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2021 O’Neil Conservation Stewards
We are excited to announce that we have received applications from many qualified candidates and from those chosen three interns for the summer 2021 class. They will begin their internship the first week of June. Throughout the summer, they will conduct plant surveys and wildlife inventories, maintain trails, manage invasive species, learn to monitor conservation easements and lead environmental programs for children. This most valuable program gives the Land Alliance additional capacity to not only maintain but improve our preserved lands for the benefit of the public and for our ecosystems. With thanks to the William C. and Joyce C. O’Neil Charitable Trust for funding this critical program. MEET THE 2021 O’NEIL CONSERVATION STEWARDS Kaitlyn Cunningham Born and raised on Long Island, Kaitlyn Cunningham is a rising senior at Vassar College currently studying Chemistry and Earth Science. Kaitlyn has taken various environmental courses and worked with EcoLeaders to remove invasive vines and establish a pollinator garden on campus. She is particularly interested in water systems and their protection. Kaitlyn enjoys spending time outside surrounded by plants and rocks to identify, swimming or reading Danielle Moore Danielle is currently a senior Sustainability Studies major at Stony Brook University. Last summer she worked in Colorado with the Rocky Mountain Conservancy and the US Forest Service performing trail maintenance, removing invasive species and building new trails. Danielle is passionate about conservation and protecting our natural resources. When she is not working, she loves to go to the beach, hike and try new foods Emily Power Emily Power is a native New Yorker and a rising junior studying Conservation Biology at Middlebury College. She joins the Land Alliance with experience in environmental activism, natural sciences, farming, and education. After recently completing an internship focused on limiting greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture in her college town, Emily is thrilled to follow her passion for protecting natural spaces and wildlife while continuing to develop her skills with the North Shore Land Alliance!
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How Investments in Clean Water Can Restore Ecosystems
In March, after a long year of social distancing and cold, cloudy weather, two dolphins were spotted swimming up the East River in New York City. This atypical pair provided a much-needed sign of hope and recovery for City dwellers. Even more surprisingly, tiny seahorses can now be found clinging to oyster cages and other submerged objects in the lower Hudson River. These little seahorses, known as the Lined Seahorse, are one of many aquatic species that now make up a diverse and thriving ecosystem in the Hudson River estuary. For decades, the Hudson River was severely polluted after PCBs, oil, heavy metals and solvents were all dumped into the river by factories producing cars and paper. At one point, local fishermen could tell what color General Motors was painting cars based on the color of the river that day! In 1972, Congress passed the Clean Water Act to restrict “point sources” such as factories and power plants from discharging contamination into US waterways. Over the nearly 50 years that have passed since then, NYC has invested more than $12 Billion to upgrade wastewater treatment to improve the health of the Hudson’s delicate, aquatic ecosystems. And, it has worked. A 2017 report by the NYC Department of Environmental Protection found that the Hudson River is the cleanest it has been in over a century as evidenced by the presence of the Lined Seahorse that would not be found in the Hudson River without these extraordinary cleanup efforts. Efforts such as these give us hope that if we take measures now our ecosystems can, indeed, be restored. We must also remember to stay vigilant in protecting our waters to ensure healthy ecosystems for future generations. Photo Credit: Tina Walsh for Hudson River Park
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The Cicadas Are Coming!
If you were around in 2004, you probably remember the loud songs of the cicada emanating from most of the trees on your property. You probably had a cicada or two clinging to your clothes or swatted a few away as they haphazardly flew around. If you have never met a cicada, there’s nothing to worry about, just another wonder of nature to behold. These lumbering creatures do not sting or bite or cause disease. They burst forth from underground with all the confidence and energy of teenagers and must accomplish in a very short time what it takes us decades to do. The periodical cicada spends most of its life underground, emerging after 13 or 17 years (depending on the species) to transform, reproduce and ultimately die over the space of just a few days. Huge populations of these insects have synced up to emerge within the same window of time to give them the best chance of successfully finding a mate and producing young before they are eaten by predators or expire naturally. These populations are called broods, and one of the largest—Brood X—is set to emerge in late May or early June this year. Once the soil reaches about 64 degrees Fahrenheit at a depth of 12-18 inches, the emergence of the cicadas will be triggered. Male cicadas will emerge first, followed by females a few days later. Females can be identified by their pointed abdomen and sheathed ovipositor, the organ they use to lay eggs. Once they leave the ground, the cicadas will shed their shells and develop wings, allowing them to fly around and locate fresh hardwood trees and shrubs. After they’ve found their spot, the cicadas will mate and lay eggs at the end of branches. Newly hatched cicadas will then chew through the branch tips, causing them to fall off, carrying the nymphs (young insects) back down into the soil where they burrow 6- 18 inches down and will spend the next 17 years. Brood X will next emerge in 2038. Scientists are interested in determining if climate change has impacted the cicada. Will warmer temperatures cause them to arrive sooner than expected? Will there be as many of them as in years past? You can help to answer these questions by engaging in a little citizen science. Phone apps like Cicada Safari and iNaturalist, can be used to share your observations. The data collected will help to populate a map which can guide scientists in answering the questions posed above. Photo credit: Pixabay
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Five Native Plants to Consider Planting
Did you know that for the first time ever April was designated National Native Plant Month by the United States Senate? Native plants play an indispensable role in supporting resilient ecosystems like stabilizing soil, filtering water, cleaning air and supporting wildlife. Once these plants become established, they require less watering and need no chemical fertilizers or pesticides to thrive. They also preserve the natural history of the flora and fauna of the American landscape. There are more than 17,000 native plant species across the US, which include trees, shrubs, vines, grasses and wildflowers. Here on the North Shore of Long Island, we have many beautiful native species. Pictured here are five native wildflower and shrub options you might consider planting that are lovely to look at and help with pollination and the sustainability of our ecosystem. When buying, look for straight species (non-cultivars) locally sourced. winterberry (Ilex verticillata)New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
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Enhance Your Outdoor Adventures with These Six Nature Apps
When it comes to spending time outside usually the best app is NO app. However, some apps can enhance your outdoor adventures. Here are some of our favorites, which are free. All Trails: This easy-to-use app helps you locate nearby trails for your next adventure. It also includes location, length of trail, information on whether a property is dog or kid friendly and photos! You can find many of our nature preserves on this app. Seek: Have you ever come across a flower or tree that you wish you could identify? Well, this app uses your camera to identify the plants and animals around you. This app is kid-friendly and is great for families who want to explore nature together! iMap: Invasives allows you to collect observations of invasive species and upload them to an online database that is then used by New York State DEC, NY Natural Heritage Program and other organizations to track invasives and identify ways to manage these species that are threatening our ecosystems. Audubon Birds: Learn how to identify the birds in your backyard or in our nature preserves. Here is a field guide to over 800 bird species in North America that fits right in your pocket! eBird: Want to help scientists and organizations document bird distribution? This citizen science-based app allows you to enter bird observations from anywhere in the world into a database managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. iNaturalist: This citizen science-based app helps you to identify the plants and animals around you and connects you with a community of over 750,000 scientists and naturalists who can help you learn about nature. Sharing your observations helps create quality data for scientists working to better understand and protect nature.
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