The WAVE citizen science sampling season is fast approaching, and DEC invites you to participate in the 10th anniversary year of the program. WAVE (Water Assessments by Volunteer Evaluators) is a DEC program where volunteers collect “stream bugs” to measure water quality in wadeable streams. Anyone who can kick over a rock can participate. The sampling season is from July to September.
Over the past 10 years, 31 active WAVE teams conducted 1,200 evaluations and identified 434 high quality streams across the state. DEC thanks these dedicated volunteers.
WAVE contributes to DEC’s professional monitoring program and local programs throughout the state. WAVE data are especially useful for documenting high quality stream segments and for flagging locations for professional follow up. Communities have used WAVE data to highlight and preserve valuable local resources. Documenting high quality streams can jumpstart local preservation projects and inform community planning.
To find out how to become a WAVE volunteer and what is involved, view DEC’s WAVE webpage and WAVE training videos, and read the WAVE Sampling Guide (PDF).
2021 Forest Preserve Court Decision Has Far-Reaching Implications
Recent pieces in the Adirondack Explorer (see here and here) have attempted to assess the implications of the decision by New York State’s highest court in Protect the Adirondacks v Department of Environmental Conservation and Adirondack Park Agency. The Court of Appeals found that these state agencies violated the state Constitution in their efforts to build a network of new extra-wide snowmobile trails in the Adirondack Forest Preserve. These commenters have derided the decision because they say it’s focused on tree cutting, which they argue is a poor standard to evaluate the constitutionality of management actions by state agencies under Article 14, Section 1, the Forever Wild Clause.
» Continue Reading.