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Entries Tagged as 'paul smiths'

11th Annual Great Adirondack Birding Celebration

April 22nd, 2013 · No Comments · Adirondack News

Paul Smith’s College VIC 31 May – 2 June 2013

Adirondack Bird WatchingThe 11th annual Great Adirondack Birding Celebration is scheduled for 31 May – 2 June 2013, at the Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC) in Paul Smiths, New York. The event will feature field trips to boreal birding hot spots, informative lectures, and workshops. Field trips include: an all-day Birding Across the Adirondacks trip on Friday, plus a selection of half-day field trips on Saturday and Sunday (Birding by Ear at the VIC, Beginner Birder Workshop at the VIC, Bloomingdale Bog, Intervale Lowlands, Little Clear Pond for loons, Madawaska Flow, Spring Pond Bog, and Whiteface Mountain).

The keynote speaker on Friday night is Sara R. Morris, professor of Biology and the Program Coordinator of the Environmental Science Program at Canisius College. Dr. Morris will speak on bird migration. The keynote speaker on Saturday night is Michale Glennon, Coordinator for the Adirondack Program at the Wildlife Conservation Society. Dr. Glennon will speak on the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Boreal Bird Project.

Some of the boreal species that participants in the Great Adirondack Birding Celebration hope to find include the Black-backed Woodpecker, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Boreal Chickadee, Spruce Grouse, Bicknell’s Thrush and a variety of migrating warblers.

The 3,000-acre Paul Smiths VIC contains every habitat type found in the Adirondack Park with the exception of alpine vegetation. Included on the property is a 60-acre marsh, five ponds, several brooks and swamps, bogs, fens, and varied forest types, most notably northern boreal forest. The site includes significant glacial and geological features and provides scenic vistas of Saint Regis Mountain and Jenkins Mountain. The VIC property includes 6 miles of interpretive trails and 8 miles of back country trails for spring, summer, and fall use.

Festival Hours:

Friday, 31 May: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Saturday, 1 June: 6:00 AM to 8:30 PM
Sunday, 2 June: 6:00 AM to 11:30 AM

Preregistration is required. Registration opens 1 May 2013.

For more information: http://bit.ly/17IyIiL

(Photo: Courtesy of ARTC)

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Maple sweetness at The Wild Center and Paul Smith’s College VIC

February 5th, 2013 · No Comments · Adirondack News

Events scheduled for February and March

PAUL SMITHS, NY – The recent cold temperatures bode well for a good maple syrup season – and in February and March, The Wild Center and the Paul Smith’s College VIC will host several events showcasing how to make (and enjoy!) this quintessential springtime treat.

Over four weekends, watch how the sweet sap of trees becomes the highlight of a pancake breakfast and learn other ways to use this natural sweetener at a series of demonstrations, activities and events in both Tupper Lake and Paul Smiths.

Northern New York Maple Project

The Paul Smith’s College VIC will host two workshops for people interested in establishing their own backyard maple sugaring operations.

  • Toss out your old-fashioned maple taps – on Saturday, Feb. 16, from 1-4 p.m., learn how to set up a modern tubing system with Mike Farrell, director of the Cornell Maple Program. A brief classroom session will be followed by hands-on work at the VIC’s sugar maple demonstration site. Topics will include preparing the sugar bush prior to tubing installation; site considerations; line placement and installation; tapping trees; sanitation; and sap collection. Please dress for the weather and be prepared for a 2-3 mile snowshoe walk on groomed trails and uneven terrain. Bring your own snowshoes or borrow a pair from the VIC.
  • On Saturday, March 23, from 1-4 p.m., learn about the art of maple sugaring with special emphasis on backyard tapping, collection and boiling. At this event, part of New York State’s Maple Weekend, Paul Smith’s College students will lead workshops and provide tours of the sugarhouse and the maple demonstration site. Includes program and tastings for the whole family.

The Wild Center will also host a pair of workshops on Sunday, Feb. 24, and Saturday, March 16, to launch Tupper Lake’s first-ever community maple sugaring project. The project, one of the first in the state, invites area residents to tap maple trees in their own yards. The Wild Center will collect the sap daily once it starts to flow, ultimately boiling it down into maple syrup.

To participate, attend the free “Art of Maple Sugaring Breakfast and Workshop.” Registered participants will get a pancake breakfast, an introduction to the natural history of maple trees, expert instruction and tapping tools. Additional supplies will be available for purchase from The Wild Supply Company. Advanced registration is required; attendance at either workshop is necessary to participate in the project. Families are encouraged to attend.

After the workshops end, it’s all maple all day at The Wild Center, with maple stories, crafts and tastings on Feb. 24 and March 16. The Adirondack Museum will share local maple sugaring stories through historical objects and pictures from the past. Get insight into the sugaring process from experienced naturalists at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. as they discuss tapping trees, processing sap, and – the sweet part – maple sugar. Take a closer look at an operational evaporator, catch some running sap and drill your own tap as we explore the local maple-sugaring story.

All events are free and open to the public. Registration is required. Visit Maple Weekends to register for events at The Wild Center or call (518) 359-7800. For events at the Paul Smith’s College VIC, contact Brian McDonnell at (518) 327-6241 or bmcdonnell@paulsmiths.edu. For more information, please visit us online at www.northernnewyorkmaple.com.

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Upcoming events at the Paul Smith’s College VIC

December 10th, 2012 · No Comments · Adirondack News

Sunday, Dec. 9 – Workshop Sunday: Packbasket Weaving

Join Books and Baskets owner Tracy Santagate from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and learn to weave a 13-inch potbellied packbasket with a hand carved handle, double-lashed rim and skids. All materials and tools are supplied including cotton straps. Please pack a lunch. Ages 17 and up. $75/person.

Sunday, Dec. 9 – Christmas Greenery Walk

Take a walk from 10-11 a.m. with VIC naturalist Brian McAllister and learn which winter greens to collect for wreath making, where to find them, how to collect them and what to leave untouched in the woods. Take this class before the wreath-making class or as a stand alone class. Please dress for the weather. $5/person.

Sunday, Dec. 9 – Make Your Own Christmas Wreath

Join Emily Stringham from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and learn to make a standard-size Christmas wreath with fresh winter greenery and a wire frame. Greenery and frame provided. Tools supplied. Please bring gloves, ribbons and ornaments such as pinecones. Pack a lunch, as well. Ages 17 and up. $40/person.

Sunday, Dec. 9 – German Birch Bark Star

Join Paul Smith’s College student Sean Frantz from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and learn to weave German stars out of birch bark. We’ll start by making two or three stars out of ribbon and advance to birch bark, which can be more challenging to work with. Ages 17 and up. $20/person.

Thursday, Dec. 13 – Volunteer Potluck

Paul Smith’s College VIC volunteers will get together with VIC staff from 5:30-6:45 p.m. for a preview of upcoming events and activities. Prospective volunteers are welcome. Please bring a dish to pass and a place setting. If you’re interested in volunteering at the VIC, contact Volunteer Training Coordinator Tracy Santagate at booksandbaskets@roadrunner.com.

Thursday, Dec. 13 – Armchair Traveler Lecture Series

Join Mary Brown from 7-8:30 p.m. for her lecture, “Beyond the Penguins: Behind the Scenes in Antarctica.” Brown worked in Antarctica during the 2008-09 summer seasons and participated in the logistical and survival work that makes scientific work there possible. Come and learn all about her experience. $5/person.

Saturday, Dec. 15 – Project Feeder-Watch: Birds in Winter

Join VIC Naturalist and birder Brian McAllister from 9:30-11:30 a.m. and learn about winter bird species. How do birds survive the winter months? What’s the proper placement for your bird feeders? How do you collect raw data for long-term research projects? You’ll learn all this and more. Please bring binoculars and a field guide and dress for the weather. $15/person.

Saturday, Dec. 15 – Field Sketch Write Now!

Tracy Santagate will lead this VIC Partner Program from 9:30-11:30 a.m. The Field Sketch Write Now! program teaches parents, grandparents and kids basic drawing and journaling skills. Kids and adults get separate instructors. Both learn the same nature journaling techniques and join together at the end to compare their new skills. $20 includes admission for an adult and two children.

Thursday, Dec. 27 – Leaper-Hoppers, Bounders and Waddlers

Make sense of winter tracks with VIC naturalist Brian McAllister. Learn to identify winter animals and to understand animal gaits, behaviors and preferred habitats. Please dress to go outside. 10 a.m.-noon. Ages 8-12. $10/person.

Thursday, Dec. 27 – Photo Safari

Join VIC educator Tracy Santagate from 1-2:30 p.m. and explore points of focus, zooming, background, shot framing, camera grip and other tips on photographing nature. Students need their own simple digital camera for this class. Please dress for the weather. Ages 8-12. $10/person.

Visit Paul Smith’s College VIC on Facebook for more info.

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