The Hellbender Search Continues
Sunshine is abundant, streams are low, clear and warm, and traps are smelly and baited…wait, what was that last part?! As the summer season is slated to officially begin this Monday, the field season is already underway and our hellbender search within Chautauqua County has begun once again. As you may recall, last fall we worked with Robin Foster, PhD candidate at the University of Buffalo, to take eDNA samples from a number of potentially suitable sites to be tested. In case you aren’t familiar, eDNA is short for environmental DNA and is a reliable method in detecting even...
Read MoreBirds and Invasives Presentation at RTPI
Friday February 26 at 6pm Andrea Locke from WNY PRISM will be presenting Birds and Invasives. The relationship between birds and invasive species can be complex. Many invasive species may on the surface seem like a boon for our native birds, but as we look deeper into their impacts on our ecosystems, we see that all isn’t as it once seemed. Some birds are even invasive species themselves. Management can also be difficult due to the complex relationship with invasive species and public opinion. Join Andrea Locke, WNY PRISM Coordinator as she sheds some light on these complexities and...
Read MoreNational Invasive Species Awareness Week at RTPI!
National Invasive Species Awareness Week – February 21-27, 2016 RTPI, in partnership with WNY PRISM, will be offering multiple events to the public during week. If you wish to register for one or both of the workshops please fill out this form. Please register by mail or email no later than Sunday February 21st. We will be providing lunch and need to know if you’re coming! Registration forms and checks payable to the Roger Tory Peterson Institute can be sent to 311 Curtis Street, Jamestown NY 14701. Forms may also be emailed to Elyse Henshaw atehenshaw@rtpi.org and payment can be made...
Read MoreRTPI’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week
National Invasive Species Awareness Week – February 21-27, 2016 RTPI, in partnership with WNY PRISM, will be offering multiple events to the public during week. If you wish to register for one or both of the workshops please fill out this form. Please register by mail or email no later than Saturday February 20th. Registration forms and checks payable to the Roger Tory Peterson Institute can be sent to 311 Curtis Street, Jamestown NY 14701. Forms may also be emailed to Elyse Henshaw atehenshaw@rtpi.org and payment can be made the morning of the workshop. Monday February 22 at 6pm Ken Parker...
Read MoreHellbender Surveys Continue
While the summer season is winding down, our survey work certainly isn’t! As stream conditions allow, we will continue surveying for the elusive Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) in the French Creek watershed and beyond. Working closely with the University of Buffalo and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, we have found habitats within the area that may support hellbenders. Test results and hands-on surveys will reveal whether these sites may support a viable population, so we have our fingers crossed and will share more details soon!
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