The New York City Department of Environmental Protection is expanding access to two of its reservoirs in Westchester County. From the NYCDEP: Environmental Protection Commissioner Cas Holloway today announced the expansion of recreational opportunities at Kensico and New Croton reservoirs in Westchester County. The expansion follows three public hearings on the proposed amendments to rules [...]

Now that the state Assembly has voted in favor of a six-month moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, a controversial drilling technique needed to tap natural gas resources in rock upstate, the measure awaits the governor’s signature to become law. At the same time, environmental groups are lining up to applaud the Assembly’s move, which followed the [...]

The following came in from Scenic Hudson: New Guide Helps Hudson River Communities Create Accessible, Healthy and Economically Vibrant Waterfronts Publication also details preparedness for potential climate change impacts HUDSON VALLEY – Communities throughout the region recognize that Hudson River waterfronts offer rich opportunities for economic development, recreation, environmental health and scenic beauty. These multiple [...]

I’m always amazed how simple some creatures’ names are. Take, for instance, a spider that is black and yellow and hangs out in your garden. Ta-da! It’s a black and yellow garden spider. This one spent weeks in the herb garden at home, weathering several rainstorms and adding a creepiness factor to cutting sage or [...]

Rain Garden Dedication Sept 10                                                                   

There was no recreational or commercial fishing for shad in the Hudson River this year in an effort to help the dwindling fish population recover. But my daughter, along with a handful of others on Saturday, got a glimpse of some of this year’s young shad as they made their way out to the Atlantic [...]

There is a retired veterinarian in California who is trying to understand what kind of “toll,” (pun, if intended, by NYT’s headline writers) traffic takes on wildlife. The NYT’s story goes on to highlight another effort in California and one in Maine that is trying to make sense out of flattened fauna by using GPS [...]

Mark your calenders and grab a trash bag. September 25th is the 25th annual International Coastal Cleanup. When:    September 25, 2010 Where:    Beaches of New York State, including Long Island Sound, the Hudson River, Atlantic Ocean, and the Great Lakes, Finger Lakes, and creeks and bays. Who:    You and thousands of other volunteers, led by [...]

My only recollection of menhaden, a.k.a. bunker, is that they are bait fish—snagged in the Sound and then used to catch bluefish. But the fish are also prized for their use in Omega-3 capsules popular among Americans for the fish oil’s vaunted health benefits, as the linked-to AP story points out. The fish are tangled [...]

To keep an eye out for invasive beetles threatening the nation’s trees. Both the emerald ash borer, as my colleague Greg Clary wrote about, and the Asian longhorned beetle pose a serious threat to hardwood trees. By examining trees in your yard or neighborhood and passing on information to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, you [...]