Huyck Preserve

We could still use some help this coming Saturday! Please sign up if you are interested in protecting the Preserve.

Flora and Fauna Friday! With spring comes the green growth of countless plants. Many of the earliest emerging plants are not native. Have you seen this one yet? It is a member of the mustard family and is widespread in the US, having been intentionally introduced in 1868 for food and herbal uses. This invasive plant is harmful to biodiversity as it outcompetes native plants in the forest understory. Do you know what it is? The answer will be revealed Monday!

Spots are starting to fill up for our Bittersweet event on April 17th. Hurry and sign up to reserve your chance to combat invasives and win a Kuhar gift card! https://www.huyckpreserve.org/event-registration.html

Flora and Fauna Friday! Take a look at this photo taken at the Preserve during a past educational program. This native amphibian can grow to 7 inches long, and live up to 20 years in the wild! With warm spring rains, this salamander and others become active and return to breeding pools. Do you know what species this beautiful salamander is? Comment below, and the answer will be revealed Monday!

Flora and Fauna Friday! This Sunday is Valentine's Day, and, to honor that, we thought we would highlight the Bald Eagle, a bird everyone loves to see at the Huyck Preserve! This bird of prey mates for life, returning to the same partners, and often the same nests, each mating season. Do you know other animals that mate for life? Leave a comment below!

Flora and Fauna Friday! With all this snow on the ground, opportunities for track sightings abound! Look at these animal prints that Garrett, our Stewardship Coordinator, observed near the Eldridge Research Station. Notice the prominent nail marks and the four toes. Do you know what animal these tracks belong to? The answer will be revealed Monday!

Share Your Ideas! As we announced previously, the Huyck Preserve has received a NYSCPP grant to create a master plan for recreational improvements. As a first step for the project, we are looking for input from users of our trails and boat launch. If you would like to be added to the list to take part in a brief survey, please email us at [email protected].

Come out and explore the snow with us! After this week's storm, the Preserve received an additional 18 inches of fresh powder. As well as impacting human activity, snow plays important ecological roles. This Saturday at 10am, come to the Preserve to learn how researchers collect and use snow data. Then, take a guided snowshoe hike around beautiful Lincoln Pond. Snowshoes are available. Registration is required, Covid-19 protocols are in place, and space is limited. Register and find out more here: https://www.huyckpreserve.org/upcoming-events-and-programs..

Today is #GivingTuesday! On this day of giving, we thank you for remembering the Huyck Preserve. Your support helps us protect the breathtaking 2,000+acres of the Huyck Preserve now and for future generations and lets us give you the essential access to nature needed now more than ever. https://www.huyckpreserve.org/annual-appeal.html Photo Credit: Lynsey Ackert

Flora and Fauna Friday! Snowshoe hare are a rare and beautiful sight in NY and at the Preserve. Did you know that their pelts change color with the shortening days of late fall? This change provides camouflage; a white coat allows them to evade predators in the snow, and a brown coat helps them blend into a background of leaves and trees in the warmer seasons. Researchers have begun to study the impacts of climate change and the lack of persistent snow cover on hare survival.... Imagine how visible a stark white hare would be in a brown winter landscape! Researchers are seeing the range of snowshoe hares shift northward as local populations in snowless areas plummet. Hares may also adapt to changing conditions by losing the ability to change coat color - those with brown winter coats will have a survival advantage in a climate with less winter snow. This is one example of how species must adapt to survive in a rapidly changing climate. Do you know of any other animals that change their coat color with the season and that may be impacted by warmer winters? The answer will be revealed Monday! See more

Check out our new bootbrush stations, which are designed to help stop the spread of invasive species! #huyckpreserve #hikethehuyck

It's the holiday season, and many of you may be thinking about getting a Christmas tree soon. For those who celebrate with live trees, there are many reasons to buy a locally grown tree. Many may consider the benefit to local businesses and the reduced fuel consumption for transport (better for the climate!), but have you considered the possibility that trees from outside our area may carry with them invasive forest pests? Not moving Christmas trees across vast landscapes fol...lows the same principles as not moving firewood appreciable distances. The spread of invasives is devastating to ecosystems, potentially resulting in the extirpation of local species, and invasives cost the United States billions of dollars every year. To read more about the importance of sourcing your Christmas tree locally, see the link below! http://blogs.cornell.edu//2020/11/18/buy-local-christmas-/ See more

After such a dry period, we’ve received quite a bit of rain this week, and it shows. This picture was taken on Loop 3 by Huyck Preserve staff, and, as you can see, we have some flooding on the trails. If you are coming to hike, wear boots or be prepared to get wet!

A credit card was recently found at the Preserve. If you believe it is yours, please call us at 518-797-3440.

2020 has been an unusual year that has underscored the critical importance of conservation for both ecosystem health and human health. The Huyck Preserve is committed to understanding, protecting, and stewarding our lands and waters to safeguard the ecological communities within our boundaries and beyond and to enhance the experience of our growing number of visitors. Your generous year-end gift is more important than ever. With your help, we can continue to excel in our mis...sion of conservation, education, research, and recreation even in these challenging times. Follow the link below to show your support of the Huyck Preserve! https://www.huyckpreserve.org/annual-appeal.html