Posts Tagged ‘DEC’

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Hunter Orange Saves Lives


small game hunters provided by DECThe DEC encourages every hunter and outdoor recreationalist to wear blaze orange, or fluorescent pink. These vibrant colors are used to prevent another hunter mistaking you for wildlife and accidentally shooting at you.

Hunters who wear orange or pink are 7 times less likely to be shot. New York State law requires armed deer and bear hunters aged 14 and 15, along with their mentors, to wear a fluorescent hunter orange or pink. The vibrant colors must be visible from all directions. A shirt, jacket, or vest must have at least 250 square inches of solid or patterned fluorescence. You may instead opt to wear a hat with a least 50 percent orange or pink

» Continue Reading.


Monday, October 5, 2020

Young people play important role in Climate Smart Community achievements

The Village of Saranac Lake and the Village of Homer in the Finger Lakes region were awarded a bronze level certification in the New York State Climate Smart Communities (CSC) program. The awards came during NYS Climate Week.

The efforts of young people mobilizing for climate action and resilience, inspired by the Wild Center’s Youth Climate Program and its annual Adirondack Youth Climate Summit, is seen as a key contribution to this designation. The climate program has brought together over 180 students from over 30 NYS schools to increase their climate literacy and leadership abilities since 2008.

Cedar Young, a youth leader in the Village of Saranac Lake says the following about the certification: “By receiving bronze certification, Saranac Lake has shown leadership in raising public awareness of climate change and lowering our community’s carbon footprint.”

» Continue Reading.


Monday, September 28, 2020

DEC and Partners Announce Effort to Prevent Spread of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid


The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation DEC Announced that they, along with Cornell University’s NYS Hemlock Initiative, The Adirondack Invasive Plant Program, Lake George Land Conservancy, and The Fund for Lake George, are developing a plan to mitigate the spread of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid HWA on Forest Preserve Lands in the towns of Dresden and Fort Ann, in Washington County. The DEC confirmed the HWA infestation August of 2020, in infected hemlock trees at the Glen Island Campground on the shore of Lake George. This marks the second infestation of HWA in the Adirondacks.

» Continue Reading.


Sunday, September 27, 2020

Small Game Hunting Season begins Oct. 1

thomas houghton turkeySmall game hunting season starts Oct. 1 across New York State. Special youth hunts and new opportunities for active-duty military members and veterans are also available this hunting season.

There are several youth-only hunting seasons for pheasants and waterfowl prior to the start of the regular season. Dates, bag limits, and other regulations for small game can be viewed in the Hunting and Trapping Regulations guide, which can be obtained from a license-issuing agent or on the DEC’s website.

Hunting seasons for ducks, geese, and brant (waterfowl) begin early October in several parts of New York State, but young hunters can get the jump on the season opener with the following youth waterfowl days and locations:

» Continue Reading.


Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Forest rangers rescue hikers on Marcy and Azure mountains

forest ranger logoRecent DEC forest ranger actions:

Town of Waverly
Franklin County
Wilderness Rescue
: On Sept. 5 at 4 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker reporting that his wife had injured her ankle about a half mile from the trailhead of Azure Mountain. Forest Ranger Lt. Harjung responded along with Forest Rangers Balerno and Evans, the St. Regis Falls Fire Department, and EMS. Once on scene, Lt. Harjung splinted the injury and the group started slowly making their way down the trail. The injured hiker was able to get down off the steeper slope with the assistance of hiking poles and leaning on the shoulders of rescuers. The responders then placed the subject in a litter and carried her the remainder of the way to the trailhead. The hiker declined additional medical treatment and said she would seek treatment on her own.

» Continue Reading.


Monday, September 7, 2020

New Upgrades and Functionality for DECInfo Locator 


DEC logoDEC Commissioner Basil Seggos has announced new upgrades and functionality for the online DECinfo Locator tool that provides enhanced access to DEC documents and public data about the environment and outdoor recreation resources. DECinfo Locator was launched a year ago with over 50 data layers and now boasts more than 65, with more on the way.

Water-related data layers include:

  • Wastewater Facilities (SPDES permits)
  • Water Withdrawal Annual Reports
  • Dams and Associated Regulatory Program Data
  • Water Inventory/Priority Waterbody List (WI/PWL)
  • Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)
  • Regulatory Tidal Wetlands

To access the mapping application, visit the DECinfo Locator webpage. Learn more about its features from the DECinfo Locator Tutorial on YouTube.


Thursday, September 3, 2020

DEC opens comments for Fish Creek Campground management plan

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is accepting public comments through Oct. 2 on a Draft Unit Management Plan (UMP) for Fish Creek Pond Campground and Day Use Area in Franklin County. The DEC encourages public input on the draft plan, in order to help guide future management of the facility over the next half a decade.

“DEC is working to connect more New Yorkers with the outdoors. This UMP addresses vital infrastructure improvements that will enhance the camping experience, recreational access and tourism at this signature DEC campground. In addition to camping, Fish Creek Pond Campground provides abundant opportunities for boating, paddling, fishing, and hiking,” Acting Regional Director Joe Zalewski said about the plans.

 

» Continue Reading.


Sunday, August 16, 2020

DEC seeks photographers to provide wildlife photos

The DEC Bureau of Wildlife is seeking photographs  to use in all DEC materials, including reports, social media, posters, newsletters, and for their website. New York State’s wildlife has been busier than ever this summer. The DEC invites citizens to capture and share the best moments of their local wildlife. If you sit outside and watch, you may be surprised at what you see.

Submit photos online until Friday, Sept. 11 at 11:59 am. Remember to stay safe while watching wildlife, and do so in a manner that is not harmful to them.


Friday, August 14, 2020

Outdoor conditions (8/14): A reminder to Leave no Trace


Outdoor conditions logoThe Welcome to the Adirondacks web page is the place to go if you are interested in learning more about the Adirondacks. It provides information about the Forest Preserve and conservation easement lands, outdoor recreation opportunities, and Leave No Trace.. Be sure to check out the links to additional information, like outdoor conditions, and tips for recreating safely and minimizing your impacts on natural resources, recreational infrastructure, and other backcountry users in the Adirondacks. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, August 13, 2020

DEC Opens Wildlife Management Areas for 16-Day Window

DEC logoThe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is opening several Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties  to the public from Saturday, Aug. 15, through Sunday Aug. 30.

Parts of these wetland restricted areas are normally marked off in order to allow waterfowl and other listed species to breed and raise their young away from the interference of humans.

» Continue Reading.


Tuesday, August 11, 2020

DEC Reminds Hikers to Follow Common Sense Rules of the Outdoors

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation would like to remind hikers, and all who enjoy outdoor recreation to follow the “common sense rules of the outdoors,” such as preparing for arduous conditions, avoiding sensitive ecology, picking up your trash, and respecting your fellow visitors and those working to protect our wilderness.

We are currently experiencing a boom in outdoor recreation, with areas of the Adirondack park and the Catskill Parks reaching record numbers of visitors. Issues of littering, trash, and unprepared hikers affecting natural resources have increased in proportion to these record numbers, and it is essential to reinforce these common sense rules in order to protect both the safety of the public and the integrity of the sensitive plants and wildlife.

» Continue Reading.


Sunday, August 9, 2020

DEC gives tips for Green Giveaways

Everyone has something they have received for free from some sort of convention, fair, conference or event. Most of us let these free giveaways and trinkets pile up in drawers and desks until they are eventually thrown out.

Once they are thrown out, they pile up in a landfill somewhere and the resources that went into making them end up being wasted as well. Many of the popular promotional items chosen to be giveaways are not recyclable, things such as stress balls, flash drives, and other tiny plastic oddities.

When the world starts back up again and large-scale events with promotional giveaways start happening again, check out the DEC’s “Green Your Giveaways” PDF Guide to help plan better promotional items without unintentionally increasing your carbon footprint. The DEC recommends the following tips when purchasing the items that you need:

» Continue Reading.


Wednesday, August 5, 2020

DEC Seeking Public’s Help in Locating Stolen Aluminum Beams

DEC logoNew York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Environmental Conservation Police Officers are asking for the public’s assistance in locating five aluminum beams, also known as “spillway stop logs,” that were stolen from Perch River Wildlife Management Area in Jefferson County. The aluminum beams were last seen and photographed on July 16, 2020. During a July 23, 2020 inspection, the beams were missing.

The beams are 12 feet long, nine inches tall, and six-and-a-half inches wide. The beams weigh approximately 150 pounds.

If anyone has information that could assist with the investigation, please call Investigator Mark Malone with DEC Police at 1-877-457-5680 and reference case number 20-052836.


Monday, August 3, 2020

Signs of Southern Pine Beetle


The DEC’s Forest Health Team has seen great success in preventing the southern pine beetle from destroying the pine barrens of Long Island. (Visit this link for more information). If you live on Long Island or the Hudson Valley, be sure to keep your eyes open for signs of the southern pine beetle, which is active and flying around now. Some common signs of this beetle include a group of pine trees with needles yellowing at the same time, pitch tubes or popcorn-shaped clumps of resin on the tree’s bark extending all the way up the tree, and tiny scattered holes on the bark of a tree.

It is not yet established whether the southern pine beetle is in the Hudson Valley, and the DEC asks for help in finding any potential infestations early in order to keep it this way.

If you have seen any signs or suspect and activity in either of these regions of New York, please submit a report of your findings to NY iMapInvasives on their free mobile app, or their online system, available for viewing here.

View photos of the southern pine beetle and find more information on the DEC’s website.


Sunday, August 2, 2020

DEC Seeks Swimming Pool Owners for Citizen Science Survey of Invasive Beetle


The early discovery of Asian Long Horned Beetle infestations saves money and trees.

State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos is encouraging the citizens of New York, especially those that own swimming pools, to engage in the DEC’s Annual Asian Long horned beetle Swimming Pool Survey.

Asian long horned beetles (ALB) emerge as adults during the late summer and become the most active outside of their host trees. The goal of this survey is to pinpoint the locations of these infestations before they cause detrimental damage to our state’s forests and trees.

» Continue Reading.



Wait! Before you go:

Catch up on all your Adirondack
news, delivered weekly to your inbox