Blog

Snow has returned to the Adirondacks, and I know I am not the only one who has been enjoying the fresh morning snow, the mountaintop views and the snowflakes sparkling on the ground. There are billions of snowflakes in our backyards alone, and each one is different in its shape and design. But how is this possible? The answer is behind each ice crystal’s journey from the clouds to our feet.

While canines and wildlife are generally a bad mix, in the Adirondacks, a group of researchers is currently working with the Conservation Canine (CK9) program as part of a multi-year study on New York State moose populations. We recently had the opportunity to chat with Angela Fuller, the Unit Leader at the New York Cooperative Fish And Wildlife Research Unit at Cornell University, about the research and scat detection surveys they are conducting with Conservation Canines.

On Tuesday, November 14, the Town of Keene’s Town Board unanimously committed to making the town a cleaner, greener community. It did so by passing three resolutions that kick-started the town’s participation in the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) Clean Energy Communities program. The town was urged to participate in this program at the behest of a group of dedicated town residents. Known as the Keene Clean Energy Team, these individuals are helping to build a sustainable community where they live.

This year, add the Adirondacks to your wish list and support the six-million-acre Park that you love all year long. Instead of another scented candle or gift card, say thank you to those that introduced you to the Adirondacks and share your love for the Park with your family and friends with a donation or purchase that supports Adirondack conservation.

In October, the Land Trust Alliance (LTA) celebrated its 32nd Rally, an annual land conservation conference that brings thousands of conservationists together in a different city each year. And this year, Jackie Bowen the Council's Conservation Fellow attended Rally in Denver Colorado, and shares her first-time experience.

This Thursday, many of us will be sitting down with our family and friends to enjoy a big meal and good company. But before you sit down with your turkey, stuffing and sweet potatoes, think about where exactly your food is coming from and what it took to bring your food from the field to your plate. This Thanksgiving season, we encourage you to buy local and support the many farms and businesses in the Adirondacks or in your local area.

As the holiday season is in full swing, the Adirondack Council staff would like to express our sincere thanks for the many generous donors, supporters and friends that make our work possible. With your help, we have worked together to keep the Adirondack Park a special place for families and friends to visit, live and cherish for over 40 years.

Adirondack News is a collection of the most current events taking place in New York’s Adirondack Park, a unique national treasure and legacy we inherited over 100 years ago, that we have to protect for future generations. Adirondack News aims to highlight both threats and opportunities concerning the Park’s ecological integrity, wild character and community vibrancy.

Last week, I was fortunate enough to attend a talk at the Keene Central School featuring the renowned ecologists, Jerry Jenkins. He spoke about climate change and his new project that has been five years in the making.

For over 30 years, the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has used the Catch Rate Oriented Trout Stocking program to manage trout streams across the state. This uses the assumption that anglers prefer to catch-and-keep as many fish as possible. But through the decades, angler perspectives have shifted to more catch-and-release ideals and a willingness to catch fewer, larger and wilder fish than the generic eight-inch hatchery fish used in the DEC’s stocking program.