Nature
central & western new york
s p r i n g / s u m m e r 20 14
Connect with Nature:
Rediscover nature’s magic
Living, learning, and loving nature—that’s a powerful motivation for saving lands and waters. In this issue, The
Nature Conservancy celebrates the many ways Central and Western New Yorkers can connect with nature and
contribute to conservation.
INSIDE
Explore. Volunteer. Give...................................................... 4
Bog Wild................................................................................... 8
Water for Tomorrow.............................................................. 5
Get Outside.............................................................................. 9
In the Finger Lakes............................................................... 6
Connecting Kids with Nature......................................... 10
Rebuilding a Wetland.......................................................... 7
Contact Us............................................................................. 11
explore .
volunteer.
Give.
For The Nature Conservancy and our supporters, every day is
Board chair Clayton Millard and director Jim Howe © Jan Miller/TNC
Earth Day. In this spirit, we launched a special initiative this April
called “Connect with Nature” and are sharing many opportunities
for you to experience nature this spring and summer—and year
round.
Volunteerism is one of our chapter’s core strengths. Our Central
playground. Lend your hands at events in your backyard. Or give
back to nature by making a financial contribution. We’re excited
to begin our 2014 field season, grateful for all you do to make it
possible, and looking forward to seeing you outside!
& Western New York members have shown incredible dedication
to our work across this region, making our volunteer program one
of the Conservancy’s strongest. Last year, more than 175
volunteers contributed 825 hours building boardwalks, fighting
invasives, staffing events and leading explorations of our lands
and waters.
We deeply appreciate your help—and depend on it to complete
critical conservation and stewardship projects. Just as volunteers
like Bob Beck helped save remarkable places like the O.D. von
Engeln Preserve (p. 8), a new generation of volunteers will be
needed to realize our next landmark achievements—like a new
lake-to-lake trail connecting Hemlock and Canadice Lakes (p.5).
But as Edward Abbey said, it’s important to “Save the other half
of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not
enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it.”
To that end, we’re pleased to offer you an expanded program of
hikes, paddles and nature walks this season (p. 9).
Time outside really matters. In this issue, our conservation
lands manager comments on a new survey showing that the
vast majority of parents view spending time in nature as “very
important” to their children’s development—second only to
reading as a priority (p. 10).
It was a long, cold winter but now it’s time to celebrate spring in
the waters, trails and landscapes that make up nature’s
Cover: Snow geese © Dennis Money
2 S p r i n g / s u m m e r 20 14
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Clayton Millard, Chair ..........................................................Rochester
Lew Allyn ........................................................................Naples, Florida
Brian Baird .....................................................................................Buffalo
Barry Boyer .......................................................................... East Aurora
Bruce Bongarten, Ph.D. ........................................................Syracuse
Peter Brennan, M.D...................................................................... Ithaca
Enid Cardinal ..........................................................................Rochester
Laurie Dann ..................................................................................Buffalo
John Fitzpatrick, Ph.D. ................................................................ Ithaca
Bruce Gilman, Ph.D. ...................................................... Canandaigua
Richard Hill, Emeritus ..............................................................Remsen
William Jacques ...............................................................................Rush
Victoria Kennedy .................................................................Fayetteville
Deb Koen .................................................................................Rochester
Tony Lee ....................................................................................Rochester
Thomas Lunt .................................................................... Orchard Park
Sarah Mercier Hurlbut ........................................................Rochester
Diane O’Connor ....................................................................... Honeoye
Robert Papworth .....................................................................Syracuse
Stephen Rosenfeld, M.D. ...................................................... Pittsford
Charles Ruffing, Ph.D. .........................................................Rochester
Susan Suwinski ............................................................................. Ithaca
Susan van der Stricht ..........................................................Rochester
LATEST R ESU LTS
Water for Tomorrow
Your support yields new tool for smart water choices
Right now, as you read this, your brain that is so diligently
absorbing information is composed of 73 percent water. Your
electricity, your clothes and the food on your plate all require
a vast amount of water in order to be produced.
So what’s the big concern? For starters, by 2050 over 70
percent of people on Earth will live in urban areas. Yet
more than half of the world’s largest global cities are already
water-stressed. Each day, more than 15 billion gallons of water
are withdrawn from New York’s lakes, rivers, streams and
groundwater for drinking, industry, farming, mining and
power generation. Decisions about these individual
competing uses are often made without considering their
cumulative impact. We need a plan.
To ensure that New Yorkers will have enough water in the
future, towns, communities and businesses must together
chart a more sustainable pathway to growth. To help meet
this challenge, The Nature Conservancy is developing
science-based tools to ensure that water withdrawals from
our lakes, rivers and streams are done in a comprehensive and
smart way.
This March, we formally submitted to the New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC)
our recommendations for water management in the
Great Lakes’ tributaries. Created under the leadership of
Conservancy staffers David Klein and George Schuler, the
recommendations are part of the Conservancy’s Water for
Tomorrow initiative, which aims to reimagine how New
York’s fresh water is managed.
More than 25 experts from academia, state and federal
agencies, and other scientific institutions helped us assess
flows in New York’s streams and rivers. For each category
of stream or river, the group determined minimum flows and
a range of variability in flows that aquatic plants and animals
need to be healthy.
Why do we need this? “The recommendations represent a
scientific protocol for determining how much water can be
withdrawn to meet people’s needs and grow our economy
without adverse environmental impacts,” says Klein. “If
implemented into New York’s regulatory framework, we will
have transparent standards for water use that help balance
the needs of all communities.”
The recommendations also enable New York to comply with
the Great Lakes Compact, a set of rules that all Great Lakes
states and provinces agreed to in 2008 to sustainably manage
our shared waters. “If we’re going to prevent diversions of
our Great Lakes water, we have to demonstrate that we’re
managing our water with an eye to the future,” Klein adds.
New York’s abundant water may be our most important
environmental and economic asset. We are fortunate to
have the water we need to sustain both growth and nature.
But making good choices requires seeing the full picture.
Tools and information like this will help move New York
toward a future with enough water for everyone.
discover
»
Learn more about our work to sustain New York’s
precious water resources at nature.org/nywater.
© Kent Mason
The Nature Conservancy in Central and Western New York | nature.org/cwny 3
protecting
and
connecting
Keuka Lake © holl7510 under a Flickr Creative Commons license
In the Finger Lakes: Protecting Fish and ‘Forest Filters’
The Nature Conservancy continues to protect lands and waters in the Finger Lakes. Last year, your support helped us acquire
two important properties, both of which feature healthy forests that connect existing protected areas.You also helped us
re-open an important tributary of Hemlock Lake and begin work on a new lake-to-lake trail that will give visitors the chance
explore nature while discovering how forests help generate clean drinking water. Thank you!
Newly protected lands connect
forests, bolster access for people
With your help, we purchased 154 acres of forestland in
Livingston County that adjoins the new Hemlock-Canadice
State Forest. This property connects to an old-growth forest
and helps provide recreational access to state lands. To help
us acquire the land, the owner sold the property to the
Conservancy at a steep discount.
“As a nonprofit, we’re always grateful when landowners make
it easier for us by discounting the price,” says Andy Wheatcraft,
critical lands coordinator in Central & Western New
York. “The difference between the purchase price and the
appraised value is a tax-deductible contribution to The Nature
Conservancy.”
All told, the Conservancy has now directly protected nearly
1,500 acres in the Hemlock and Canadice Lake watershed, the
source of drinking water for Rochester. As many of our members know, we also played a leadership role in the permanent
protection of Rochester’s 7,000 acres of watershed lands.
4 S p r i n g / s u m m e r 20 14
“These two undeveloped Finger Lakes are a very special place,
and we’re going to continue investing in conservation here,”
Wheatcraft says.
At nearby Honeoye Lake, the Conservancy purchased 25 acres
of forestland adjacent to Harriet Hollister Spencer State Park.
This parcel will be transferred to the park later this year. The
property, a long rectangle, is important in its own right, but also
critical in that it helps knit together a mosaic of natural lands
between the park and Canandaigua Lake.
More habitat for brook trout
Your support is also advancing the Conservancy’s work to
restore streams in the Finger Lakes. Last fall, we tore out
a dam on a high quality trout stream in Springwater, N.Y.,
opening up miles of Reynold’s Gully. With help from the U.S.
Fish & Wildlife Service, the dam was removed and replaced
with a series of step pools that allow brook trout and other fish
to move freely through the stream.
The environmental consequences of dams can be severe.
Dams can block fish migration and trap sediments that are
critical for sustaining downstream habitats. They can also
alter water temperatures, which can lead to changes in
dissolved oxygen levels and fish kills.
protect
“Across the state, there are hundreds of dams damaging
our waterways,” says Gregg Sargis, the Conservancy’s
director of ecological management in Central and
Western New York.
“This particular dam was the only one on this entire
stream. By funding this project, our members helped
open up habitat that has been blocked for decades.”
New lake-to-lake trail underway
It’s been six years since The Nature Conservancy
officially opened Rob’s Trail, our flagship recreational
trail where visitors can hike from the steep ridge
between Hemlock and Canadice Lakes all the way to
the undeveloped shoreline of Canadice Lake.
In close partnership with NYS DEC, we’re now
launching a new extension that will give people access to
Hemlock Lake as well, creating a new lake-to-lake trail
in the region.
The Conservancy’s land straddles NYS Route 15A,
which provides a ready access point to the newly
established Hemlock-Canadice State Forest. This
7,000-acre protected area was initially set aside by the
City of Rochester for its water supply. In a landmark
conservation deal in 2010, the State of New York and
the Conservancy teamed up to permanently protect it.
Above: The existing Rob’s Trail and Canadice Lake Trail are pictured in blue; the proposed
extension in pink. © Google Earth Below: Brook trout © Wild Center under a Flickr Creative
Commons license
The proposed trail will begin on Conservancy-owned
land between Hemlock and Canadice Lakes and connect
to an existing but abandoned trail on state lands along
the east shoreline of Hemlock Lake.
A new kiosk will welcome hikers, describe the terrain
and land-use history, and recognize major supporters.
The trail will then wind downslope through woods,
cross a stream and emerge at the shore of Hemlock Lake.
Once at the lakeshore, hikers will be able to walk north
along an abandoned dirt road and conclude their hike at
a boat launch on Hemlock Lake.
“This trail will offer hikers, cross-country skiers and
other outdoor enthusiasts a lake-to-lake experience, and
will be a major economic and recreational asset to the
region,” says chapter director Jim Howe.
At key points along the route, signs will showcase the
area’s natural communities, geologic features, history
and importance to people today. The Conservancy is
also considering erecting a bridge to provide a stunning
view of a gorge and waterfall.
Rob’s Trail was named for the late Rob van der Stricht,
an avid conservationist and former board chair. Although
he traveled throughout the world, Rob loved no place
more than the Finger Lakes. Do you share a love for this
region? Consider supporting the trail with a financial
gift, or by volunteering at an upcoming work day.
give
»
For more information on supporting these Finger
Lakes projects, please contact Jan Miller at
[email protected] or (585) 546-8030 x28.
The Nature Conservancy in Central and Western New York | nature.org/cwny 5
people
make
good things
HAPPEN
Conducting muskrat surveys at wetland restoration site © Mat Levine/TNC
Rebuilding a Wetland
Conservancy collaborates to restore Buck Pond
Wetlands are hardworking ecosystems. They filter water,
reduce flooding and provide habitat for countless species, but
their health depends upon a complex and delicate balance.
Lake Ontario’s coastal wetlands have declined over the years,
due in part to manipulation of water levels that doesn’t take
the needs of nature into account. The current regulation
plan was developed in the 1950s with the construction of the
Moses-Saunders Dam and has reduced the range of water
levels to the point of causing extensive damage to coastal
wetlands and the fish and wildlife that depend upon them.
to create more than 6,500 feet of water channels and 10
potholes at Buck Pond, cutting through dense cattail stands
and using the excavated material to create habitat mounds
that will support native plants, such as sedges and rushes, that
provide food for waterfowl. The project will also create habitat for spawning fish such as northern pike and is expected to
improve water quality, flow and fluctuation.
Ducks Unlimited provided funding for this project through
a federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant via the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Freshwater Future and Healing Our Waters grant
program. Other partners include the NYS DEC, Braddock
Bay Fish and Wildlife Management Area Committee,
SUNY Brockport and the Town of Greece.
The Nature Conservancy is working to change this by
supporting the International Joint Commission’s proposal
for a new lake regulation plan—known as Plan 2014—that
would restore variability to Lake Ontario’s water levels while
maintaining protections for property owners. At the same
time, we are working on the ground at Buck Pond, part of the
Braddock Bay Fish and Wildlife Management Area, to repair
some of the damage directly—restoring and enhancing more
than 200 acres of wetlands.
“The ecosystem services and recreation opportunities
provided by the Braddock Bay complex are important
economic drivers for Monroe County and the nearby
towns of Greece and Parma,” says Sarah Fleming, Ducks
Unlimited’s New York regional biologist.
Before the return of migrating birds and the final retreat
of ice and snow, specialized excavating equipment was used
To measure success, The Nature Conservancy is leading a
pre- and post-restoration study of the area. Stevie Adams,
6 S p r i n g / s u m m e r 20 14
TRANSFOR M
Boat Launches Completed Through 2013 Field Season
the Conservancy’s freshwater conservation practitioner
in Central and Western New York, led a crew of seasonal
staff that surveyed plant, fish and bird species and groundwater levels at Buck Pond in summer 2013. This summer,
another crew will monitor the channels and potholes to see
what impact they have on wildlife and the way water moves
through the marsh.
“Wetlands are not only spawning and breeding habitats for
fish and waterfowl, they also filter and purify water entering Lake Ontario and act as sponges, absorbing water during
floods,” says Adams. “This work is helping us figure out how
to restore them in the best way possible.”
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Legend
Boat Launches
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Unsurveyed
WATERSHEDS
Summer Invasives
Surveillance Begins
Aquatic invasives are ganging up on Great Lakes native
fish, and early detection is critical. Nature Conservancy
staff will continue their rapid surveys at boat launches
across the region this summer while also leading stateAbove: Seasonal staff conduct pre-restoration study © Emily Sheridan
Below: Creating stream channels and potholes at Buck Pond © Gregg
Sargis/TNC
wide eDNA collection for aquatic invasive species. eDNA
sampling extracts DNA from water samples, amplifies it
and screens it for the presence of target aquatic invasive
species. This work could shed light on whether invasive
species are spreading via the Erie Canal, which connects
the Great Lakes with the Finger Lakes, Mohawk River,
Champlain Canal, Hudson River and hundreds of miles
of inland streams and lakes.
get involved
»
Join the fight against aquatic invasives. Attend a workshop
at a lake near you. Visit nature.org/cwnyevents.
The Nature Conservancy in Central and Western New York | nature.org/cwny 7
Bog Wild
Three questions with Conservation Author Bob Beck
It’s one thing to love a place, quite another to fight for it. A decade ago, Bob Beck was
celebrating the opening of The Nature Conservancy’s O.D. von Engeln Preserve at
Malloryville, a place he worked for 15 years to protect. He now speaks to audiences around
the region about the story, which he chronicles in his book, The Journey at Malloryville Bog:
Commitment, Teamwork and Tenacity in Defense of Land and Nature.
Bob Beck © Gordon Beck
What makes the O.D. von Engeln Preserve
so special?
In a region famous for its gorges, many people know how
the glacier carved out the Finger Lakes, and how water
rushing down the valley sides made the gorges and waterfalls.
Malloryville is a very different place, but it was also formed
by glacial activity. As huge amounts of gravel and sand
washed out from the melting glacier, fascinating land forms
were created, like kames (rounded hills), kettle holes and
eskers (long winding ridges that were once riverbeds inside
glaciers). The preserve is a magical place with trails that wind
over and among these wooded hills and through diverse
types of wetlands harboring numerous scarce and rare species.
You’re constantly seeing something new around each bend.
You wrote a book about your experience
helping to protect this place. What prompted
you to tell the story?
I explored this area lot as a kid, but I had little idea how
significant it was until I was a student at Cornell and read
O.D. von Engeln’s book, The Finger Lakes Region: Its Origin
and Nature. von Engeln (1880-1965), a Cornell professor,
bequeathed funds that helped make the protection of this
remarkable place possible years later. Because of his book and
many great teachers, I began to discover it in a whole new way.
Everywhere I went in life after that, this place stayed with me.
When I had the opportunity to purchase a home here it was
a dream come true, but my dream was tested immediately
when I learned the wetlands were threatened by neighboring gravel mine and concrete plant development. I made the
choice not to accept that fate but to instead connect with my
neighbors, scientists and fellow conservationists. I had no
idea it would become a 15-year chapter of my life. I wrote this
book to inspire others dealing with big challenges. Just as von
Engeln’s book was a beginning for me, perhaps my story could
be a start for someone else.
e xplore
»
Register today for a hike at O.D. von
Engeln Preserve at Malloryville. Visit
nature.org/cwnyevents.
8 FA LL/W INTER 20 13
Pitcher plants © Kent Mason
What advice would you give to others
looking to protect a place they love?
There’s a reason the words “Teamwork” and “Tenacity”
are in the title—these are critical ingredients when it comes
to conservation. My advice would be to make connections
and work with an organization you trust. Without The
Nature Conservancy and its committed board, staff and
membership—all of whom saw the potential for what this
place could become—we never would’ve succeeded.
It was hard work but the outcome was worth every minute.
I remember bringing my miter saw to our first work day,
cutting pieces of decking for the boardwalks and bridges
and watching a team of volunteers put them in place. It was
an amazing experience to see it all come together.
teamwork and tenacity for
conservation
EXPAN DING SU PPORT FOR NATU R E
Get
Outside!
© Bridget Besaw
This spring and summer join us for an unforgettable experience in nature
and get inspired by the lands and waters you’ve helped protect.
Butterflies and Lupine Science
with Dr. Ernest Williams
Thurs., May 22, 10 a.m.
Rome Sand Plains Preserve
El Dorado Beach Preserve
Work Day
Sat., May 31, 9 a.m.
El Dorado Beach Preserve
Malloryville Mystery Plants
with Carol Morris
Sat., May 31, 10 a.m.
O.D. von Engeln Preserve
Wildflowers & Wildlife
with Dr. Bruce Gilman
Wed., June 4, 6 p.m.
Chaumont Barrens
Wild Edibles Hike
with Frank Crombe and
Carl Herrgesell
Sat., June 14, 10 a.m.
Thousand Acre Swamp
Wonders of Eldridge
Wilderness
Bog Wild
with Bob Beck
Sat., Sept. 13, 2 p.m.
O.D. von Engeln Preserve
with Gregg Sargis
Sat., July 12, 10 a.m.
Eldridge Wilderness
Hemlock Lake Paddle
El Dorado Migratory
Birds Hike
with Mat Levine and Stevie Adams
Sat., July 26, 9:30 a.m.
Hemlock Lake
with David Klein
Tue., Sept. 16, 10 a.m.
El Dorado Beach Preserve
Sounds of the Night
Shaker Heights Trek
with Martha Zettel and Bill O’Neill
Fri., Aug. 1, 8 p.m.
Thousand Acre Swamp
with Rob Williams
Sat., Oct. 4, 10 a.m.
Shaker Heights
Keuka Lake Naturalist’s Tour
with Peter Debes
Sat., Aug. 16, 9:30 a.m.
Eggleston Gully
e xperience
New! Nature Photography
Workshop (Members Only)
»
Registration for all hikes and work days
is now online! Space is limited. Get
full descriptions and sign up today at
nature.org/cwnyevents.
with Mat Levine
Sat., Sept. 13, 9 a.m.
Thousand Acre Swamp
The Nature Conservancy in Central and Western New York | nature.org/cwny 9
Connecting Kids with Nature
New survey reveals importance of nature to parents
Mat Levine, The Nature Conservancy’s conservation
lands manager in Central and Western New York, is a
self-described ‘field guy’. Before coming to work for the
Conservancy he spent almost 10 years carrying out projects
for scientists around the country, moving every six to eight
months for various seasonal positions.
Today, he welcomes the chance to stay in one place and
form deep connections to the Conservancy preserves he
helps manage. He shares these connections with his
daughter Gabriella, giving her a childhood rooted in
nature. We spoke with Mat about a new survey that reveals
parents around the world are concerned that children are
not spending enough time outdoors.
As a parent, what is your reaction to the fact that
children are spending less and less time outdoors?
It’s sad. Exploring nature is such an important component
of how my wife Amie and I approach parenthood. Whether
we’re just out walking or putting Gabriella on skis for the first
time, it’s a great family connection whenever we’re outside.
We’ve always been very active as a couple, and nature has
always been important in our lives. Before Gabriella was born
we pledged to each other that we wouldn’t give up that
lifestyle, and so far we’ve followed through.
Why is it important to you that your
daughter grows up connected to nature?
For one thing, it’s part of a healthy lifestyle. Beyond that I see
no better way to satisfy her curiosity than by giving her the
chance to explore nature. My wife and I can just see it in her
eyes when she watches a bird fly up, or as she’s crawling over
driftwood on the beach, or pulling a stick along the sand in
the water. She is totally content and in the moment. There’s
just no better way to achieve that.
Were there particular moments when you realized
how important time in nature is for your daughter?
At three months old, she was tucked in my coat as we hiked
around Zion National Park and cross-country skied near
Great Salt Lake, but you don’t have to travel far to have
amazing experiences.
One Saturday not too long ago we were all walking at
Chaumont Barrens admiring the flowering prairie smoke. I
heard some rustling in the trees and we all waited, crouched
down on our knees and very quiet, as the largest porcupine
I’ve seen in my life came down and began waddling toward
us. Gabriella’s jaw dropped watching the chubby creature. It
was a very real moment that caught all of us by surprise.
DIG DEEPER
»
More than four in five parents see spending time in nature
as “very important” to their children’s development—second
only to reading as a priority. Explore the global survey
results at nature.org/newyork.
10 S p r i n g / s u m m e r 20 14
Mat and Gabriella Levine © Amie Levine
SECU R ING OU R FUTU R E
Top row left to right:
Mat Levine,
Rob Williams,
Gregg Sargis,
Darran Crabtree,
Pat McGlew,
Andy Wheatcraft,
Middle row: David
Klein, Kristin France,
Jan Miller, Gretchen
Holtz, Mary Ripka,
Stacy Wais Seretto,
Liz Marr,
Front row: Jim Howe,
Kate Frazer,
Stevie Adams
© MAT LEVINE/TNC
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Pass o n
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gases prevented
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Kate Frazer, Communications Manager, 339-222-2014
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PHoPM201402001 Image Credit: Chile’s Valdivian Coastal Reserve. © nick Hall
Gretchen Holtz, Office Manager, x32
David Klein, Senior Field Rep for Lake Ontario, x24
Mat Levine, Field Representative, x22
Liz Marr, Finance/Operations Manager, x21
Jan Miller, Senior Philanthropy Officer, x28
Gregg Sargis, Director of Ecological Management, x34
Stacy Wais Seretto, Philanthropy Manager, x27
Andy Wheatcraft, Critical Lands Manager, x33
Northern New York Project Office • 315-387-3600
Mary Ripka, Office Manager and Volunteer Coordinator, x21
Rob Williams, St. Lawrence-Eastern Lake Ontario Partnership
for Regional Invasive Species Management Coordinator x25
French Creek Project Office • 814-332-2946
Darran Crabtree, Director of Conservation
The Nature Conservancy in Central and Western New York | nature.org/cwny 11
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IN THIS ISSUE »
Celebrating
Your Impact for Nature and People
Clockwise from left: LEAF interns © Mat Levine/TNC, Grey fox ©DOUGLAS RODDA, Hickory Ridge © Kate Frazer/TNC