From decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us Wed Apr 8 10:10:06 2009 From: decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us (decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us) Date: Wed, 8 Apr 2009 10:10:06 -0400 Subject: [Decoutdoordiscovery] April 8 Outdoor Discovery Message-ID: <49DC77FE.D567.00BD.0@gw.dec.state.ny.us> DEC Outdoor Discovery April 8, 2009 Earth Day Family Fun Upcoming DEC Events Long Island Hudson Valley - Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center Capital Region - Five Rivers Environmental Education Center Adirondacks - Adirondack Park Agency Visitors Interpretive Centers at Paul Smiths Central New York - Rogers Environmental Education Center Western New York - Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center Subscribe to Outdoor Discovery or change your subscription options (http://lists.dec.state.ny.us/mailman/listinfo/decoutdoordiscovery) Earth Day Forty years ago, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson was very worried about the environmental health of the planet. He believed that education was the key to changing people's attitudes about the environment and had an idea for a national campaign to raise awareness of the problem. The result was Earth Day, which is now celebrated every April 22 and is dedicated to the environmental health of our home?Earth. On the first Earth Day in 1970, more than 20 million students and citizens participated in rallies and demonstrations in support of environmental conservation. Today, more than 200 million people in 141 countries participate in Earth Day. Activities and events intended to educate people and improve the environment take place in communities throughout the country. Topics include air, water and soil pollution, habitat loss, recycling, endangered species, climate change and the depletion of earth's non-renewable energy sources. Volunteers often get together to clean up litter, parks and streams and to plant trees. Send us an e-mail, and tell us what you think about Outdoor Discovery. Let your friends know about Outdoor Discovery?forward this e-mail! Back to top Family Fun Sprucing Up Take a look around your neighborhood, school or nearby park. Are there areas that could use a little "sprucing up"? Are there a lot of weeds or litter? Does an area need some new grass or flowers? Talk to your local government or school principal to get approval to organize a cleanup project. Maybe there is a volunteer group in your area that can help you get organized. Then tell your family, neighbors, friends, teachers and clubs about your plan. Work with an adult to make a list of what you will need to do and ask people to buy or bring. Then set a date for your "spruce-up" campaign. You will need plenty of adults to help and you can print flyers to get even more volunteers. Mother Earth will appreciate it! Making an Impact The United States Environmental Protection Agency website has a Climate Change Kids' Site where you can figure out how much of an impact your actions have on the Earth. It will also suggest some ways to make positive environmental changes around your home and school. DEC's Green Living webpage features "ten things you can do to help the environment right now." Looking for an adventure this summer for your teenager? Check out DEC's Environmental Education Camps. Read Conservationist for Kids (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/40248.html) for more information and activities! Back to top Upcoming DEC Events Long Island Visit the DEC website for more information on these programs. Spring Fishing Festival at Belmont Lake State Park Saturday, April 18 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Kick off the spring season with a day of fishing for the whole family. DEC stocks Belmont Lake with more than 1,000 trout for this event. Loaner rods and free bait are available too! Cost: $6 parking fee; free with Empire Passport. Youth Conservation Program at the Peconic River Sportsman's' Club Saturday and Sunday, April 18 and 19 This program introduces 12- to 16-year-olds to the basic principles of conservation, sportsman education and general outdoorsmanship. Participants who successfully complete the program will receive their Hunter Education Training Certificate of Qualification, which is required to purchase all hunting licenses. Hudson Valley Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1833.html) Frogwatch! Saturday, April 11 at 2:00 PM We'll look and listen for signs of amphibian mating activity in our vernal pools. Learn to recognize native frogs by their calls and how you can help scientists keep track of these sensitive indicators of environmental quality. Spring is Here! Saturday, April 18 at 2:00 PM Join us on a leisurely ramble to look for early signs of the season, including the first wildflowers and early-arriving migrants on the wing, like tree swallows. More events at Stony Kill (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/2001.html#April) Tivoli Bays Visitors Center(http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/33037.html) Wacky Weather! Wednesday, April 8 from 44:30 PMM to 5:30 PM What's with all the crazy weather? Discover how rain storms, clouds, tornadoes and wind are all formed and affect us daily! Scat Chat! Wednesday, April 15 from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM Discover which animals have been in the area by what they left behind. Become a scat detective, and figure out who's been hanging around. Capital Region Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1835.html) Outdoors After School Every Thursday from February 26 to June 18 from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM A nature walk for grade-school children and their caregivers. Each week will feature a different theme and habitat. Wildlife Babies Saturday, April 11, 10:00 AM Join us for a walk to look for signs of wildlife nests and dens and new life at Five Rivers. Earth Science Thursday, April 16, 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM Fun experiments, activities and a walk to look at geological landmarks. -Register by April 14. Birding for Beginners Saturday, April 18, 10:00 AM Tips on using binoculars, where to go, birding guides and local birding groups. Bring binoculars, or use ours. For the Birds Saturday, April 18, 2:00 PM For kids and their families, this program includes a guided walk and a craft. Bring binoculars, or use ours. More events at Five Rivers (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1980.html#April) Albany Pine Bush Preserve Discovery Center (http://albanypinebush.org/discovery_center/directions_hours_admission.htm) Call 518-456-0655 to register for all events. Cost: $2.00/person, $5.00/family, children under 5 free. Secrets of GPS Revealed for Beginners Saturday, April 18 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM Search for hidden objects using a handheld GPS unit that will help you navigate the trails. More events at Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center (http://albanypinebush.intelliclients.com/events/events.cfm?da=1&mo=2&ye=2009&eventTypeID=2) Adirondacks Adirondack Park Agency Paul Smiths Visitors Center (http://www.adkvic.org/calendar_pscal.html) Eco-Quest Egg Hunt Saturday, April 11 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM Seek out colorful eggs containing the answers to a nature quiz. Call to register: 518-327-3000. Cost: $2/person; free for Adirondack Park Institute members. Fish Hatchery Tour Saturday, April 18 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM Ed Grant of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will host a tour of the Lake Clear Fish Hatchery. Call 518-327-3000 for directions to the fish hatchery. Central New York Rogers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1831.html) Advance registration is required. Call 607-674-4017. Children's Program: Egg Coloring Saturday, April 11 at 11:00 AM Discover the variety of shapes, sizes and colors of wild bird eggs and create your own colorful egg to take home. Ages 4 to 12. Vernal Pools at Stony Pond Saturday, April 18 from 9:00 AM to Noon Discover a secret amphibian and invertebrate hideout, free from predatory fish - vernal pools. More events at Rogers (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/2006.html#April) Western New York Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1837.html) Advance registration is required. Call 716-683-5959. Stories in the Woods Tuesday, April 14 at 10:30 AM Listen to a nature story, followed by a short walk in the woods. For children ages 3-5 and their caregivers. Planet Protectors Wednesday, April 15 at 10:00 AM Journey with us to learn how you can use worms, watches, water and more to protect the earth and even increase your allowance. For children age 7 and older. CSI: Critter Sign Investigation Thursday, April 16 at 10:00 AM Become a nature detective and look for clues left by wildlife along the trails. For children ages 6-10. Earth Day Celebration Saturday, April 18 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM An eco-friendly event fro the whole family! Make crafts out of recycled materials, learn ways to save energy or take a guided nature walk. More events at Reinstein (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1977.html#april) Events at other Nature Centers throughout the State Visit DEC's website for more information and programs Back to top This email was sent by: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233 We respect your right to privacy - view our policy (http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/27720.html). 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Name: not available Type: image/jpg Size: 6645 bytes Desc: not available URL: From decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us Wed Apr 22 09:37:15 2009 From: decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us (decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us) Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:37:15 -0400 Subject: [Decoutdoordiscovery] April 22 Outdoor Discovery Message-ID: <49EEE54B.D567.00BD.0@gw.dec.state.ny.us> DEC Outdoor Discovery April 22, 2009 Water Family Fun Upcoming DEC Events Hudson Valley - Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center and Tivoli Bays Visitors Center Capital Region - Five Rivers Environmental Education Center and Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center Adirondacks - Adirondack Park Agency Visitors Interpretive Centers at Newcomb and Paul Smiths Central New York - Rogers Environmental Education Center Western New York - Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center Subscribe to Outdoor Discovery or change your subscription options (http://lists.dec.state.ny.us/mailman/listinfo/decoutdoordiscovery) Water Water?it's our most precious natural resource. We turn on the faucet and water magically appears. But how does it get to our homes? The February issue of Conservationist for Kids has a lot of great facts about the water cycle and New York's watersheds. Each year the state celebrates Water Week during the first full week of May. This year Water Week occurs May 3-9, 2009 and to mark it, DEC will launch its new water webpages that will feature information, FAQs, and new page updates throughout the year. A major feature will be a set of pages about New York State's watersheds. Be sure to visit the watershed pages to find out about the watershed where you live. For a fun activity to learn about where water comes from and how to use it wisely, visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website "A Day in the Life of a Drop". Send us an e-mail and tell us what you think about Outdoor Discovery. Let your friends know about Outdoor Discovery - forward this e-mail! Back to top Family Fun Follow the Water Plants play an important part of the water cycle through a process called transpiration?how plants lose moisture through their leaves by evaporation. Here is an experiment to help you see this process. On a sunny morning, find a tree branch that is easy to reach. Take a plastic bag and cover a cluster of leaves with the bag, securing it with a piece of string. Return to your tree later in the evening. Carefully remove the bag so that you don't spill any of the water that has collected. Measure the water using a teaspoon. How much water did the tree leaves give off? Count how many leaves were in the bag, and divide that the amount of water into the number of leaves to find out how much water one single leaf gives off each day. Melting Away Water also comes to the earth in the form of precipitation. When the ice and snow melts in the spring, it runs down streams and into other bodies of water. Try this experiment to learn about what happens to the volume of water when ice melts. Take three glasses and fill one with ice cubes, one with crushed ice and one with water. Make a prediction about what will happen to the first two glasses when the ice melts: Will the glasses overflow? After the ice melts completely, mark the level of water in the glass. Which has the highest level (volume)? Was your prediction correct? How would floating chunks of ice affect the level of water in a lake or ocean? What about after it melted? Hint: Ice has a greater volume than the same mass of liquid water. Looking for an adventure this summer for your teenager? Check out DEC's Environmental Education Camps. Read Conservationist for Kids (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/40248.html) for more information and activities! Back to top Upcoming DEC Events Hudson Valley Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1833.html) Spring Birdwalk Saturday, April 25 at 2:00 PM Orioles, catbirds and phoebes are among the birds we hope to see and hear on this easy walk. Earth Day at Stony Kill Sunday, April 26 from 12:00 to 4:00 PM Help us celebrate Earth Day through nature discoveries and environmental activities, including family scavenger hunts, leaf crafts, tree planting and a talk on honeybees with a live demonstration. Spring Wildflower Walk Saturday, May 2 at 2:00 PM Trout lily, trillium, bloodroot and rue anemone are among the delicate flowers gracing our woodlands. We?ll look for them in bloom on this leisurely ramble. More events at Stony Kill (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/2001.html#May) Tivoli Bays Visitors Center(http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/33037.html) Birds of Prey on the Estuary! Wednesday, April 29 from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM Do you have eyes like a hawk? Check out the amazing adaptations these birds have to become hunters of the sky! Capital Region Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1835.html) Outdoors After School Every Thursday from February 26 to June 18 from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM A nature walk for grade-school children and their caregivers. Each week will feature a different theme and habitat. Peepers and Frog Watching Friday, April 24 at 7:00 PM Trek to the wetlands to find those tiny frogs with the big voices. Bring a flashlight. No nets, please. Snipe Hunt Friday, May 1 at 7:00 PM Join us as we search field and fen for a rumor of snipe, the whisper of woodcock and other things that go bump in the night. Bring your own "snipe trap." (Use your imagination.) Opossums and Their Relatives Saturday, May 2 at 10:00 AM Join us outdoors for a walk and talk about the habits and habitats of opossums and other animals. Animal Intelligence Saturday, May 2 at 2:00 PM A surprising level of intelligence has been discovered in elephants and dolphins. An indoor presentation on these amazing findings and a walk to discover intelligence in local wildlife. More events at Five Rivers (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1980.html#May) Albany Pine Bush Preserve Discovery Center (http://albanypinebush.org/discovery_center/directions_hours_admission.htm) Call 518-456-0655 to register for all events. Cost: $2.00/person, $5.00/family, children under 5 free. Terrific Turtles of the Pine Bush Saturday, April 25 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM In this program, we will learn which turtle species live in the Pine Bush and hike to a vernal pond to observe turtle behavior in their own habitat. Registration is required. Cost: $2.00/person, $5.00/family, children under 5 free. More events at Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center (http://albanypinebush.intelliclients.com/events/events.cfm?da=1&mo=4&ye=2009&eventTypeID=2) Adirondacks Adirondack Park Agency Newcomb Visitors Center (http://www.adkvic.org/calendar_ncal.html) Bluebird Nestbox Workshop Saturday, April 25 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM Bluebirds in the Adirondacks? You bet! All you need is open grassland (a yard) and a nest box or two. Cost: $10/box. Call 518-582-2000 to register. Adirondack Park Agency Paul Smiths Visitors Center (http://www.adkvic.org/calendar_pscal.html) Mini Packbasket Workshop Saturday, April 25 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM Kids over 9 and adults can create a mini packbasket, perfect for a special teddy bear. Cost: $25 per basket; $22 for Adirondack Park Institute members. Call 518-327-3000 to register. Central New York Rogers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1831.html) Spring Frogs Saturday, April 25 at 7:30 PM Find out which amphibians are serenading us as we search for them along the trails. Wear boots and bring a flashlight. Earth Fest Saturday, May 2 from Noon to 4:00 PM Celebrate Earth Day, Arbor Day and May Day on this fun-filled afternoon. More events at Rogers (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/2006.html#May) Western New York Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1837.html) Advance registration is required. Call 716-683-5959. Owl Prowl Friday, April 24 at 8:00 PM Learn about our local owls and listen for their calls on a walk in the woods. This program is for adults and children age 8 and older only. Stories in the Woods Saturday, April 25 at 10:00 AM Listen to a nature story, followed by a short walk in the woods. For children ages 3-5 and their caregivers. Trail Cleanup Saturday, May 2 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM Come volunteer for our annual spring trail cleanup. Scout groups, families and others are all invited to help make our trails accessible for the summer. Bring rakes and shovels and wear appropriate clothing. Snacks and lunch will be provided. More events at Reinstein (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1977.html#may) Events at other Nature Centers throughout the State Visit DEC's website for more information and programs Subscribe to the Conservationist magazine? New York's award-winning publication with astonishingly beautiful photography and captivating articles. Back to top This email was sent by: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 625 Broadway Albany, NY 12233 We respect your right to privacy - view our policy (http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/27720.html). Having problems viewing this newsletter? View it on the DEC website (http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/43355.html). 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