Eastern New York ChapterFall/Winter 2012

Ask high school students, JesseGuerro, Kendy Francois, and

Shaquille Bryan how they spent theirsummer and they are likely to break intoa smile as they talk about clearing trailsand building foot bridges, pulling invasiveplants, and conducting Karner blue butterfly monitoring. These activities areonly a few of the challenges that theseurban teenagers faced during their summerinternship with The Nature Conservancy.

Since 1995, the Conservancy’s Leaders inEnvironmental Action (LEAF) Programhas partnered with environmentallythemed high schools to provide hundredsof high school students interested in environmental studies with the opportu-nity to leave their urban areas to live,work, and play on nature preserves.

The interns were among the 100 studentsselected for a paid, residential career

internship on nature preserves around thecountry. The opportunity to participate inactual conservation projects complementsthe students’ classroom learning andprovides hands-on experience they maynot otherwise get during the school year.

For many LEAF participants, the programoffers a first experience in nature. “Thissummer I went electro-fishing,” saidShaquille Bryan, “and it was fun to catchand chase so many fish.” Using a compassand mountain climbing were also firsttime endeavors.

In addition to those first experiences innature, students gain other importantbenefits such as living independently andlearning new skills.

“Inspired by their experiences in nature,the students are excited to take theirnew-found knowledge home with them

and share their passion with others,” saidStewardship Coordinator Matt Levy. “Ourgoal is to provide them with the skills andknowledge that will help them care forthe environment now and in the future.”

Nationally, only 6% of students receivebachelors’ degrees in the life science fields.According to a recent alumni survey ofLEAF participants, 34% have gone on tomajor in life science fields in college and21% of those majored in environmentalstudies. Approximately 33% of LEAFalumni have secured budding careers inrelated fields.

The LEAF program has been able to expand nationwide thanks to a $3.1 million donation from the Toyota USAFoundation.

For more information, visithttp://www.nature.org/leaf.

Stewarding Our FutureOne LEAF at a Time

©TNC

Dear Friends,

It is with a sense of pride that we send you this newsletter to highlight some of our conservation achievements during the past year. Two key tenets –sound science and strong partnerships – continue to embody the work that we do just as they have for the past 61 years.

At the same time, we cannot keep working in the exact same ways that we have in thepast. The environmental challenges of our day requires that we work differently and soour vision continues to evolve. Our work has expanded to include such things as publicpolicy, using scientific planning to inform energy development decisions to fosteringthe next generation of conservation leaders.

You will find information about these realms of our work on these pages. You can alsolearn how climate change and energy development will put increased pressures on ourwater supplies and how the Conservancy and key partners are developing a tool to helpmanagers measure new withdrawals from rivers and lakes.

While our vision continues to unfold, one thing remains certain. Through the hardwork of our dedicated staff and volunteers and your ongoing support, we can ensurelasting, meaningful protection of our lands and waters for people and nature, now and in the future.

Thanks for all you do for conservation!

Sincerely,

Rick WerwaissExecutive Director

Eastern New York ChapterBOARD OF TRUSTEES

Mary RubinBoard Chair

Theo DotsonStuart E.G. FindlayHilary HalsteadEric R. KatzmanGab LesserEileen LindburgNoah OsnosRichard PenneyLaurie Saylak

PROGRAM DIRECTORS

Mari-Beth DeLuciaSenior Aquatic/Fisheries Scientist

Mark KingDirector of Protection Programs

Cara LeeDirector of Shawangunk Ridge Program

Kieley Michasiow-Levy Philanthropy Officer

Bruce SchearerDirector of Volunteer Leadership

George SchulerDirector of Conservation Science & Practice

Ellen WeissDirector of Communications

Troy WeldyDirector of Ecological Management

Anthony WilkinsonDeputy Director

The Nature ConservancyEastern New York Chapter

265 Chestnut Ridge RoadMount Kisco, New York 10549914-244-3271

195 New Karner Road, Suite 201Albany, New York 12205518-690-7852

Do you want to experience nature and make a difference while doing so? Do youenjoy working outdoors?

The Conservancy offers preserve steward volunteer opportunities at over 30 preserves in the Hudson Valley, the Catskills and Capital District region. In fact, some people find their experience to be habit-forming – serving as volunteer stewards for more thanfifteen years.

Stewards monitor preserve activity, maintain trails, remove invasive species, complete infrastructure safety reports, and more. An onsite orientation and ongoing support isprovided for all volunteers.

Interested in joining us? Contact Matt Levy at mlevy@tnc.org or (518) 690-7851.

Making A Difference

EASTERN NEW YORK

The new Invasive Species PreventionAct recently signed into law by

Governor Cuomo creates a statewideregulatory system to prohibit or limit thesale and transport of known invasiveplants and animals that threaten nativeecosystems and industries which dependon natural resources.

Invasive species are non-native plantsand animals that cause harm to the environment or human health and put atrisk economically important industriesincluding farming, forestry, tourism, andcommercial and recreational fishing.

Invasive species are expensive to manageor eradicate, and their cost to taxpayersis staggering. Invasive plants such as dogstrangling vine smother agriculturalcrops and aquatic invasive species likeEurasian water milfoil reduce waterquality, property values and recreationalboating opportunities. Nationally, theimpact of invasive species is estimated at $167 billion annually.

In the Hudson Valley, municipalitieshave spent millions of dollars removingthe invasive zebra mussels from water intake valves. In many lakes, people canno longer enjoy walking barefoot as the

Stopping the Spread of InvasivesNew Law Abates Threats to New York’s Lands and Waters

With more than a decade of collaborativework with local and statewide programsto address invasives through integratedapproaches, such as early detection –rapid response, pathway mitigation, education, and strategic management,the Conservancy will continue to workwith partners and state agencies as thebill is implemented to ensure the protection of our lands and waters.

sharp shells from the zebra mussels arelike glass.

“At a time when community resources arealready being stretched to the limit, thisbill will ease the burden of managementcosts by preventing new introductions of harmful invasives,” said Troy Weldy,The Nature Conservancy’s Director ofEcological Management and representativeon the state Invasive Species AdvisoryCommittee.

• Use only non-invasive plants in your garden and removeinvasive species from your land.

• Clean your hiking boots and waders before and afteruse to help stop the spread of invasive pathways.

• Don’t move firewood. Purchase your firewood within 50 miles from where you intend to burn it.

• Clean your boat thoroughly before, after and betweenlaunches.

• Voice your support for federal and state funding. Earlydetection and a rapid response are critical to invasivespecies prevention.

How You Can Help

Fifth grade students inspect a boat for aquatic invasive plants © Caitlin Stewart/Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District

Although New York’s waters may seemplentiful, they are a finite resource.

Inadequate replenishment affects waterlevels and water withdrawals that are toolarge or taken at the wrong time can havenegative impacts on New York’s 52,000miles of streams and lakes.

Without sufficient water levels, streams,lakes and ponds may be inhospitable tofish and other aquatic wildlife and maybe unable to support recreational and

Ready, Set, MeasureA Tool to Guide Water Management Decisions

tourism activities critical to the state’seconomy. In addition, threats such asnatural gas development and climatechange will increase the pressures onNew York’s natural resources.

Recognizing a need for statewide standardsto ensure that New York’s water bodieshave enough clean water to provide fornature and people, Governor Cuomosigned the Water Resource ManagementAct (WRMA) into law last August. The

law builds upon New York State’s commitment to the Great Lakes Compactto have in place by 2013 the necessarysystems to manage all waters that flowinto the Great Lakes.

While a significant milestone, the passageof WRMA is just the first step in ensuringthat New York’s freshwater resources aremanaged sustainably. To ensure that theState has the tools to implement the law,The Nature Conservancy in partnershipwith New York State Energy Researchand Development Authority and U.S.Geological Survey is working to develop ascientifically-sound decision support tool –the New York State Stream EstimatorTool (NYSET). NYSET will enableusers to estimate daily mean-streamflow(statistics) at ungauged locations andevaluate impacts of hydrological with-drawals of water for various uses. In addition to assisting with permittingwater withdrawals, these data can beused to assist with implementing habitatprotection, estimating contaminant loads,or determining the potential impactfrom chemical spills.

“We are beginning to have the science-based criteria to define the streamflowstandards or the amount of water riversneed,” said Director of ConservationScience and Practice George Schuler. “Wecan use this data to understand how waterwithdrawals affect the species and habitatsfound in our waters. This information is critical to helping stakeholders and decision-makers at all levels grapple withhow we use our land and water resourcesin the future.”

Fly fishing on the Neversink River ©Jon Kornfeld/TNC

Adding Conservation Science to the Energy Equation

New York is truly at a crossroads inplanning for a sustainable energy

future. There are significant energy policy opportunities and challenges asNew York weighs how to reduce carbonemissions and meet increasing needs forenergy. Communications Director EllenWeiss (EW) recently spoke with CaraLee (CL), The Nature Conservancy’sNew York Energy Team Lead about theimportant role the Conservancy canplay to assure that conservation scienceis part of New York’s energy future.

EW: The focus on energy developmentis relatively new for the Conservancy. Is there something in particular thatprompted the attention on energy?

CL:While hydrofracking has certainlydrawn a lot of attention, it is one pieceof a larger question, “How can we meetour energy needs and manage the associated impacts of ‘energy sprawl’ to our land, water and air resources?”We need to be thinking about not onlygas, but also renewables, wind, solar,transmission infrastructure as well astraditional energy sources.

The “footprint” of future energy devel-opment is likely to be large and poses a threat to our conservation priorities.We want to infuse conservation scienceinto energy policy and practice toachieve better outcomes and reduce impacts on our forests, freshwater andmarine systems.

EW: How can the Conservancy insurethat conservation science is part of theenergy decision-making process?

CL: In two key ways – through our successful science-based approach andcollaboration. We know that our science-based approach can be used to avoidand reduce energy impacts on conservation priorities and help drivesmart energy policies. In addition, weare uniquely positioned to collaboratewith stakeholders in the energy arenaincluding government, business, utilitycompanies, community leaders and ourfellow conservationists to achieve outcomes that are better for nature and people.

EW: The science-driven approach andpartnerships are hallmarks of the Conservancy. Do you have an exampleof how these traits can inform energyplanning decisions?

CL:Yes. We already have good examplesof this in New York.

We are currently working with partnersto identify and map important ecologicalresources, such as sensitive habitats,large forest blocks, and bird and bat migration routes in order to developthe first statewide comprehensive mapsof New York’s biodiversity resources,particularly as they relate to developmentof wind resources.

For this project, we have an advisorycommittee made up of wind industryrepresentatives, conservationists andstate agencies. The end product will bea tool that can help decision-makersbalance environmental concerns withenergy infrastructure siting.

EW: It seems that the Conservancy’sconservation history and experiencedeveloping conservation science toolscan play an important role in NewYork’s energy future.

CL: Absolutely. As New York considersits energy future, the opportunity topromote conservation science, tools,better energy policies and practices isvery real. New York can provide modelsfor sustainable energy planning and development that can be examples forother states and globally.

Hydrofracking © Cara Lee/TNC

“Research shows that the dense growth and the accumulation of deadtissues that form an elevated mat from phragmites alter the habitat forwildlife,” said Conservation EcologistChris Zimmerman. “This damaging invasive reduces the diversity of nativebirds and insects and eliminates rearingareas important for some juvenile fish.”

The potential consequences of phragmitesinvasion are especially relevant to conservation of the Ramshorn-LivingstonSanctuary wetlands, some of the highest-quality freshwater tidal wetlands in NewYork State, which contain a number ofglobally rare plant species.

“While the use of herbicide treatmentshas been established as an effectivemethod to suppress phragmites,” explains Zimmerman, “it is unclear if

the herbicide treatments can effectivelyeliminate a phragmites patch and the response of the native plant communityto these treatments is not well under-stood in freshwater tidal wetlands alongthe Hudson River.”

A research project is currently underwayto assess the feasibility of eliminatingsix phragmites patches at RamshornMarsh by 2015. While the initial studyresults are positive and show that oneherbicide application has resulted in asignificant decrease in stem density andcover, it is still too early to predict if thepatches can be completely eliminated.Additional treatments are planned overthe next two years.

Citing the importance of this researchto the long-term management of tidalwetlands along the 153 miles of the

Hudson River, Zimmermanadds, “In order to sustainthe rare plant species andthe birds and otherwildlife that thrive in tidalmarsh systems, efforts suchas phragmites control will require the commitmentof agencies and other partner organizations towards the early detectionof new infestations and a cost effective rapid response program.”

Eye on InvasivesA Fight against Phragmites

The complex of tidal wetlands lining the Hudson River north of

Poughkeepsie represent the greatestconcentration of freshwater tidal wetlands on the Eastern seaboard.These freshwater tidal wetlands serve asa habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, andfish species.

Phragmites (common reed) poses oneof the largest threats to this exemplarytidal marsh habitat. Originally from Europe and Asia, this perennial grassaggressively spreads through wetlandsprimarily by vegetative growth. A smallfragment can start a new plant. It growsup to fifteen feet tall and has extremelyhigh stem density and out-competesnative plants that are essential to thesystem’s health and productivity. Oftenno other plant species are found in thecenter of a phragmites patch.

Conservation Intern Laura Lukas monitors Phragmites at RamshornMarsh. ©Chris Zimmerman/TNC

Speaking Up for Nature

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Eileen Lindburg admits that a lot ofpeople are surprised to hear that

she was not always a fan of nature. “I didsome horseback riding as a kid, but unlikesome of my fellow trustees who kayak,hike and run, I am not an outdoors person,” she explains.

When a former trustee approachedEileen about becoming involved with theConservancy, she did more than just listen to what he had to say. Eileen notonly began to think differently about nature; she also joined the Eastern NewYork Board of Trustees.

Having served in a leadership capacity

for the past 11 years, Eileen says, “Onceyou start paying attention to the impactsman has on the environment, it becomesapparent that someone has to speak upfor nature.”

Eileen not only speaks up for nature in herambassadorship role for the Conservancy,but also in her career as a commercialreal estate agent in the Capital Regionfor more than 20 years. “Through my involvement with the Conservancy, I havegained an understanding that there arebetter and worse ways for development tooccur. It is important that we continue tolook for improved ways that developmentcan happen so that conservation is part

of the decision-making process.”

It is the Conservancy’s science-drivenand collaborative approach that inspiresEileen to continue her long-term support for our work.

“I think the Conservancy’s work is soimportant and impacts all our lives,” shesays. “For example, the recent floodingevents in New York State underlie thatflooding and water flow are importantconsiderations that will need to be factoredinto future development decisions. Thework that the Conservancy is doingaround climate change adaptation canhelp to inform these types of decisions.”

Eileen Lindburg © Albany-Colonie Chamber of Commerce

The Nature ConservancyEastern New York Chapter195 New Karner Road, Suite 201Albany, NY 12205nature.org/eastern

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