From decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us Wed May 4 09:31:17 2011 From: decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us (DEC Outdoor Discovery Bi-weekly Newsletter) Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 09:31:17 -0400 Subject: [Decoutdoordiscovery] May 4 Outdoor Discovery Message-ID: <4DC11CE5.D567.00BD.1@gw.dec.state.ny.us> DEC Outdoor Discovery May 4, 2011 Litter and Wildlife Family Fun Upcoming DEC Events Hudson Valley - Stony Kill Environmental Education Center Capital Region - Five Rivers Environmental Education Center and Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center 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) Litter and Wildlife Have you ever seen garbage or litter tossed in your neighborhood or on the side of the road? That litter is more than just ugly, it can harm wildlife in your area and far away. Fish, animals and birds can get trapped in the loops of discarded plastic six-pack holders. Broken glass can not only hurt you, but can injure animals as well. Small animals can get stuck inside jars or cans, and many types of wildlife eat bottle caps, cigarette butts and plastic wrappers. When they become trapped or tangled, they can't eat, and they can't escape from predators. A lot of litter and garbage can be reused or recycled. Many communities have recycling and composting programs-check with your town to see what types of items you can recycle or compost in your community. As you get better about recycling and composting, you may find that you have more items for recycling than you throw in the garbage! That means fewer items ending up in the landfill, or in our waterways and parks-and less chance that wildlife will mistake garbage for food. Of course, it is better to reduce our overall consumption and limit the solid waste we send to the landfill. How long does waste remain in the landfill before fully decomposing? Here are some examples: ?Piece of paper - 2 to 4 weeks ?Orange or banana peel - 3 to 5 weeks ?Cigarette butts - 2 to 5 years ?Plastic bags - 10 to 20 years ?Disposable diapers - 10 to 20 years ?Aluminum can - 250 to 350 years ?Plastic six-pack holders - 450 years ?Styrofoam and glass - FOREVER 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! Subscribe to Conservationist magazine (http://www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/65514.html)?New York's award-winning publication with astonishingly beautiful photography and captivating articles. Learn the best places to view wildlife at DEC's Watchable Wildlife (http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/55423.html) pages. Back to top Family Fun Un-Nature Hike We often pass right by litter or trash without even noticing it. Go on a un-nature hike to tune yourself in to what doesn't belong in the woods. Have an adult or friend hide 10 man-made objects along a short trail in the woods or other natural area. Some ideas include putting a candy wrapper slightly under a rock, a pen in a tree or a banana peel under a bush. Walk along the trail with your friends (not the person who hid the items) trying to find what doesn't belong in nature and bring it back with you. Use the list above to figure out how long each item would have stayed on the trail if no one picked it up. Could an animal have mistaken the item for food? Make sure you pick up all the items and dispose of them properly. Take a real nature hike! Read the April issue of the Conservationist to find opportunities for watching wildlife in your area. (http://www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/73394.html) Plastic Island in the Pacific Believe it or not, there is an "island" of discarded plastic and other garbage floating around in the Pacific Ocean. Some estimates are that it is twice as big as the Continental United States, stretching from 500 miles off the coast of California almost to Japan. One hundred million tons of plastic, including shopping bags (which can now be recycled in New York State), footballs, shoes, Lego blocks, even kayaks are part of the "plastic island" which floats like a thick soup just below the surface of the water. More than one million seabirds die each year when they mistake the garbage for food. One scientist sailed thousands of miles from land and was surrounded by an endless stream of garbage for more than a week. Check it out for yourself by having an adult help you search the internet for "plastic island in the Pacific." 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) (currently closed due to fiscal constraints, but the Stony Kill Foundation is sponsoring events) Earth Day Celebration and Plant Sale Saturday, May 7 from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM Wilderness Survival Day Sunday, May 15 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Capital Region Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1835.html) Citizen Science: The Early Birder Thursdays, May 5 and 12 at 7:00 AM Binoculars and bird guides helpful but not necessary. Family Fun: Snipe Hunt Thursday, May 5 at 7:30 PM Bring your own "snipe trap," and dress for outdoor fun. How to Do It: Gardening for Wildlife Saturday, May 7 at 2:00 PM Space is limited. Call 518-475-0291 by Friday, April 29 to register. How to Do It: Bluffer's Guide to Birding Saturday, May 14 at 9:00 AM Binoculars and bird guides are helpful but not necessary. Event Descriptions 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) Discovery Hike Sunday, May 15 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM Meet at the Karner Barrens East (trailhead #1). Call 518-456-0655 to register. 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=5&ye=2011&eventTypeID=2) Central New York Rogers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1831.html) (currently closed due to fiscal constraints, but the Friends of Rogers is sponsoring several programs) Earth Fest Saturday, May 7 from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM Western New York Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1837.html) Advance registration is required. Call 716-683-5959. After-School Escape Thursday, May 5 and 12 at 4:30 PM For children in grades K-5. No registration required. Frogs in Harmony Thursday, May 5 at 7:30 PM Lewis and Clark Exploration Saturday, May 7 at 10:00 AM Earth Day in May Saturday, May 14 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM Early Bird Walk Sunday, May 15 at 9:00 AM For adults and children 8 years and older. Full Flower Moon Walk Tuesday, May 17 at 8:30 PM Event Descriptions at Reinstein (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1977.html#May) Events at other Nature Centers throughout the State (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1826.html) Visit DEC's website for more information and programs (http://www.dec.ny.gov) 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). To unsubscribe (http://lists.dec.state.ny.us/mailman/listinfo/decoutdoordiscovery) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: not available Type: image/jpg Size: 7668 bytes Desc: not available URL: From decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us Wed May 18 12:04:59 2011 From: decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us (DEC Outdoor Discovery Bi-weekly Newsletter) Date: Wed, 18 May 2011 12:04:59 -0400 Subject: [Decoutdoordiscovery] May 18 Outdoor Discovery Message-ID: <4DD3B5EB.D567.00BD.1@gw.dec.state.ny.us> DEC Outdoor Discovery May 18, 2011 Smokey Bear Family Fun Upcoming DEC Events Hudson Valley - Stony Kill Environmental Education Center and Norrie Point Environmental Center Capital Region - Five Rivers Environmental Education Center and Albany Pine Bush Discovery 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) Smokey Bear When we think of Smokey Bear, most of us envision the illustrated bear and his famous slogan, "Only YOU Can Prevent Wild Fires" (changed from "Forest Fires" in 2001). But there was a real live Smokey Bear that spurred the idea for the advertising campaign. In 1948, a forest fire in the Lincoln National Forest in the Capitan Mountains of New Mexico was spreading fast. Twenty-four firefighters were trapped in the fire's path and lay down on a rock slide for more than an hour to escape the heat and flames. They were not hurt but noticed a small bear cub that had climbed a tree right in the fire's path. His back legs were badly burned, and his mother was nowhere to be found. The firefighters named him "Hotfoot Teddy" and brought him to a veterinarian. People around the country fell in love with the bear, and it wasn't long before he was renamed Smokey Bear and sent to live at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. Even though he died in 1974 at the age of 26, his image is still used to spread the message of fire prevention. More than 100,000 wildfires start each year in the U.S. because of careless human behavior. Smokey Bear knows that many of these wildfires can be prevented and asks each of us to stop and think about our behavior. Wildfires are usually caused by burning trash, leaving a campfire unattended, throwing out barbecue or woodstove coals and ashes, carelessly tossing cigarettes and children playing with matches. The Smokey Bear campaign is now 67 years old, and his simple message is as clear as ever, "Only You Can Prevent Wildfires." Read more about Smokey Bear, wildfires and DEC's forest rangers in the October 2009 issue of Conservationist magazine(http://www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/58684.html). 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! Subscribe to Conservationist magazine (http://www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/65514.html)?New York's award-winning publication with astonishingly beautiful photography and captivating articles. Learn the best places to view wildlife at DEC's Watchable Wildlife (http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/55423.html) pages. Back to top Family Fun Climb a Fire Tower Fire observers used to keep watch over New York State forests from fire towers located throughout the Catskills and Adirondacks. There were once 69 fire towers in use, but the last of them was closed in 1990. Today, rangers and firefighters use helicopters and lookout stations to watch for signs of fire. Twelve towers in the Adirondacks and five in the Catskills (http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/catskillsfiretower.pdf) (pdf - 738Kb) have been restored and are open to the public to climb. You can take a step back in time and pretend that you are protecting the state's forests. Once you get to the top of a tower, you will have a great view and a good workout. Have an adult search the Internet for directions to and tips about trails and hikes to the towers listed below. Catskills ?Balsam Lake Mountain - Town of Hardenburgh ?Red Hill - Town of Denning ?Tremper Mountain - Town of Shandaken ?Hunter Mountain - Town of Hunter ?Overlook Mountain - Town of Woodstock Adirondacks ?Azure Mountain - Town of Waverly ?Blue Mountain - Town of Blue Mountain Lake ?Goodnow Mountain - Town of Newcomb ?Hadley Mountain - Town of Lake Luzerne ?Kane Mountain - Town of Caroga Lake ?Mount Adams - Town of North Hudson ?Mount Arab - Town of Tupper Lake ?Owl's Head Mountain - Town of Long Lake ?Poke-O-Moonshine - Town of Keeseville ?Rondaxe Mountain -Town of Old Forge ?Snowy Mountain - Town of Indian Lake ?Vanderwhacker Mountain - Town of North Creek Help Smokey Spread the Word Take the "Get Your Smokey On" pledge, found on Smokey's website(http://www.smokeybear.com/take-pledge.asp). You can also play interactive games(http://www.smokeybear.com/kids/default.asp?js=1) on the website to learn more about fire prevention . 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) (currently closed due to fiscal constraints, but the Stony Kill Foundation (http://www.stonykill.org) is sponsoring events) Can You ID a Tree for Kids? Sunday, May 22 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM For children in grades 2 to 5 Norrie Point Environmental Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/33037.html#Norrie) Fishing at Norrie Saturday, May 21 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM Capital Region Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1835.html) Citizen Science: The Early Birder Thursdays, May 19 and 26 at 7:00 AM Citizen Science: Moth Census Friday, May 20 at 8:00 PM Flashlights are helpful but not necessary. Family Fun: World Turtle Day Saturday, May 21 at 10:00 AM Girl Scout Program: Exploring Nature Saturday, May 21 at 2:00 PM For Daisy Girl Scouts and their parents/troop leaders. Registration for this program is through the Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York at www.gsneny.org. Call 518-489-8110 for more information. A materials fee applies. Family Fun: What's the Buzz? Saturday, May 28 at 10:00 AM Space is limited. Call 518-475-0291 to register by Wednesday, May 25. Materials fee: FFR members $1.00, non-members $3.00 How to Do It: Composting with Worms Saturday, May 28 at 2:00 PM Event Descriptions 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) Build a Bird Nest Monday, May 30 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 noon Call 518-456-0655 to register. 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=5&ye=2011&eventTypeID=2) Western New York Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1837.html) Advance registration is required. Call 716-683-5959. After-School Escape Thursdays, May 19 and 26 at 4:30 PM For children in grades K-5. No registration required. Bugs, Beetles and Butterflies Saturday, May 21 at 10:30 AM For children 8 years and older Evening Bird Walk Sunday, May 22 at 6:00 PM For adults and children 8 years and older Stroller Strut Saturday, May 28 at 10:30 AM For children age 3 years and under Event Descriptions at Reinstein (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1977.html#May) Events at other Nature Centers throughout the State (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1826.html) Visit DEC's website for more information and programs (http://www.dec.ny.gov) 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). To unsubscribe (http://lists.dec.state.ny.us/mailman/listinfo/decoutdoordiscovery) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... 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