CLC’s Conservation and Agricultural Programs Manager Marissa Codey will be presenting at the upcoming Farming Our Future Conference. She will be discussing the challenges young farmers face finding land on which to farm, and the various strategies they might use to locate land. The conference takes place on Saturday, February 25 in Craryville, NY.
More about CLC’s Working Farms Program
Participants on Sunday’s Spur-of-the-Moment-Snowshoe Trek discovered a dramatic scene in the snow. This photo shows the traces of an owl swooping in and grabbing a mouse. Notice the mouse tracks in the upper left hand corner and the marks of a large wing on the right hand side.
We have more information on identifying owls and tracks on our Environmental Education page.
CLC is inviting an osprey couple to make their nest site at Ooms Public Conservation Area at Sutherland Pond. We just installed an osprey nesting platform – the structure consists of a 3×3 foot platform attached to a 20 foot power pole, placed 150 feet from Sutherland Pond. Mike Brenner, a long time CLC volunteer and skilled wood worker, donated his time and talent to build the platform. NYSEG generously donated the pole, drilled the hole, and erected the structure. Alan Devoe Bird Club (ADBC) also provided support.
Ospreys, commonly know as “fish hawks” , are one of the largest birds of prey in North America, with a wing-span of up to 6 feet. They eat fish and nest near water. Elisabeth Grace, a long time member of both CLC and the ADBC who frequents the conservation area, has spotted ospreys at Ooms and suggested the addition of a nesting platform.
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WAMC recently ran a story about the disappearance of Northern Harrier Hawks due to loss of meadows and farms and the destruction of habitat. CLC’s Working Farms program and our Public Conservation Areas provide much needed open space for the Northern Harrier to hover over the fields in search of food. They are often seen at Ooms and Greenport.
At the end of each of our nine Nature Quests, there is a log book where participants can leave a note. Here are some highlights from the log book at Hand Hollow Conservation Area.
The Columbia Land Conservancy (CLC) partnered with Scenic Hudson to permanently protect 233 acres in Stuyvesant. The landowner donated the development rights on his property to CLC by conveying a conservation easement that protects the most important natural characteristics of the property.
WORKING FARM
The property is currently being cultivated for corn and hay and the landowner is hoping to expand its agricultural use. The protected property includes 180 acres of farmland, including 115 acres of “prime soils”, 85 acres of “statewide important soils” and 20 acres of “prime where drained” as determined by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
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