Wildlife Tracking Workshops in Rensselaer County
Join local tracking expert Dan Yacobellis at Poestenkill Community Forest, Poestenkill. See what changes the lengthening days bring to animal activity. We will continue adding information to our online tracking map. Anyone who was not present at the February workshop will get a brief overview and handouts to help them get started mapping their own wildlife tracking observations. Option to leave at noon before everyone else heads deeper into the woods.
Dan Yacobellis runs Tamakoce Wilderness Programs in Grafton, immersing children and adults in wilderness living experiences. He is a long-time Plateau resident and teacher, and has led many tracking outings on the Plateau.
This workshop is part of a series of three workshops to learn animal tracks or to enhance your skills. All are welcome to attend one or more workshops; each workshop will add a new layer to the tracking experience. This is the third workshop and will include GPS mapping and documenting of all observed wildlife signs, using citizen science to contribute to an online, active map of animal activity on the Rensselaer Plateau.
Online pre-registration is required. Cost is $20 for each workshop. Space is limited.
Click HERE to Register!
Questions about the workshop? Contact Annie by e-mail.
All participants need to sign a liability waiver, which can be downloaded HERE and returned the morning of the workshop.
Please arrive promptly by 9:15 a.m. to complete registration, get organized and be ready to hike by 9:30 a.m.
These workshops are jointly sponsored by the Rensselaer Land Trust, Rensselaer Plateau Alliance, and Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center.
Dress appropriately for the cold weather!
Wildlife tracking requires some hiking with long periods of standing while you examine the tracks you find. (this is when your feet get cold!) We never know what we will find or how far we will actually hike. Folks need to be in good physical condition and have adequate winter gear to be outside for the day. Temperatures are about 10 degrees cooler on the Plateau than lower elevations. Please plan on wearing what you think will keep you warm, and then add two extra layers in a back pack to bring along. Hand and foot warmers are always a good idea.
Bring snowshoes. Again, snowpack can be much deeper on the Plateau than surrounding areas.
Plan on eating lunch outside if you are attending the full day programs. There are no indoor facilities. Pack high energy, nutrient dense foods: nuts, cheese, energy bars, dark chocolate, nut butters, oranges are all good choices. Remember to drink adequate water through the day. It is easy to become dehydrated in the winter as we tend to not feel thirsty.
Refunds will gladly be given up to 7 days prior to the event. After that, refunds will be given only if we are able to fill your place.
We are very excited to offer this Tracking Series this year with Josh and Dan. Whether you're new to wildlife tracking or one of our regulars, you're in for a great day in the woods.
|
|
Sunday, Mar 10, 2019 9:30 am - 4:00 pm
This event does not repeat
|
Become a Rensselaer Naturalist!
First program of our Rensselaer Naturalist Series! We will check a pond and a vernal pool for early breeding frogs and salamanders. We will learn to identify calls and egg masses, and will discuss the differences in breeding and larval development between frogs and salamanders. If spring thaw permits, we will also look for wood salamanders and stream salamanders. Wear boots for walking in wet areas. Bring water and snack.
Meet at the parking lot of the Poestenkill Community Forest in East Poestenkill.
To Register CLICK HERE.
Questions about the event? Contact: Jeff Briggs by e-mail.
Suggested donation of $5 collected the day of the event.
Rensselaer Land Trust and Rensselaer Plateau Alliance are offering the Rensselaer Naturalist series this year. At each outing in the series, adults and teens can learn about a specific aspect of the natural history of Rensselaer County, such as birds, wildflowers, trees, and bogs – see the full list below. At each outing, there will be a learning goal related to that outing’s topic; for example, learn 10 birds, or learn 10 wildflowers, or learn about what makes a bog a bog. Participants who complete at least eight of the learning goals will receive a customized Rensselaer Naturalist patch!
Whether you’re a beginner or already have experience with a given topic, you’ll learn something new from a Rensselaer Naturalist program. Maybe you won’t be an expert after one session, but we hope that you’ll come away able to put names on some plants and animals you’re likely to see in the Count and an appreciation of their habitats and ecology. We will provide participants with resources to review before each outing, and a list of resources for further exploration.
The Rensselaer Naturalist series is designed to bring you deeper into nature and to enhance your outdoor experiences. The series will also provide the basis for you to become more involved in citizen science, share outdoor activities with others, and make a difference in conservation of our natural resources.
Each outing in the series is also open to those who are not working toward the Rensselaer Naturalist patch, space permitting. |
|
Sunday, Apr 14, 2019 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
This event does not repeat
|
We will look for spring migrating and local resident birds before the leaves pop out. We will also identify birds by their songs and calls. Bring binoculars and any bird guides. Expect some short walks near the parking area into the forest and edge of a wetland.
Meet at the parking lot of the Poestenkill Community Forest in East Poestenkill.
Register in advance here.
Questions? Contact trip leader Jim de Waal Malefyt at dewaalmalefyt@gmail.com.
Part of our Rensselaer Naturalist Series! All are welcome.
Suggested donation of $5.
|
|
Saturday, Apr 27, 2019 7:00 am - 10:00 am
This event does not repeat
|
Part of our Rensselaer Naturalist Series! Although within the city limits of Troy, RLT's Staalesen Preserve has a wonderful diversity of birds. We will look and listen for spring migrating and local resident birds in field, edge, shrub, streamside and marsh habitats. Suitable for birders of all levels, including beginners. Bring binoculars.
Meet at the parking lot of the Staalesen Preserve on Wynantskill Way in Troy.
Register in advance HERE.
Questions? Contact trip leader Jim de Waal Malefyt at dewaalmalefyt@gmail.com.
Suggested donation of $5.
Resources for this outing are listed below and can also be found here along with learning goals.
Birds, Bird Songs, and Birding
Field Guides
Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America, 2nd Edition
Sibley's Birding Basics: How to Identify Birds, Using the Clues in Feathers, Habitats, Behaviors, and Sounds
The Crossley ID Guide: Eastern Birds
Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Eastern and Central North America, 6th Edition
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 7th Edition
National Geographic Birding Essentials: All the Tools, Techniques, and Tips You Need to Begin and Become a Better Birder
Apps to help with Identification
Merlin (free; with photo recognition and sound files)
Audubon Bird Guide (free; with lots of free sound files)
Raptor ID (paid)
Warbler Guide (paid)
Most of the major field guides also come in app form (paid; see the list of field guides below)
Apps to Learn Sounds
LarkWire (paid)
SongSleuth (paid)
Websites to Study Sounds
Macaulay library
Xeno-canto
Photo and Song Quizzes
eBird
Internet Bird Collection
To find places to birdwatch
Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club: covers Rensselaer County and a good way to get connected for birding in our region
Birding the Hudson Valley, by Kathryn J. Schneider. 2018. University of New England Press. |
|
Saturday, May 11, 2019 7:30 am - 9:00 am
This event does not repeat
|
Part of our Rensselaer Naturalist Series co-sponsored by Rensselaer Land Trust and Rensselaer Plateau Alliance.
All are welcome.
May is the month for spring wildflowers to bloom, and the woods, fields, and ravines behind the Rensselaer Technology Park provide good habitat. Tom Phillips, local botanist, will help us find and identify the area’s wide variety of spring flowers. We will walk about three to four miles along the Tech Park’s trails, with moderate ascents and descents, and some muddy spots.
Meet at the Rensselaer Tech Park, taking Jordan Rd. off Rt. 4, turn left on Stone Clay Rd. and then quick left into parking area just below Children’s Museum.
Register in advance HERE.
Questions?
Contact Tom Phillips by e-mail. Suggested donation of $5.
Resources for this outing are listed below and can also be found here along with learning goals.
Wildflowers
Many entries are from An Annotated Bibliography of Identification and Natural History of New York Native Plants, by Steve Young, New York Natural Heritage Program
Field Guides
Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Newcomb, Lawrence. 1977. Little, Brown and Company.
This is the most useful illustrated field guide for identifying wildflowers in New York. It has a very easy-to-use key which uses flower structure and leaf arrangement. Since plants are arranged by flower structure many similar plants are illustrated together, which facilitates identification. It includes many obscure wildflowers that are usually not illustrated in other field guides. Since it uses illustrations instead of photographs the important identification characters are easier to distinguish.
Peterson’s Field Guide to Wildflowers of Northeastern and North Central North America. Peterson. Roger Tory and Margaret McKenny. 1968. Houghton Mifflin.
This is probably the second-most useful field guide after Newcomb's Wildflower Guide and they can often be used together. The illustrations are very useful, especially with the small arrows pointing out identification characters. It’s one drawback is arrangement by flower color which is less useful then by flower structure.
Wildflowers in the Field and Forest. A Field Guide to the Northeastern States. Clemants, Steven and Carol Gracie. 2006.
This is a very useful wildflower guide based on flower color and using photos to show the plants. There is often more than one photo per plant and it is one of the few guides that has distribution maps for the plants.
Wildflowers of New York in Color. Chapman, William K. et al. 1998.
A photographic field guide of the more common and showy wildflowers encountered in NY. The photographs are beautiful but the descriptions are fairly short with only general habitat information. It is arranged by flower color, flower structure and leaf arrangement.
General Information and Natural History
Wildflowers along the Way. Brown, Margaret and Marguerite Wellborn. 1989. Environmental Clearinghouse of Schenectady, Niskayuna, New York.
This is a small but information-packed booklet about the natural and cultural history of the most common wildflowers in the Capital District, arranged by season. There are very nice line drawings by Clem Habetler.
Trailside Notes. The Naturalist’s Companion to Adirondack Plants. Schottman, Ruth. 1998. The Adirondack Mountain Club.
This book provides an interesting look at the natural history of our most common and conspicuous wildflowers (including many found in Rensselaer County). There is a mix of science, lore, edibility and etymology and humor written in a conversational style. Over half of the book is devoted to our spring ephemerals.
A Guide to Enjoying Wildflowers. Stokes, Donald and Lillian. 1984. Little Brown and Co.
This book tells how to watch many common wildflowers throughout the year, with information on flower structure and pollinators, and on natural history.
The Naturalist's Guide to Field Plants: An Ecology for Eastern North America. 2004.
The Naturalist's Guide to Forest Plants: An Ecology for Eastern North America. 2003.
Both by Cox, Donald D. Syracuse University Press.
The books in this series contain interesting and useful information on the natural history and ecology of plant communities in our area. In addition to a sampling of the plants and animals each book has a section on naming and collecting plants and activities to do.
Wildflowers of the Northeast. Anna and Spider Barbour. 1991. The Overlook Press.
Beautiful photographs and informative text in this coffee-table book connect scientific facts about the Northeast’s natural history with what a person can witness by going out to the woods or fields or swamps.
Winter Wildflower Field Guides
A Guide to Wildflowers in Winter. Levine, Carol. 1995. Yale University Press.
This is the best book for identifying wildflowers in the winter. There are very detailed drawings of many species with excellent descriptions. Many graminoids are included and there is even a section with photographs of basal leaves that is very useful.
Weeds in Winter. Brown, Lauren. 1976. W. W. Norton & Co.
A very useful guide to wildflowers (they are not all weeds) in the winter. There is a detailed key, very nice drawings and useful descriptions and natural history information.
Winter Weed Finder. Finder Field Guides. Nature Study Guild. Berkeley, California.
One of a series of handy little pocket kinds that are basically easy-to-use keys to the species.
Guides to Specific Groups
Orchids of New England and New York. Nelson, Tom and Eric Lamont. 2012. Kollath and Stensaas Publishing, Duluth, MN.
This is a handy field guide to all 65 of our subtle to stunning Northeastern Orchids. It is a handy size for the field, has great photos, descriptions and range maps and even mentions look-alikes and how to distinguish them. Another great feature is the photos of fruits and inflorescences in the front of the book.
Field Guide to Orchids of North America. Williams, John G. and Andrew E. Williams. 1983.
This is a nice small field guide with beautiful full-color illustrations, keys and detailed descriptions. It is a very useful guide for distinguishing orchids in New York and includes a glossary of botanical terms for orchids.
Trilliums. Case, Frederick W. Jr. and Roberta B. Case. 1997. Timber Press.
This is the most detailed and complete information written about our native trilliums. There is a key to all the trilliums and beautiful photographs and range maps of each species. Here you will find information on horticultural varieties not found elsewhere.
Websites
Go Botany. Native Plant Trust
Want to know what that plant is? With our Simple Key, you can identify over 1,200 common native and naturalized New England plants! Almost all Rensselaer County plants are included.
New York Flora Atlas. New York Flora Association, Albany, NY.
This is the current comprehensive online atlas to the plants of New York. It contains county maps along with photos and information on natural history and taxonomy as well as a list of specimens for each species. There are links to other online resources for each species.
|
|
Saturday, May 18, 2019 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
This event does not repeat
|
Part of our Rensselaer Naturalist Series! David Hunt will show us how to identify common plants of marshes and swamps, and tell us about the ecology of wetlands. Quacken Kill Marsh is a diverse riparian wetland complex dominated by shallow emergent marsh and shrub swamp with narrow strips of cobble shore along a marsh headwater stream. Wear footwear that can get wet.
Meet at the small dirt pull off at the edge of the field on the west side of Jay Hakes Road, about .5 mile south of NY Route 2.
Register in advance here. Questions? Contact Nick Conrad at nbconrad@msn.com. Suggested donation of $5.
Part of our Rensselaer Naturalist Series co-sponsored by Rensselaer Land Trust and Rensselaer Plateau Alliance. All are welcome to attend.
Some extra resources for the outing can be found below. Even more resources and learning objectives can be found here.
Plants
Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide. Newcomb, Lawrence. 1977. Little, Brown and Company.
This is the most useful illustrated field guide for identifying wildflowers in New York.
Peterson’s Field Guide to Wildflowers of Northeastern and North Central North America. Peterson, Roger Tory and Margaret McKenny. 1968. Houghton Mifflin.
The Naturalist's Guide to Wetland Plants: An Ecology for Eastern North America. Cox, Donald D. 2002. Syracuse University Press.
Includes chapter on peatlands.
Wetlands. Audubon Society Nature Guides. Elliott, Charles. 1985.
|
|
Saturday, Jun 1, 2019 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
This event does not repeat
|
Part of our Rensselaer Naturalist Series! David Hunt will lead a workshop on how to recognize, restore, and monitor old growth forest. After a one-hour indoor introduction to old growth habitats, we’ll take a short hike to a patch of maturing hemlock-northern hardwood forest along Wyomanock Creek where we’ll establish a permanent monitoring plot. There may be some wet areas, so where appropriate footwear.
Meet at the Wyomanock Center for Sustainable Living; park at the dirt parking area on the north side of Wyomanock Road, about .5 mile west of NY Route 22 in Stephentown.
Register in advance here. Questions? Contact Nick Conrad at nbconrad@msn.com. Suggested donation of $5.
Part of our Rensselaer Naturalist Series co-sponsored by Rensselaer Land Trust and Rensselaer Plateau Alliance. All are welcome to attend. |
|
Saturday, Jun 8, 2019 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
This event does not repeat
|
Part of our Rensselaer Naturalist Series co-sponsored by Rensselaer Land Trust and Rensselaer Plateau Alliance! All are welcome to attend. Oak vs maple? Red maple vs. sugar maple? No worries -- trees are one of the easiest groups to learn, and the Kinderhook Creek Preserve’s many habitats have a good variety. Dave Hart will show us how to identify the different kinds of trees and tell us their ecological and cultural stories.
Meet at the parking lot of the Kinderhook Creek Preservein East Nassau.
Register in advance. Questions? Contact David Gaskellat gaskell@nycap.rr.com. Suggested donation of $
Resources for this outing are listed below and can also be found here along with learning goals.
Resources:
Peterson’s Field Guides:
A Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs. Petrides, George A. Houghton Mifflin.
A Field Guide to Eastern Trees. Petrides, George A. and Janet Wehr. Houghton Mifflin.
Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Eastern Region. Alfred A. Knopf.
The Sibley Guide to Trees. Sibley, David Allen. 2009. Alfred A. Knopf.
DEC Tree Key Identification Guide: https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/treeidkey.pdf
Forest Trees of the Northeast- a publication by Cornell Cooperative Extension- more extensive discussion of trees
The Tree Identification Book- Symonds – good pictures for basic identification- old but good
Identifying trees of the East : an all-season guide to Eastern North America / Michael D. Williams
gobotany.newenglandwild.org– interesting online tree key
|
|
Saturday, Jun 22, 2019 9:30 am - 11:30 am
This event does not repeat
|
Calling all young naturalists to discover the trees and water of Poestenkill Community Forest using their five senses. We'll go for a short hike and get to know trees up close and personal through sensory activities, and each child will have a chance to record their studies through bark rubbings and poetry. For children ages six and up.
Register here.
Contact Annie Jacobs at: annie@rensselaerplateau.org.
Co-sponsored by Rensselaer Land Trust and Rensselaer Plateau Alliance.
|
|
Saturday, Jun 29, 2019 10:00 am - 11:00 am
This event does not repeat
|
Part of our Rensselaer Naturalist Series! Bill Kelly, retired New York State Geologist, will lead us on an approximately 1.5 mile walk to discuss the rocks and landforms of the Preserve, which is located on an outlier of the Rensselaer Plateau. He will outline the geologic history of the Taconic Mountains and how the rocks of the Preserve fit into that history. We will walk on trails that are in part quite steep so good boots with non-slip soles are important.
Meet at the parking lot of the Kinderhook Creek Preserve in East Nassau.
Register in advance here. Questions? Contact David Gaskell at gaskell@nycap.rr.com.Suggested donation of $5.
Resources for this outing are listed below and can also be found here along with learning goals.
Resources:
The Rensselaer Grit Plateau in New York by T. Nelson Dale
The Rise and Fall of the Taconic Mountains: a geological history of eastern New York by Donald Fisher
|
|
Saturday, Jul 13, 2019 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
This event does not repeat
|
Part of our Rensselaer Naturalist Series co-sponsored by Rensselaer Land Trust and Rensselaer Plateau Alliance! All are welcome to attend. A carpet of ferns on the forest floor, a blanket of moss on a boulder – among the prettiest sights in the outdoors. Learn the common ferns of the Rensselaer Plateau, and a few mosses, lichens, and ground pines. The non-flowering plants that carpet the forest floor. Tom Phillips, expert bryologist, will lead us through the varied habitats of the Community Forest and show us the diversity of fascinating and beautiful plants. Bring a magnifying loop if you have one.
Meet at the parking lot of the Poestenkill Community Forest in East Poestenkill.
Register in advance. Questions? Contact Tom Phillips at mossvet@nycap.rr.com. Suggested donation of $5.
Resources for this outing are listed below and can also be found here along with learning goals.
Resources: Fern Finder: A guide to Native Ferns of Northeastern and Central North America by Hallowell & Hallowell Nature Study Guild Rochester NY.
Common Mosses of the Northeast and Appalachians by McKnight et al, Princeton University Press
Mosses, Liverworts, and Hornworts a Field Guide to Common Bryophytes of the Northeast by Ralph Pope, Comstock Publishing Associates a division of Cornell University Press
|
|
Sunday, Jul 14, 2019 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
This event does not repeat
|
Part of our Rensselaer Naturalist Series! Bogs and other peatlands are very unusual habitats, with plants that grow nowhere else. Ecologist Dr. David Hunt will show us the plants living here, including insect-eating pitcher plants and sundews, and tell us how peatlands form and work. Wear footwear you can get very wet.
Site to be announced.
Register in advance here. Questions? Contact Fran Egbert at fran.egbert@gmail.com. Suggested donation of $5.
Part of our Rensselaer Naturalist Series co-sponsored by Rensselaer Land Trust and Rensselaer Plateau Alliance. All are welcome to attend..
Some extra resources for this outing can be found below. Further resources and learning objectives can be found here.
Bogs and Fens. A Guide to the Peatland Plants of the Northeastern United State and Adjacent Canada. Davis, Ronald B. 2016. University Press of New England.
This is a nice introduction to the ecology of bogs and fens and information about 98 of the plants that live there.
Bogs of the Northeast. Johnson, Charles W. 1985. University Press of New England.
A very detailed and fascinating natural history of sphagnum bogs. Very useful to those who plan to or have explored this habitat. |
|
Saturday, Jul 20, 2019 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
This event does not repeat
|
|
|
Saturday, Jul 27, 2019 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
This event does not repeat
|
Ferns, flowers, sedges, and more! Capture some of summer's fleeting beauty with photographer Kate Lovering, using the sun and the photographic method of cyanotype. Open to all ages: young children should be accompanied by adults.
Location: 1166 Bower Road, Sand Lake, NY 12153 (Kate will send directions in advance of the program.)
Contact Kate Lovering at lovering.katherine@gmail.com (Rain date Saturday August 4, 10am).
Click HERE to register.
|
|
Sunday, Jul 28, 2019 10:00 am - 11:00 am
This event does not repeat
|
Beginning at RPA members' house on Bower Road in Sand Lake, we'll hike to a beautiful beaver pond on the Lt. Col. Gundrum land, then up to cliffs off Firetower Road that overlooks the Wildlife Management Area and Taconic Crest, and back. Hike will be four or five miles, over several hundred feet of elevation change, and take about three hours.
Address: 1166 Bower Rd, Sand Lake, NY, 12153
Driving Directions: Beginning at the intersection of Routes 43 and 66 in Sand Lake (Cumberland Farms, Sand Lake Town Hall, Tremont Lumber), head east on Taborton Road about five miles. Turn right on the Kipple Road. At unmarked T intersection turn left on to Bower Road, follow it to the end.
Register online here. |
|
Saturday, Aug 3, 2019 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
This event does not repeat
|
Join Fran Martino of River Haggie Outdoors for the 8th Annual Great Hudson River Estuary Fish Count, sponsored by NYSDEC’s Hudson River Estuary to explore the slippery creatures below the river's surface. Help capture fish using a 40-foot seine net (waders provided) and/or learn to identify the fish and record and send data from the shore.
Note evening times to catch low tide. Meet at the boat launch at Schodack Island State Park in Schodack Landing. Questions? Contact Fran Martino riverhaggie@people.pc
No charge, notify park staff you are volunteer. No advance registration. Can register online to recieve reminder here.
Resources for this outing are listed below and can also be found here along with learning goals.
Resources: http://www.clearwater.org/fishkey/
https://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/97891.html
https://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/269.html
Event can be used toward becoming a Rensselaer Naturalist.
From New York Harbor to its headwaters, the Hudson is home to more than 200 species of fish. During the Fish Count, an event sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Estuary Program, participants will collect some of these fish using a seine net. Seining involves pulling a 40-foot net through the water and checking out the fish, crabs, and other river life caught in its mesh. Participants may watch from shore or jump into available waterproof waders to help pull in the net. The fish are released after attendees view them up close.
Results from the many sites included in the Fish Count will be shared and by posting to Twitter using the hashtag #hudsonriverfishcount. Comparing notes will build understanding of the diversity of fishes and habitats in the Hudson, the vitality of the estuarine ecosystem in urban as well as rural settings, and the influence of salinity and tides.
Schodack Island State Park is located at 1 Schodack Island Way, Schodack Landing, NY 12156. There are no Park entrance fees applicable after 4:00 P.M. for this event.
Funding has been provided in part by Health Research, Inc. to Rensselaer Land Trust for education and outreach about NYS Department of Health’s Hudson River Fish Advisory Project, and in cooperation with NYS DEC Hudson River Estuary Program, and Schodack Island State Park.
Rensselaer Land Trust (RLT) is a non-profit organization organized exclusively for the purposes of protecting and preserving real property in Rensselaer County. RLT’s nature preserves are open for the public for visitation, and they offer a wide variety of events and workshops, from hikes to wreath-making, kayak/canoe trips to cave spelunking. For event schedule and more details, visit www.renstrust.org.
The Great Hudson Estuary Fish Count is one of the components of RLT’s “Rensselaer Naturalist” series which is designed to bring people deeper into nature and to enhance outdoor experiences. The series will also provide the basis for individuals to become more involved in citizen science, share outdoor activities with others, and make a difference in conservation of our natural resources.
For more information, visit the Great Hudson River Estuary Fish Count page on DEC’s website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/97891.html. While there, watch a clip about seining in the Hudson River on DEC’s YouTube Channel.
|
|
Saturday, Aug 10, 2019 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
This event does not repeat
|
Field and Meadow Plants at Lock 4 Canal Park
Part of our Rensselaer Naturalist Series! Rich Ring, Botanist with the NY Natural Heritage Program, will lead us as we explore this ecologically diverse area where the Hoosic River meets the Hudson. We'll look for and identify plants of meadows, forest edges, shale ledges and floodplains.
Meet at the parking lot at Lock 4 Canal Park in Schaghticoke. The park is off of Stillwater Bridge Road, which runs between Stillwater and Schaghticoke. On the east end (the Schaghticoke side)of the Stillwater Bridge Road bridge over the Hudson, the park is the on the left as you start over the bridge going to Stillwater, with a gate and sign saying gate closes at 4:30. (Note that there are two roads here, make sure you enter the road for the lock and not the island access road with the private mailbox on it. The lock is clearly marked.)
Questions? Contact Nick Conrad at nbconrad@msn.com. Suggested donation of $5.
Register online HERE.
|
|
Saturday, Aug 17, 2019 10:00 am
This event does not repeat
|
John Wheeler from the Berkshire Mycological Society will lead us into the woods at one of our Preserves or Forests on the Rensselaer Plateau. Participants will have a chance to develop their field skills in mushroom identification. Bring a basket or bag with stiff sides, a field knife or trowel, and a hand lens if you have one. Registration fee $10/person, kids are free.
REGISTER ONLINE HERE
Group size for the walk is limited to 25 so it is first paid, first on the list. Directions will be mailed to participants registered 2 weeks before the walk.
Questions? Contact Marcy Steinbergat marcygs@aol.com.
Resources:
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms by Gary Lincoff.
Mushrooms of the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada’s by Timothy Baroni.
Mushrooms on Northeast North America by a George Barron |
|
Saturday, Aug 24, 2019 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
This event does not repeat
|
This workshop has been postponed and a new date will be announced in the coming weeks.
If you have any questions about the topic, please email or call 518-659-5263 so we can help get them answered. You can also visit the legacy page of Rensselaer Land Trust's website for more information using the link below.
https://www.renstrust.org/get-involved/legacy
This free educational workshop will include a four person panel to discuss the various aspects of planned giving used to support land conservation. Participants will develop a deeper understanding of the investment, legal, and tax implications of various planned giving and estate planning tools. Learn how you can control who receives your assets in the future.
Our panel will answer questions about wills and trusts, tax law changes to charitable giving, conserving your land, and more.
Panelists
John Forte, Finanical Advisor, Wealth Strategies Group, Latham NY
Tom Fucito, CPA, PC, Cairo, NY
Joshua Sabo, Esq., Attorney, Troy, NY
John Winter, Executive Director, Rensselaer Land Trust
Refreshments will be served |
|
Wednesday, Sep 18, 2019 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
This event does not repeat
|
John Wheeler from the Berkshire Mycological Society will lead us into the woods at one of our Preserves or Forests on the Rensselaer Plateau. Participants will have a chance to develop their field skills in mushroom identification. Bring a basket or bag with stiff sides, a field knife or trowel, and a hand lens if you have one. Registration fee $10/person, kids are free.
REGISTER ONLINE HERE
Group size for the walk is limited to 25 so it is first paid, first on the list. Directions will be mailed to participants registered 2 weeks before the walk.
Questions? Contact Marcy Steinbergat marcygs@aol.com.
Resources:
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms by Gary Lincoff.
Mushrooms of the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada’s by Timothy Baroni.
Mushrooms on Northeast North America by a George Barron
Part of our Rensselaer Naturalist Series co-sponsored by Rensselaer Land Trust and Rensselaer Plateau Alliance. All are welcome to attend. |
|
Saturday, Sep 28, 2019 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
This event does not repeat
|
|
|
|
