The Centennial celebration of 2024 was a tough act to follow! We launched the second century of Parks and Historic Sites by meeting the moment and building towards the future, and even welcoming the entire golfing world to Bethpage State Park for the Ryder Cup. Let’s take a look back at the year that was!
Established in 1985, the New York Natural Heritage Program is a partnership between the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. The program’s mission is to determine the location and status of New York’s plants, animals, and ecological communities and provide this information to public agencies and scientific and educational institutions to facilitate conservation. Today, they count multiple non-profits, local governments, federal institutions, and state agencies among their partners — including New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites. You may have heard about their long-term firefly study at several of our parks. Ecologist Julie Lundgren shares more highlights from their year of work in New York State Parks.
Continue reading A Year in the Field With the NY Natural Heritage ProgramWhen the weather turns brisk and the leaves have dropped, tree identification can feel like a puzzle with missing pieces. But winter reveals its own set of clues — bark, buds, branch patterns, fruit and leaf scars. By learning to read these signs, you’ll see your winter woods in a new light.
Bark is often the first clue you’ll notice. Some trees have such distinctive bark that once you have learned to recognize it, you can spot it instantly.
What do a bare-cheeked bumblefly, a brown bog sedge, and a Blanding’s turtle have in common?
Not only are they living organisms that start with the letter B, but more importantly, they are all considered to be rare species in New York State. What does it mean to be a “rare species,” exactly? Rare species are uncommon or few in number and as a result, at a greater risk of extinction than common species. This is because small populations are more susceptible to environmental changes, like flooding or wildfires, and to genetic issues. Some rare species—like the bald eagle, still listed as threatened in New York despite its inspiring national comeback—might be familiar. Others—like the globe-fruited seed-box, grass-leaved ladies’ tresses, hairy-necked tiger beetle, Nuttall’s milkwort, southern pygmy clubtail, or wavy-rayed lampmussel—sound more like they are from a fantasy novel than from New York’s natural areas.
Though you may not see them, our parks and historic sites harbor some of the state’s most imperiled and significant natural assets, supporting 192 species of rare animals and 290 species of rare plants. In some cases, these sites support the only occurrences of a rare species in the state, or even in the world! Read on to learn about a few examples of rare species.
Continue reading Protecting Rare Species in New York’s State ParksAcross New York, outdated infrastructure is getting a second chance to serve communities. Former factories, railroads, and hospitals are now spaces for New Yorkers to get outside, get some exercise, and disconnect from their electronic devices. In this new series, we explore how your favorite state parks once served a very different but equally important purpose to our state.
In this first installment of Infrastructure’s Second Act, fasten your seatbelts and learn about the state parks built from former transportation infrastructure, including railroads and canals. These sites served as critical community connectors in the past, and now connect communities in a much different way: as places to recreate, relax, and enjoy the natural world.
Continue reading Infrastructure’s Second Act: Transforming Rails to Trails
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