Water is Life
Chautauqua County is at the beginning of several different watersheds – water from north county streams flows into Lake Erie, drops over Niagara Falls, and ultimately drains into the Atlantic Ocean. Streams in the southern half of the county drain into the Allegany, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, respectively, and eventually water from these streams reaches the Gulf of Mexico. Our springs and wells are at the source of several large bodies of water and our streams contain some of the cleanest water in these watersheds. As a result, the variety of fish and other aquatic creatures in our area is...
Read MoreFrost Free Frogs?
“The animal kingdom relies on staggering evolutionary innovations to survive winter.” Bernd Heinrich renowned biologist and author – made this statement in his bestselling book entitled “Winter World”. The Wood Frog (Rana sylvatica) is a true embodiment of this statement; these tiny amphibians can survive for weeks with an incredible two-thirds of their body water completely frozen—to the point where they are essentially solid frogsicles! The adaptation that enables this remarkable feat is known as a cryoprotectant – a substance that prevents damage to cells and tissues during...
Read MoreWhy Are Eastern Hemlock Trees Irreplaceable?
Perspective from RTPI’s conservation intern, Heather Zimba I think many people would agree that spending time walking in a forest can be therapeutic, being completely enveloped by the landscape’s vegetation and wildlife. I’ll bet that – if you like the outdoors – you can close your eyes right now and visualize the areas you most like to visit. One of my favorite places is a small gorge that contains a stream with beautiful natural waterfalls. The steep banks of the gorge are lined with deep green evergreen trees that overhang and provide shade along the meandering creek....
Read MoreArtist Dale Weiler Creates Snowy Owl Sculpture to Benefit RTPI
We are very excited to announce the release of a new bronze sculpture created by Dale Weiler to support wildlife conservation programs underway at RTPI. The bronze, “Elevated Perspective”, is a 9-inch rendering of a snowy owl, one of Peterson’s favorite species to paint and the icon for RTPI. It is also the first bronze Dale has created in the last ten years. Dale and his wife, Loti, are donating 100% of the profits to RTPI’s ‘Project Wild America’ initiative – a program which promotes experiencing nature in your own backyard. The original for the bronze was sculpted from snowy...
Read MoreArtist Dale Weiler to Produce Bronze Owl Sculptures for RTPI
We are very excited to announce the release of a new bronze sculpture created by Dale Weiler to support wildlife conservation programs underway at The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History (RTPI) in Jamestown, NY. Roger Tory Peterson (1908-1996) was one of the nation’s pre-eminent bird-artists and among our most influential naturalists. He is perhaps best known for the Peterson Field Guide Series on birds and other flora and fauna. RTPI carries on his legacy by connecting people to nature through art, education and conservation. The bronze, “Elevated Perspective”, is a 9-inch...
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