The Beat

During the current COVID-19 public health crisis, getting outdoors and connecting with nature is a way to help maintain our mental and physical health. Scientific studies show that time outside in nature, especially among trees, significantly reduces stress and anxiety, lowers blood pressure, improves mood, energy, and sleep, and boosts the immune system.

While indoor spaces and restrooms at DEC environmental education centers and other public facilities are closed out of an abundance of caution to prevent community spread of COVID-19, our grounds and trails are open to welcome visitors during daylight hours, seven days a week. Any entry fees are waived. Public trails in the Adirondack and Catskill Parks and State Forests throughout the state are also always open (please note: there is still snow in many areas, please check local conditions).

Ithaca, NY— The Finger Lakes Land Trust today announced it has acquired 5.5 wooded acres in the town of Hector, Schuyler County. The property includes more than 1,300 feet of shared boundary with the Finger Lakes National Forest (FLNF) and approximately 1,000 feet of frontage on Vesa Road.

Protection of this parcel prevents future subdivision that would fragment wildlife habitat connectivity and disrupt recreational opportunities.

After 10 Years of Capital Projects, Entire 52 Acres of BBG Reopened Welcoming Visitors with More Gardens, More Hours, and More Programs

Brooklyn, NY–Brooklyn Botanic Garden is pleased to announce its 2020 calendar of special events, programs, and seasonal highlights. This year, there is more to explore and enjoy than ever before as BBG fully opens following the completion of ten years of site-improvement projects across all 52 acres of the Garden.
 
To welcome visitors to the new and restored gardens, the Garden is offering extended evening hours in spring and summer, a robust calendar of live performances, exciting festivals, seasonal culinary events, enriching tours and workshops, and year-round horticultural beauty in one of New York City’s cultural jewels.

The Wild Center Unveils New Winter Programming

Tupper Lake, N.Y. - For the first time ever, The Wild Center's award-winning Wild Walk will be available in winter, allowing visitors to see the Adirondacks from an entirely new perspective. With the addition of thousands of feet of lights, snow activities and new photo op. stations, Wild Walk has transformed into the ultimate winter wonderland and will remain open all season long.

Click here for more details

Albany N.Y. – On December 6, 2019 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm the Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center will host the unveiling of their sixth juried photo exhibit, celebrating the uniqueness and diversity of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve.

Jackie Citriniti, Lead Educator and show designer said “The photo exhibit is an amazing display of local talent. Out of hundreds of submissions, it is a daunting task to choose the finalists.”  Citriniti continued, “Each photograph reveals incredible features of this rare ecosystem, from macro to micro, from flora and fauna to landscapes, from color to black and white. This is a great opportunity to not only view breathtaking art up close and personal but experience this globally rare, nationally significant, and locally distinct preserve.” …

Recognized by the Department of Environmental Conservation

Tupper Lake, N.Y. - The Wild Center's Youth Climate Program has been recognized by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) as a winner of the 2019 New York Environmental Excellence Awards. The Wild Center was named one of four innovation and sustainability leaders across New York State at the 16th annual awards celebration, held on Tuesday, Nov. 14.

Panama, N.Y. – Panama Rocks has just been listed as the #1 Ranked Trail in New York State by Inspirock - a world-wide travel/trip-planning service covering 47,000 destinations across 226 countries.

Inspirock's ranking system takes into account reviews from TripAdvisor, Google, Facebook to determine their rankings based on independent guest reviews, which makes its ranking system one of the most comprehensive in the world. Inspirock was founded in 2012 and and expanded to include destinations in the United States in 2015.

Tupper Lake, N.Y. - The Wild Center family is expanding this summer with the arrival of two male North American river otters. The pair make their debut in Otter Falls on Saturday, June 22 from 10am to 5pm, which also marks The Wild Center's inaugural You Otter Run/Walk 5K benefitting the Center's Betsy Lowe Fund for Adirondack Education.

The pair began their journey to The Wild Center in Ohio where they were trapped as nuisance animals.  Crayfish farmers in Ohio often trap North American river otters as their diet subsists of crayfish, as well as snakes, frogs and fish. These trapped river otters are often slated to be killed and used for fur, or in some cases, relocated to areas without enough food to survive.

Cornwall, NY- On Friday, July 27 at 7:30pm, join the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum for a Full Moon Hike at the Museum’s Outdoor Discovery Center on Muser Drive, across from 174 Angola Road, Cornwall.  Enjoy the moonlit fields and forests with a guided full moon trek on a hike like no other.

The Museum’s expert staff will ensure safe night hiking habits are utilized by the group and guide you along the enchanting scenery of the fields in the evening.

The lure of the gorge. Every year nearly 800,000 people from across the region, state, country, and world visit Letchworth State park to marvel at the “Grand Canyon of the East.” They may hike, camp, swim, or picnic, but eventually they make their way to one of the many overlooks, some towering more than 600 feet above the Genesee River. It’s beautiful to view the gorge walls and see the many layers of exposed geological features, and there at the bottom is the river making its way north toward Lake Ontario.