Many nature centers, preserves, parks and hiking trails, welcomed record numbers of visitors with a skeleton staff. With visitor safety in mind, overcrowding, trail conditions and sanitation were all evaluated and became a priority. Teatown experienced a huge increase in out of area and first time visitors.
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Hudson Valley Eagles
Looking up into a bright blue sky on a January day brings tears to my eyes; the brightness stings just as much as the cold does. I scan the sky and surrounding area with my binoculars over the confluence of the Hudson and the Croton Rivers. It is low tide, and many waterfowl are gathered in Croton Bay to rest and search for food.
Winter World
As we approach the fourth season of this pandemic, I wonder if the groundhog may have it right. Pass on the winter by burrowing down in a soft nest below ground when the autumn leaves fall and foraging becomes a chore. Emerge when green shoots are bringing promise and the world is brightening
Peak Season: Trail Maintenance in 2020
The outdoors have been a popular escape for many during the COVID-19 pandemic. The desire to travel, get some sun, and enjoy a semblance of normal life has generated peak interest in outdoor activity.
In Defense of Scavengers and Decomposers
Fall is a time for harvesting and tidying up our gardens, but fall is also a time to plant. We typically think of prepping and planting our gardens in the spring, however fall is just as good a time! Planting perennial flowers, trees and shrubs in the fall can bring you great rewards with a little time and effort.
Roll Up Your Sleeves, It’s Time to Plant!
Fall is a time for harvesting and tidying up our gardens, but fall is also a time to plant. We typically think of prepping and planting our gardens in the spring, however fall is just as good a time! Planting perennial flowers, trees and shrubs in the fall can bring you great rewards with a little time and effort.
Milkweed and Monarchs
Monarchs appear in Teatown’s fields to lay their eggs on the underside of milkweed leaves. The caterpillars remain there, busily munching away until they crawl off to undergo pupation inside a gold-speckled chrysalis. Hence, no milkweed, no monarchs! Life is rough for an organism whose life cycle is so tied to one plant for its survival. As the sole host plant for monarch caterpillars, the relationship between milkweed and monarchs is crucial.
Sea of Green
We are now past the Summer Solstice which means summer is in full swing! Looking around me as I drive to my hiking destination, I see a sea of green. It is such a glorious color and it comes in a vast variety of shades!
3 ways to celebrate International Mud Day
If you think back to your childhood years, one of your memories may be of carefree summer days spent playing in the mud. Perhaps you made a mud pie fit for a king, an epic castle or just enjoyed the satisfying squelch of mud between your fingers and toes. International Mud Day on June 29 is a chance to reconnect with those childhood memories and introduce a whole new generation to the joys of messy play.
What is Environmental Justice?
The idea is simple: No community should be forced to deal with more pollution because of their race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.
Teatown stands in solidarity with the black community
Teatown’s mission is “To Inspire our Community to Lifelong Environmental Stewardship.” It is an important mission to be sure, but it has no value if that community excludes anyone.
Why should we care about declining amphibian populations?
Amphibians are a diverse group of vertebrates with more than 6,500 unique species. In New York State, there are 32 described amphibian species that occur naturally. This is a significant number of species for a temperate climate. However of the 32 species, 9 species are listed as either endangered, threatened or special concern by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, with 2 more species listed as high priority.