In this Issue: Listening to Land; Strong Showing at State Greenways Conference; Learn About Mast Years for Rock Oaks; Stop Zena Updates on Social Media; and International Day of Climate Action

Connecting to Nature through Our Senses

A Few Spots Remain in Listening to Land

"Listen to the voice of nature for it holds treasures for you."

- Huron-Wendat First Nation Proverb

We've had an incredible year of outdoor programming, which will culminate next month in the "Listening to Land" event. Just a few spots remain for the immersive experience that will invite you to deepen your relationship with the natural world through attentive listening and the practice of recording ambient sound.

Led by Zaneta, an interdisciplinary sound artist who will utilize their expertise in eco-acoustic art and mindful soundwalking, the workshop will be held Nov. 6 from noon to 2 p.m. at Israel Wittman Sanctuary. Participants do not need recording experience or special equipment. The workshop is free, but reservations are required. Sign up today before it reaches maximum capacity by registering here.

Trail Advocates Gathered in Kingston

2025 Empire State Greenways Conference Featured WLC

Conference plenary session speakers included Peter Karis (Open Space Institute), Kevin Smith (Woodstock Land Conservancy), Kristen Wilson (Ulster County Planning), Christie DeBoer (Wallkill Valley Land Trust), Kingston Mayor Steve Noble and Dennis Doyle (Ulster County Planning). Parks and Trails New York Executive Director Paul Steely White (far right) introduced the session.

Parks & Trails New York held its 2025 Empire State Greenways Conference in Kingston last week, with trail advocates, municipal planners, engineers, land trust representatives and elected officials gathering to learn, network and get inspired. WLC's Board Chair Kevin Smith was one of the featured speakers at the conference's plenary session. Kevin also helped to lead the field experience on the Ashokan Rail Trail (ART) for 40 cyclists at the conclusion of the conference.

Speaking on the more than 10 years of advocacy work to win approval for the ART, Kevin provided insights on building a sustained coalition, working with key stakeholders, keeping the momentum and being willing to re-engage by building on past successes. Kevin's presentation was part of the broader discussion of "Trailblazing Together: Developing Ulster County's System."

Ulster County Planning Director Dennis Doyle and Deputy Planning Director Kristen Wilson bookended the session detailing the county's success in building and connecting shared-use trails with specific trails highlighted by Kingston Mayor Steve Noble, Wallkill Valley Land Trust Executive Director Christie DeBoer and Open Space Institute Vice President Peter Karis.

The Greenways Conference also included a keynote address from Janette Sadik-Khan, former New York City Transportation Commissioner, who spoke about increasing pedestrian and cycling spaces across the city -- including transforming Times Square -- during Mayor Bloomberg's administration. Ryan Chao, president of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, served as Friday's keynote speaker to provide a national perspective on the benefits of rail trails for non-motorized transportation.

If you'd like to help Kevin and the coalition he leads expand the ART to Kingston, please go to KATrail.org to join the mailing list and learn more. We need your help!

What's a Mast Year?

Learn More about Rock Oaks and Acorns

Are you celebrating OAKtober? We are actually celebrating oaks -- chestnut oaks -- all year. As part of the debut of our newest public trail at Rock Oak Preserve, we’re sharing information each month about the native tree that gives the preserve its name.

In October, oaks like rock oaks (another name for chestnut oaks) begin dropping mature acorns, providing a crucial food source for local wildlife. Occasionally, these oaks produce an exceptionally large crop of acorns in a phenomenon called a mast year. Mast years occur every few years and are often synchronized across many oak trees in a region, which helps overwhelm seed predators by producing more acorns than they can consume. This reproductive strategy increases the chances that many acorns will survive to grow into new trees. In the years following a mast event, acorn production is typically much lower, preventing predators from relying on a steady food supply and encouraging ecological balance.

Rock Oak Preserve is located near the intersection of Basin Road and 28A in West Hurley. Please visit the loop trail and historic rock-cut from sunrise to sunset this fall to observe the falling acorns and the rich food webs they support.

Want to stay up to date on the efforts to keep Zena Development from building homes, a rec center and pickleball courts in a critically important forest? Let your fingers do the tapping and join Protect Zena on Instagram and STOP Zena Development on Facebook. In addition to the newsletters that are sent out when news breaks regarding the fight to save more than 600 acres in Woodstock and Ulster from development, these social media accounts will allow you to quickly and easily help your neighbors, friends and associates learn how they can get engaged to save the forest, vernal pools, wildlife corridors and fragile ecosystems. Just share the posts on Facebook and/or Instagram, instantly expanding the audience for these messages.

Don't get the newsletters? Please visit the Stop Zena website to subscribe.

If you aren't already following Woodstock Land Conservancy on Facebook and Instagram, please do so today! We feature upcoming events, beautiful photos of the plants and animals that call our preserves home, helpful advice on invasive species, and more. We appreciate it when you like our posts, and we are especially excited when you leave a comment, ask a question or share your own photos.

Let's get social by being friends on Facebook and Instagram.

Illustration from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The International Day of Climate Action was launched in 2009 by the environmental advocacy group 350.org to get the attention of United Nations delegates as they prepared to participate in the Climate Change Conference. The UN is scheduled to hold the annual conference in early November, and Oct. 24 is, again, a day of action by individuals, local groups, national nonprofits and international organizations to address the climate crisis.

There's been emphasis on the role individuals play in mitigating climate change, but the onus should not be on each of us as individuals. While it is important to do our part, it is collective action at the local, state, regional and national levels that will make a demonstrable difference. There's fear the globe has already reached at least one climate change tipping point, so we must act quickly to ensure more tipping points are not crossed.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation completed a three-year study in 2024 to assess the power of community-driven climate action. The study's results are summarized in these five lessons:

• Truly inclusive climate action must go beyond traditional town hall meetings.
• Strong relationships with local stakeholders and city government are crucial. 
• Meet communities where they are.
• Education and awareness are just as important as action. 
• Focus on your community’s strengths and assets.

To learn more about the study's takeaways, read the summary here. Do you have climate-action ideas for Woodstock and the eastern Catskills' communities? We'd like to hear them!

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