To Members of the Albany-Schenectady Chapter of ADK

Thank you to Dave Kramer, wildlife scientist, for teaching us on May 12 how NYS DEC learns more about the animals here. He described how they determine the abundance of animals through collaring, aerial surveys, density heat maps, hunter/public sightings, hunter harvesting/trapping, and pelt selling. Through his “M and M method,” scientists take the numbers they know and extrapolate the total count of animals in a given area. Dave Kramer specifically talked about camera tracking and a DEC – Cornell University collaborative program called SnapshotNY, www.snapshotny.org. With a phone, computer, and trail camera (which you may be able to borrow from DEC), citizens can help contribute to this body of knowledge. Each citizen scientist works with a specific 30 x 30 km cell of land, either their own or public. They are focusing on bobcats, otters, fishers, and martens. Dave confirmed that they do not think there are any mountain lions in New York. Dave, who clearly has this presentation down to a science, also regaled us with a few “dad jokes.” My favorite was, “What do you get when you cross an elephant and a rhinoceros?” The answer is, “Elephino.” (Say it aloud). 

Next month is our PICNIC! We are again meeting at Peebles Island state park in Cohoes at the Riverside Pavilion on Tuesday, June 9th, rain or shine. You can come any time after 1:30. Debbie VanRyn will lead a hike at 4:00 and Pam Bentien will lead a paddle from 4:30-5:30. We will also have some games such as cornhole. Check https://albany.adk.org/outings-activities/ for more information. Please sign up online at events-admin@albany-adk.org by June 5 to let us know whether you’d like a hamburger, hotdogs, or veggie burger so that we can buy the correct amount of food. You can also offer to bring an appetizer, side dish, or dessert and volunteer to help set up, grill, or help grillers. We need two grillers, four grill assistants, and five people to each cover a half-hour of checking people in (4:30-5:00, 5:00-5:30, 5:30-6:00, 6:00-6:30, 6:30-7:00). $5 cash per person, payable at picnic, kids under ten free. BYO non-alcoholic drink, cutlery, and plate if desired. Dinner starts at 6:00 pm. 

And keep in mind our programs for next year, October through June, on the second Tuesday evening of each month. We already have some cool presentations booked.

UPCOMING OUTINGS: to register go to https://albany.adk.org/outings-activities and click on the individual activity to see instructions for registering

    • Tuesday Evening Paddle, 5/19, Kiwanis Park, Mohawk River, 6 pm launch
    • Wednesday Walks, 5/20, short local hikes, 6 pm
    • Prospective Young Member Lupine Hike, 5/20, 6:30 pm
    • Wednesday Evening Paddle, 5/27, Waterford/Mohawk/Hudson, 6 pm launch
    • Wednesday Walks, 5/27, short local hikes, 6 pm
    • Tuesday Evening Paddle, 6/2, Coxsackie Hudson River, 6 pm launch
  • Picnic, June 9 – see above
    • Wednesday Evening Paddle, Coeymans, 6/10, 6 pm launch
    • Novice / Intermediate Whitewater Kayak Instruction, Fife Brooke Section of Deerfield River, MA, Sat/Sun 6/13-14, all day, cost is $40 
  • Tuesday Evening Paddles continue all summer – check the calendar

HELP NEEDED / TRAIL WORK AND HIKES:

Interested in more hiking outings? Consider becoming a leader! Contact the outings chair, Debbie VanRyn, dmvanryn@gmail.com. We can set up a hike or gathering to discuss training, responsibilities, and questions. As a leader, you can hike in places you love, explore new areas, socialize, and help others to gain skills and appreciation for the outdoors. Plus, you get to choose when and where you go. Hiking events can be one-time or weekly recurring events. You can also get creative with hike agendas, e.g. hike and lunch, book discussion and hike, swim and hike, preschoolers and their parents walk, hike and ice cream stand crawl, progressive waterfall hike – imaginative ideas welcomed!

Trail Work – Bailey Pond and Hoffman Notch Trails, Saturday, 5/23 all day
If interested, contact Mike Bruns at brunmcts@verizon.net 

Sucker Brook Trail Maintenance, Indian Lake area, Saturday, 6/13 10 am
If interested, contact Leore Kushner at Leore7@hotmail.com

UPDATES FROM THE MAIN CLUB:

Cycle Outing – June 14-19 at North Country Community College in Saranac Lake, 

https://adk.corsizio.com/event/696f894d36890519ab46d7c0

Fall Outing- September 18-20, Young Life Camp on Northern Saranac Lake

https://adk.corsizio.com/event/6977a22036890519ab1cdac1

See ADK.org for information about:

  • Naturalist programs such as yoga, poetry, and a summer solstice celebration on Sunday June 21
  • Educational programs, e.g. Map and Compass training
  • Guided hikes, especially to trailless high peaks
  • Ways to advocate for the Adirondacks, e.g. participate in Lobby Days or write your elected official. Form letters can be found at https://adk.org/advocacy/ 

THANKS for your participation, great questions at programs, and positive enthusiasm.  

-Erasmus Schneider (Chair), Kathy Rzant (Vice-Chair), Debbie VanRyn (Outings Chair), and Marilyn Pusatere (Programs Co-Chair and Picnic Master)