In this Issue: Students Learn about Macroinvertebrates; Rescheduled Film Event; Celebrate the Winners of the Photo Contest; "Ecologies of Water" Goes Global; Now Hiring a Land Steward; and Bird of the Month

WLC Partners with Schools to Create Art Exhibit

This Year's Theme is "Watershed Wonders"

"If we want our children to move mountains, we first have to let them get out of their chairs."

- Author Nicolette Sowder

The weather may be keeping us firmly in winter, but we are working with students who are dreaming of spring. Our annual elementary school collaborations are underway! This year, we’re visiting six classrooms across three local schools: Middle Way School, Woodstock Day School and Woodstock Elementary. Each school visit includes a lesson and a presentation from a local expert in the field of watershed health. These visits will culminate in "Watershed Wonders," an art exhibit at the Woodstock Library, opening April 18 from 12–3 p.m. as part of WLC’s Earth Day programming and the Town of Woodstock's Earth Week.

"Spending time in elementary classrooms is one of the best ways to laugh and build deeper connections to our local watershed," staffer Miranda Javid said. Javid organized the Macroinvertebrate Workshop with fifth graders at Middle Way earlier this month. Frank Beres from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection shared his experience with stream monitoring and his enthusiasm for macroinvertebrates, small stream-dwelling creatures that often serve as indicators of water quality.

While Frank shared a wealth of knowledge, we’re always reminded of how much we can learn from the simple, heartfelt ways kids see the world. When one student was shown a bug called a hellgrammite (what some might consider a creepy crawler) and asked what she'd say to the bug, she replied, “Will you marry me?” Sounds like a stream scientist in the making! 

In the coming weeks, WLC will continue projects in local schools exploring topics like local fish, types of water-habitats, frogs and more. Student artwork from these visits will be featured in Watershed Wonders at the Woodstock Library beginning April 18 and running until May 9. More details here.

Film Series Event Rescheduled Due to Weather

"Local Choices for Natural Burials" to be Held April 27

Due to the uncertainty of the projected storm and the blizzard warning issued by the National Weather Service, the Film & Discussion Series event scheduled for Monday of this week was rescheduled to April 27.

If you had registered for the Zoom link, you do not need to register again. The event will be offered in person at the Woodstock Jewish Congregation or through Zoom.

For more information about the March 30 event or the rescheduled event in April, click here.

Celebrate the Winners of the Photo Contest

Happy Trails Exhibit Opens March 7

In celebration of the Ashokan Rail Trail’s sixth anniversary, WLC collaborated last fall with CPW: Center for Photography at Woodstock and KATrail.org to launch the Happy Trails Photo Contest. The submissions are in, and the judges are ready to announce winners in the three categories as well as a Best in Show at the Exhibit Opening and Awards Ceremony. Join us March 7 from 3-5 p.m. for an afternoon of celebrating the art of the ART.

Professional photographers Jamie Kennard, Phil Mansfield and Amanda Russo Rubman judged the entries. The awards will be announced March 7 and on display with the other entries through April 5 at CPW, which is located at 25 Dederick Street in Kingston.

Photographers — both professional and amateur — were encouraged to submit their favorite ART photos in one of three categories: landscape, flora and fauna, and happy faces. Regardless of the season, the Ashokan Rail Trail offers breathtaking views, interesting wildlife, gorgeous blooms and smiles from walkers, runners and cyclists. The photo entries captured the rail trail at its best.

We hope you will drop by the Community Gallery at CPW to congratulate the winners while enjoying refreshments and exciting information about the rail trail and its future. In order to ensure we have enough refreshments, we are requesting you register for this free event by clicking below.



Please also join us in thanking Bread Alone, Catskill Art Supply, Hudson Valley Seed Company and KaN Landscape Design for providing awards for our winners.

WLC Becomes a Drinkable Rivers Hub

Book Club Leads to Stewardship Initiative

WLC's Miranda Javid was recently given a global platform to discuss our "Ecologies of Water" programming theme as she participated in an interview with Drinkable Rivers, the organization founded by author Li An Phoa that works on water quality initiatives around the world.

Miranda's interview, which was published this week, explores WLC's coming participation in Drinkable Rivers' citizen science program with the implementation of the "stream stewards" project. WLC is using Drinkable Rivers' kits to train volunteers to test the water quality of the Sawkill as part of a yearlong collaboration with artist Jennifer Zackin called "Mapping the Sawkill."

"As I was designing the Ecologies of Water program for this year, I had in mind that it would be great to incorporate some kind of participatory water quality testing." Miranda said in the interview. She noted how pleased she was to find that Drinkable Rivers had the materials needed to launch it.

Read the full interview here then join us tomorrow night for the second and final installment of Conversations in Conservation, where Miranda will lead us in a virtual book club focused on Drinkable Rivers: How the River Became My Teacher. Sign up for the Zoom link here.

Taking Applications for Seasonal Land Steward

Priority Review Period Closes March 6

We are still taking applications for a seasonal Land Steward position as our staff prepares for late spring and summer.

WLC seeks a part-time addition to our stewardship team who will work 20-24 hours per week. The Land Steward will assist the Stewardship Manager, working collaboratively and independently.

Primary activities will include field work and office work. Field work will include invasive plant species management and trail maintenance/creation. Office work will include scanning/copying, writing and Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping. Candidates must be self-directed, independent, team minded and energetic.



The full position announcement is here. To receive priority review, please send your cover letter and resume here with Land Steward Application in the subject line by March 6.

Bird of the Month

Northern Cardinal

There's nothing quite as striking as a male Northern Cardinal's deep red coloring contrasting with bright white snow, as WLC Board Member Hank Starr illustrated with this shot near Mt. Tremper. The Northern Cardinal is one of more recognizable visitors to a backyard bird feeder or the edge of a forest thanks to its signature hue.

Prevalent along the East Coast and into parts of the Midwest, Northern Cardinals live in much of New York State year-round. They eat seeds, small fruits and insects, and they primarily nest in saplings and shrubs. Preferring to forage rather than fly, Northern Cardinals tend to form large flocks to hunt for food during this time of the year.

This is likely a bird you've seen pecking at its reflection in a window or even a shiny bumper in the spring. Why do Northern Cardinals act this way? Much like teens, the answer appears to be hormones. Both males and females are aggressively protecting their territory against invaders, and that bird in the glass looks like trouble!

Cardinals' songs and calls are almost as familiar as their distinctive coloring. You'll most likely hear them in the spring and summer, but males are known to sing throughout the year.

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