FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE98-22
May 13, 1998
Contact: Geoffrey Ryan (718/595-5371)
Identifying and Protecting Wetlands in Ulster County
The freshwater wetlands of Ulster County are the subjects of two upcoming events that will be of interest to anyone concerned with protecting these valuable natural resources. An evening workshop will be sponsored by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Ulster County Environmental Management Council, the County Planning Board, the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County, the Ulster County Soil and Water Conservation District, and local environmental and conservation groups.
The evening workshop will include a slide presentation about wetland resources in the watersheds that feed New York City's reservoirs. Speakers from the various agencies will describe several cooperative wetland and stream restoration projects throughout the County, including those on the Lower Esopus Creek and the Broadstreet Hollow Creek. Representatives from local land trusts and conservation groups, including Trout Unlimited, the Rondout-Esopus Land Conservancy, the Woodstock Land Conservancy and Olive Natural Heritage Society will present current protection initiatives. Participants will provide informational resources, including "Wetlands in the Watersheds of the New York City Water Supply System," produced for DEP by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
Place: | Cafeteria, Ulster County Community College, Stone Ridge |
Date: | Wednesday, June 17th |
Time: | 7:00 - 9:30 P.M. |
A Saturday program, "Exploring the Ecology of a Local Wetland," is a field trip led by DEP wetlands staff and local naturalists on a walk through several wetland communities adjacent to the Ashokan Reservoir. Participants will explore the environments of a forested wetland, a marsh and a pond and will identify the plants and animals that may live in these habitats.
Date: | Saturday, June 20th |
Time: | 10:00 A.M. to 12 Noon |
Directions: | Take Route 28 to Winchell's Corners in Shokan. Turn south onto Reservoir Road 3/10ths of a mile to Gate E-4, on left. Park at E-4 or opposite at Gate W-3. |
Participants should dress for the field with boots, long pants, long-sleeve shirts. Insect repellent is also recommended.
For more information on either event, call Beth Gelber at DEP's Stream Management Program at 914/657-6172.
Agenda
Identifying and Protecting Wetland Resources in Ulster County
Wednesday, June 17, 1998
7:00 - 9:30 PM
Cafeteria, Ulster County Community College, Stone Ridge
7:00 - 7:10 | Welcome to the Program by Rick Fritschler, Chairman, Ulster County Environmental Management Council |
7:10 - 7:30 | Slide Show: Wetlands in the Watersheds... by Beth Gelber, Stream Management Program, New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) |
7:30 - 7:50 | Lower Esopus River Watch Project by Rick Fritschler, Ulster County EMC |
7:50 - 8:00 | Wetlands Protection Programs (USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service) and Cooperative Stream Projects (DEP and Ulster County Soil and Water Conservation District [UCSWCD]) by Gary Capella, District Manager, UCSWCD |
8:00 - 8:15 | Coffee Break |
8:15 - 8:25 | Cornell Cooperative Extension Resources by Steve Ashton, Extension Educator Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County |
8:25 - 8:40 | Drainage and Stormwater Requirements in Ulster County by Dennis Doyle, Principal Planner Ulster County Planning Board |
8:40 - 9:10 | Community/Environmental Initiatives to Protect Wetland and Riparian Resources by Tom Emerick, Catskill Mountain Chapter, Trout Unlimited by Bruce Duffy, Ashokan/Pepacton Chapter, Trout Unlimited Olive Natural Heritage Society Woodstock Land Conservancy Rondout-Esopus Land Conservancy |
9:10 - 9:30 | Questions and Next Step Discussion Rick Fritschler, EMC and Beth Gelber, DEP |