Protecting Our Trails by Protecting Our Trees
Snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or hiking through Chautauqua County’s trails is an experience like none other. The area features beautiful rolling hills, deep valleys, wide open fields and thick forested tracts, tickling anyone’s sense of adventure. One such feature that is especially captivating is the large stands of thick conifers that darken the forest floor and create a cathedral effect for anyone blitzing beneath them. Of these trees, the Eastern Hemlock forms dense patches around streams and along steep slopes while nearly touching the trails with their long, snow...
Read MoreSoggy HWA Survey
Our first two Hemlock Woolly Adelgid surveys have been successful in the fact that we haven’t found any evidence of the little invasive pests! However, this past week’s survey was rather wet due to the massive amount of rain and snow melt Chautauqua County has experienced. As you can see it looks as though the salamanders should be coming out soon and checking out these pools, but hopefully this wacky weather won’t wake them up quite yet!
Read MoreThe HWA Survey Season Begins!
Don’t forget to join us tomorrow for our first Hemlock Woolly Adelgid survey of the season! We will be meeting at Dobbin’s Woods, a Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy property, at 9:30AM. With our recent snows and predicted cold temperatures, please be sure to dress warmly and bring some snowshoes or skis to get around as the snow pack will be deep. We will have some extra snowshoes available if needed. For directions to the site, please visit: http://chautauquawatershed.org/index.php/preserves/our-preserves
Read MoreWinter Raptor Survey Training January 11
Winter Raptor Survey Training Wednesday January 11th, 2017 @ 6PM Grasslands are amongst the fastest declining habitats in the country, and the bird species dependent upon vast stretches of waist-deep grasses are disappearing at alarming rates. In effort to learn more about these imperiled species within New York State and to protect remaining populations, the Department of Environmental Conservation has been conducting winter raptor surveys—specifically monitoring Short Eared Owls (endangered) and Northern Harriers (threatened). The NYS DEC has also enlisted the help of other environmental...
Read MorePiping Plovers in Connecticut Post
Thanks to the Connecticut Post for talking about our work in the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds with Audubon Connecticut! The Connecticut nesting populations have done wonderfully during our work in the past five seasons, setting numerous records, but this year will be difficult after Hurricane Matthew hammered their wintering grounds in the Bahamas: http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Piping-plover-population-plummets-10830927.php
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