Arboretum, ECOS Celebrate Fall 2007

With Courses, Nature Walks, More

ESPERANCE, NY (09/03/2007)(readMedia)-- In the spirit of team work, cost efficiency, and shared respect for the environment, Esperance, NY based Landis Arboretum and ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse, Inc., Niskayuna, NY, offer a panoply of both free and affordable outdoor events for the entire family this Fall.

There is no fee for the Fall walks sponsored by ECOS, thanks to a grant from Price Chopper’s Golub Foundation. Events at the Arboretum have a suggested donation to help defray costs of operation.

September 11-- Collins Park & Scotia Bike Path Easy walking, interesting shoreline plants, as well as late summer field flowers. We’ll also walk on the Scotia bike path along the river. Meet at the parking area at 9:30.

September 18 – Woods Hollow Near Ballston Spa, this preserve features quite a variety of habitats, from pond, marsh and woodland, to pine forest and sand dune-sandpit. We’ll see late summer flowers of meadow and pine bush, as well as a variety of shrubs and ferns. Meet at 9:00 to carpool at the former Glenville K-Mart parking lot on Rt. 50, near the diner. This is a special bring-a-friend day. Each ECOS member who brings a non-member along receives a free compact fluorescent light bulb for yourself and one for each friend you bring.

September 25 -- Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center Open fields offer an opportunity to view late summer flowers including blue gentians; hedgerows offer an opportunity to observe fruit-bearing shrubs; solution channels in the woods provide places for less common varieties of ferns to grow. Meet at 8:30 to carpool from Crosstown Plaza parking lot, corner of Rt. 7 and Watt St. opposite Empire Vision. Leader, Ed Miller

September 30 -- Landis Arboretum. Bird Feeder Workshop, 2–3:30 pm Enjoy a workshop to learn about bird feeding. Build some simple recycled bird feeders. (Bring three identical plastic sports drink containers—Gatorade works best). We’ll discuss what feed to use, setting up feeders, and identifying the feathered visitors. Suggested free will donation, $5. George Steele, Science Educator

October 1–12 George Landis Arboretum. PEAK FOLIAGE COLORS. Visit the Arboretum. Walk the trails. Come to where Mother Nature hits her high notes. Open daily from dawn to dusk. Free parking. Suggested donation, $5 to help defray cost of upkeep.

October 2 – George Landis Arboretum: Late summer and autumn field flowers should still abound. A trail through the old growth forest has recently been developed. Fred Breglia has been invited to lead this trip. Meet at 9:00 in the Office Max parking lot opposite Rotterdam Square Mall on Campbell Road. Leader, Fred Breglia

October 6 -- George Landis Arboretum. Fall Foliage Bird Walk 2–3:30 pm. Join members of the Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club as we enjoy an easy walk through the woods for glimpses of resident and migrant birds in the fall foliage. Suggested free will donation, $5. George Steele, Science Educator.

October 9 -– Schoharie Crossing –Yankee Lock to Visitor Center. The walking trail is the old towpath that runs along the remains of the old Erie Canal, so this trip has as much historical as botanical interest. We’ll leave a car at the other end so we can enjoy walking the entire two and a half mile distance. Meet at 8:45 in the Office Max parking lot opposite Rotterdam Square Mall on Campbell Road. Leader, Win Bigelow

October 13 -- George Landis Arboretum. FALL WORKFEST 9 am–3 pm. Bring your friends and your work gloves to Landis to get the grounds ready for winter. Come for part of the day or the full day. Light lunch provided. Bring a dessert to share.

October 16 -- Christman Sanctuary The waterfalls and pools of the Bozenkill top the attractions of this 98-acre preserve of mature woodlands, young forest, old fields, apple orchards, tree plantations, and interesting geology. Meet to carpool at 8:45 at the Office Max opposite Rotterdam Square Mall on Campbell Road. Leader, Carol Kirk

October 20 -- George Landis Arboretum. NEW PROGRAM: Meet the Author, 2–3:30 pm. Author Anita Sanchez (The Teeth of the Lion: The Story of the Beloved and Despised Dandelion) presents an outdoor walk to study some common plants and their lore, including the dandelion, their historical uses in medicine and as food. Suggested Donation, $5

October 23 – Corning Bioreserve A privately owned conservation area, we are invited to come out and enjoy the fields and forests. The owner, Dennis O’Leary, is still becoming familiar with the biological diversity on this land, and we are invited to help identify what we find at this time of year. We are also invited to bring our lunches and spend an hour after lunch looking at pond life in his microscopes. Meet to carpool at 8:45 at Crosstown Plaza, opposite Empire Vision. Leader, Dennis O’Leary

October 26 George Landis Arboretum. Full Moon Owl Prowl, 7–8:30 pm. End the Arboretum Family Program Season with our traditional Halloween Owl Prowl. Learn about our common owls— where they live, what they sound like, and what they do. Then take a short walk into the woods to see if we can hear one. Suggested free will donation: $5. George Steele, Science Educator

Directions to Fall 2007 Nature Walks

The ECOS series of Fall walks take place on Tuesday mornings. Meeting time at the trailhead is 9:30. Carpool meeting times vary; trips involving a lengthy drive have been set at an earlier carpool meeting time. You may meet us at the trailhead at 9:30 if you’re not interested in carpooling.

Many of these walks are in areas that may be wet and muddy at this time of year. Deer ticks and poison ivy may also be a present. Please use appropriate precautions. A small donation to carpool drivers is suggested. See reverse side for driving directions from carpool meeting place. These directions are given from the carpool meeting places designated. Please consult your map if driving from some other location. Please note that the carpool meeting times vary. This is to make it possible to meet at the trailhead at about 9:30, whatever the driving distance.

Sept. 11 -- Collins Park & Scotia Bike Path Take Rte. 5 west into Scotia. When you get to the end of the Western Gateway Bridge, take an immediate right onto Schonowe Ave. Collins Park will be on your left. GO ¼ mile and turn left into the park. Park in the lot near the baseball field.

Sept. 18 --Woods Hollow Take Rt. 50 north through the village of Ballston Spa. At the north edge of the village, turn left on Northline Rd. Go west to the main Preserve entrance on the right, a short distance before the intersection with Rowland St.

Sept. 25 -- Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center From Crosstown Plaza, turn right onto Rte. 7; take 890 east to exit 9B to Rte. 146; turn left on Rte. 146 (Carman Rd.); follow to intersection with Rte. 20. Turn left following Rte. 20 & 146; in ¾ mile Rte. 146 turns right toward Altamont; go through Altamont to Rte. 156; continue up the hill to turn left onto Rte. 157; left onto Rte. 256 (Ketchum Rd). After about 3/4 mile, turn right onto Nature Center Way. Parking lot is on right.

Oct. 2 -- George Landis Arboretum From Office Max parking lot, follow Rte. 337 (Burdeck St.). Turn right (west) onto Rte. 7 and follow it all the way to Duanesburg; take a right fork onto Rte. 20 (west). Follow Rte. 20 into Esperance, and look for the signs to the Arboretum. Follow the signs from the village to Lape Rd. The Arboretum is one quarter mile straight ahead.

Oct. 9 -- Schoharie Crossing/Yankee Lock Turn left out of Office Max parking lot; follow Campbell Rd. to intersection with Rt. 890 to go West; at the end of 890 follow the signs to get on 5S going west. Take 5S west, continuing through the intersection with Rte. 30 near Amsterdam; in a little over a mile, make a sharp right onto Broadway Ext., then a left onto Queen Anne Rd.; continue about 2-3 miles to parking on the right, just past the bike trail crossing.

Oct. 16--Christman Sanctuary Follow Rte. 337 west from Campbell Rd. to Burdeck St. Take Rte. 7 west through Duanesburg; continue on Rte. 7 to the first left (Weaver Rd.). Turn left on Weaver Rd., and left again on Schoharie Turnpike. In about 3/4 mile you will come to the Sanctuary parking lot on the right.

Oct. 23 -- Corning Bioreserve From Crosstown Plaza, turn right onto Rte. 7; take 890 east to end, take NYS Thruway to Exit 23, follow signs for Route 9W South, follow Route 9W South ½ mile, at light turn left onto Route 32 and take immediate right, follow road to parking area.

ABOUT ECOS The Environmental Clearinghouse is a non-political, not-for-profit organization. Its mission is to provide environmental information and educational opportunities that enhance appreciation of the natural world, build a community that is aware and knowledgeable about environmental issues and advocates informal action to preserve our natural resources. ECOS is funded through the support of its members and the community.

ECOS celebrates is 35th anniversary as a front-running source of environmental education. For membership or additional information, visit www.ecosny.org, call 518-370-4125 or write ecos@global2000.net.

ABOUT LANDIS As the Capital region’s Arboretum, Landis is a multifaceted natural jewel. It now encompasses 548 acres of trees, shrubs, old growth forest and, of course, breath-taking vistas and memorable gardens. For more than 50 years, the Arboretum has been one of the best-kept secrets among Capital District gardeners, environmentalists, nature lovers, hikers, bikers, and birders. The Arboretum offers classes, workshops, guided and self-guided nature study. Events and workshops are designed for elementary school classes as well as the general public and focus on the flora and fauna of the Arboretum. Landis is home, also, to dozens of species of birds and other wildlife and varied ecosystems from its two Ancient Forests to its unique collection of native plants. It is a great place for scout troops to work on badge requirements (and perform valuable community/environmental service).

The Arboretum is located 1.5 miles off Scenic Route 20 in Esperance, NY, an easy drive from anyplace within the Capital Region. www.landisarbortum.org 518-875-6935/info@landisarboretum.org.

Contact: Patrick Clear, ECOS, 518-370-4125; ecos@global2000net Thom O’Connor, Landis Arboretum, 518-875-6935; info@landisarboretum.org