Eighteen young anglers participated in the Annual Youth Fishing Derby at CLC’s Schor Conservation Area, co-sponsored by the Canaan Conservation Club. Five year old Luke Murphy caught a 15 inch trout. The derby is one of the many CLC programs that provide opportunities for people to connect to the land, building support for local conservation efforts.
This year, CLC’s Country Barbecue returns to David Rockefeller’s Clum and Patchen Farm in Livingston, NY. A long drive lined with poplar trees leads to 400 acres of prime farmland with tremendous Catskill views. From the parking area you can ride on a horse drawn trolley for additional views.
In 1992, David Rockefeller and his wife Peggy chose to permanently protect the property with a conservation agreement with CLC. At a beautiful location like this it’s easy to appreciate the importance of protecting rural landscapes and connecting people to the land. It’s a good thing that Country Barbecue ticket purchases support Columbia Land Conservancy’s local conservation efforts. The nonprofit organization relies on the financial support of individuals to conserve the farmland, forests, wildlife habitat, and rural character of Columbia County, strengthening connections between people and the land.
Darrow School students, faculty and alumni joined CLC staff for trail work at the Ooms Conservation Area at Sutherland Pond. We bench cut 1/8 mile of the green trail using hand tools. This volunteer project was an Earth Day celebration and part of the Darrow School’s Hands to Work program.
Following up on the great work from Darrow School volunteers, two seniors from Ichabod Crane School volunteered at the Ooms Conservation Area and made additional improvements to the Green Trail.
This otter was spotted near Taghkanic State Park in a stream that feeds into Lake Taghkanic. Fun fact: northern river otters can hold their breath for eight minutes. They eat fish as well as amphibians such as crayfish and turtles. Otters are sensitive to environmental pollution. Otters have also been seen at the Hand Hollow Conservation.
20 volunteers joined CLC and Valatie Boy Scout Troop #2114 for a trail workday at the Borden’s Pond Conservation Area in Chatham. The projects included clearing around the stone wall, installing two bluebird boxes, improving the green trail, parking area improvements, clearing invasive species, and general cleanup. The event was part of Adam Day’s Eagle Scout community service project.
It takes a village to learn about amphibians. On April 14, twenty-five people attended a CLC event at the Wilson M. Powell Sanctuary to learn about woodland pools and how they can collaborate with NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program and Cornell University to collect data that supports long term research projects. These citizen scientists will help biologists better understand frogs, salamanders, birds, and other species.
Woodland pools are small bodies of water within a forest patch that typically dry up in mid or late summer. Spotted salamander, Jefferson salamander, and wood frogs and other amphibians require these important natural features for breeding and once they have laid their eggs in the water they head back to the nearby upland forest. Identifying and collecting data on woodland pools and the species that use them can lead to local policy that will protect these important habitats and ensure their benefits for future generations. CONTINUE READING
The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Scenic Hudson, Columbia Land Conservancy (CLC), Dutchess Land Conservancy (DLC), Dutchess County officials, Town of Red Hook officials, other local leaders, and farmers announced that federal Farm Bill funding has enabled Scenic Hudson and its partners to complete the purchase of conservation easements on seven working family farms in Dutchess and Columbia counties. The farms are vitally important to the region because they contribute to the production of local, healthy food and add to local economies with strong agricultural business sectors. CONTINUE READING
