Once abundant here whip-poor-will have all but dissappeared from the Pine Bush and most of their former habitat across the northeast. Feeding primarily on moths, these are loud nocturnal birds most active on clear moon-lit nights. Commission scientists are participating in a multiyear regional effort to track these birds; for the first time since 2009 a whip-poor-will was heard recently in the Kings Rd Barrens by Field Ecologist, Amanda Dillon. We’d appreciate your help in documenting whip-poor-will. Please let us know If you hear whip-poor-will in the Preserve area by dropping an e-mail to info@albanypinebush.com.

Click here to listen to a whip-poor-will that was recorded in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve in April 2012.

~Neil Gifford, Conservation Director

APBPC science staff confirmed that the 2012 adult Karner blue butterfly flight season has begun. The first Karner was observed on Friday May 4, ten days earlier than our previous record of May 14 set in 2001, and 21 days earlier than the 20-year median date of May 25. The record setting early start is most assuredly the result of record setting warm wather we experienced in March. If you’re in the Preserve keep your eyes open this most famous and endangered resident of the pitch pine scrub oak barrens.

~Neil Gifford, Conservation Director

Nocturnal singing ground surveys in the Preserve reveal that American wood cock, a.k.a. timberdoodle populations are high here. Eggs and hatchlings of these cryptic ground nesters, however, are anything but revealing. The keen eye of a trained biologist with a private consulting firm found 5 hatchlings this spring and snapped this photo.

The frosted elfin, (Callophrys irus)  a NYS Threatened species who like the Karner blue, feeds only on lupine as a caterpillar, are once again out and about in the Preserve. The elfin overwinter in their chrysalids and eclose as lupine emergences from its winter dormancy.  Frosted elfin are found at just about every lupine patch in the Preserve, so if you are visiting the Preserve and see lupine, keep you eyes peeled for this rare little brown butterfly; it is one of 45 wilidlife Species of Greatest Conservation Need that call the Preserve home.

Join us on 4/19 for an evening lecture on the biology, status and threats to the frosted elfin. Click here to sign up.

Neil Gifford, Conservation Director

“Regulation changes are needed to implement many of the strategies of the recently adopted Management Plan for White-tailed Deer,” Commissioner Martens said.  “The changes to the deer hunting seasons, mandatory antler restrictions, use of Deer Management Permits (DMPs), and development of Deer Management Focus Areas will increase opportunities for New York hunters, consistent with input we’ve received from the public and deer management goals.”

DEC adopted the five- year deer management plan in October 2011 following extensive public input and can be viewed at: www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/deerplan2012.pdf.

Comments previously submitted on the draft deer management plan were important in finalizing the deer plan and developing this rulemaking proposal.  DEC will accept public comments on this proposal through May 21, 2012.  Comments on this rule should be specific to the proposals herein and should not be resubmissions of previous comments submitted on the full deer management plan or previous regulatory proposals.

To see more detailed explanations of these proposals, including instructions for providing comments, visit the DEC website at www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/propregulations.html .  The proposed rulemaking can also be viewed in detail in the April 4, 2012 publication of the New York State Register, which is available at www.dos.state.ny.us/info/register/2012.html.

For several days during the weeks of March 19 – April 15 all of the trails in Karner Barrens East will be temporarily CLOSED to all public use while 23 acres of pine barrens are mowed with a large mowing machine called a hydro-axe.  This work will require trail closure for approximately 3-5 days.  Mechanical treatments of this type are part of the necessary and important management that takes place
throughout the Albany Pine Bush Preserve.  For your own safety please obey all area CLOSED signs during this time.  You can call 518-456-0655 x1250 to ask about trail access on a particular day.
Thank You.

~Joel Hecht
Stewardship Director

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission has announced that a key post has been re-filled with the hiring of Jeffrey Folmer as the new Discovery Center Director. According to Christopher Hawver, Executive Director of the Commission, “This marks a major turning point for the Discovery Center’s future, particularly with respect to engaging the public in our mission.”

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission was created by the New York State Legislature in 1988 to protect and manage the unique and endangered natural communities and species of the Albany Pine Bush for ecological, recreational and educational benefits. The Albany Pine Bush Preserve offers one of the best examples of an inland pine barrens environment remaining in the world, and the gateway to the Preserve is through the Discovery Center, sponsored by Trustco.

Hawver said, “The Discovery Center has been put through its paces since opening less than five years ago. We have hosted over 50,000 visitors and our education staff has led more than 1,100 programs. With a new Director comes the opportunity for even greater growth on a number of levels for which we are now well-positioned.”

The crucial significance of the task which lies ahead is not lost on the new Discovery Center Director. Folmer said, “The Albany Pine Bush is an incredible ecological gem that happens to be rich in both geological and cultural history as well. It supports a variety of species (many threatened or endangered) and provides the public with truly unique recreational and educational options that they will not find anywhere else. Getting people to care deeply about preserving the Pine Bush is a critical part of my job.”

The Discovery Center houses a state-of-the-art interactive visitor center which serves as the central point of contact for the public. It also functions as the headquarters for Commission staff, as well as the State and Eastern NY Chapters of The Nature Conservancy, and provides space for the non-profit Friends of the Pine Bush Community. Opened in 2007, the Discovery Center was awarded the prestigious LEED® “Gold” certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. With unique interpretive exhibits, educational programs, the Discovery Shop, and the exterior Discovery Trail – part of an 18-mile trail system throughout the Preserve – the Discovery Center is designed to engage visitors of all ages.

Folmer said he was “…astounded by the superior quality of my first visit to the Discovery Center and with free admission (a small fee does apply to special programs), it’s a simply a ‘must-see’. I decided I must make it my personal mission to draw people here from near and far.”

Folmer’s diverse background lends itself to the multi-faceted duties that go with the job. With a B.S. in Environmental Science, he worked for 12 years at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection where he was Section Chief in the Bureau of Community Relations. He subsequently spent four years at the National Audubon Society based in New York City as the national director of a fundraising and education program. He also worked at each of the following: the American Cancer Society in Meriden, Connecticut where he was Community Executive for Development; The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, Massachusetts as Director of Development; and as a Middle School science teacher also in Pittsfield. Most recently, he was the Executive Director of Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum in Lenox, Massachusetts, where under his leadership of four and one-half years the museum grew by leaps and bounds, especially with regard to public outreach.

“Among my goals for the Discovery Center,” Folmer notes, “is to provide the leadership to substantially increase our public profile. This unique treasure should be widely known not only in our local communities, but should also be a destination for visitors from all over. I plan to increase the number and scope of our programs, expand or enhance indoor and outdoor interpretive exhibits, increase revenue through a variety of approaches, work with the non-profit Friends of the Pine Bush Community, and especially to be open to developing new ideas. I enjoy the creative process and it’s clear to me that I have a terrific team to work with.”

Located within the Capital District Region, the Albany Pine Bush’s gently rolling sand plain is home to a variety of rare plants and animals, including the Federally-endangered Karner blue butterfly. The 3,200-acre Albany Pine Bush Preserve also creates a special habitat for a number of other rare and unique plants and animals, while providing visitors with an assortment of non-motorized recreational opportunities including hiking, jogging, nature study, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, mountain biking, hunting, fishing and canoeing.

Folmer adds, “I am certain that as more and more people come to know and love the Albany Pine Bush Preserve, they will come to understand the importance of playing a role in our mission here.”

The Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center transforms this globally unique destination into an exciting adventure where learning comes naturally through hands-on activities. As the gateway to the Pine Bush, the Discovery Center introduces visitors to everything that makes the Preserve rare and adventurous. With the help of many volunteers, the Discovery Center offers monthly outings and programs about the ecology, natural and cultural history of the Pine Bush area. Admission is free. The Center is open Tuesday-Friday 9AM-4PM, Saturday and Sunday 10AM-4PM, and on most holiday Mondays. The Center is also available for private parties and meeting rentals. For more information call 518-456-0655.

The public is invited to a “Meet and Greet” Open House at the Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center located at 195 New Karner Road in Albany on March 20, 2012 from 5:30pm – 7:00pm. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy the exhibits, plus light refreshments and a conversation with Jeffrey about his plans for future growth of the Discovery Center. RSVP by calling 518-456-0655 or email info@albanypinebush.org

These structures were uncovered through our ongoing effort to identify the aquatic insects of the Pine Bush. Though strikingly reminiscent of Andy Goldsworthy’s natural sculptures, albeit on a miniature scale, these are the creations of creatures completely oblivious to any notion of art. They are the cases and parts of cases of caddisfly larvae. Most caddisfly larvae live in the water and build tubular homes out of plant material, stones, sand, and other substrate materials, which they cement together with silk excreted from their salivary glands. These cases are mobile and extremely functional. They camouflage the larvae, provide protection from predators, add stability, and even aid in respiration by enhancing a larva’s ability to circulate water around its gills. These insects don’t need artistic inspiration or a concept of beauty to motivate them to build, but, luckily for us, we get to enjoy both the aesthetic appeal and practical merits of their tiny creations.

~Grace Barber
Conservation Science Technician

Go to our Facebook page for more caddisfly case photos.

Spread the word! That’s what the Library Lecture Series is all about. This is a series of adult programs, held at local libraries, informing residents on the Albany Pine Bush Preserve, where we are located, and how important this rare ecosystem is to protect and manage. The program takes participants through a visual presentation of the history, topography, the diversity of plants and animals, seasonal surprises, management techniques, and ways you can help the Albany Pine Bush Preserve. Throughout the program, we encourage open discussion and hands on exploration. We also have joining us at the end of the program is one of our resident turtles. We encourage you to join us for one of the programs and bring along your questions and curiosity.

We completed our first library lecture series at the East Greenbush Public Library on Saturday, January 28.  Our next program will be at the Albany Public Library-Pine Hills Branch on Wednesday, March 21, 6:30-7:30 p.m. The consecutive library programs are at the Wm. K. Sanford Library, Colonie on Tuesday, April 17th ,  7:00-8:00 p.m. and  the Guilderland Public Library, Tuesday May 8th, 6:30-7:30. If you are interested in having our staff speak at a library near you, please feel free to call the Discovery Center at 456-0655 to schedule a program.

The Commission recently had aspen trees cut along Old State Road in Guilderland as part of restoring habitat back to pitch pine-scrub oak barrens.  Residents in the area have been contacting the Commission to find out if they can cut and take the downed trees for firewood.

Preserve regulations do not allow for the removal of anything from the Preserve, including this wood for firewood, by the public (ECL 6 NYCRR Part 648.4(a)). In addition, because of liability and safety issues the Commission cannot allow the public to cut and remove this wood for personal use.

Because Aspen is a softwood these trees will rapidly decompose over the next several years.  In addition, with increased sunlight on the forest floor resulting from the tree cutting, shrubs, grasses and wildflowers will rapidly grow in these areas over the spring and summer, making the trees less obvious while they decompose.  Additionally, the tangle of branches at ground level will provide a temporary habitat for a variety of animals both this winter and next spring and summer.

Wildlife habitat restoration work can be unsightly at times.  However, over the long term these areas will be transformed back to the beautiful pine barrens that they once were.

~Joel Hecht, Stewardship Director