From rogerscenterjournal at lists.dec.state.ny.us Wed Dec 17 10:51:40 2008 From: rogerscenterjournal at lists.dec.state.ny.us (rogerscenterjournal at lists.dec.state.ny.us) Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:51:40 -0500 Subject: [Rogerscenterjournal] Recycle Your Christmas Tree at Rogers Environmental Education Center Message-ID: <4948D9BB.26A6.0088.3@gw.dec.state.ny.us> The Department of Environmental Conservation*s Rogers Environmental Education Center in Sherburne asks you to recycle your Christmas tree once the holidays are over. Instead of sending your tree to a landfill, put it to good use at Rogers Center. All donated trees will be chipped and spread on the trails to slow erosion, provide walking ease for visitors, and return nutrients to the soil for plant growth. Rogers Center accepts trees from December 26 through January 12. Follow the signs from Route 80 to the drop-off spot. Please, no plastic bags, tinsel, or decorations on the trees. From rogerscenterjournal at lists.dec.state.ny.us Wed Dec 17 10:55:22 2008 From: rogerscenterjournal at lists.dec.state.ny.us (rogerscenterjournal at lists.dec.state.ny.us) Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:55:22 -0500 Subject: [Rogerscenterjournal] 31st Annual Winter Living Celebration at Rogers Center Message-ID: <4948DA99.26A6.0088.3@gw.dec.state.ny.us> ANNUAL WINTER LIVING CELEBRATION AT ROGERS CENTER JANUARY 10 The Winter Living Celebration at the Department of Environmental Conservation's Rogers Environmental Education Center is on Saturday, January 10, 2009 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Celebrate winter at this exciting annual event! There will be plenty for the whole family to do, both indoors and out -- all FREE. Try out cross-country skis or snowshoes and ride in a horse-drawn sleigh. Journey to new places as you listen to the tales of a storyteller and stomp your feet to the sounds of the Susquehanna String Band. Learn about local trails to hike, ski or snowshoe. There will be demonstrations of forest ranger search and rescue equipment, Native American skills, old time wood cutting, ice fishing, and more. Don't miss it! From rogerscenterjournal at lists.dec.state.ny.us Mon Dec 29 11:19:05 2008 From: rogerscenterjournal at lists.dec.state.ny.us (rogerscenterjournal at lists.dec.state.ny.us) Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 11:19:05 -0500 Subject: [Rogerscenterjournal] WINTER LIVING CELEBRATION DETAILS - January 10, 2009 Message-ID: <4958B229.26A6.0088.3@gw.dec.state.ny.us> WINTER LIVING CELEBRATION AT ROGERS CENTER! Thoughts of being outside in winter may make you want to stay inside, but it can be one of the most exciting times to enjoy nature. Snow creates a blank page upon which signs of animals can be clearly seen and the quietness of the season can be heard and felt deep within us. Don*t hide inside. Celebrate! Rogers Environmental Education Center invites you to join in a day of winter festivities at its 31st annual Winter Living Celebration on Saturday, January 10, 2009 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Indoor activities provide opportunities to get warm. There are ongoing exhibits and activities as well as music and storytelling which occur at specific times. The celebration is free and fun for the whole family. ACTIVITIES AND DEMONSTRATIONS: Cross-country skis and snowshoes are designed to help you move over the snow with greater ease. If there is snow, both cross-country skis and snowshoes will be available to try. Once you get the hang of it, you may want to travel this way all the time. Or, you may prefer a horse-drawn sleigh ride. Sit back and enjoy the scenery as a pair of horses takes you past a variety of habitats. Can you guess who lives where? Along the way, a naturalist will tell you a bit of history of the area and point out interesting things. Kids, there will be fun activities just for you, too. Members of the Chenango Chapter of Trout Unlimited will show you how to tie your own fishing fly using feathers, fur, thread, and other materials. By participating in an outdoor parachute game, find out how small mammals are able to hide from predators under the snow. The bird exhibit cabin will be set up with a variety of stations where you can learn about birds by looking at bird parts, participating in games about feeding and migration, and making peanut butter pine cones. See how dogs help conservation officers in detective work and enforcing laws, and how rangers use search and rescue equipment. Try your hand at cutting wood the old fashioned way with a cross cut saw and see how you fare in a Native American skills demonstration. Talk with boy scouts about winter camping. Exhibits include, but are not limited to: Finger Lakes Trail Conference, DEC foresters, Chenango County Federation of Sportsmen, the Southern Madison Heritage Trust and Chenango Land Trust. PROGRAMS: The Susquehanna String Band provides live musical entertainment in the Visitor Center. Banjo, guitar, fiddle, and hammered dulcimer combine to create foot-tapping and hand-clapping tunes. Every seat gets filled for these fun and lively shows. It is no wonder that this popular group has a loyal following! Shows are at 12:15 PM, 1:45 PM, and 3:15 PM and are 30 minutes long. John Porcino, a storyteller and folk singer from western Massachusetts, tells humorous and fascinating tales with the use of simple props. With songs like *We Eat Our Socks* and *It Could Always Be Worse,* John brings enthusiasm, warmth, and fun to his presentations. This is one performer you won*t want to miss! Shows are at 11:30 AM, 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM and are 30 minutes long. Refreshments and lunch-type foods are available to purchase. The celebration occurs regardless of weather. Please leave your ice skates at home, but cross-country skis and snowshoes are welcome. Bring your tinsel-free Christmas tree for recycling. We chip them for use on our trails. There is so much to see and do. You won*t want to miss it! From rogerscenterjournal at lists.dec.state.ny.us Mon Dec 29 14:16:08 2008 From: rogerscenterjournal at lists.dec.state.ny.us (rogerscenterjournal at lists.dec.state.ny.us) Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:16:08 -0500 Subject: [Rogerscenterjournal] SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR TEENAGE ECOLOGY WORKSHOP: DEC'S SUMMER CAMP IN THE ADIRONDACKS Message-ID: <4958DBA8.26A6.0088.3@gw.dec.state.ny.us> SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR TEENAGE ECOLOGY WORKSHOP: DEC*S SUMMER CAMP IN THE ADIRONDACKS For more than 60 years, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has provided unique one-week residential summer camp experiences for youth. Campers explore and understand pond, stream, field, and forest ecosystems, have fun meeting other teens, and experience the natural world with new eyes. Through the course of the week, campers begin assuming their future roles as environmental decision-makers. Friends of Rogers Environmental Education Center, Inc., the not-for-profit support group for DEC*s Rogers Environmental Education Center, is offering four full scholarships to attend week-long Teenage Ecology Workshop sessions at DEC*s Pack Forest Camp. Teens ages 15 through 17 and interested in attending are invited to apply. To be eligible, teens must be New York State residents and eager to participate. Pack Forest is located in Warren County near Warrensburg, in the beautiful Adirondack Park. Situated on 2,500 acres of woodlands with an 85-acre lake, Pack Forest has spectacular mountain views, pristine marshes and Hudson River access. Scholarship Application Deadline: January 16, 2009 For application materials, contact Rogers Center. Applications must include a written statement explaining why applicants wish to attend, and a letter of recommendation from someone other than a relative. Scholarship recipients will be required to submit a brief post-camp summary of their experience. Contact Rogers Environmental Education Center, 2721 State Hwy 80, Sherburne, NY 13460-4507, call (607) 674-4017, or e-mail: rogers at gw.dec.state.ny.us for additional application information. DEC camp fees are $325 per camper per week. Many campers are sponsored by local conservation and community groups, so youngsters should talk with local organizations regarding sponsorships to DEC Camps. In addition to Teen Ecology Workshops at Pack Forest for older teens during July, DEC operates week-long camps for 12 through 14 year olds. Pack Forest operates for 12 through 14 year olds during August. During July and August, programs for 12 through 14 year olds are also offered at Camp Rushford in Allegany County*s Genesee River Valley, Camp DeBruce in Sullivan County in the southern Catskills, and Camp Colby in Franklin County on Lake Colby in the northern Adirondacks. For more information about any of the DEC*s Environmental Education Camps go to: http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/29.html Call 518-402-8014 or write to NYSDEC Camps, 625 Broadway; 2nd Floor, Albany, NY 12233-4500. You may e-mail the camps at edcamps at gw.dec.state.ny.us From rogerscenterjournal at lists.dec.state.ny.us Wed Dec 31 10:39:45 2008 From: rogerscenterjournal at lists.dec.state.ny.us (rogerscenterjournal at lists.dec.state.ny.us) Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2008 10:39:45 -0500 Subject: [Rogerscenterjournal] SATURDAY AFTERNOONS AT ROGERS CENTER Message-ID: <495B4BF0.26A6.0088.3@gw.dec.state.ny.us> SATURDAY AFTERNOON TRAIL WALKS AT ROGERS CENTER Did you ever wonder why someone would want to go for a walk in winter rather than stay in the cozy comfort of home? Rogers Environmental Education Center in Sherburne invites you to explore the trails with a naturalist at 1:30 PM most Saturdays in January. Every season has different gifts and winter is no exception. The general quietness brings a greater awareness of sounds. Birds are easier to see in leafless trees. Seasonal adaptations in plants and animals are evident. Take a walk with Rogers Center staff and get blown away by winter*s amazing wonders. Walks will occur on January 3, 17, 24 and 31. Families and individuals welcome. Meet at Rogers Visitor Center. Free.