From decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us Wed Jan 11 09:33:04 2012 From: decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us (DEC Outdoor Discovery Bi-weekly Newsletter) Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:33:04 -0500 Subject: [Decoutdoordiscovery] January 11 Outdoor Discovery Message-ID: <4F0D5750.D567.00BD.1@gw.dec.state.ny.us> DEC Outdoor Discovery January 11, 2012 Working to Help the Environment 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) Working to Help the Environment There are many different types of careers in the environmental field. See whether a job protecting the environment might be right for you. Outdoor Explorer Environmental educators and camp counselors teach people about the outdoors in an outdoor setting. They help people to better understand nature and their role in helping wildlife and the environment. Environmental educators may guide nature center visitors on a walk to look for and learn about wildlife and wildlife habitat. They also visit schools, youth and community groups to talk about nature study and the environment. In addition, they may write materials to help people recognize what they find while exploring outdoors on their own. Camp counselors, whether at an overnight camp or a day camp, teach children outdoor skills while helping them enjoy the outdoors safely. Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! Okay, forget the lions and tigers?at least in New York State. Wildlife biologists and technicians study wild animals and their habitats. Sometimes they work outdoors ("in the field") and track populations of different animal species. Other wildlife biologists study disease in certain species to monitor whether a population is in danger. Still others manage lands owned by the state or help people manage their own lands to benefit wildlife or provide opportunities for people to enjoy wildlife. There are also biologists that study fish, marine life and habitat. In each of these jobs, you would spend time outside observing nature and improving fish and wildlife populations. Rock On Geology is the study of the Earth and its composition. Engineering geologists study rock cores, soil samples, groundwater and water supplies. They might solve problems associated with floods or landslides or develop safe openings for mining or waste disposal sites. A geological engineer could help design systems to prevent contamination of soil and groundwater. Into the Woods Foresters help manage and protect forests and the public use of forest lands. They may assist with reforestation (planting trees in a forest area) and help landowners with forest management. A forester can help develop forest recreation programs and create plans to manage forest pests and diseases. Stop in the Name of the Law Environmental conservation officers (ECO) are police officers who enforce the laws protecting the state's natural resources and environment. They investigate complaints about pollution, check hunting and fishing licenses and ensure that boats and ATVs are operated safely. ECOs also protect wetlands and enforce our recycling laws, such as the Bottle Bill. Some ECOs work with K-9 detector dogs to detect illegally killed wildlife. In addition, ECOs meet with school groups, service groups and hunter's and angler's clubs to promote compliance with the law. They work long and irregular hours on outdoor patrols. Lost and Found Forest rangers are police officers who help with search-and-rescue missions for people lost or hurt in the wilderness, fight wildfires and educate the public about outdoor fire prevention, conservation of wildlife, safe hiking and wilderness survival. They patrol wilderness areas throughout the state, always watching for fire dangers, and they may be the first to respond to a fire emergency. Like ECOs, forest rangers work long and irregular hours on outdoor patrols. 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 Try these activities to get a feel for the work a wildlife biologist or water quality specialist might do. Animal Detectives Just because you don't see animals in your neighborhood doesn't mean they aren't there. Become an animal detective, and look for the clues that animals leave behind. Hike in the woods (kids should be with an adult), or explore your own backyard to see how many different animal signs you can identify: Deer: Deer tracks are heart-shaped. The pointed end of the track points to where the deer was going. Deer trails are narrow paths which usually connect to where a deer eats and sleeps. Deer beds are flattened areas in meadows or woodland clearings. Another common spot is under an apple tree. You can find buck rubs on areas of a tree about one to two feet off the ground where a buck has rubbed the bark off with its antlers. Raccoons: Look for overturned garbage and paw prints like tiny human hands to determine whether a raccoon has been stealing a meal. If so, raccoon-proof your garbage can with a strong bungee cord stretched over the top and attached to the handles on each side. Skunk: While your nose will be able to tell whether a skunk is nearby, so will your eyes with a quick look at your yard. Skunks dig holes in the lawn with their sharp claws in search of grubs and insects. Squirrels: A pile of pine cones that have been stripped clean is a sure sign that a squirrel has been dining in your yard. Squirrels, mice and chipmunks love to hide in log piles. Learn more about New York's wildlife (http://www.dec.ny.gov/pubs/4791.html) on DEC's website. Testing the Waters Liquids with water content may be acidic, alkaline or neutral. The level of acidity?or pH?is described on a scale from zero to 14. The pH affects how a liquid will interact with other compounds. Acidic liquids, such as vinegar and lemon juice, have a pH value below 7. Alkaline liquids have pH values above 7. Baking soda and ammonia are alkaline. Very acidic or very alkaline liquids are caustic, which means they cause chemical burning or corrosion. Purchase some pH test paper at an aquarium store or pet store. Collect a sample of rainwater or melted snow in one container and tap water in another container. Dip a pH paper into each sample to find its pH level. Acidic water will turn the paper red, while alkaline water will turn it blue. Compare the shade or color of the paper with the indicator on the container of pH paper to find the level of acidity. How does tap water differ from rain/snow? How do you think the acidity level of rain/snow affects animal and plant life? Acid rain can harm or kill individual fish, reduce fish population numbers, completely eliminate a fish species from a water body and decrease the number of species. To find the pH values for some common materials, visit the Miami Museum of Science website (http://www.miamisci.org/ph/hhoh.html). 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 Norrie Point Environmental Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/33037.html#Norrie) Discover Norrie: Winter Wonders Walk Saturday, January 14 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM Join us on a family-friendly 2.5-mile hike along the scenic banks of the Hudson River. Capital Region Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1835.html) Watchable Wildlife: Winter Birdlife Saturday, January 14 at 10:00 AM Binoculars are helpful but not necessary. Family Fun: Snowshoe Outing Saturday, January 14 at 5:30 PM Parents and children must accompany each other. Call 518-475-0291 by Wednesday, January 11 to register and reserve snowshoes. Movie Night: Buyer Beware Friday, January 20 at 7:00 PM Complimentary popcorn and cider provided. Call 518-475-0291 by Wednesday, January 18 to register. Family Fun: Asian Year of the Dragon Saturday, January 21 at 10:00 AM Parents and children must accompany each other. Call 518-475-0291 by Wednesday, January 18 to register. Family Fun: Where the Wild Things Are Saturday, January 21 at 2:00 PM Parents and children must accompany each other. Dress for outdoor fun. If there is sufficient snow, we will snowshoe. In the event of severe weather, this program may be cancelled. Call 518-475-0291 by Wednesday, January 18 to register. Event Descriptions at Five Rivers (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1980.html#January) Albany Pine Bush Preserve Discovery Center (http://albanypinebush.org) Owl Prowl Friday, January 20 from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM Call 518-456-0655 or go the Albany Pine Bush website to register. Cost: $3.00/person, $5.00/family, children under 5 free. More events at Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center (https://www.albanypinebush.org/events/calendar.cfm) Western New York Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1837.html) Registration is required unless otherwise noted. After-School Escape Thursdays, January 12 and 19 at 4:30 PM For children in grades K-5. No registration required. Learn to Snowshoe for Adults Saturday, January 14 at 10:30 AM Snowshoe rental = $4.00/person; Friends of Reinstein members = $2.00. For adults only. Learn to Ski Sunday, January 15 at 1:00 PM Ski rental = $4.00/person; Friends of Reinstein members = $2.00. Snowshoeing 101 Tuesday, January 17 at 6:00 PM Snowshoe rental = $4.00/person; Friends of Reinstein members = $2.00. Knee-High Naturalists Wednesdays, January 18 and 25, February 1 and 8 at 10:00 AM Participants must commit to the entire series. For children ages 3 to 5. Materials fee = $15.00 per child; $10.00 per child for Friends of Reinstein members. Registration required; call 716-683-5959. Getting Squirrelly Saturday, January 21 at 10:30 AM For children ages 5 to 8. Materials fee = $2.00 per child; Friends of Reinstein members = $1.00 per child. Event Descriptions at Reinstein (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1977.html#January) 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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Name: not available Type: image/jpg Size: 6557 bytes Desc: not available URL: From decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us Wed Jan 25 09:17:51 2012 From: decoutdoordiscovery at lists.dec.state.ny.us (DEC Outdoor Discovery Bi-weekly Newsletter) Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:17:51 -0500 Subject: [Decoutdoordiscovery] January 25 Outdoor Discovery Message-ID: <4F1FC8BF.D567.00BD.1@gw.dec.state.ny.us> DEC Outdoor Discovery January 25, 2012 Winter Tracks Family Fun Upcoming DEC Events 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) Winter Tracks Have you ever been on a walk in the winter, come across animal tracks and wondered what kind of animal made them and what they were doing? Mammal tracks show various gaits and patterns because different animals have different ways of traveling. Walk?Mammals that walk leave behind alternating, evenly spaced prints in parallel rows. They often put their hind foot in the same spot where their front foot stepped, giving the appearance of a single line of prints. Walking is a slow way to move, but it's very energy efficient. Trot?Some mammals trot, which is a faster way to get around but still energy efficient. During trotting, two diagonal feet move at the same time?for example, the left front and the right rear. Gallop?Galloping is the fastest way for a mammal to travel, but it requires a lot of energy and can be done for only short periods. When an animal gallops, all four feet leave the ground at the same time during one stage of the activity. Bound?Bounding requires the most energy. Although it's slower than galloping, it also includes one stage when all four feet leave the ground at the same time. Rabbits, squirrels, mice and rats are all bounders. Take the following posters on your next hike to help you do your own animal tracking: Tracks poster - Part 1 PDF (477 KB) Tracks poster - Part 2 PDF (1.25 MB) 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 Tracks: Only Part of the Story You can tell by animal tracks whether they were made by a deer foraging for food or a bobcat chasing prey. Did an animal stop for a drink? Are there many tracks in one spot, meaning an animal was looking for something to eat? What are some other signs of animal life that tell a story? Scat?Scat (the scientific name for animal poop) tells us what an animal has eaten. Some animals use scat to mark their territory. Fur and Feathers?Animals may lose their fur or feathers when they rub against something (to leave scent or scratch an itch) or when attacked by another animal. Look for fur stuck to lower tree branches or on the ground to tell you where animals have been. Chew Marks?Animals such as deer, rabbit or beaver leave chew marks on the vegetation they eat. Chew marks are different for different animals because of their tooth structure and their eating habits. Food Caches?Some animals such as squirrels collect and store food to eat during the winter. Homes?Animals live in holes high in trees or near the ground, in leaf or twig nests in branches and in thick brambles on the ground. Some live in caves, burrows or dens. Deer and coyote leave well-worn paths from traveling the same trail repeatedly from their homes to their feeding areas. Track Station How can you track animal prints if there's no snow? Make your own track station. Get a 3' x 3' piece of plywood and some sand, flour or cornmeal. Find a level spot that's in the open but near trees or shrubs where animals might find food. Put the board flat on the ground and sprinkle flour, cornmeal or sand on the entire surface. Come back the next morning to check for footprints on your track station. How many different kinds are there? Use the posters offered above to help you identify your nighttime visitors. Read Conservationist for Kids (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/40248.html) for more information and activities! DEC Summer Education Camp Are you looking for a summer camp where your child can have a fun-packed, educational experience in the great outdoors? Then check out DEC's Environmental Education Camps! Applications must be postmarked no earlier than January 28, 2012. All four camps (Colby, Pack Forest, DeBruce and Rushford) educate youth who are 11 to 13 years old. Pack Forest in the southern Adirondacks is also open to campers 14 to 17 years old during five sessions of camp. Camp Rushford will offer one week for the 14 to 17 year old program. These older campers will participate in the DEC Teen Ecology Workshop. The cost of attending the one-week session is $350. If you would like to download an application for camp or would like more information, visit the DEC website (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/29.html). Back to top Upcoming DEC Events Capital Region Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1835.html) Watchable Wildlife: Birding by Snowshoe Saturday, January 28 at 9:00 AM Call 518-475-0291 by Wednesday, January 25 to reserve snowshoes and/or to register. If there is insufficient snow, we will go on foot. In the event of severe weather, this program may be cancelled. Teacher Workshop: Project Wild Aquatic Saturday, January 28 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM This interactive workshop introduces instructional activities which integrate aquatic wildlife themes into the core disciplines. Participants will receive a free Project WILD Aquatic K-12 Curriculum and Activity Guide full of hands-on activities which correlate to NYS learning standards. Call 518-475-0291 by January 25 to register. Family Fun: Groundhog Day Saturday, February 4 at 10:00 AM Children must be accompanied by an adult. Call 518-475-0291 by Wednesday, February 1 to register. In the event of severe weather, this program may be cancelled. New York's Wild Cats Saturday, February 4 at 2:00 PM If weather permits, an outdoor walk to examine the habitat and prey of these elusive animals will conclude the presentation. Event Descriptions at Five Rivers (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1980.html#January) Albany Pine Bush Preserve Discovery Center (http://albanypinebush.org) CSI: Critter Scene Investigation Saturday, January 28 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM Call 518-456-0655 or go the Albany Pine Bush website to register. Cost: $3.00/person, $5.00/family, children under 5 free. More events at Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center (https://www.albanypinebush.org/events/calendar.cfm) Central New York Rogers Environmental Education Center (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1831.html) Programs at Rogers are now offered by the Friends of Rogers(http://friendsofrogers.org/); there are no DEC education staff at the site due to fiscal constraints. Snowshoe at Brookfield State Park Saturday, January 28 at 10:00 AM Call 607-674-4733 to register. Kids Drop-in Program Saturday, February 4 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM Parents must stay with children during the entire event. Dress for outdoor weather. Full Moon Member Night Hike/Snowshoe Tuesday, February 7 at 7:00 PM For members and those interested in becoming members. 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, January 26 and February 2 at 4:30 PM Enjoy a one-hour program for kids featuring a different, fun, outdoor activity each week. For children in grades K-5. No registration required. Winter Wonderland in the Woods Saturday, January 28 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM Try our snowshoes or cross-country skis for free, go on a winter scavenger hunt, take a winter wildlife tour, make snow sculptures, and more! Kids can create nature-related winter crafts. No registration required. Learn to Ski Sunday, January 29 at 1:00 PM Ski rental = $4.00/person; Friends of Reinstein members = $2.00. Snowshoeing 101 Tuesday, January 31 at 6:00 PM Snowshoe rental = $4.00/person; Friends of Reinstein members = $2.00. Educator Workshop: Project Learning Tree Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood Saturday, February 4 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Attendees receive a curriculum guide and music CD that incorporate investigations of nature with art, literature, math, music and movement. For educators of students ages 3 to 6. Advanced Skiing Tuesday, February 7 at 6:30 PM Experienced cross-country skiers are invited to join us on this guided ski tour. Ski rental = $4.00/person; Friends of Reinstein members = $2.00. Event Descriptions at Reinstein (http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1977.html#January) 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... Name: not available Type: image/jpg Size: 61277 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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