Tag Archive for "Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District"

The Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District closes out 2021 with the release of their Annual Report. The document details the District’s 2021 programs, projects, and events.

“The accomplishments listed in our 2021 Annual Report would not be possible without the steadfast support from our Board of Directors, the Soil and Water Conservation Committee, Association of Conservation Districts, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Hamilton County, and local organizations and agencies” said District Manager Caitlin Stewart. “Technicians Lenny Croote and Jaime Parslow, and Clerk Marj Remias provided expert and excellent service to landowners and municipalities year round.”

Highlights from the District’s Annual Report include:

Monday, November 8, 2021

Trail Blazers discover there is more to scat than just a plop of poop

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When Hamilton County Community Services’ Prevention Educator Evangeline Wells invited me to give an outdoor presentation to Trail Blazers kids, I knew I wanted to mix fun and nature facts to keep things light and interesting for this summer event. Students traveled to the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District office on July 21 and discovered that there is more to scat than just a plop of poop in the woods. I packed the morning with activities and information about animal tracks and scat.

Photo at left: I ask the Trail Blazers to describe the story of track photos.

Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Hamilton County hosts successful Conservation Field Day for kids

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Christine Campeau, Adirondack Experience the Museum on Blue Mountain Lake, details The Beaver Fur Trade.

Area school kids learned about conservation during the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District’s annual field day on October 7. The autumn weather was sunny and warm as ninety fifth and sixth graders hiked the Adirondack Ecotrail to six stations, learning about natural resources from the experts.

The Lynn Galusha Memorial Conservation Field Day turned forty-two this year. I organize the event annually, and was thrilled to return to in-person after last year’s virtual videos, and it was fantastic to see the kids, teachers, presenters, and volunteers.

Monday, June 7, 2021

Kids hike and journal at Auger Falls

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It doesn’t get any better than educating kids on a hike, bringing in some creativity with a journaling activity, and appreciating the wild energy of a waterfall.

I teamed up with staff from the Hamilton County Family First Program and Trail Blazers to host a hike and outdoor journaling adventure to Auger Falls for students from Wells, Lake Pleasant, and Indian Lake.

Our pack of fourteen had an epically glorious afternoon on April 8 for a jaunt to the falls situated on the Sacandaga River. The weather was unseasonably warm and sunny, with the additional bonus of being blissfully free of biting bugs.

Friday, May 7, 2021

Conservation contests rewards students’ knowledge

The Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District held our 41^st annual and first virtual Conservation Field Day event last fall where students learned about natural resource conservation from the experts and entered the fifth-grade essay and sixth-grade poster contests. I scheduled virtual and in-person awards ceremonies this winter with all participating schools to reward students’ knowledge and creativity.

Conservation Field Day was too important to cancel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and I was excited to rethink the platform. I warmly thank our fifth and sixth grade teachers for facilitating the virtual event with their students.

(Pictured here: Wheelerville Union Free School’s Joleen Rivera placed overall third place for the Conservation Field Day fifth grade poster contest.)

Sunday, April 4, 2021

Forest Pest Symposium will Highlight Bad Bugs

The Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District (District) will host a Forest Pest Symposium to highlight bad bugs that are invasive to the Adirondacks on April 22, 8:30 AM – 1:15 PM. Landowners, supervisors, and outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to attend, and will learn identification, impacts, and how partners are slowing the spread of emerald ash borer, hemlock woolly adelgid, and spotted lanternfly.

Experts will share their work, success stories, and detail simple steps that anyone can take to combat emerald ash borer, hemlock woolly adelgid, and spotted lanternfly. These invasive insects threaten the Adirondacks’ natural resources and tourism industry. Early detection and rapid response are crucial to stopping the spread of these invaders that can harm forests, stream corridors, hiking trails, and agriculture.

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Water, water everywhere, but still the need to conserve

by Ry Rivard

While recent rains have helped some parts of the Adirondacks, other parts are stuck in a dry spell that began with the mild winter.

On Tuesday, the Town of Long Lake told residents to stop washing their cars and watering their lawns to conserve water.

Long Lake’s water superintendent, Keith Austin, said a dry spell left the town unable to keep up with current demand. The system serves about 800 full-time residents and a seasonal population of 2,000 people in a typical year.

Sunday, March 10, 2019

91% of Hamilton Co Lakes Studied Affected by Road Salt

by Editorial Staff

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Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute and the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District have collaborated on a study detailing long term trends of the water quality in 21 Hamilton County lakes.

“The State of Hamilton County Lakes: A 25 Year Perspective 1993 – 2017” was developed to deliver a countywide assessment of the current and historical water quality status and in hopes of guiding future watershed management decisions. » Continue Reading.

Monday, January 15, 2018

Erosion, Sediment Control, and Stormwater Training

by Editorial Staff

The Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District is sponsoring an Erosion, Sediment Control, and Stormwater Training on February 13, 2018 from 9 am to 1 pm at the Indian Lake Municipal Center, 117 Pelon Road.

The DEC Stormwater Permit mandates that all construction site contractors and subcontractors must have at least one trained individual from their company on their construction sites daily who is responsible for implementing erosion controls and stormwater management for sites that disturb one or more acres of land. These individuals must have completed a four-hour training class renewed every three years. » Continue Reading.

Monday, November 23, 2015

Lake Pleasant Green Infrastructure Demonstration Projects

My coworkers and I completed the installation of green infrastructure demonstration projects at the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District office in Lake Pleasant including a rain garden, a bioswale and two rain barrels.

Local homeowners and municipalities have the opportunity to see the benefits of stormwater pollution prevention practices. The projects are designed to protect and preserve water quality as essential aspects of public health, a vibrant local economy and a flourishing ecosystem. » Continue Reading.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

On The Search For Invasive Species At Limekiln Lake