserving habitats, in partnership with landowners, not-for-profit organizations, businesses and governments for the benefit of current and future generations.

Our Business Sponsors:Barrett Associates

Bearing Distributors Inc.Edward Jones

Freihofer’sInterim HealthCare

SABICTimes Union

White Management Corp.

THANK YOU

MISSION

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Indian Ladder Farms by Dietrich Gehring

* Header Photo by Dietrich Gehring

VIEWPOINTSSUMMER FESTIVAL!Opening Ceremonies at NoonMHLC Friends Aerial Photo at 12:45 p.m.Hike-A-Thon at six nature trails begins at 1:00 p.m.The long days of sunlight are a treasure in the Northeast, and the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy is celebrating them for the fifth year in a row with its Summer Festival. The Conservancy is delighted to be bringing this year’s event to Indian Ladder Farms in Altamont, which was permanently protected by MHLC and the Open Space Institute in 2003 with an agricultural conservation easement—the first in Albany County and a first for MHLC as well.On Sunday, July 17, the Summer Festival kicks off at noon with opening ceremonies to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Indian Ladder Farms and the Grand Opening of the Indian Ladder Farmstead Cidery & Brewery. The ceremonies will feature the unveiling of a historic marker

commemorating the farm’s centennial and speeches by MHLC Executive Director Mark King, Indian Ladder Farms President Peter Ten Eyck II, and local dignitaries. In a first for the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy, the ceremonies will conclude with an aerial photography session to capture the faces of MHLC friends in a documentary photograph for the Conservancy’s 25th Anniversary in 2017. We ask that all MHLC friends and supporters join us at Indian Ladder Farms for this aerial photo which will be proudly displayed during our 25th Anniversary year and show the broad community support for conservation in the Capital Region. If everyone who reads this newsletter attends, we will have more than 2,000 supporters for this photo—what a way to ring in MHLC’s 25th year! Please join us and do your part to show your support for the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy. Aerial photo participants will receive a

Fifth Annual Summer Festival expects more than 1000

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www.mohawkhudson.orgJuly 2016 Volume 13 Issue 1

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Cathie Love Chair Michael Barrett Vice Chair Christoper Gorka Treasurer Kim Baker Secretary Carol Ash Michael Barrett Tony Belsito Glen Bruening Sarah Carroll Clifford Erickson Sandra Geisinger Dan Lewis Ellie Prakken Dodie Seagle Elliott Shaw ADVISORY COUNCIL John Abbuhl Matt Bender Charles Buchanan Ginny Carter Jeff Jones Chuck Manning Felton McLaughlin Stewart Myers Peggy Sherman Mike Sterthous Peter Ten Eyck Maggie Vinciguerra Val Washington STAFF Mark KingExecutive Director

Lea Montalto-RookDevelopment Director

Lisa AllendorphFinance Administrator

Connie Tedesco Stewardship Director

John Schlepp Stewardship Coordinator

Tina Bateman Program Assistant

PEOPLE

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From the Executive DirectorMark King, MHLC Executive Director

Spring brought more than just great weather for MHLC and the Capital District. I’m pleased to report that with a June ribbon cutting ceremony the Albany County Helderberg Hudson Rail

Trail is now officially opened. There is more work to be done but trail use and popularity is exploding. Many thanks to Albany County and the municipalities for their wonderful collaboration. The City of Albany is now focusing on the creation of the south end link to connect the trail to the Corning Preserve and beyond, bringing us an important step closer to a truly regional alternative transportation network. The Conservancy’s Rail Trail Ambassador Program, under the leadership of volunteer Stewart Dutfield, is in full swing and we welcome our new Trail Ambassadors from Living Resources and the ARC home in Slingerlands. The MHLC calendar is full with ongoing trail work days, hikes and field trips at our varied MHLC sites. With the help of dedicated volunteers, our skilled stewardship staff, and summer intern Jake Hill, the preserves are in excellent shape. This is a great time to get out and explore – check our website for the

latest opportunities for work days and hikes. And don’t forget to join us for our upcoming Summer Festival and Hike-a-thon on Sunday, July 17th. Visit www.mhlcsummerfest.org for information.Lastly, land conservation projects and opportunities abound. We’ve been thrilled by the enthusiastic response to the Bozen Kill Challenge and look forward to expanding the Preserve, but we’re not there yet. We still need to raise $4,000 to meet Jim Suozzo’s $15,000 challenge Please donate and Jim will match your gift dollar for dollar, doubling the impact of your gift! We also have a great group of volunteers working on adding to the Bozen Kill Preserve trail system. And we are continuing to work on expanding our existing preserves in several other locations and have numerous other conservation projects underway.There are many more exicting things going on at MHLC and we couldn’t do them without you. Many thanks to the Conservancy’s friends and champions whose ongoing dedication and support make the conservation efforts of MHLC possible. Hope to see you at the Summer Festival or on the trails this summer!

Clockwise from top left: Onlookers at the Albany County Helderberg Hudson Rail Trail open-ing; Participants in MHLC’s Family Wilderness Survival Program; A group of MHLC hikers gather at the Tivoli Lake Preserve sign; Participants in MHLC’s Bird Language program at the Holt Preserve. For more activities and hikes check out: www.mohawkhudson.org

In the Community

special 25th Anniversary commemorative gift in thanks for their attendance. Please let us know you’re coming by calling 518-436-6346 or registering online at www.mhlcsummerfest.org. The commemorative gift will be available on a limited basis, so make sure you register!After the opening ceremonies, visitors to the celebration can walk throughout the farm and enjoy activities provided by close to 50 exhibitors, ranging from musicians to artists to food trucks, providing fun for all ages. There will be hayrides, pony rides, pick-your-own berries, face painting and animals including service dogs, farm animals, rehabilitated birds of prey, and reptiles. Also, visitors may enjoy performances by the Bethlehem Traditional Irish Dancers and the Squeeze Play Accordion Band as well as sample offerings from the new Indian Ladder Farmstead Cidery & Brewery, and much more.Back by demand, the 2nd annual MHLC Hike-A-Thon will begin at 1 pm at the farm. Participants this year can choose between six guided hikes: History Hike at Indian Ladder Farms, Agricultural Tour at Indian Ladder Farms, a family Wildflower and Amphibian Hike at MHLC’s Craven Easement-- open to the public for this hike only, a wheelchair accessible hike on the Albany County Helderberg Hudson Rail Trail, a history hike at MHLC’s Bennett Hill Preserve, or a self-guided tour and treasure hunt with Preserve Docents at MHLC’s Bozen Kill Preserve. Hikers are meeting at 1:00 p.m. at the check-in table in front of the café at Indian Ladder Farms to receive their gift bags, and then carpool to their hike. “This has become a very popular annual tradition for the Conservancy, and we are thrilled to be able to expand the event this year in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Indian Ladder Farms and the Grand Opening of the Indian Ladder Farmstead Cidery & Brewery,” said Mark King, Executive Director of the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy. “The Summer Festival is appropriate for all ages - it’s a great community gathering.”For information or to register for the aerial photo or hike-a-thon, visit mhlcsummerfest.org.

Summer Festival Continued from page1

Help us show the world how many Capital Region residents support land conservation! Join us for an aerial photo at 12:45 am on

Sunday, July 17 as part of the 2016 Summer Festival at Indian Ladder Farms.

Aerial photo participants will receive a special 25th Anniversary commemorative

gift in thanks for their attendance. Please let us know you’re coming by calling 518-436-6346 or

registering online at www.mhlcsummerfest.org

Why do easements matter? The preservation of Indian Ladder Farms

On April 25, 2003, Peter Ten Eyck, II, third generation owner of Indian Ladder Farms, signed the document that would permanently protect his 320-acre farm from development. This “conservation easement” is designed to protect agricultural land, wildlife habitat, sensitive ecosystems, scenic areas, wetlands, working forests, and historic sites by ensuring that it will remain farmland or natural land for forever.

But why does it matter? Why is Indian Ladder Farms the cornerstone of MHLC’s Helderberg Conservation Corridor protection effort?

The preservation of Indian Ladder Farms is crucial for many reasons.

• Active agricultural land is dwindling in the Capital Region. Today, Indian Ladder Farms is only one of two remaining fruit farms in Albany County.

• Farmland within the Town of New Scotland decreased by 75 percent between 1954 and 1992 due to considerable development pressure. In protecting the farm, the character of the region is preserved and a farm is saved from extinction.

• The Vly Creek Marsh and Black Creek Marsh wetland complexes on and adjacent to the property are high value wetland ecosystems that support a diverse assem-blage of wildlife species and are regionally important for migratory and nesting birds, as well as for amphibian habitat.

• The farm affords dramatic views of the Helderberg Escarpment and it is an integral part of the Thacher Park viewshed.

• The protection of Indian Ladder Farms makes possible a continuous wildlife corridor of 5,000+ acres of protected natural lands.

In 2003, MHLC made history when we signed the Indian Ladder Farms agricultural conservation easement—the first in Albany County and a first for MHLC as well. Please join us at our Summer Festival on Sunday, July 17th, in celebration of the protection of Indian Ladder Farms for forever.

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From the Stewardship Desk

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What glorious days as spring swells into summer! The stewardship staff at MHLC has been very busy for the last few months working on our preserves along with our many dedicated Preserve Stewards and volunteers. Here is a sampling of our activities:

Building Bridges: Maintenance and improvements on the 16 Preserves open to the public is a never-ending affair. This Spring we replaced a bridge at the Normans Kill

West Preserve and repaired another at Schiffendecker Preserve. Thanks to Peter Stoj, Scott Lewendon, and many volunteers for lending their time - and muscle! Seen here: Volunteers move the Schiffendecker bridge into place.

Trails- Old and New: Keeping our preserve trails open and safe involves constant monitoring and upkeep as well. We have work days all season

long to include volunteers in these efforts. Work scheduled for 2016 includes the extension of the Bozen Kill and Keleher trail systems, trails and infrastructure for the new Fox Preserve in Colonie, and repairs and reroutes at Bennett Hill and Swift Preserves. Seen Here: Volunteers clear a new section of trail at the Bozen Kill Preserve.

Volunteers Making A Difference: An Eagle Scout completing a trail project at the Keleher Preserve, Girl Scouts planting trees at the Van

Dyke Preserve, mountain bike enthusiasts helping to develop a new recreational trail system, crews from Living Resources monitoring the Rail Trail-volunteers young and old, from all backgrounds and interests, are volunteering with MHLC to make a difference in their local communities. To volunteer, contact us at volunteer@mohawkhudson.org. Seen Here: A group of Boy Scouts showing off the stump they successfully removed while working at the Keleher Preserve.

2016 Stewardship Intern: We are pleased to welcome our summer Stewardship Intern, Jacob Hill, from Altamont NY. Jake is entering his Junior year at SUNY Geneseo with an

anticipated major in Biology and minor in Environmental Studies. He is already busy assisting staff with a wide range of stewardship activities from Volunteer Work Days to trail marking. Contact MHLC if you would be interested in supporting an Internship Endowment to support and train the next generation of land stewards. Seen Here: MHLC Stewardship Intern, Jacob Hill.

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Octagon Barn Get-together: Laurel Gailor of Cornell Cooperative Extension came to our Stewardship Get-together at the Octagon Barn this past March and gave

a presentation on Invasive Species. We followed up with an Invasive Species Identification Walk on June 28th at the Normans Kill West Preserve, in partnership with the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). P.S. Thanks to Russell Pokorny for allowing us to hold this event at the Octagon Barn, where we also enjoyed the inaugural draught of “Daniel Driscoll Pale Ale”, named after the long-time MHLC supporter and Winn Preserve Steward, courtesy

of Indian Ladder Farms. Seen here: A toast to the “Daniel Driscoll Pale Ale” by Mark King and Dan Driscoll)

In Memory on Arbor Day: Bethlehem Girl Scout Troop #1209, under the guidance of leader Veronica Roddy, planted 3 native trees at the

Van Dyke Preserve as a service project on Arbor Day. These trees were planted in addition to the red maple donated last fall by John Smolinsky and Ellie Prakken. A serviceberry was planted in memory of Carla Bailey, the daughter-in-law of David and Sandra Geisinger. We would like to thank the Geisingers and Guernsey’s Schoharie Nurseries located in Schoharie NY for their

generous donations. Seen Here: Girl Scout Troop #1209, Sandra and David Geisinger, Connie Tedesco, and Troop Leader Veronica Roddy at the Van Dyke Preserve.

Little Things Mean a Lot: At the annual fall fundraiser last year we placed a request for a picnic table on the “Giving Tree”. To our delight, Fred and Barbara Eames

selected this item as a donation to MHLC and, with the enthusiastic help of our Bozen Kill Preserve Stewards, we now have a lovely spot to picnic in the shade and watch the stream flow by. Seen Here: Kathy Meany, Ronnie D’Alauro, and

Kevin McLoughlin pose with the newly placed picnic table at the Bozen Kill Preserve.

Honoring Earth Day: The Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy joined forces with the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission to celebrate Earth Day this year. On Saturday, April 16, MHLC

Board, Staff and Volunteers helped to clean up our new properties in the Albany Pine Bush. The event brought hundreds of volunteers outside and they provided invaluable hard work and enthusiasm. Seen Here: The MHLC Board of Directors pose for a photo with Executive Director Mark King at the Earth Day clean-up.

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Looking Ahead: MHLC’s Stewardship team has a full slate of projects for the coming months, including extending trails in the Bozen Kill Preserve, and working to develop a trail system at the new Fox Preserve in Colonie. In addition, we are working on opening some of the Keleher Preserve trails to mountain biking, and updating the trail markers at all of our preserves. We look forward to a great summer and hope to see you on the trail!

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New Trail at the Winn Preserveby Dan Driscoll

Protecting Land

A new half-mile long trail (the easternmost White Trail) was completed at the Hudson and Nancy Winn Preserve in 2015. This remarkable trail runs along the edge of the Helderberg Escarpment with occasional views to the north and many other interesting features. The trail was built by Boy Scout Earl Barcomb and his family and friends as his Eagle Scout project. To hear a short explanation of the land donation that permitted construction of the trail, and the purpose of an Eagle Scout project, visit our website. There are QR Codes at ten points throughout the Preserve; each describes important nearby features. If you are not able to scan a QR Code, you can download the text from the MHLC website to carry with you as you hike the Preserve. Until the Eagle Scout Trail was built, the only place walking fern (Asplenium rhizophyllum) had been found on the Preserve was along the Red Trail (listen to QR-7).

Walking fern is a unique fern. It can reproduce by means of spores like other ferns, but each frond has a long tapering tip, like a spear point, which can take root when it touches a suitable spot. You will find more walking fern along the new trail, directly above the Red Trail.Read the full story at: www.mohawkhudson.org

Above: The 68-acre Lehman property, in the Town of New Scotland was protected by a conservation easement in February 2016. The land boasts a mix of forests and fields and unparalled views of the Helderberg Escarpment.

◀ Left: The Fox Preserve, a 70-acre property donated to the Conservancy in the Fall of 2015. The Preserve is located in the center of the Town of Colonie. MHLC’s stewardship team is currently working on designing the Preserve’s trail system and plans to open it to the public in 2017.

▶ Right: Protecting the picturesque views of the Bolotsky easement in Rensselaerville has been a priority of the Conservancy’s for many years. Earlier this year the property was protected by a conservation easement, ensuring that the beautiful landscapes of this 126-acre property will be enjoyed for generations to come.

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Above: Earl Barcomb leads a hike of the new trail he built at the Winn Preserve as part of his Eagle Scout project.

Act NowDrinkable water is precious. Over one billion

people lack access to drinking water worldwide.*

In the Capital Region, the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy helps to protect our water supply, one stream at a time.

Today, MHLC can further protect the Bozen Kill stream that supplies water to the Watervliet Reservoir for the 45,000 residents of the City of Watervliet and the Town of Guilderland. And, MHLC has received a challenge grant from Jim Suozzo for $15,000. For every dollar that is donated, Jim will match it, doubling your donation.

We need your assistance today more than ever—we cannot accomplish great things without you. What will your donation support?

Your donation of...

• $100 will be doubled to $200, and will protect water for 182 people;

• $450 will be doubled to $900, and will protect water for 818 people;

• $1,000 will be doubled to $2,000, and will protect water for 1,818 people.

With your support, we are protecting the Capital Region’s water supply!

Name:

Address:

Phone:

Email:

Mail this form and your payment to: Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy 425 Kenwood Ave, Delmar, NY 12054

or Donate Online at: mohawkhudson.org/donate-now

*According to the Global Health and Education Foundation.

A check payable to MHLC for $ is enclosed.

I/we would like to give via credit card.

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$ Circle one: Single gift Monthly Quarterly

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T en years ago I gave $20 to the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy. I gave because I believed in the good work that the Conservancy was doing and I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted to contribute in any way that I could so that the

beautiful natural areas of the Capital Region remain for future generations, for my own children, the way it is here for us now. This latest conservation effort along the Bozen Kill stream inspires me and I hope that it inspires you. The Bozen Kill is a beautiful natural area and MHLC’s conservation work provides a place for us to explore and enjoy while protecting a water supply and a wildlife corridor. I hope that you will join me in making a generous donation to this important project so that we can save more of this precious land. Together, we are the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy. We can make a difference. -- Jim Suozzo

Today, MHLC can add to its 244-acre Bozen Kill Preserve and save more of the Bozen Kill stream corridor, one of the main tributary streams for the Watervliet Reservoir and a primary water supply for more than 45,000 residents of the City of Watervliet and the Town of Guilderland. And we need your help!The Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy has received a pledge of a challenge grant for this important project in the amount of $15,000 from Jim Suozzo. For every dollar that you donate, Jim will match it. Thanks to more than 50 generous supporters we have reached 75% of our goal to match Jim’s generous gift.

Can you help MHLC to protect the drinking water for more than 45,000 Capital Region residents?

Together, we are the Mohawk HudsonLand Conservancy. We can make a difference.

Bozen Kill Challenge

Please give generously today! Thank you!

Photo by Catherine Abida

Non Profit Org.US Postage

PAIDPermit No. 203

Albany, NY

Summer Festival Be a part of our aerial photo!

VIEWPOINTS Spring/Summer2016

Mohawk HudsonLand Conservancy 425 Kenwood Avenue Delmar, NY 12054

(518) 436-6346

www.mohawkhudson.org

A young rail trail enthusiast enjoying his weekly walk on the Albany County Helderberg Hudson Rail Trail.

25 years of the Mohawk Hudson LAND CONSERVANCY 2017 marks the silver anniversary of MHLC. Stay tuned for exciting news and event

information, and help us kick off the festivities with our MHLC friends and family aerial photo on Sunday, July 17 at 12:45pm. See page 3 for details.