Sunday, May 15, 2022

Harvest of the Month: Eggs

Feeding Hens at Essex Farm. Photo by Ben StechschulteEggs, more specifically, chicken eggs, are an integral part of traditions, celebratory dishes, and the everyday diet around the globe. Historians estimate that humans have been eating eggs for roughly 6 million years. Originally, people foraged eggs from wild bird nests until they were domesticated around 1500 BCE in Ancient Egypt. Throughout history, eggs have become a symbol of life, rebirth, renewal, and fertility for many cultures. 

Today, humans eat about 88 million tons of eggs each year worldwide. China is the top producer of eggs (roughly 34 million tons), then the United States (roughly 6.9 million tons), and then Mexico (roughly 4 million tons). While we may think of them as a staple of the American diet, countries like Japan, Paraguay, China, and Mexico consume more eggs per person each year. 

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Sunday, May 15, 2022

Ausable River Association announces Spring series of free guided watershed tours

The Ausable River Association (AsRA) has announced the schedule for their free, guided interpretive outdoor programs in the northern Adirondacks this spring.
“We are excited to grow our popular guided watershed tours this year,” said Kelley Tucker, AsRA’s Executive Director. “We’re offering guided tours in all seasons this year, and our spring tours will focus on native wildflowers, birds, bats, and other Adirondack species.”
“This year’s programs include 15 guided trips to locations in the Ausable, Boquet, and Saranac River watersheds,” said Tyler Merriam, Donor Outreach Manager.
Three spring programs kick off the season. The first is a birding walk in a private preserve along the West Branch Ausable River. Dr. Larry Master, conservation biologist/zoologist and past Ausable River Association board chair, and Derek Rogers, ace birder and Stewardship Director with the Adirondack Land Trust, will lead this tour.

Kid next to water
Sunday, May 15, 2022

Weekly news round up

A collection of interesting reads:

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Saturday, May 14, 2022

Banding birds at the Crown Point Banding Station in Essex County

I’m writing this from the Ticonderoga Public Library as I’m at the Crown Point Banding Station for two weeks banding birds. We’ve had nets up for four days and banded several birds but very few warblers, including two species of Warbler Palm and Yellow Warbler. Some Yellow Rumped Warblers have been seen in the area, but we have caught none.
Normally we catch more of these than any other bird, but not in the last couple years. Typically, it is a competition between them and American Goldfinch. We have caught several Goldfinch, but Blue Jays are ahead on the leaderboard by far and it doesn’t look like they will be beaten. Still another week and a half to go. These next few hot, sunny days aren’t very good days for catching birds as they fly right over the banding station heading north without stopping.

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Saturday, May 14, 2022

Give crossing turtles a brake

turtleEach May and June, Motorists Should be on the Alert for Turtles Crossing the Road  

Our native turtles are on the move in May and June seeking sandy areas or loose soil to lay their eggs. In New York, thousands of turtles are killed each year when they are struck by vehicles as they migrate to their nesting areas.

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Saturday, May 14, 2022

Poem: A Spring Rhyme

A Spring Rhyme

Along with Spring,

And things alive,

There comes something,

That can survive.

Hope there may be,

In shoots of green,

In every tree,

And verdant scene.

When ill winds blow,

Hope them away,

With loving hearts,

They cannot stay.

For better times,

And promise true,

This little rhyme,

Is sent to you.


Friday, May 13, 2022

Quebec’s ‘green battery’ of hydropower

lake champlain

Just how big is Quebec’s “green battery” of hydropower? When you add up the surface area of utility giant Hydro-Quebec’s dozens of dammed reservoirs, they are bigger than the Adirondack Park’s six million acres. One impoundment is four times the size of Lake Champlain. Another is 55 times the size of Lake George.

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Friday, May 13, 2022

Outdoor Conditions (5/13): Tips for hiking with dogs, being prepared for sudden inclement weather while hiking

outdoor conditions logoRecent Notices

The following are the most recent notices pertaining to public lands in the Adirondacks. Please check the Adirondack Backcountry Information webpages for comprehensive and up-to-date information on seasonal road statuses, rock climbing closures, specific trail conditions, and other pertinent information.

NEW THIS WEEK:

High Peaks Wilderness:

  • Snow Conditions, 05/12: There is persistent packed snow on trails above 4,000 feet, especially on north aspects. Trails are very muddy above 3,000 feet. There is high fire danger at the moment. Temperatures may reach hazardous highs this weekend, and thunderstorms are forecast. Please avoid all trails above 2,500 feet while DEC’s muddy trails advisory is in effect.
  • The gate on Corey’s Road is now open.
  • The gate at Clear Pond, on the Elk Lake Conservation Easement, is now open for the season. The public is allowed to drive to the Elk Lake parking lot and trailhead to park for access to the Slide Brook Trail (to the Dix Mtns) and the Elk Lake Marcy Trail. Parking is limited to the capacity of the parking lot. No parking is permitted along the Elk Lake Road or in any other pull-offs. If the parking lot is full, hikers must park at the Upper Elk Lake Road parking lot on the west side of the Elk Lake Road approximately 2.3 miles south of the Elk Lake parking lot and trailhead. Please respect the parking rules to help ensure this access is maintained and there are no impacts to fire and rescue access.

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Friday, May 13, 2022

Latest news headlines

Here’s a look at news from around the Adirondacks this week:

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Thursday, May 12, 2022

Current Events: Exploring via a new canoe

canoe

 

 

By Zach Lawrence

I had been eyeing this section of river for a few years now. Its twists and turns carved through the High Peaks anorthosite in an irresistible ribbon of smooth mountain drainage.  I used to drive along its banks every day last winter on my way to work at Cascade when it was covered in snow and ice. The way the snow blanketed it was just too tranquil not to dream of paddling the water when it was liquid again. All I needed then was spring and a boat, and I spent the winter scheming up a plan to acquire the latter.

This past summer I had the good fortune of working in the Vermont paddle-tourism industry. Dollars from Massachusetts and Connecticut accumulated in my pockets hoping to be turned into a watercraft. Come November, I took a nice chunk of those dollars over to Tupper Lake and spent them on a Minnesota-made canoe. Late this April, I plunked that canoe into the river here in Lake Placid just a tri-lake over from where I first held a single-blade paddle. How’s that for full circle?

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Thursday, May 12, 2022

Spring Beauties of the Forest Floor

trout lillies in springHave you spotted some of the first wildflowers in the forest? Late April into early May is when the famously fleeting flowers we call the spring ephemerals bloom – but only for a brief period of time! Known for bringing the first signs of the season to the forest floor, this group of perennials has only a short window of time to grow, flower, be pollinated, and produce seeds before the towering trees above them leaf out and steal their access to sunlight.

Beyond being beautiful, spring ephemerals are a source of nectar and pollen for many pollinators in a time when food is scarce. In return, pollinators help the plants reproduce and some (like ants) also spread their seeds, inadvertently helping to plant the next generation.

Just a few of the species you may spot include bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), trout lily (Erythronium americanum), red trillium (Trillium erectum), and spring beauty (Claytonia virginica). Many of these flowers are protected species, meaning it is illegal to pick or trample them. If you notice any in your yard, enjoy their brief beauty with only your eyes and camera.

Pictured: A mixed patch of spring ephemerals including trout lily (yellow flower) and spring beauty (pink flower).


Thursday, May 12, 2022

Adirondack Foundation awards more than $900K in Generous Acts grants to benefit Adirondack communities

Adirondack Foundation this year awarded a record $900,000 in Generous Acts grants to meet pressing needs and drive positive change in local communities across the Adirondack region. This represents an eightfold increase in Generous Acts grant dollars from five years ago.

Of the 110 grant recipients, 60 percent are serving people who are living at or below the federal poverty level. Three-quarters of the successful applicants indicate that receiving a Generous Acts grant will help them leverage additional funds for their work.

Committees made up of Adirondack Foundation board members, community members and staff reviewed and evaluated the applications.

“It is clear that our local communities are still addressing fallout from the pandemic,” said Nancy Monette, Adirondack Foundation trustee and grants committee chair. “We saw lots of applications related to mental health counseling, food assistance, summer programs for teens to reconnect with their peers, as well as heightened emphasis on vital community connections and hubs.”

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Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Below the Clouds at Adirondack Regional Airport

airport manager

I had been following the news about monies coming to most of the North Country airports from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).There were also reports of grants being made, some of which I have since learned had been from the CARES Act of 2020, and from the Airport Improvement Program (AIP).

I wanted to better understand how our regional airports operate, how commercial airlines and their routes are selected, and how airports are  funded.   It’s an understatement to say that “it’s complicated.”  

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Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Rangers respond to brush fire in Forestport, wilderness rescue in North Elba

forest ranger report

Town of Forestport
Oneida County
Brush Fire: On May 1 at 5:45 p.m., Forest Ranger Lieutenant Hoag and Ranger McCartney responded to a brush fire near Round Lake Road in the town of Forestport. The fire burned an estimated nine acres of private land. By 8:20 p.m., the fire was put into patrol status and declared out on May 4.

New York’s annual statewide brush burning ban is in effect through May 14. Since 2009, DEC has enforced the ban to prevent wildfires and protect communities during heightened conditions for wildfires each spring. Backyard fire pits and campfires less than three feet in height and four feet in length, width, or diameter are allowed.

Small cooking fires are allowed, but only charcoal or dry, clean, untreated, or unpainted wood can be burned. People should never leave these or any fires unattended and must extinguish them. Burning garbage or leaves is prohibited year-round. For more information about fire safety and prevention, go to DEC’s FIREWISE New York webpage.

Brush fire in Forestport. DEC photo.

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Kid next to water
Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Crandall Library to Showcase Artwork Created by Veterans with PTSD

During the month of May, the Crandall Library of Glens Falls will be showcasing an art display featuring artworks made with magnets by Warren County-area Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). All are invited to attend a public reception on the evening of Thursday, May 19 from 4 to 6 p.m. Members of the Veterans Plus group will be on hand to answer questions and describe how the inspiration and creativity inspired by this artwork has had a therapeutic effect in helping them to deal with these issues. A survivor of the Pentagon attack on 9/11 will also be in attendance and will talk about the benefits he received while creating this artwork. The Veterans Plus groups’s artwork will be on display through the month of May at the Crandall Library, located at 251 Glen Street in Glens Falls.

» Continue Reading.



Conditions
Kid next to water
Conditions
Adirondacks Events
Kid next to water

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