CATSKILLCENTER SUMMER 2017
2017
SUMMER SINCE 1969, THE CATSKILL CENTER HAS BEEN THE MAJOR FORCE IN PROTECTING AND FOSTERING THE ENVIRONMENTAL, CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF THE CATSKILL REGION
CONTENTS 4 A LETTER FROM JEFF 8 FORAGING WITH ROB HANDEL 12 5 QUESTIONS — ON HIKING SAFELY 14 BIOBLITZ AT THORN PRESERVE 20 REVERENCE / REMEMBRANCE 22 2017 MEMBER PROGRAM SERIES 24 SUMMER GATHERING REDUX 28 NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK 30 BUSINESS SUPPORTERS
Dark greens, blue skies, an o Summer in the Catskills is magnificent! It’s the time to hike, bike, bird, try canoeing, and catch fish. Stroll and shop along our main streets. Feast on fresh vegetables and fruit at a farmers market. Taste locally produced ciders and spirits. We have festivals, concerts, and more— summer is a serious pleasure-fest in the Catskills! Since 1969, the Catskill Center has helped make it all possible. Our mission is to protect and foster the environmental, cultural and economic well-being of the Catskill region. We protect our unique natural areas that make the Catskills so special, while seeking sustainable economic opportunities that will not negatively impact those same natural resources. Over the entirety of our 48 years, our belief that "conservation creates opportunity" has not wavered. Today that work includes leading the charge for the Catskill Park. In the 2017 New York State Budget, we helped secure more than $7 million in funding for the Park and its communities. We lead regional collaborative efforts like the Catskill Park Coalition and the Catskill Park Advisory Committee. We steward our region, fighting back against invasive plant and animal species here in the Catskills. We protect thousands of acres of land through conservation easements and our two publicaccess preserves. In a new partnership with New York City, we are
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n occasional thunderstorm...
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helping protect critical stream buffers. We lead conversations and working groups to tackle issues like overuse of our park lands, litter problems, transportation difficulties and more, all to become better stewards of our Catskills.
artist-in-residence
There we help visitors and residents alike appreciate and understand the unique environmental, cultural and historic resources of the Catskills, while helping them enjoy their time in the region.
This year we celebrate 20 years of the
Hinchey Catskill Interpretive Center.
program
at our Platte Clove Preserve, and the Sculpture Park at the Catskill Interpretive Center enters another year with works from local artists and those inspired by the Catskills. Our classroom educational programming like Streamwatch reaches hundreds of students, and our workshops, lectures and presentations reach
Simply put, none of this would be possible without you! That’s the number one reason I am so excited to be launching our new member benefits program, which allows us to thank you for your support with unique and interesting member-only opportunities, including a world-class lecture series, discounts at the Erpf Center and Catskill Interpretive Center bookstores, this newsletter and more.
thousands across the region! If you are not already a member, At the first visitor center for the
please join us!
Catskill Park, we welcome thousands of visitors a year at the Maurice D.
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FORAGING WITH ROB HANDEL AT THE THORN PRESERVE 8 SUMMER 2017
On a warm Saturday evening in early July, Chef and forager Rob Handel from Heather Ridge Farm and The Bees Knees Café in Preston Hollow led a group around the Catskill Center’s Thorn Preserve in Woodstock. CATSKILLCENTER 9
They were on a quest for wild edibles. Rob found juniper berries, milkwort and dainty, tangy wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella). As he gathered, he shared favored preparation possibilities. There were wild garlic, knotweed, mulberry and black walnut trees. In a very short amount of time, Rob had pointed out an astounding array of
Post wander, Rob poured cups of his homemade Nocino (black walnut liqueur)
and
dished
up
pickled
milkweed pods and chanterelles. Under a tree, he set up a station and blanched foraged plantain leaf, drizzled it with a dressing of sesame and soy, and sprinkled the dish with plantain seed.
plants that were not only edible, but
The wilted greens were similar to
quite tasty.
seaweed salad and delicious.
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Rob has been a man of the kitchen since his grandmother first set him to cracking eggs and peeling potatoes in her Catskills kitchen. He broadened his culinary horizons through research and travel. Currently, Rob is the chef at the Bees Knees CafĂŠ, where he serves up local meats and farm-raised poultry, and primarily works with local produce, cheeses, dairy and foraged ingredients.
Rob will lead two more afternoons of
ROB’S FORAGED MUSTARD "I use garlic mustard seeds and wild herbal beers that I brew myself. An equally nice mustard can be prepared using brown mustard seeds and commercially brewed beer, white wine, or cider."
foraging in 2017:
1/4 cup garlic mustard seeds (can substitute brown mustard)
September 7 at the Catskill
1/2 cup yellow mustard seeds
Interpretive Center
1 1/2 cup beer, wine, or cider
October 7 at the Platte Clove
1/4 cup vinegar (white wine, cider, distilled, or rice vinegar)
Preserve
1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon honey, sorghum syrup
Information about these programs and registration can be found at Catskillcenter.org/events
maple,
or
Combine mustard seeds and beer; let sit covered overnight. The next day, combine all ingredients and blend until desired texture is reached, adding water if necessary. Mustard seeds vary in flavor; adjust salt and sweetener to taste. Can be refrigerated for up to one month.
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5 questions WITH JEFF SENTERMAN What are your personal safety concerns when you hike?
Do you need sunscreen if you’re hiking in the woods?
For me, I think my biggest concern
realize, even in the shade of the woods.
Yes, it’s easy to get more sun than you
is being prepared. None of us start a hike thinking that there is going to be a problem, but accidents happen and it’s being prepared that can make the difference between a bad situation and a terrible situation. Here in the Catskills, I’m most often worried about footing. Our trails are often quite rough and our rocks are very slippery, especially when they are wet. Without proper hiking shoes, it is very easy to slip or trip, and a fall can cause anything from a black and blue, a broken bone or at worst, death when that fall is in a dangerous place like Kaaterskill Falls. Whenever I hike with others, I make sure they have good hiking boots or shoes, and that they are aware of just how rough our trails can be and how slippery Catskill bluestone is!
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What about hiking with kids? Or what age would you say is a safe age to start hiking? It’s never too young to start hiking with kids. Before I could even walk, my parents had me in a backpack carrier out on trails across the Catskills. As I grew up, the mountains and the trails were natural to me and became something I appreciated. There are plenty of guides about getting kids started with hiking, and I think any effort we can make to connect our children to nature, to trails and to the outdoors is a positive development and
should
encouraged!
be
embraced
and
ON HIKING SAFELY
How do you deal with the tick / lyme disease issue? Lyme disease and ticks are now unfortunately a very real problem for those of us hiking and recreating in the Catskills. I treat my hiking clothing with permethrin, which is a tick repellant. When I wear long pants, I tuck my socks in to reduce places for ticks to get on my skin. I wear light-colored clothing when I can, to make ticks more obvious. When I finish hiking, I always do a check of my clothes and any skin that I can, and then when I get home, I do a full inspection (asking my significant other for help) to make sure that there are no ticks on my body. If you see a rash that looks like a bull’s-eye or have unexplained flu-like symptoms, go see your doctor and ask to be checked for Lyme Disease. Lyme isn’t something to ignore or to think won’t happen to you. Stay aware of the tick
Say you’re a gym rat, but a novice hiker, how long a hike would you recommend? With regular hiking, almost anyone can become a long distance hiker who can rack up the miles, but for those just starting, a 3-mile hike can often be a good starting point. It’s long enough to get beyond just a walk, but not so long that it feels like a forced march. From there, start working up to longer and longer distances as you find what works with your body and your feet!
problem, try to avoid them, and follow up with your doctor if necessary.
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scientists to conduct an intensive biodiversity field study at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Washington D.C. In the span of 24 hours, over 1000 species were identified; U.S. National Park Service naturalist Susan Rudy coined the event a "BioBlitz". Biodiversity is the variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem and is a powerful indicator of environmental quality. A loss in biodiversity (and the resulting simplification of the system) results in a lessening of the system’s resilience to pollution, an increase in the susceptibility to invasive species invasions and an increased vulnerability to extreme weather events and other stresses. Since the success of the first BioBlitz, people and places around the world have organized versions of the event and the public is invited to participate.
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BioBlitz at Thorn Preserve
In 1996, Sam Droege and Dan Roddy gathered fellow
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The Catskill Center, in conjunction with
Eastern-tailed blues, barn swallows,
the Woodstock Land Conservancy, has
and Halloween pennants. The pond,
led a BioBlitz at the Catskill Center’s
wetlands, and stream were full of
Thorn Preserve annually since 2015.
dragonflies, damselflies and crayfish.
This past July, citizen scientists of
One of the most exciting discoveries
all ages, were invited to participate.
of the 2017 BioBlitz was (through
Anyone interested in meeting experts
acoustical monitoring) the detection
and joining scientists in a hands-
of the Indiana bat. Indiana Bats have
on field study and data-gathering
declined by over 40,000 individuals
mission was welcome.
in New York State since 2007 and are
The variety of habitats at our beautiful 60-acre Thorn Preserve in Woodstock, New York support a great deal of biological diversity, and this year, the
endangered not only in New York State (due to White Nose Syndrome), but are also on the federal Endangered Species List.
fields of the Thorn Preserve were rich
At the Thorn Preserve, bats forage for
with movement and color. There were
insects along the stream corridor and
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over the fields and may roost on the
pond and along the mowed paths. The
Preserve under the loose bark of trees,
nests are made of silk strands spun
such as the shagbark hickory. In order
from the spinnerets of checkerspot
to best support their recovery, we will
larvae. Checkerspot caterpillars feed
continue to monitor bat populations
on plantain and beardtongue plants.
and how they are using the preserve and maintain the Preserve to best suit the bats’ needs.
Famously, monarch caterpillars only feed on the foliage of plants in the milkweed family and the toxins of
During the BioBlitz, we also observed
the plant are passed on to the insects
many connections between species.
to make them toxic to potential
Some
predators.
plants
require
certain
Common
milkweed
is
pollinators to be fertilized; some
abundant through the Thorn fields,
insects require certain host plants
and this summer, has supported
to complete their life cycle.
monarchs at numbers that had not
The
Baltimore Checkerspot is abundant at Thorn, and large concentrations of checkerspot "nests" were seen near the
been seen for several years. —John Thompson, CRISP Coordinator
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IN THE ERPF GALLERY
REVERENCE / REMEMBRA
WET PLATE TINTYPES AND DIGITAL PHOTOS BY KEVIN Q. GRAY July 22 - September 1, 2017 Kevin has twice been an artist-in-
juxtaposed with wet plate tintypes
residence at Platte Clove’s Red Cabin.
of Kevin’s mother’s most precious
In 2012, he focused on the surrounding landscape and captured color digital images. In 2015, Kevin meditated on his
objects. Meet the Artist Reception Friday, September 1 4-6 pm
memories of his mother, who had shared with him a strong reverence
The Erpf Gallery
for nature and was the first to take
Catskill Center
him to the Catskill mountains.
43355 Route 28,
This exhibit explores both bodies of work. Color C-prints of Platte Clove and the surrounding region are
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Arkvillle, New York Monday - Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm Saturday 10am - 2pm
RANCE
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Become A Member This extraordinary, four-part educational program series is reserved exclusively for Catskill Center members
CATS KI LLC E N TE R 2 0 17
EXCLUSIVE MEMBER PROGRAM SERIE S
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SATURDAY. JULY 22 7:00 PM THE HUDSON RIVER SCHOOL AND THE ICE AGE ROBERT AND JOHANNA TITUS THE CATSKILL CENTER ARKVILLE, NEW YORK
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12 7:00 PM GOLDEN EAGLES IN THE CATSKILLS PEG DIBENEDETTO THE EMERSON RESORT MT. TREMPER, NEW YORK
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 7:00 PM INTERNATIONAL ECO-TOURIST DESTINATIONS AND THEIR IMPACT ON LOCAL ECONOMIES SUE CLARK AT THE CATSKILL INTERPRETIVE CENTER MT. TREMPER, NEW YORK
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28 HISTORIC CEMETERIES OF THE CATSKILLS AND THEIR GHOSTS JOHN THOMPSON FIELD EXCURSION
Your tax-deductible donation supports healthy ecosystems and vibrant communities throughout the Catskill region. Catskillcenter.org/membership Or complete this form and mail to:
Member Benefits Individual ($35) Family ($50) Senior/Student ($25) FREE SUBSCRIPTION to the Catskill Center’s quarterly newsletter with news from the Catskill Center and across the Catskill Region. 10% DISCOUNT on purchases at the Maurice D. Hinchey Catskill Interpretive Center and all Catskill Center facilities with presentation of member card. MEMBER ONLY INVITATIONS to the Annual Gathering, lectures and special events. ACCESS TO THE CATSKILL CENTER ARCHIVES at the Erpf Center in Arkville. Please contact the Catskill Center to schedule an appointment. MEMBER PACKAGE Members receive a membership package in the mail, including a member card and Catskill Center cling sticker. Catskillcenter.org/membership Or complete this form and mail to:
CATSKILL CENTER P.O. BOX 504, ROUTE 28 ARKVILLE, NY 12406
NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE
ZIP
PHONE EMAIL
MEMBERSHIP LEVEL $35 — Individual $50 — Family $25 — Senior/Student $100 — Partnering member $250 — Benefactor $500 — Leadership Circle $1000 — President’s Circle
AMOUNT CARD # EXPIRATION SECURITY #
CATSKILLCENTER 23
2017 S
AT THE PE
24 SUMMER 2017
SUMMER GATHERING
PEEKAMOOSE RESTAURANT + TAP ROOM
Every summer, the Catskill Center hosts a celebration as an opportunity to spend time with our supporting community and to honor individuals whose work benefits the Catskill Park and the Catskill region. We call it our "Summer Gathering". This summer, our gathering filled the Peekamoose Restaurant and Tap Room to capacity. Jeff Senterman was honored to present Kathy Moser, Deputy Commissioner
of the New York State Department of
Moser has done on behalf of the
Environmental
Catskill Park.
Conservation,
with
the Alf Evers Award for Excellence for her outstanding work to advance outdoor recreation opportunities and communities in the Catskill Park.
The Catskill Center also had the pleasure to honor former Catskill Center Board President, H. Claude Shostal, with the Ginsberg Award
DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said,
for his many years of service to the
"The Department of Environmental
Catskill Center. Claude’s steadfast
Conservation values our partnership
leadership advanced the Catskill
with the Catskill Center to promote
Center on many fronts, benefiting
recreation, sustainable development,
the Catskill Park and communities
and natural resource conservation
across the Catskill region.
in the Catskill Park. I commend the Catskill Center for selecting Kathy Moser for the 2017 Alf Evers Award for Excellence in recognition of her leadership and the important work that she and her team at DEC are doing to fulfill Governor Cuomo’s commitment to promote and protect this valuable New York State treasure." The Catskill Center is truly grateful for all of the outstanding work Kathy
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The Center’s Volunteer Recognition Award was presented to Douglas Hamilton, of Grahamsville, for 18 years of truly exceptional volunteer service with the Catskill Fire Tower Project and throughout the Catskill Park. We hope you’ll join us next year! Become a member and receive a personal invite to the 2018 fête.
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28 SUMMER 2017
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK Sarah McGinnis is our new Director
Skyler Susnick is our summer CRISP
of the Catskill Interpretive Center.
2017 Hemlock Health Intern.
Sarah has a background in publicity
He’s focused on hemlock health
and marketing for socially-minded
monitoring and assessing the
small companies, non-profits,
abundance of hemlock pests,
and individuals in the arts and
including Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
entertainment industry. We’re very
and Elongate Hemlock Scale. Skyler is
happy to have her manning the ship
also monitoring old growth hemlock
in Mt. Tremper!
stands in the Catskills.
Nico Echevarria is our 2017 Catskill
Heather Phelps-Lipton joined the
Campground Invasive Species
Catskill Center at the end of May as
Steward.
our Director of Communications.
He’s conducting surveys of NYS
She lives on the edge of the Little
Department of Environmental
Delaware River and thinks living
Conservation campgrounds and
streamside, having a yard filled with
searching for Catskill Regional
beautiful old hemlocks and yet edged
Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP)
with knotweed, makes her life a
priority Early Detection invasive
virtual case study in the concerns of
species.
the Catskill Center.
He gained experience with aquatic invasives while working for the Lower Hudson Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management in 2016. CATSKILLCENTER 29
WE THANK THE STARS FOR OUR
BUSINESS MEMBERS We are honored by and grateful for the support of these Catskill businesses.
If you would like to support our mission as a business member, please visit us at CatskillCenter.org/membership
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THE RICH MIND LIES IN THE SUN AND SLEEPS, AND IS NATURE. RALPH WALDO EMERSON
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Summer 2017
The Catskill Center for Conservation & Development PO Box 504 43355 State Highway 28 Arkville, NY 12406
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