Category Archives: Parks & Sanctuaries

New Year – New Goals!

A belated Happy New Year!

I spent the last month or so of 2021 thinking seriously about what I have been doing over the past few years and have come to the decision that I have not been doing the things that I really want to do. So…I am changing my focus and my direction. What I am actually doing is “re-focusing” on my life-long mission connected with nature conservation and to get more people involved with nature where they live, work, and play. With that, I also believe that we all must truly “Think Global and Act Local.”

So, to “think global” I have created the Natural Communities Campaign. The Ultimate goal is to protect 50% of the Earth by the year 2050 as protected areas and reverse the tremendous downward spiral we are witnessing at present in the loss of biodiversity. To learn more click: Half-Earth.

An interim goal for the Natural Communities Campaign is to support the global effort underway to secure the protection of biologically rich areas of Earth to the tune of 30% of the planet by the year 2030, which is being called the 30X30 Project. Through the Natural Communities Campaign website and blog, I will be providing ongoing information about global biodiversity matters and updates on progress being made regarding the 30X30 project.

To bring the 30X30 global goal down to a national and local level, I have launched an initiative called Conservation Landscapes for America. Through the Conservation Landscapes for America website and blog, I will be providing information about the 30X30 Project in the United States and well as supporting and showcasing government agencies, non-government agencies, and private landowners who are practicing conservation landscape management on the lands and waters that they are responsible for.

 

In addition to the biodiversity-related goals, another main goal is to get more people involved in nature and natural resource management where they live, work, and play. I hope that the information provided on the two websites mentioned above will become a “one-stop-shop” of sorts for information about nature, biodiversity efforts, resources that people can use to start or grow their own nature-based initiatives at home, in their communities, their counties, regions, etc.

Finally, this Nature of Things website and blog will be managed as a “portal” to the two other websites mentioned, but the Nature of Things blog will focus on my personal nature and biodiversity efforts in three local regions in the United States; the Capital Region of New York, the Tampa Bay Region of Florida and the Southwestern Region of Indiana.

Happy New Year!

What a year 2020 has been! I am afraid that at the least the beginning of 2021 is going to be a continuation and quite possibly a bit worse until the virus vaccination is widely distributed. Theresa and I, have essentially isolated ourselves from family and friends since March 2020. However, with quite a bit of planning, we were able to at least enjoy a few family gatherings, while appropriately distanced and/or masked up.

On the other hand, we did not distance ourselves from nature. We spent considerable time hiking on trails of various nature preserves, sanctuaries, and parks. We either “re-discovered” places where we previously hiked or discovered new places that we have failed to visit in the past. So, even if we were not able to participate in many activities that we wanted to…we did have a very enjoyable past several months.

We are making plans for continued hikes in the months ahead too. Many of our “evening hikes” were just down the road where we live…but those walks were almost always memorable too, as we captured many sunset pictures, discovered new plants and animals right here in our own “neighborhood.”

I decided to put together a video that captures some of those special moments with family and in nature, which can be viewed below. These pictures are not in any particular order, but just random snapshots of fun memories during the year 2020. I have not identified within the video where the pictures were taken, but several of those special places include lands that are managed by the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy, Albany Pine Bush Commission, West Boggs Park, the City of Albany, NY, Rensselaer Land Trust, Schenectady County, NY, John James Audubon State Park, and several other locations as well.

Anyway…here is wishing you a great 2021 and no matter what… I hope you will get outdoors and discover and enjoy nature. The video below is just under 5 minutes in length…hope you don’t get bored!

 

The Albany Pine Bush

We moved to Albany County, New York in the autumn of 1982. I hate to admit that it has taken us 38 years to discover the Albany Pine Bush. Discover might be a bit harsh because we knew it was there and had attended numerous meetings in the Pine Bush Discovery Center over the years. We had even taken a couple of short walks in the preserve and one year attended the springtime Lupine Festival held at the Discovery Center.

But it was this year that we really started to explore the Pine Bush. We do not live that far from the Pine Bush Discovery Center and decided to begin our exploration at that location. Since then we have discovered that the Pine Bush Preserve includes over 3,200 acres of land, 20 miles of hiking trails that are organized around 12 different trailhead locations spread across the preserve in various “units.”

So far this summer we have visited 8 of the 12 trailhead locations and hiked on numerous trails and trail sections. Future posts in this blog will highlight each of the trailheads and trails that we visit.

The Albany Pine Bush is referred to locally as the Pine Bush and is one of the largest of the remaining 20 inland pine barrens in the world. It is centrally located in New York’s Capital District within Albany and Schenectady counties, between the cities of Albany and Schenectady. The Albany Pine Bush was formed thousands of years ago, following the drainage of Glacial Lake Albany.

The Albany Pine Bush is the sole remaining undeveloped portion of pine barrens that once covered over 40 square miles and is considered one of the best remaining examples of an inland pine barrens ecosystem in the world. By 2008 it included all parcels of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve (a state nature preserve spanning 3,200 acres, the properties that connect these protected parcels, and some of the surrounding areas that abut the preserve. The 135-acre Woodlawn Preserve and surrounding areas in Schenectady County are the western sections of the Pine Bush but separated geographically by other properties in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve in Albany County.

Historically regarded as a barren, desolate, and dangerous to cross, the Pine Bush has come to be known as a historical, cultural, and environmental asset to the Capital District and Hudson Valley regions of New York. It is home to the Karner blue butterfly, an endangered species first identified by author Vladimir Nabokov in 1944 using a type specimen from the Pine Bush. In 2014, Albany Pine Bush was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service.

The Pine Bush is governed by the Pine Bush Commission and supported by several agencies. See who the Commission Board Members are by CLICKING HERE

Although it has taken us nearly 40 years to really discover the Albany Pine Bush, we are now making up for lost time. We are indeed lucky to live close to this special natural feature.

Forever Wild amid Personal Agendas and Squabbling Neighbors

I read with interest an article on June 18, 2020, in the Albany Times Union Newspaper titled: “Loudonville neighbors battle over a forest preserve in their midst” by Reporter Rick Karlin.

https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Loudonville-neighbors-battle-over-a-forest-15344152.php

Some reasons I found this article interesting include the fact that my name was mentioned in the article and much of the information presented is not exactly accurate or is misleading at best. For the record, I was not involved in the matter written about in the article and I did not even know that any of this was going on until I read the article.

The focus of the article revolves around an ongoing dispute with the present landowner of a piece of land that was sold with the deed restriction that stipulates that the property is designated “Forever Wild.” Evidently it is now the contention of several area landowners that the present owner of the “Forever Wild” parcel is taking actions on his property that are not in accordance with the “Forever Wild” deed restrictions.

The writer begins by stating that “The story began in 1998 when Marjorie Doyle Rockwell deeded about 30 acres to the Audubon Society of New York State, A/K/A Audubon International to create a nature preserve.” He also mentioned that Siena College had previously turned down the offer of the property that was made to them.

In fact, the story began in 1995 when Mrs. Rockwell died. At that time, her estate went through Probate, and among other things, her home and land in Loudonville, NY was being administered by Fleet Bank. Evidently, for many months a representative of Fleet Bank had been negotiating with Siena College to accept the offer of the Rockwell home and property.

In early 1998 I received a telephone call from Mr. Francis Coolidge of Fleet Bank concerning the Rockwell property. At the time I was the President and CEO of the Audubon Society of New York State, Inc., and our headquarters was located on a property that had been donated to our organization by Dr. and Mrs. Robert Rienow. That property was called Hollyhock Hollow Sanctuary. Along with the land, the Rienows had also left a sizeable fund to be used for the care and upkeep of Hollyhock Hollow Sanctuary, and that fund was managed at that time by Fleet Bank. That is how I knew Francis Coolidge. During that phone conversation, Francis told me that he was attempting to donate a home and property to Siena College, but the administrators of Siena would not clearly spell out what Siena might do with the property should they accept it. Francis asked if I could offer any suggestions as to how the estate might put some provisions in place that could help guide Siena in their future decisions. He told me that Mrs. Rockwell did not want the college to build dormitories and/or sports fields on the property. I had never heard of the property or of Mrs. Rockwell for that matter, but I agreed to meet Mr. Coolidge at the property to see if I might have some ideas for him to consider. At the time of my initial visit to home and property had already been vacant for around 3 years. At the conclusion of the site visit, I suggested that the estate could have restrictions on the property in the form of a “conservation easement” or some other restrictions that would govern the way any future landowner would be allowed to manage the property. The property was essentially grouped in 3 separate parcels of land. This strategy was taken by the estate, and eventually, Siena College turned down the offer of the property. I am not certain if that decision was based on the deed restrictions or not, but none-the-less they turned the property down.

Coincidentally, but unknown to Fleet Bank, the Audubon Society of New York State was already working with Siena College and partnering with one of the college professors to create an Environmental Studies Program. During the 1997-98 school year, we had worked with several Siena students on a research project on the Schuyler Meadows Golf Club, which adjoins the college campus. The golf club became our first “research site” and formed the basis for what I discuss later in this post. I had an office at Siena where I worked a few days each week. Among other things, we were working with a group of students conducting research on the Schuyler Meadows Golf Club. Along with the Environmental Studies program, we were in the process of creating a new entity called the Audubon-Siena Institute. Our plans were to work together to raise funding for the Environmental Studies program and ongoing and expanding research connected with wildlife, conservation, and environmental topics in general.

Several weeks after my visit to the Rockwell property I received another phone call from Francis Coolidge and he informed me that Siena had turned down the property and he wanted to know if the Audubon Society of New York State might be interested in it. This came as quite a shock to me. We took several more trips to the property and spent considerable time inspecting the home and land. Eventually, it was decided that the property and home would make an outstanding “home” for the Audubon-Siena Institute. After several Board meetings, the Board voted to accept the property, which became official on June 1, 1998, when we closed on the property and accepted 3 parcels of land including the home.

Therefore, it was in mid-1998 the Audubon Society of New York State started work on planning for the future of the Rockwell property with a general vision of creating a headquarters for the Audubon-Siena Institute including a “Forever Wild” parcel immediately behind the headquarters building. I am the person who drafted the wording written into the “Forever Wild” parcel. This was written at the request of Fleet Bank to control the future use of that parcel by Siena College.

Over the next several months I worked with several Audubon staff members to plan for the future of the Rockwell property. We visited most of the adjoining property owners, local elected officials in the Town, and even held a public meeting at the Colonie Town Hall to introduce ourselves and the concept of the Audubon-Siena Institute, and our work with Siena regarding the Environmental Studies program.

To put it mildly, I found the “neighbors” around the Rockwell property to be anything but neighborly. They seemed to be extremely focused on themselves, were suspect of most of the other neighbors, and did not seem to care at all about what we were contemplating doing with the Rockwell property or with Siena.

Our planning continued, however, and eventually, with input from several general contractors and discussions with Town officials, it was determined what we would have to do to transform the home into an accessible headquarters for the Institute. Among other things, it would be necessary to install an elevator. The complete remodeling effort would require several hundred thousand dollars. At this point, I contacted Fleet Bank to determine if we could sell what we called the “Turner Lane Parcel” to generate funds to complete the remodeling. They had no problem with that and therefore we put the Turner Lane parcel on the market.

During the time period of marketing the Turner Lane parcel, I received a phone call from the former Schuyler Meadows Golf Club superintendent who told me that he had received a phone call from one of the golf club members named Joe Gerrity. Mr. Gerrity had asked the Superintendent if he was familiar with the Audubon organization that had recently acquired the Rockwell property because he (Mr. Gerrity) thought he might have a problem. When asked what the problem was Mr. Gerrity stated that he was afraid that one corner of his tennis court might be built on the former Rockwell property. The superintendent assured Mr. Gerrity that if that turned out to be true that he was certain that Audubon would work out something amicable and satisfactory.

We eventually did sell the Turner Lane Parcel. On the day of the closing, the buyers stopped to walk around on the property while on their way to the closing. While there, Mr. Gerrity came out and asked them what they were doing on his property. The buyers said, “No, we just bought this property and are on our way to the closing.” Long story short…Mr. Gerrity filed an adverse possession claim on the Turner Lane Parcel and put a stop to the closing. Eventually, that issue was resolved when we agreed to pay Mr. Gerrity $25,000 so that he would just go away.

We had another “neighbor” who decided that he was going to build a brick wall along the front of his home, and in order for it to look the way he wanted it to look he decided to build one end of the wall onto our property and therefore block off access to an easement that exists along that side of the property. This led to a series of meetings and lawyers getting involved.

There was another “neighbor” who had a hobby of doing blacksmith work. He decided that a great place to set up his blacksmith shop was in an old and dilapidated garage building that was owned by Audubon and located on Rockwell property. Of course, we had discussions with this person and let him know that he was on property without permission and that we were concerned about liability issues and the fact that his blacksmithing hobby might actually end up burning down the garage and who knows what else.

These 3 examples are just a sampling of our experiences working on the Rockwell property. However, the icing on the cake occurred one morning when I was in a meeting with the Colonie Town Supervisor, again talking about our plans and our project with Siena College. At one point I was asked, “Are you certain that you have a partnership with Siena?” I said that I was and that I had an office on campus where I worked. At this point, she handed me a fax that she had just received that very same morning from the then Siena College President that stated that Siena College had no relations with the Audubon Society of New York State and that he didn’t know anything about the proposed Audubon-Siena Institute. I found this to be unbelievable as I had just met with the College President the day before to give him an update on the progress being made. Immediately after my meeting with the Town Supervisor, I met with the Professor that I had been working with regarding the Environmental Studies program and the Audubon-Siena Institute. This memo from the Siena College President started a process of winding down my involvement with Siena, shelving any idea of the Audubon-Siena Institute, and the eventual decision to sell the Rockwell home and the parcel of land around the home. We sold the home and surrounding land on March 2, 2001. We retained ownership of the “Forever Wild” parcel as an Urban Wildlife Sanctuary.

The purpose of this “Forever Wild” parcel was to provide for permanent open space in an otherwise urbanizing area. It was also to provide a great place for future Environmental Studies program students from Siena (should there be any interest) to conduct relevant research and conservation projects near the College. The “Forever Wild” restriction attached to the parcel in question is still part of the deed. Personally, I do not think the Audubon Society of New York State, Inc. has done anything legally wrong in selling the parcel. However, it is still supposed to be managed for the “research, education and management for urban wildlife conservation and water resource protection.” However, from a “mission” point of view, I believe the Audubon Society should have transferred ownership to an entity that had the main focus of managing the property with the “Forever Wild” restriction.

Finally and speaking of the “Audubon Society” I also find it interesting that for some reason the writer thought it was relevant to throw into the article a reference to some “confusion” concerning the distinction between the Audubon Society of New York State, Inc. (A/K/A Audubon International) and the National Audubon Society. First, there are over 500 different Audubon Society organizations in the United States. Each is independently and separately incorporated and each is free to establish its own programs. Second, the writer mentions that I created Audubon International in 1987 and then refers to the Audubon Society of New York State as an “affiliate” of Audubon International. This is not correct. The Audubon Society of New York State was originally created in 1897 as the second Audubon Society in the United States. I re-incorporated and re-established that organization in 1987. Once we found ourselves working with landowners across the country and not just in the State of New York, the Board of Directors authorized creating Audubon International as a “Brand” for the Audubon Society of New York State to work under on a national and international basis. Finally, the spokesperson for the National Audubon Society states that National Audubon is not a “Land Trust.” The National Audubon Society owns and manages 104 sanctuary properties. So, while National Audubon might not be officially incorporated as a “Land Trust” they do own, and they have sold properties throughout the history of the organization. This does not even mention the millions of dollars that National Audubon has been paid for oil and gas production on at least one of their sanctuary properties.

Forests

Forests are the dominant terrestrial ecosystem of Earth and are distributed around the globe. Forests account for 75% of the gross primary production of the Earth’s biosphere and contain 80% of the Earth’s plant biomass. Net primary production is estimated at 21.9 gigatons carbon per year for tropical forests, 8.1 for temperate forests, and 2.6 for boreal forests.

Human society and forests influence each other in both positive and negative ways. Forests provide ecosystem services to humans and serve as tourist attractions. Forests can also affect people’s health. Human activities, including harvesting forest resources, can negatively affect forest ecosystems.

A Snag is a Beautiful Thing

I go for a series of short walks down the road where we live most days during the summer. In the winter when the snow is piled over my head on the side of the road…not so much. But, since we live in the country, my walks always allow me to see and hear some sights and sounds of nature.

Nature comes in many shapes and sizes. One part of nature that I have been observing over the past few years never moves and I have never heard it make any sound whatsoever. But still, this part of nature is very valuable for many reasons. It goes by many names, but I call it a snag.

Yes, that would be a dead or dying tree. Death is a part of life and with trees, the dead and dying provide many environmental benefits, most of which are not really appreciated.

In forest ecology, a snag refers to a standing, dead or dying tree, often missing a top or most of the smaller branches. In freshwater ecology, it refers to trees, branches, and other pieces of naturally occurring wood found sunken in rivers and streams.

Snags are an important structural part of forest communities, making up 10–20% of all trees present in old-growth tropical, temperate, and boreal forests. Snags and downed coarse woody debris represent a large portion of the woody biomass in a healthy forest.

In temperate forests, snags provide critical habitat for more than 100 species of birds and mammals and are often called ‘wildlife trees’ by foresters. Dead, decaying wood supports a rich community of decomposers like bacteria and fungi, insects, and other invertebrates. These organisms and their consumers, along with the cavities, hollows, and broken tops make snags important habitat for birds, bats, and small mammals, which in turn feed larger mammalian predators.

Snags are an optimal habitat for primary cavity nesters such as woodpeckers which create most cavities used by secondary cavity users in forest ecosystems. Woodpeckers excavate cavities for more than 80 other species and the health of their populations relies on snags. Most snag-dependent birds and mammals are insectivorous and represent a major portion of the insectivorous forest fauna and are important factors in controlling forest insect populations. There are many instances in which birds reduced outbreak populations of forest insects, such as woodpeckers affecting outbreaks of southern hardwood borers and spruce beetles.

Every tree dies eventually, and its ecological value continues long after the last leaf falls. Whether it still stands, is reduced to a hollowed stump, or exists as downed wood, most of its “life” occurs in a complex, interesting, unseen world. Imagine a time-share that is used by different species, for vastly different purposes, in every stage of its demise. Most species that use snags are associated with those that are about 15” in diameter though there are many benefits from smaller trees too. No man-made structure matches the ecological usefulness of a sizeable dead tree; and few living things are as overlooked and unappreciated, except of course by wildlife and the vast number of inhabitants at work on its remains beneath the soil.

Nature “gifts” dying trees to enrich habitats. A dead tree is a legacy that can take dozens of years to replace, and in many cases, it will never be replaced. Whenever a tree is cut down needlessly and hauled away prematurely, we short-change our forests and our planet. Dead trees represent one of the finest examples of nature giving back to the environment. A study of a snags relationship with wildlife and organisms above and beneath the soil is a profound example of the fact that individuality and independence within our ecosystems is an illusion.

Our Public Lands

Debates over how America’s public lands should be managed are as old as the system itself, dating back to the early 1900s when President Teddy Roosevelt pioneered our current system. Disagreements have often centered on the balance between energy or resource development and protecting wild places for recreation and wildlife. I and thousands of other American citizens have fought for decades to defend our most treasured wild places—those areas with exceptional characteristics that provide the greatest value when simply left untouched. In countless battles over the years, grassroots groups and local people, all united by the fundamental idea that our federal public lands belong to all Americans and represent a core part of our country’s heritage have worked to defend these magnificent places.

The fact is, a resounding majority of Americans support the protection of our public lands. In a 2016 Harvard Kennedy School study, more than 93% of respondents across the country said it’s important that historical sites, public lands, and national parks be protected for current and future generations.

But recently, ideas are resurfacing that seek to undermine our public lands. These efforts use misleading appeals for “states’ rights” and flawed economic information to remove protections from some of our most special places in order to extract short-term profit. Backed by powerful fossil fuel and extractive industry interests, this systematic, well-organized and multifaceted movement began at the state level and now enjoys support at the highest level of government.

Removing protection for our public lands and turning this land over to private interests for private profit would amount to theft from the American people. These public lands are our legacy. Please don’t stand by and watch this legacy be taken away from us, our children and our children’s children.

Pinellas County Florida 

It takes me a full couple of days to drive from our New York home to our winter place in Dunedin, Florida (Pinellas County, Florida) but it is always worth the effort.

Aside from getting to visit and play with our two Florida grandkids and our son and daughter-in-law, getting to walk through the park that adjoins our property every morning is a real treat. The birds and other types of wildlife that seem to be everywhere also lift the spirit that has grown tired of the snowy north and the drab browns of the dormant woodlands of Upstate NY.

One of my favorite things to do is catch the sunset on the Dunedin Causeway. Unless it is one of those rare cloudy evenings, there is always something special about a Florida sunset. The wildlife also seems to enjoy the evening and usually puts on a show that makes it difficult not to take some interesting pictures.

We are blessed to have such a great place to occasionally hang our hats, enjoy being with family who has “flown the coop” of the cold Northwoods and spend a little time warming up and enjoying the sights and sounds of Florida nature.

 

Birding – A Life-long Hobby That Can Be Handed Down

We are regularly being told that our way of life destroys nature. Over the years society, in general, is becoming less and less connected with nature and natural resources. I think this is a dangerous trend for our future. What we don’t understand, appreciate, or value we will not take care of.

I also think that most people are resistant to this type of information, and often say: “Nothing in nature depends on me!” I believe it is very important for this type of thinking be turned around, because we, the people depend on everything in nature for our very existence.

One way to regain a connection with nature is through the hobby of birdwatching or what most people simply call “birding” these days. I found the video below both interesting and entertaining. It presents a story of how a young boy became a birder and later helped famous birdwatcher and artist Roger Tory Peterson sight what Peterson called the “Bird of the century” and then went on to pursue birding as a life-long hobby which he passed on to his own family. Are you doing the same?

https://vimeo.com/110006283

 

Nature Connections

A friend of mine mentioned a video production that is focused on Monarch Butterflies and their migration. He is fascinated with the Monarch and the fact that the species is in a population decline.

The film he wants me to see is produced by Louie Schwartzberg, and I have yet to see it. However, in doing some web surfing for information about Schwartzberg, I found that he had given a Ted talk, that I think is just great.

The message is aimed at reminding everyone that we should all slow down, look around and really absorb the various gifts that we are given every day. We all get so wrapped up in the latest political news, the state of the economy, and all our “personal problems” that we simply don’t take the time to look beyond all of this “things” and really appreciate the wonder of nature and the world all around us.

Take just a moment and watch and listen to this presentation: