April Showers Bring More than Flowers from the Landis Arboretum

SCHOHARIE REGION (03/23/2009)(readMedia)-- Despite the lingering cool weather, the Landis Arboretum is prepared to welcome Spring and open-air adventure of warmer weeks ahead with an array of affordable family fare:

April 18, Saturday, 9 AM - 3 PM

SPRING WORKFEST

Landis Arboretum, Esperance, NY; www.landisarboretum.org

Bring your friends and your work gloves to Landis to prep the Arboretum for the season ahead. Come for part of the day or the full day. Light lunch. Heighten the experience and bring a favorite dessert to share. Just do it-and have some fun, lots of laughs, and free exercise among like-minded and environmentally conscious spirits like yourself. Can we count on you? 518-875-6935. Stay for the tour of the Old Growth Forest - see below:

April 18, Saturday, 1 PM

OLD GROWTH FOREST TOUR AT LANDIS MARKS EARTH DAY 2009

Landis Arboretum, Esperance, NY; www.landisarboretum.org

Fred Breglia is Director of Horticulture and Operations for the Landis Arboretum, a 548-acre public garden in Esperance, NY. He also is co-founder and president of the New York Old Growth Forrest Association. Mr. Breglia is active in the New York State Big Tree Register and serves on both the New York State Big Tree Advisory Committee and the Capital District RELEAF Committee. He has nominated more than 15 state champion trees for New York State and several national champion trees registered with American Forest in Washington, DC. Join Mr Breglia for an insightful walking tour of the Arboretum's ancient forests in a proactive and invigorating Earth Day celebration. Free - but donations are always welcomed.

This free, family-focused Earth Day event is made possible through the generous underwriting support of KINTZ PLASTICS, INC. www.kintz.com Howes Cave, NY. KPI also is a proud sponsor of the Arboretum's 5K Cross-Country Classic. Look for the KINTZ PLASTICS ad in the white pages of our Newsletter. Support those who support us.

April 24 (Arbor Day), Friday, 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM

PROJECT LEP

Landis Arboretum, Esperance, NY; www.landisarboretum.org

The Leopold Education Project is an innovative interdisciplinary program based on the classic writing of the renowned conservationist, Aldo Leopold. The LEP curriculum was developed to teach the public about humanity's ties to the natural world and to provide leadership in the effort to conserve and protect the earth's natural resources. The goal is to instill a love, a respect, and an admiration for the land, leading to an ecologically literate citizenry with an intense consciousness of the earth and its inhabitants. Materials fee provides LEP Teacher's Guide: Lessons in a Land Ethic (21 activities in more than 80 pages) and A Sand Country Almanac. Appropriate for formal and non-formal educators of grades K-12. $20 per participant. To register call Wildlife Learning Company, 607-293-6043 and ask about scholarships available through the Schoharie County Conservation Association.

April 24/25, Friday/Saturday, 9 PM

PUBLIC STAR PARTY

Landis Arboretum, Esperance, NY; www.landisarboretum.org

Join the *Albany Area Amateur Astronomers (AAAA)* for stargazing under the dark Arboretum skies. A variety of telescopes will treat you to views of nebulae, star clusters, galaxies, planets, and other celestial sights. Fifteen minutes after the starting time, Alan French will hold an introductory program in the Arboretum's rustic Meeting House followed by a short, outdoor tour of the prominent constellations.

Open to all with free admission and parking - although donations to aid the Arboretum are always welcome.

* March 27 & 28 (Fri/Sat) at 8:30 PM

* April 24 & 25 (Fri/Sat) at 9 PM

* May 22 & 23 (Fri/Sat) at 9:30 PM

* June 13 (Sat) at 10 PM

* July 17 & 18 (Fri/Sat) at 10 PM

* August 18 (Tues) at 7:30 PM: Club meeting (Meeting House) and star party

* August 21 & 22 (Fri/Sat) at 9:30 PM

* September 11 & 12 (Fri/Sat) at 8:30 PM

* October 16 & 17 (Fri/Sat) at 8 PM

* November 13 & 14 (Fri/Sat) at 8 PM

Alan French and his wife, Susan, along with other members of the AAAA, have been sharing the night sky with people at star parties in the Capital District for close to 40 years. Alan is a telescope maker, but also enjoys naked-eye astronomy. He is Vice President of Dudley Observatory's Board of Trustees and the Albany Area Amateur Astronomers. Susan writes the monthly "Deep Sky Wonders" column for Sky & Telescope magazine.

AAAA members bring a variety of other telescopes to these gatherings, and are happy to share the views of deep sky wonders or offer help to those new to the hobby. The introductory program includes hints for enjoying the night sky, and the constellation tour includes some myths and stories.

Visitors to the Arboretum event should bring something to sit on, and dress according to the season. A sweater is always a good idea for late evenings at Landis, and it is always a good idea to bring some extra warm clothing.

Programs are canceled if the sky is cloudy. Participants are encouraged to register by calling 518-374-8460 so that they can be notified if cloudy skies force a cancellation. Those who do not pre-register can call to check about two hours before the start time.

To check if a particular star party is happening, due to cloudy skies, or for more information about star parties or the AAAA, call 518-374-8460.

April 25, Saturday, 10 AM - 4 PM

SPRING MIGRATION HAWK WATCH with HAWK IDENTIFICATION WORKSHOP

Landis Arboretum, Esperance, NY; www.landisarboretum.org

Join us for a day on the look out for hawks in migration. The Arboretum offers a great view out over the Schoharie Valley, a natural corridor for hawks on the move. You can be part of the watch for as long as you want. There will be a Hawk Identification Workshop at 2:00 to help you hone your hawk watching skills. George Steele, Science Educator. Donation, $5 per person.

THE LANDIS ARBORETUM: MULTIFACETED, NATURAL JEWEL

Long a destination of choice among Capital District gardeners, environmentalists, nature lovers, hikers, perambulists, and birders, the Landis Arboretum may be one of the best-kept secrets among Capital Region residents.

What is an Arboretum anyway?

Arboreta serve as living museums. Collections of labeled plants are used not only for enjoyment and casual display but also for critical examination and scientific study.

Arboreta...

  • Grow and keep labeled collections of woody plants which grow in a given locality;
  • Introduce plants into cultivation from the wild by selecting superior forms of indigenous plants or by importing and selecting plants from other climatically similar regions around the world;
  • Maintain accurate records of plant collections through herbarium samples, plant records, and maps of plantings;
  • Perform scientific investigations such as plants breeding;
  • Maintain library collections of relevant literature; and
  • Disseminate information to the public through educational programs, workshops, and publications.

The Landis Arboretum includes a nationally recognized collection of oaks and is registered with the North American Plant Collections Consortium (NAPCC). The Arboretum also is included in the New York State Route 20 Bluebird Trail, bringing even more birdwatchers to the site. The Arboretum's vast dark sky and wide horizons attract area astronomers to its meetinghouse and parking field for sky-watching events

The Arboretum is central to the New York State Wine and Spa Trails and in close proximity to historic Sharon Springs. In addition, it is a natural stop for those traveling to the high-volume tourist attractions between the Albany, Cooperstown, and Finger Lakes Regions. The Landis Arboretum is located 1.5 miles off scenic Route 20 in historic Esperance, NY. There, with decades of history and the riveting beauty inherent in the Arboretum's world-class, global collections, generations of extraordinary plantings continue to impart their secrets to its visitors.

For more information about the Landis Arboretum and Adventures in Schoharie County:

http://www.catskillmtn.org/publications/articles/2008-05-spectacular-beauty-sustainable-fun.html

The Landis Arboretum is located 1.5 miles off Scenic designated Route 20 in Esperance, NY, a beautiful and easy drive from within the Capital Region. For more information, call 518-875-6935; http://landisarboretum.org. Directions: http://landisarboretum.org/map.html