October 2
ECOS family outing to Pine Hollow Arboretum in Slingerlands. Details in next issue of ECOS News
November 11
Annual ECOS Rachel Carson Celebration
Reservation forms and a list of raffle items will be in next issue of ECOS News
Find a recycling bin near you!!
Visit www.ecosny.org for list of over 25 recycling bin locations in Schenectady County accepting items such as: clothing, shoes, drapery, sheets, towels, stuffed toys, hats, handbags & paper. If you know of other locations in the Capital District please contact ECOS and it will get added to the list.
Build your Own Blue Bird House
Wednesday August 18
5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Build your own bluebird house and help New York State’s official bird. All tools and materials will be provided, one bluebird house per person. Pre-register by August 13.
A second build your own bluebird house workshop will be held at the Corning Bioreserve this fall.
*Program supported through a grant from the Stewart’s Holiday Match Program
ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse is a non-political, not-for-profit organization. Our mission is to provide environmental information and educational opportunities that enhance appreciation of the natural world, to build a community that is aware and knowledgeable about environmental issues and to advocate informed action to preserve our natural resources. ECOS is funded through the support of our members and the community.
ECOS, PO Box 9118, Niskayuna, NY 12309 ph: 370-4125, info@ecosny.org, www.ecosny.org
ECOS Family Programs - Summer 2010
2682 Aqueduct Road, Niskayuna
All programs are free and open to the public.
Reptiles and Amphibians with Dee Strnisa
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Enjoy a great family friendly live animal program on reptiles and amphibians with popular environmental educator and wildlife rehabilitator Dee Strnisa.
*Program supported through a gift from Pauline Liebig and Paul Bono
Volunteers needed for
Friday March 12
9:30 to 12:00
Meet at Hardin Road
Please join ECOS volunteers to help clear the ski trails at Featherstonhaugh State Forest as part of our Adopt A Natural Resource program. Refreshments and some hand tools provided. Please bring work gloves. *Call ECOS on March 11 to confirm work day*
info@ecosny.org
Our old email address will end March 1
A new project at ECOS is the developing of a new walking map for the downtown area of Schenectady. The goal of this “green” map is to encourage those who are downtown to leave their car behind and walk for exercise, health and to reduce our carbon footprint. The map will include mileage for significant locations and some calculations on your green savings. If you are interested in working on this project please call the ECOS office at 370-4125. VOLUNTEERS are needed and most welcome. If this endeavor proves successful we would like to expand it for other Capital District areas.
YAHOO!! CALLING FREQUENT SKIERS!!
On our ski trip this morning it was suggested to me that those of us who look forward to our weekly ECOS ski adventures could also look forward to a weekly email message about the week’s location. This would give us also the advantage of communicating about potential carpools and other related responses. If you would like to be included, please email nancyanded@nycap.rr.com and I’ll add you to the list. We’ll still maintain our regular weekly phone messages on the ECOS machine, 370-4125. Both the phone message and the email will be posted on Monday afternoons.
Nancy Peterson
New Corduroy Path and Bridge at Featherstonhaugh State Forest
Thanks to Brian Ellis we now have a corduroy path over some very wet hummocks and an outstanding bridge over a heretofore often impassible stream in the Harden Road section of Featherstonhaugh State Forest. Brian did this work as part of his Eagle Scout community service requirement. Sheila Daniels attended his June 14th Eagle Scout investiture as the ECOS contact person for his project. For the past several years ECOS has been responsible for trail clearing in this state forest as part of the NYS DEC Adopt-A-Natural-Resource Program. *It should be noted that the Tidball Road section of the forest is being logged so caution is advised in using this area until the logging is complete.
Woodlawn Preserve Now Open to Hikers
The Woodlawn Pine Bush Preserve in Schenectady is now officially open to the public. In April, new signs were installed clearly identifying legal uses (such as walking, hiking, photography & fishing) and prohibiting all motorized vehicles. The preserve can be accessed off Gifford Road near the Colonie town line.
ECOS is honoured to be the recipient of a gift from Professor TJE (Tim) Miller of the University of Glasgow, Scotland. Professor Miller was the 2008 recipient of the prestigious Nikola Tesla award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for contributions to the design of electrical machines. He designated ECOS as the recipient of half of the $10,000 cash honorarium. He would like the donation to be dedicated in honour of his friend and one-time colleague at General Electric, Dr. Gerald B. Kliman, who he feels would have become a recipient of this award himself, had he not been tragically killed in an automobile accident three years ago.
Tim explained his gift to ECOS as follows: “In ECOS' case, it is a question of personal recognition of many happy moments at Lock 7 and in the environs of the Mohawk River over many years, coupled with a great admiration of the work done by ECOS in a very modern, important cause. Janet is also associated with this, having contributed botanical illustrations to a wild-flower guide many years ago in the 1980's, if I remember correctly. Also, that is close to Jerry Kliman's home and a place for peaceful memories.”
Jacqueline Skolnik