Plastic Pollution Awareness and Action Events in Jamestown – September 27
Plastic Pollution has become one of the greatest issues of our time; we’ve all seen the heartbreaking images of seabirds entangled in six pack rings, beached whales with bellies full of debris, and that video of the sea turtle with a plastic straw stuck in its nostril! Feel like you need to get out and DO something to protect our great outdoors and environment? Let’s do something together! The third week of September marks the first-ever National Nature Cleanup Week! Join some of the Jamestown area’s environmental ambassadors for one or both of the following programs on Friday,...
Read MoreRTPI Begins New Plastic Pollution Research Initiative
Plastics have been around in their current form for decades, and estimates suggest that more than 8 billion metric tons have been created since large-scale production of plastic started in the 1950s. The vast majority of plastic that has been created is still in existence today – resting in landfills or floating around the planet’s waterways as litter. Plastics do not biodegrade, they photodegrade. This means that they don’t readily break down into their constituent materials, they simply break down into smaller and smaller particles. This aspect of their chemistry is creating cause for...
Read MoreUpdate: 35 Stories in Celebration of RTPI’s 35th Anniversary
Can you believe that it’s June already? 2019 – the year in which RTPI is celebrating its 35th Anniversary – is almost halfway over. And while we’ve already written many chapters in the story of this milestone year, we still have many more to compose! As you may recall, one way that we are celebrating RTPI’s 35th Anniversary is by sharing “35 Stories”; a collection of ideas, memories, experiences, and more, that make our journey together special. We thought that this would be a good time to provide an update on this initiative! So here goes! The following links showcase some of the...
Read MoreAn introduction to Chautauqua Lake’s Aquatic Invasive Plants
Many aquatic plants exist within Chautauqua Lake; its nutrient-rich sediments provide a fertile growing bed for vegetation. Some of these plants are native to our area and provide critical ecological and environmental benefits, while others were introduced from distant locales and have been wreaking havoc on the ecological function, recreational and economic value of Chautauqua Lake. Surprisingly, some of the most prevalent invasives have been with us for decades already, while a steady stream of nearby or newly arriving species poses additional challenges to the future health of the lake....
Read MoreRTPI hiring for ‘Project Wild America Youth Ambassadors’ summer program
The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History (RTPI) is currently hiring area high school and college students to work alongside its conservation staff this summer for the fifth annual Project Wild America Youth Ambassadors (PWA) Program in Jamestown. Building on the successes from the past four years, students enrolled in RTPI’s PWA program will immerse themselves in Jamestown’s ‘urban ecosystem’. These students will investigate, monitor and improve habitat for threatened species in the area and raise public awareness about our important natural resources, environmental challenges...
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