Conservatively Speaking
by Bill & Donna Lenhart

April 2001

Hello! We are happy to be the new Conservation co-chairs for the club! As you know, the environment is under assault from the new administration in the White House. With the environment threatened, so too, is its wildlife. We will be here, keeping you informed, not only of pending legislation, but things you can do to ensure the well-being of our feathered, furred and other outdoor friends.

Egg-cellent Idea - According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, recent studies have found that some birds aren't getting enough calcium, possibly because acid rain is leaching calcium from the soil. So, the Lab invites all birders to put crushed eggshells out at platform feeders and on the ground for the birds' consumption. This will be especially helpful to the birds during breeding season. (from Organic Gardening March/April 2000)

Branching Out - National Arbor Day in New York State is the last Friday in April (the 27th this year). So, give the birds, the animals and yourself the gift of planting a tree! ps - did you know the state tree of New York is the Sugar Maple?

Made in the Shade - Lots of things today pose a serious threat to birds, not the least of which is their disappearing winter habitat in South America. Much of this forest habitat is being lost to coffee farms. You can do your part to help them by purchasing only shade-grown coffee. Small, family-owned farms are trying to make a go of it, while simultaneously helping the birds, by planting shade-loving coffee plants. Rest assured that no bird habitat is destroyed to bring you your morning coffee when you buy these!

Some of the places you can purchase this coffee are:

The National Arbor Day Foundation 100 Arbor Avenue Nebraska City, NE 68410 tel. 402-474-5655	They sell Rainforest Rescue coffees, whole-bean or ground, $8.95 a bag. Right now they are running a special, $5.00 a bag. Your purchase will help to protect the El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve in Chiapas, where 30 native mammals and some 150 bird species call home!
HomeEarth.com 3515 Silverside Road Suite 203 Wilmington, DE 19810 tel. 800-780-9986	They sell Songbird coffees, whole-bean or ground, prices vary. These coffees come from Mexico, Costa Rica, and Guatemala from forests that hawks, parrots, orioles, macaws, warblers, flycatchers, woodpeckers and doves, among others, call home.

Locally, you can find shade-grown coffee at Mother Earth's Storehouse, Route 9, Poughkeepsie, in the plaza in front of the Galleria Mall. May also be at their other stores in Hyde Park and Kingston. We'll make sure we have some info at the next meeting about these shade-grown coffee suppliers.

Landing Area - On March 2nd, Governor Pataki announced plans to acquire Schunnemunk Mountain in the Orange County towns of Cornwall, Woodbury and Blooming Grove. The 2,458-acre property, to be known as Schunnemunk Mountain State Park, will become New York's 163rd State Park.
With an elevation of nearly 1,700 feet and extending more than eight miles, Schunnemunk Mountain forms the western boundary of the Hudson Highlands and is the dominant landscape feature noticeable while traveling on the NYS Thruway near Rockland County. The mountain is covered by deciduous hardwoods, scrub & pitch pine, an understory of blueberry and one of the most extensive stands of mountain laurel in the area. This addition to the Hudson Highlands is another step in ensuring a protected corridor for migrating & nesting Neo-tropicals, as well as migrating raptors in the fall.

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June 2001

Endangered species reprieve? Rejecting a prominent part of President Bush's environmental agenda, House Republicans shot down a proposal restricting the ability of environmental groups to get plants and animals added to the endangered species list. Mary Beth Beetham, director of legislative affairs for Defenders of Wildlife, said the Bush provision "would have gutted citizen enforcement of the Endangered Species Act." And, in an additional setback for the president, the lawmakers ignored Bush's request for $2 million for preparatory studies for oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge - a sign that the proposal to drill in the sanctuary is all but dead in Congress.

In New York state alone, 10 birds are listed as Endangered, 10 are Threatened, and 19 are of Special Concern. Those wishing to learn more about New York's endangered species can visit the NYSDEC website to read more in-depth.

Amending the "Constitution"! Constitution Marsh Sanctuary in Garrison has unveiled an extensive new boardwalk, a wooden and steel walkway approximately 1000 feet in length, meandering through tall reeds and rushes and giving visitors an opportunity to experience the vibrant, life-filled marsh firsthand. On May 18 the Audubon Society and state officials gathered for a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the boardwalk. The structure was built in memory of Jim Rod, who was the marsh's longtime steward until his untimely passing in 1998.

State Parks Commissioner Bernadette Castro announced that Constitution Marsh has been named the state's fifth Bird Conservation Area. The marsh is an important waterfowl wintering and migration stopover site for birds such as Bald Eagle and Peregrine Falcon. Breeding birds in the marsh include Least Bittern, Virginia Rail, and Marsh Wren.

Helping hand for the geese - Animal lovers and NYSDOT teamed up May 24th to help protect geese and their goslings from getting killed by traffic on Route 299 in New Paltz. Members of the New Paltz Student Coalition for Animal Rights convinced the DOT that the extensive wetland areas striding the road presented a hazard, both to the geese that have been attempting to cross the highway and to motorists, with their sudden braking to avoid hitting the hapless birds. The DOT has erected thin, unobtrusive fencing that will stretch 2000 feet along the road to act as an impediment to the wandering geese families. If this proves successful, it will be used as a model to address similar problems statewide.

More internet, less paper? With all the talk of the "paperless office" and the ascendance of the Internet one would think our use of paper products would have declined -- right? Well, not exactly. With the millions of computers in use the world's appetite has grown more ravenous than ever; fax machines, printers, and copiers make it possible to churn out page after page. Globally, paper use has increased more than sixfold over the past five decades. One-fifth of all the wood in the world ends up being manufactured into paper, a process fraught with environmental costs be they deforestation, species loss, or more pollution. The United States, with less than 5% of the planet's population, uses 30% of its paper. Annual U.S. per capita consumption is roughly equivalent to 670 copies of the daily New York Times. In 1997 we went through a total of 89.9 million tons. It takes up to 3 ½ tons of trees to make one ton of paper.

Not only do we consume the most paper, we also throw out the most with more than half of it ending up in landfills. To cut waste, the conservation group Forest Ethics recommends consciously reducing the amount of paper we use in our business and personal lives, and using "tree-free" paper made from ecologically sustainable fibers such as kenaf and hemp, as well as buying recycled paper with a high percentage of post-consumer content (that which is derived from recycled materials).