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Hudson Highlands Land Trust

June 2016

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Coming Events
 

June 12
Strawberry Festival
Beacon Sloop Club
Pete & Toshi Riverfront Park
Beacon, NY
 
June 17-18
Family Camp Out
Hudson Highlands Nature Museum's Outdoor Discovery Center
Cornwall, NY

June 18
Saunders Barn Dance
Saunders Farm
Garrison, NY

June 20
Full Moon Summer Solstice Hike
Hudson Highlands Nature Museum's Outdoor Discovery Center
Cornwall, NY

June 24
Lessons from the Forest
Cary Institute
Millbrook, NY

Jun 27
Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail Public Workshop
The Chalet on Route 9D
Cold Spring, NY 

 
Hudson Highlands Land Trust
P.O. Box 226
20 Nazareth Way
Garrison, NY  10524
845/424-3358
  
   
Andy Chmar
Executive Director

Michelle Smith
Incoming Executive Director 
 
Katrina Shindledecker
Director of Conservation 
  
Director of Outreach and Development
Outreach and Public Policy Manager

Conservation Stewardship Manager

Jonathan Leitner 
Membership and Program Manager 
HHLT Bids Farewell to Andy Chmar and Welcomes Executive Director Michelle Smith
Many thanks to our guests who braved the inhospitable weather on Sunday, June 5, to say farewell to Andy Chmar and give incoming Executive Director Michelle Smith a truly warm welcome.

The event's atmosphere was festive as nearly 300 community members and friends gathered at Winter Hill to congratulate Andy on his upcoming retirement. HHLT Board Member Glenn Watson presented Andy with a historic map of West Point as a remembrance of his years in the Hudson Highlands, first as a cadet, and then as a resident and advocate for the region, its communities and natural resources.

Accepting the gift, Andy thanked his neighbors and local communities for welcoming him and supporting his work with the Hudson Highlands Land Trust, which is in good hands with new Executive Director Michelle Smith. "It has been a pleasure to work alongside Michelle, as a Board Member, and recently as my successor. I know that HHLT will thrive under her leadership, and further its protection of the Highlands." 

Beacon Sloop Club Strawberry Festival Set for Sun, June 12 
Start your summer with delicious, sweet strawberries at the Beacon Sloop Club's Strawberry Festival. The event will be held at the Pete & Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park in Beacon on Sunday, June 12, from noon to 5:00pm, rain or shine. 
 
Enjoy live music and children's activities in addition to freshly made strawberry shortcakes, strawberry smoothies and chocolate-dipped strawberries. 
 
For more information, visit beaconsloopclub.org.

Welcome Summer with the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum
The Hudson Highlands Nature Museum ushers in summer with two family-friendly events at its Outdoor Discovery Center, on Muser Drive in Cornwall.

The Museum hosts a Family Camp Out on Friday, June 17, at 6:00pm through Saturday, June 18, at 8:00am.  After dinner, bring your family, tent, and sleeping bags for an evening of nocturnal fun. Light breakfast snack and coffee will be provided on Saturday morning (Rain date: June 18-19). Pre-paid registration is required. Limited spaces are available. Non-members: $20 per adult, $12 for children ages 5 and above. Museum Members: $18 per adult, $9 for children for children ages 5 and above. 

Celebrate the June full moon with a Full Moon Summer Solstice Hike on Monday, June 20, at 7:30pm. Museum Director of Education Jennifer Brinker is looking forward to the event, "A full moon rising on the Summer Solstice?! I don't think it gets any better than that!"  Prepaid registration is required.  Admission - Non-Members: $7/Adults, $5/Children. Museum Members: $5/Adults, $3/Children. 

To register or for more info, visit the website or call 845-534-5506 x204.

Saunders barn Enjoy an Evening of Music at Saunders Barn Dance, Sat, June 18
Slip on your dancing shoes and head over to the Saunders Farm Barn Dance (near the intersection of Old Albany Post Road and South Highland Road in Garrison) on Saturday, June 18. Pot luck dinner starts at 7:00pm. Small people dancing begins at 7:30pm, and tall people dancing starts at 8:00pm. Bob Livingston will be calling with music provided by Still, the Homegrown Band.  Event is free. Please use parking field on Old Albany Post Road.

Cary Institute Offers Lecture, "Lessons from the Forest," Fri, June 24
Join respected ecologist and Cary Institute President Emeritus Gene Likens for a thoughtful and engaging lecture on why long-term, place-based ecological studies are essential to addressing society's most pressing environmental issues, from air pollution and water quality to climate change. 

The lecture will showcase Likens' new book, Hubbard Brook: The Story of a Forest Ecosystem, co-authored with Richard Holmes of Dartmouth College. Stories will include the discovery of acid rain, impacts of forest management practices, population change in forest birds, and how disturbance events, such as pests and pathogens and a changing climate affect both our forests and the quality of freshwater.

The event will be held at Cary Institute auditorium, 2801 Sharon Turnpike (Route 44), Millbrook. Visit the event webpage for more information. 

Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail Public Workshop Set for Mon, Jun 27
What will the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail's Breakneck Connector look like? You can help decide. Plan to attend a public workshop on Monday, June 27, at The Chalet on Route 9D, from 6:30-8:30pm, and share your thoughts.

Attendees will learn about the planned improvements, see three options for how the connector trail might look and provide input to help select the final design. Visit www.hudsonfjordtrail.org for more information. 

Help Protect the Hudson Highlands from Invasive Species
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference offers free one-day training class to those interested in learning how to identify and report common invasive plants that are found along hiking trails, roadsides and around parking lots. Visit http://www.nynjtc.org/invasives for more information on becoming an Invasives Strike Force surveyor. 

Scenic Hudson hosts Volunteer Restoration Workdays at preserves in Beacon and Esopus. Attendees learn how to identify various invasive plants while helping out at a local preserve. Visit the calendar for upcoming volunteer opportunities, or Scenic Hudson's events page.
 
Scenic Hudson Announces Temporary Limited Access and Closure of West Point Foundry Preserve
Due to a Scenic Hudson private event, the West Point Foundry Preserve in Cold Spring will have limited parking and access on Thursday and Friday, June 16 and 17. The preserve will be closed to the public on Saturday, June 18, and there will be a historic cannon sounding at approximately 5:30 p.m. On Sunday, June 19 the preserve will be closed until noon. More info available is available here.

HHLT Lost & Found
A jacket was discovered at Winter Hill after Sunday's Open House. If you believe it may belong to you, please contact the office by phone (845/424-3358) or email ([email protected]). Thank you. 

The Hudson Highlands Land Trust is a community-based, accredited, non-profit land conservation organization dedicated to the protection of the natural resources, rural character and scenic beauty of the Hudson Highlands.