Program to Recognize Dedication and Volunteer Service of Partner Organizations, Individuals, Educational Institutions, and Municipalities

Nominations Accepted through April 30

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is now accepting nominations for the inaugural 2020 Stewardship Appreciation Awards, DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos announced today.

“Partnerships are invaluable to DEC’s efforts to promote outdoor recreation and provide a positive visitor experience,” said Commissioner Seggos. “This new awards program will recognize the efforts of volunteers and partners in improvement, outreach, and stewardship projects on state lands, waters, and at DEC facilities.”

DEC manages 4.6 million acres of public lands, including three million acres in the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserves, more than 5,000 miles of formal trails, campgrounds, day use areas, and hundreds of trailheads, boat launches, and fishing piers. These lands provide countless outdoor recreational experiences for the public, while also protecting valuable natural resources. Volunteers and partner organizations are essential to the continued stewardship and promotion of these resources.

Not-for-profit organizations, individuals, educational institutions, and municipalities with formal agreements with DEC are eligible to apply. Nominees must be in good standing with DEC and New York State Environmental Conservation Law for the past three years. Nominees must have one of the following formal agreements with DEC:

• An active Volunteer Stewardship Agreement (VSA);
• A current Memorandum of Understanding;
• A current Use and Occupancy Agreement; or
• Proof of organized volunteer activities on State lands.

DEC encourages those who meet the eligibility requirements and are committed to improving lands, waters, and facilities including, but not limited to, forest preserves, state forests, conservation easements, wildlife management areas, and environmental education centers to submit a nomination.

Examples of projects completed by volunteers and partners include:

• Rehabilitation of trails;
• Restoration of historic buildings, structures, or other interpretive structures related to the conservation of natural resources; and
• Promoting environmental education efforts for the public, for example, Leave No Trace and outdoor safety principles, natural resource stewardship efforts, and outdoor recreational programming.

Completed nominations for the 2020 awards must be submitted by Thursday, April 30. Award winners will be announced in September. Additional information about the award program, including a 2020 nomination form, can be found on DEC’s website. Nomination forms can also be requested via email to adventureny@dec.ny.gov, or by writing to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Adventure NY, 625 Broadway, 14th Floor, Albany, New York 12233-1010.

To learn more about DEC’s volunteers and partners, visit DEC’s website.

Record Harvest in Southern Zone, Lower than Average Harvest in Northern Zone

New York State bear hunters took 1,505 black bears during the 2019 hunting seasons, state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced today.

“Black bears are thriving in New York, and bear hunting seasons are a critical part of our state’s necessary population management,” Commissioner Seggos said. “The state’s accessible public lands offer great opportunities for bear hunting and the data DEC’s wildlife managers collect from the harvest continue to help us maintain healthy bear populations.”

The 2019 bear harvest played out differently across the state. Hunters took a record 1,179 bears in the Southern Zone, while hunters in the Northern Zone took only 326 bears, the fewest since 2011. In part, the great success hunters enjoyed in the Southern Zone was a consequence of below average harvest in 2018 due to early snowfall and early denning by bears that year. Hunters were able to capitalize on the availability of more bears in 2019.

Bear harvest in the Northern Zone tends to alternate between strong harvests during the early season if natural foods are lacking and strong harvests during the regular season if natural foods are abundant. In 2019, soft mast (cherries, berries, and apples) and hard mast (acorns and beech nuts) crops were abundant and hunters were most successful during the regular season, taking 213 bears. Only 64 bears were taken during the early season. Additionally, the overall bear harvest in the Northern Zone generally follows a high-low pattern from year to year, and the 2019 harvest fit that pattern as a low year. Read more »

Sophie Clarke in a scene from Survivor: Winners a War, which premiers Feb. 12 on CBS. Clarke has returned to the show she won in 2011 as one of 20 champions vying for the “best of the best” title.Source: Heading back to the island – Sun Community News & Printing

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By John T. Ryan

Peru – Following two recent inquiries from parties exploring the possibility of locating solar farms in Peru, the Town Board discussed solar farm regulation at a Monday, February 10, 2020 workshop. Town of Plattsburgh Planner Trevor Cole was invited. Cole is very knowledgable of local laws regulating solar farms after playing a key role in drawing up the Town of Plattsburgh’s solar farm regulations.

Pastries thanks to Panera Bread in Plattsburgh

Jean Ryan, a regular soup kitchen volunteer.

Jean Ryan bringing in the Panera Bread pastries for today’s soup kitchen at St. Augustine’s Parish Center from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Today’s menu includes delicious minestrone-sausage soup, salad, egg salad sandwiches and a delicious dessert. All free of charge and everyone welcome at the souo kitchen table.

From the office of Congresswoman Elise Stefanik

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is a cosponsor of the bipartisan Forest Recovery Act, legislation that will support timber farmers who have been affected by catastrophic loss events. The bill will help forest landowners recover from natural disasters by eliminating the basis limitation rule and allowing them to deduct up to the fair market value of their devastated trees. This levels the playing field for timber farmers who have been impacted by events like extreme weather and forest fires.

“This important legislation will ensure that timber farmers are given a fair shot and protected from the impacts of catastrophic events” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “Farmers across many sectors continue to be impacted by extreme weather events, and not all of them are protected by crop insurance. This bipartisan bill will help timber producers continue their business, which will have a positive impact on many of our North Country communities who include timber production as part of their economic base.”

“The Halloween Storm this past fall impacted 18 counties across the North Country of New York and caused tens of million dollars of damage to communities and countless impacts on private forest lands in New York,” said John Bartow, Executive Director of the Empire State Forest Products Association. “New York’s forestland is vital to the environment and our communities, accounting for fresh drinking water supply for over 15 million New Yorkers, providing habitat for at-risk species, and capturing enough carbon to offset 10-15 percent of New York’s carbon emissions annually. Without economic assurances after a natural disaster, the public and environmental benefits provided by forests will begin to decline as natural disasters continue to affect New York and forests across America. ESFPA applauds Congresswoman Stefanik’s co-sponsorship of the Forest Recovery Act to allow forest owners to deduct the full market value of their timber prior to the loss caused by the federally declared natural disaster.  Amending the tax code to give landowners immediate relief and remain economically viable will have both environmental and economic benefits for all New Yorkers and Americans.”

“The Forest Recovery Act would be a positive and proactive effort to help private land owners recover and restore necessary woodlands,” said Jason Joiner, Pulp and Paperworkers’ Resource Council 2nd Region Special Projects Director, North East. “By relieving or offsetting costs, it would speed the recovery efforts to many small communities that have been met by destructive fires and disasters, and  help heal the environment and their economies.”

The Town of Peru, Town Board has scheduled a Town Board Workshop, Monday March 2, 2020 at 6:00 PM at the Peru Town Hall to discuss Water/Sewer Upgrade Project.

Read more »

Tom Glasgow began his career as a Peru Elementary School Teacher

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Kathryn Bowman had the top individual game (247) and three-game series (688) of the day in the CVAC, as Peru scored a 4-0 win over Saranac Monday.

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