www.nysoea.org 6 0 7 . 5 9 1 .

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Photo by: Margie Turrin Piermont Marsh, Significant Coastal Fish & Wildlife Habitat
PATHWAYS
Offcial Publication of the New York State Outdoor Education Association Summer 2013
2 Pathways Summer 2013 2
NYSOEA EXECUTIVE BOARD
President Tim Stanley
VP Administration John Garesch
VP Communication Eric Powers
VP Human Resources
GayLynne Samsonoff
VP Program - Jolene Thompson
Secretary - Meaghan Boice-Green
Treasurer - Elizabeth Van Acker
Offce - Darleen Lieber
REGIONAL DIRECTORS
Eastern - Amanda Ackers &
Natalie Rider
Metro - Jessica Kratz
Sunny Corrao
Northern - Brian DeGroat
Western - Kimberly May &
Caryn Corriere
Central - Benette Whitmore, Ph.D
Beth Folta, Ph.D
2013 ANNUAL NYSOEA CONFERENCE
MaryLynne Malone
PATHWAYS
Issue Editors
Jessica Kratz
Nichole Gatherer
Graphic Designer
Matthew Fraher
Content Editors
Sarah Conley
Darleen Leiber
Jill Eisenstein
Richard Parisio (Poetry Editor)
Benette Whitmore, Ph. D.
Online Content/
Marketing Manager
Jonathan Duda
Contributing Past Editors
Frank Knight
Snapper Petta
A NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT
CICADIAN RHYTHMS.
The recent emergence of millions of 17-year cicadas,
crawling out of the ground and then out of their
exoskeletons with red eyes and long wings, has
created quite a buzz --both literally and fguratively!
Imagine the terror and excitement of 60 students
from Harlem as they entered not only the forest but
the realm of the cicadas in June. Throw in some
maple looper caterpillars, a few huge carpenter bees... and there was a collective
scream that in a small area drowned out the loud hum of the cicadas. Yet in a
few hours, these same students were holding the insects and looking for them on
the trees, shouting when they found one emerging from its shell. Can a cicada
promote interdisciplinary life-long learning in, for and about the outdoors and
inspire appreciation of the environment by all people? When any teacher takes
students outside, it is nature that becomes the teacher.
For just over 2.6 of these cicada cycles, NYSOEA has annually planned an event
to remind everyone of the power of outdoor education. This years 45
th
Annual
NYSOEA Conference-- Bridging History, Outdoor Education and Urbanization for
our Future-- will be held October 24th-27th. It will be a time to share, network,
and reinvigorate our spirits, and a time to have our voices heard. Like the
cicadas, we can collectively make a very loud noise! Each of us can emerge and
add to the buzz: 1) Identify a teacher who love teaching their student about
the outdoors and invite them to the conference (a free NYSOEA membership to
frst-time conference attendees). 2) Spread the word through networks such as
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or e-mail. 3) Talk to people about the organization
and conference. 4) Put an advertisement in the conference booklet. 5) Register
early to take advantage of the early-bird registration.
Seventeen years ago, I observed an underprivileged urban girl visiting a farm;
she found one cicada more interesting than the farm animals that surrounded
her. As she held that insect in her hands, they seemed to bond. They had each
responded to a rhythm that called them forth. It was as though she understood
that both she and the insect had left the confnes of their own worlds to enter a
very different world they were now sharing. Both had been transformed. This
is the power of outdoor education, where a periodical cicada can become an
inspiration for emerging and fnding a voice, where insect is teacher.
3 Pathways Summer 2013
Today, more consumers than ever want to lighten the load of
our planet, while providing better nutrition to their families
and to the precious soil. This has been a bountiful year of
Farmers Markets, Seed Swaps, Community Garden harvests,
and CSAs. In 2013, Gardening in Westchester is just as likely
to conjure images of gardeners managing their own crops, as
it is for them to be aesthetically grooming landscapes.
The reasons for this shift toward local food sourcing are
plentiful. For many consumers, local food is about food
justice, and connecting us with that which feeds us. Since
2008, InterGenerate has provided Westchester residents
with opportunities to join community gardens and harvest
fresh produce for both their families and for the Food Bank
of Westchester. InterGenerates founders, Peggy Clarke and
Roseann Rutherford wanted to address many facets of food
justice: access to fresh (i.e., unprocessed) food, labor rights
for farm workers (all those who work in the food industry),
local resourcing to reduce stress on the earth, and the ethical
treatment of animals. InterGenerate founded four community
gardens in Northern Westchester, including a Giving Garden,
which supplies the Food Bank of Westchester.
RECONNECTING WITH THAT WHICH FEEDS US
LOCAL FOOD SOURCING IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY
By Jacqueline Mooney-OBrien, InterGenerate Educator
To further the mission of local food sourcing, InterGenerate
opened a Heritage Egg Co-op at John Jay Homestead in 2011.
Although Backyard Chickens have become vastly popular,
many Westchester County villages have prohibitive zoning
regulations and do not foster hen ownership. For many
residents, this cooperative provides an alternative way to
participate in hen ownership. Using a weekly shift co-op
model, participating families rotate hen caregiving and
harvesting. On average, each shift member takes home about
a dozen eggs each week over the course of the year. Benefts
of participating in this co-op experience go way beyond the
nutrition of the egg. Participants are eager to reconnect with
food sourcing, and enthusiastic about having their children
care for the animals that provide them with important
nutrition. While the membership is small, the Egg Co-op has
reached thousands of people, strengthening community ties
while taking one step toward building a more sustainable
food system, says Katherine Moreau, founder of the Egg Co-
op with InterGenerate.
photo by Jacqueline Mooney-OBrien
photo by Jacqueline Mooney-OBrien
4 Pathways Summer 2013
As an outreach project, the InterGenerate Heritage Egg Co-
op provides educational access to a domesticated member of
our food system by hosting camper groups throughout the
summer. Campers create memorable experiences during
their visits, learn about hen caregiving, the nutrition of
eggs and the role they play in our food system, how hens
contribute to the ecosystem of the farm (tick control and
fertilizer) and most of all, enjoy the animal interaction and
enrichment they provide the hens during the visits. Led by
many InterGenerate volunteers, campers interact with hens
and help with caregiver tasks. Campers receive an orientation
on hen hygiene, help harvest eggs, refresh nesting boxes and
feed hens fresh produce treats.
A resource, activity, and a craft table provide alternative ways
to extend the hands-on experience. Campers have access to
illustrated books and posters regarding chicken breeds and
the life cycle of chickens. An educational poster details the
ovaries and course the eggs take moving through and out of
the body. Drawing paper and writing utensils are available to
campers who want to sketch the John Jay Homestead hens.
Outreach leaders facilitate inquiry-based discussions about
sustainability, food systems, hen care, and nutrition. Campers
are delighted to participate in this hands-on experience.
InterGenerate is very appreciative of the Friends of John
Jay Homestead for the encouragement theyve provided as
they continue to expand the educational outreach of the
InterGenerate Heritage Egg Co-op experience.
For more information about InterGenerate or to join one of
their programs visit
www.intergenerate.ning.com or call 914.232.8072.
2012 coop drawing by Mt. Kisco Boys & Girls Club camper named Rebecca.
5 Pathways Summer 2013
Each major storm of 2011 and 2012 changed the forest
landscape of the Northeast from the top down in just one day.
But something else has been changing the same landscape
for years from the bottom up-- just as signifcantly, and much
more slowly.
Recently I spoke with a few experts who voiced unanimous
concern that the health of the forests in the Northeast is
declining. They agreed that, in general terms, a healthy forest
is one that supports several layers of diverse, native trees
and shrubs of different ages. The larger, old-growth trees
spread a canopy over the top, sheltering an emerging forest
of seedlings and saplings, which over time will replace them.
Shrubs such as Mountain laurel and wildfowers like Trillium,
Ladys slipper and Jack-in-the-Pulpit thrive in the understory.
A healthy forest makes for a healthy watershed. The roots of
trees flter water and slow its fow; they hold and stabilize
the soil. The canopy of a forest cools the water below and the
plants sequester harmful pollutants. Without healthy forests,
there is more soil erosion, the water gets warmer (so holds
less oxygen), and the entire ecosystem changes. An unhealthy
forest can lead to an unhealthy watershed.
by Jill Eisenstein
What has been changing the forest? Well, for one, the white-
tailed deer. Deer are as natural as a snowstorm, only more
subtle. Essentially extirpated from New York in the early
1900s, they are now munching their way through the forest
undergrowth, through farm crops and through landscape
plantings. Here in New York, their population now tops 1.25
million. The suburban matrix provides the perfect habitat for
hungry deer. Fragmented forest and yardscapes offer the ideal
edges for browsing, and according to maps produced by The
Nature Conservancy, the matrix is more pronounced in this
area than anywhere else in the Boston/NYC/LI corridor. In the
absence of natural predators such as wolves and mountain
lions, the herd suffers fewer losses. Plus a growing number
of large landowners, interested in exclusion and privacy, post
their land to keep hunters away. And thousands of us provide
a year-round nutritional buffet with landscaped trees and
shrubs. Together these elements provide deer with plenty of
protection and food, perfect conditions for herd growth. Any
population that is not restricted in some way grows at an
increasingly accelerated rate.
Deer are beautiful, but how much is too much of a good thing?
6 Pathways Summer 2013
According to Kevin Clarke, deer
expert at the NYS Department
of Environmental Conservation,
its when deer numbers reach a
higher level than are culturally
tolerable - in other words, when
human activities and deer activities
constantly collide. He said that the DEC
estimates that deer densities range
from 25 to 50 per square mile in Putnam
and Dutchess Counties. In much of
Westchester, population densities are even
higher. The county devised a taskforce and
spent over two years studying the problem.
After publishing their fnal report in 2008, they
implemented an adaptive deer management program
(controlled hunting) to reduce deer populations. In
NYS, annual estimates of deer damage, including
damages to cars, agricultural crops, the timber
industry, and landscape plantings, are in the millions
of dollars.
What has attracted attention more recently,
however, is the impact of deer on forest biodiversity
and ecology. Lasdon Park in Westchester has had
a deer exclosure area for more than 15 years, and the
differences on either side of its fence are astounding. Deer
prefer the seedlings of hard woods such as maples, oaks,
and ashes, and love Trillium, wild violets, and other delicate
native wildfowers. However, these types of food resources
have been greatly diminished, and under pressure to fnd
food, deer will eat almost anything within reach. Where deer
are too numerous, over-browsing has led to open, park-like
understory areas known as deer savannahs. In some places,
the only evidence of spring is unfurling fddleheads (deer
dont eat ferns and the ferns actually inhibit the growth of
tree seedlings) and greening Japanese barberry and stilt grass.
Some hardwoods are not regenerating because the seedlings
are being browsed to the ground. According to Ted Kozlowski,
Certifed Watershed Forester and Patterson Environmental
Conservation Inspector, this is not what the world should
look like! The loss of native understory plants negatively
impacts songbirds, as well as species such as the wood
thrush, woodcock, ruffed grouse, indigo bunting, blue-spotted
salamander, the New England cottontail, and others. Besides
loss of biodiversity, less vegetation means more soil erosion
(fewer roots to hold the soil), and lower water quality in the
watersheds. Recognizing this, the DEP opened its watershed
properties to deer hunting two years ago.
Overabundant deer contribute to declining forest health. But
alas, when you pull on one thread in nature, you fnd it attached
to many others. Nature refuses to be compartmentalized;
one thing is never just one thing.
Its all about relationships --
chemicals and compounds,
systems and food webs. The
forests are in trouble, but
deer are only a part of the
problem. Also culpable are
invasive plants-- many invade
the forests as birds and animals
drop seeds from landscape plants
such as Burning bush (Euonymus),
Japanese barberry (Berberis), Oriental
bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus),
Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)and
Multifora rose (Rosa multifora). Add to that
exotic insects and tree diseases (wooly adelgid,
chestnut blight, gypsy moth to name a
few), poor land practices, climate change,
earthworms, acid rain and the already-
mentioned fragmentation of forests.
There is good news! Individuals have ways
they can help the forest get or stay healthy.
Since more than 80% of New Yorks nearly 19 million acres
of forest are held in private ownership, landowners have a
huge ability to impact forest health. Landowners can plant
native landscape plants instead of invasives, and can help
eliminate invasive plants. In the right numbers, deer can
actually help, too...Mile-a-Minute vine and Euonymus are on
their menu. In some places, deer exclusion fences are being
installed, and/or hunting is being encouraged (landowners
can allow limited hunting on private property; check with
the DEC on how) to help reduce deer densities and hopefully
help forest regeneration. Ted recommends that landowners
avail themselves of the free information and help available
from the NYC Watershed Agricultural Council and the DEC
foresters, as well as Cornell Cooperative Extension.
All of us who enjoy the outdoors want clean water, a healthy,
diverse landscape and abundant wildlife for ourselves and
the next generations. We need to be aware of the signs of poor
forest health, learn about what plants belong in the forest
and what may be harmful. What can we do? We can defnitely
change planting practices, manage the forest on our own
properties, and encourage healthy forest regeneration. Watch
for local programs for homeowners.
Special thanks to Dan Aitchison, Curator of Wildlife for Westchester
County Parks; Bill Harding, Executive Director, NYS Dept. of State;
Ted Kozlowski, Certifed Watershed Forester; and Kevin Clarke,
DEC, for their invaluable information, expertise, and insight.
7 Pathways Summer 2013
Pok-O-MacCready is many things to many people. Ask a
former summer camper and it is the greatest camp in the
universe with giant color wars-type games, High Peaks
hiking, lake swimming, and horseback riding. Ask teacher
liaisons who attend with their classes during the school year
and it is a place to see students excel in new environments.
Ask those same students and theyll say it is the place with
the fun ropes in the trees where they learned how to work
together as a team. No matter who you ask, the Pok-O-
MacCready Outdoor Education Center is a place that gives
children an experience seldom found within the walls of a
traditional school.
The Pok-O-MacCready Outdoor Education Center sits on 350
acres of privately owned land in the northeastern corner of
the Adirondack State Park. Its size, proximity to both the
High Peaks and Lake Champlain, and talented staff allow
it to provide a wide range of activities and classes for the
AFFILIATE SPOTLIGHT:
Pok-O-MacCready Outdoor Education Center
By Brian DeGroat, Director Pok-O-McCready Education Center
almost two thousand students who visit annually. These
activities encompass four main categories: Teambuilding,
High Adventure, Natural Sciences and Living History. With
over forty classes aligned with the New York State Learning
Standards, PMOEC can dovetail nicely with the various goals
teachers set for their particular trip. Groups in the fall tend
to focus on Teambuilding with the Low Ropes and Teams
Courses in order to build bonds for the remainder of the
school year. Winter groups focus on ice climbing, winter
survival, and cross country skiing to force students outside of
their comfort zone and build confdence. In the spring, many
groups offer options in all four categories to give the students
a reward for a job well done during the rest of the school year.
Scattered throughout the seasons, French Canadian schools
travel south to give their immersion classes a totally English
experience. By remaining fexible and offering customizable
scheduling, PMOEC is able to serve groups of all ages for many
8 Pathways Summer 2013
different purposes, including professional retreats, leadership
conferences, and training for college Residence Advisors.
Pok-O is also a lovely spot for weddings!
Although different people use Pok-Os services for a variety
of activities, The Centers main mission is to create and
encourage a sense of awe in the presence of nature, to
promote teamwork, communication, and tolerance, to build
self-confdence, and to nurture self-worth for students of all
ages. This is brought about by a strong emphasis on both
experiential and environmental education. The circular
low-ropes course presents a very unique opportunity for
development and has been described as one of the most
creative in-house designs.
Teamwork and communication are also a driving force
behind PMOECs community involvement. As part of a small,
rural community, Pok-O has sought to establish partnerships
with local farms, schools, and museums in order to promote
community programs and local businesses. One highlight
from the past year includes working with Tupper Lakes Wild
Center and the New York State Maple Producers Association
to provide Maple Syrup Education Seminars. PMOEC also
provides a free lecture series in the winter on topics ranging
from Bears in the Adirondacks to an Agricultural History of
the Champlain Valley to a workshop with writer/illustrator
Steven Kellogg. By establishing ties with other organizations,
Pok-O has been able to stretch its resources and create a
higher level of programming.
9 Pathways Summer 2013
As PMOEC enters into its ffth decade, it will continue to seek
out new opportunities to educate both students and adults.
The recent addition of indoor rock climbing facility known as
The Crux has not only created a fantastic new experience for
students, but has also opened a new avenue to connect with
the local community. PMOEC also hopes to partner with the
both the 1812 Homestead and the North Country Underground
Railroad Historical Association in the Fall of 2013 to create
an interactive simulation that puts participants in the role
of a fugitive slave seeking freedom in Canada. Although rock
climbing and historical re-enactment may seem like polar
opposites, PMOEC and its multi-talented staff are able to
use the lens of experiential education to create meaningful
education from both. It is this focus and fexibility that will
allow PMOEC to thrive as the years roll on.


NYSOEA Members in Action
On Sunday April 28
th
, NYSOEA Metro Region
members and family helped prepare a campsite
for the season and removed debris left from
superstorm Sandy at NPS Floyd Bennett Field in
southern Brooklyn.
From left: Jessica Kratz, Sunny Corrao, GayLynne
Samsonoff, Matt Samsonoff
Not featured: Bob Ward, whose search for plastic
containers that he could use in leaf packs with
students along the Bronx River, added an
interesting educational dimension to the cleanup.
Photo courtesy of NPS/Floyd Bennett Field
All photos courtesy of Erin DeBusk from the PMOEC Archives
10 Pathways Summer 2013
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Christmas, or perhaps Hanukah
Halloweenan anxiously awaited birthday
all are special days in the life of a child. Each
spring, I too have a date to look forward to.
Its the day I sit quietly on a low ridge in the
woods just off of Raquette Lake. Ostensibly,
my job is to catch wayward students as they
navigate an orienteering course. Keeping
them from wandering into a confusing
morass of boggy wetness is my professional
goal, but actually I have a secret personal
agenda. This will be the day for my annual
Seton Watch.
Named for Ernest Thompson Seton, an
early 20
th
century naturalist, this activity of
intentional sitting, while quietly observing
your surroundings, allows a person to
experience what one small location in nature
has to offer. In my case, this spot is found near
a lichen encrusted boulder. Set in amongst a
mixture of pines, balsam fr, emerging maples
and decaying beeches, the small elevation
allows for breezes blowing in off the lake
to surround me as they stir. By returning
year after year, an intimacy has developed
between me and this space; one that allows
for quiet refection, familiarity and discovery.
Arriving by mid-morning, I spend a few
moments cleaning up winters debris.
Typically my frst task is to pitch a tarp
against the projected rains. Then, nestled
under the protective nylon, I silently watch
for whatever is waiting to reveal itself. It
takes a few minutes before Im really relaxed,
attuned to the site and open to what it wants
to present. Seen out of the corner of my eye,
subtle movement gives away the presence of
a chickadee as it fits from perch to perch. In
the distance what sounds like a small steam
engine pinpoints the location of a male ruffed
grouse as it fans his tail, drumming against a
log in its ancient courting ritual, calling out
for a mate.
Around mid day an almost silent drizzle announces
itself, settling lightly on the tarp. As the rain picks up in
intensity all animal life tucks itself in for the duration
of this storm. Secret hiding places become known as
I watch chipmunks dive for cover while red squirrels
scamper upward disappearing under the protection
of overhanging spruce limbs. Soon all I hear is the
thumping of raindrops. My visibility into the woods is
clouded by moisture and the day cools sharply. Zipping
my vest to trap body warmth, I settle in to enjoy lunch,
accompanied by the weathers syncopation overhead.
Eventually the rain subsides. With the view no longer
obscured, all attention is drawn again to my surroundings.
Suddenly an aural outburst booms out behind me. What
can only be described as a forceful inside out sneeze
signals that a deer has discovered my hiding spot. Slowly
I rise, looking directly at the doe. Eyes locked on each
other, we watch for a sign indicating there is no danger
to be feared from either quarter. Momentarily her ears
twitch; she nervously snorts again. Seconds later the doe
bounds off into the woods, white tailing, waving like a
surrender fag to our encounter. Almost as quickly as
it began, our time together is over, leaving me with an
indelible memory.
As with all good things, my time in the woods eventually
ends. The small hand held radio I have alerts me that
our students are all back from their time on the course;
safe and accounted for. Reluctantly I leave my special
place, knowing it will be another twelve months before
I will enjoy it again. Taking one last look at the ridge I
realize how fortunate I am to have this day in the woods
each spring. While I understand how incredibly lucky
I am to have this opportunity, you too can have one of
your own. A wilderness setting isnt required to gain the
benefts of a Seton Watch. Only time and the willingness
to sit alone for a while in a quiet setting are required.
Observing a winter bird feeder, sitting along a park trail,
or gazing over a sand dune; all will allow you the privilege
to look deeper into your chosen spot. What you discover
might amaze you, exciting you to come back again and
again.
Until next time, may all your rambles lead you to new
and exciting places.
SETON WATCH
11 Pathways Summer 2013
Such was my mantra as I helped to plan the Rockland
County summer AmeriCorps training. They need to know
the Hudson. Each summer the County employs a group of
young people to do environmental community service and
education. The goal of the training is to connect the crew
to potential summer sites, to the overall County and its
resources. While there were no sites actually focused on the
Hudson River I held fast to the second training goal. To me
the Hudson is the Countys biggest resource, so while learning
about storm water run off, frst aid, Rockland history, waste
management and effective communication is defnitely
important, spending a day at the river is essential. Fortunately
for me, I had an ally in the AmeriCorps Project Coordinator,
Kathy Galione.
THEY NEED TO KNOW THE HUDSON
by Margie Turrin
Like many counties along the Hudson River one entire border
of Rockland lines the waterfront. However in Rockland our
triangular shape means fully a third of our border hugs
the river, and as a result the river holds vast quantities of
Rocklands wildlife, unique habitats and its early history
Much of Rocklands river border is irreplaceable habitat
including four zones that have been designated by the
Department of State as Signifcant Coastal Fish and Wildlife
Habitat. Each contributes to why this stretch of the Hudson,
and Rockland County, are so special, providing an important
opportunity for environmental education.
AmeriCorps team members identifying their catch.
12 Pathways Summer 2013
Iona Island Marsh is a large undeveloped
tidal freshwater-brackish marsh. A
designated bird sanctuary it hosts large
raptors such as bald eagles, northern
harrier and osprey, while the wetlands
provide rich spawning and nursery habitat
for both freshwater and migratory fsh.
Haverstraw Bay, at 6 miles across, is
the widest stretch of the Hudson River,
and provides large expanses of shallow
estuarine habitat used as nursery areas for
both migratory fsh of the Hudson and the
eastern seaboard. Here we fnd juvenile
Atlantic Sturgeon putting on their frst
few dozen inches of length, and Shortnose
Sturgeon passing the winters.
Hook Mountain is a towering stretch of the Palisades Sill that
rises directly from the rivers edge, providing an excellent
viewpoint for observing migratory birds.
Piermont Marsh dates to older than 7000 years and spans
more than 1000 acres. The only large undeveloped brackish
marsh in the Hudson it hosts a rich abundance and diversity
of wildlife and fsh.
With over 30 young adults participating in the training we
developed a group of AmeriCorps topic experts to lead small
groups during the day. Each station had a focus. One examined
the uniqueness of Rocklands waterfront zones, ftting them
into the wider estuary. A chemistry team measured dissolved
oxygen, pH and salinity levels to predict the health of the
water. The physical team examined tides, currents and
weather, while the fshing group tugged a seine net through
the water, collecting hogchoker, white perch, striped bass,
Atlantic silverside, mummichog, herring and blue crab.
The Atlantic silverside confrmed the salty infuence of the
Atlantic Ocean at our sampling site.
Our fnal group examined sediments lining the bottom of the
river, connecting them to our local history. Small sections
of brick reminded us of more than 40 brick factories that
once operated in Rockland. Bits of slag tied to the iron
manufacturing from the now closed mines of Rocklands
Harriman Park. Pieces of coal linked to steamboats that ran
between Rocklands waterfront and New York City bringing
day-trippers to the Palisades Park in the early 20
th
century.
The day was a powerful reminder that the Hudson is a great
teaching tool, providing opportunities for training young
adults and exciting them about environmental education
while offering a local twist.
Bibliography & Resources
Signifcant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitats, Department of
State, Offce of Communities & Waterfronts, New York State.
http://www.dos.ny.gov/communitieswaterfronts/consistency/
scfwhabitats.html
Rockland County AmeriCorps
http://rocklandgov.com/departments/youth-bureau/
rockland-county-americorps/
Using a navigation mpa to discuss Rocklands Waterfront habitat
13 Pathways Summer 2013
Seasonal Book Review
Are there Canada geese on your childrens little league feld?
Have you been noticing an increase in the deer population
in your community? Has your bird feeder attracted pests
along with backyard guests? If your answer to any of these
questions is yes, you are in good company and will enjoy and
gain a lot of insight from reading Nature Wars.
Offering detailed explanations to the questions we as outdoor
educators are asked, or ask ourselves, Nature Wars flls in
important gaps in our understanding of human-wildlife
interactions and the causes and effects of our current
state of reforested sprawl. Entire chapters are devoted to
deer, Canada geese, turkeys, bear, and beaver, offering case
studies and cautionary tales from other municipalities in
matters such as deer management and the culling of Canada
geese. With historical background and illustrative examples
such as the change in sentiment and practice following US
Airways Flight 1549 Miracle on the Hudson, Sterba provides
a comprehensive, insightful read that you will want to
come back to as a reference. This well-researched book is
thoroughly indexed and has an extensive bibliography. While
dense with information, Nature Wars is sprinkled with the wit
of a seasoned journalist and does not become dull.
Nature Wars:
The Incredible Story of How Wildlife Comebacks
Turned Backyards into Battlegrounds
By Jim Sterba
Hardcover: 343 pages
Publisher: Crown, 2012
ISBN-10: 0307341968
ISBN-13: 978-0307341969
The book is available in hardcover at amazon.com,
local booksellers, and in museum gift shops. It is also
available as a paperback and a Kindle eBook.
The fnal section of the book, Denatured Life, delves deeply
into the origins and causes of our disconnect with wildlife.
He shows how Disney movies and other media have tamed
and personifed our perceptions of wildlife. He illustrates
how parallel industries have developed to make money off
our feeding of wild animals: pet food industries encourage
us to feed songbirds (aka backyard guests), and pest control
companies remove the larger wildlife the food often attracts.
Sterba illustrates how our current situation came to be. He
also shows how attitudes and practices can shift and evolve.
For instance, the movement towards good and local food
has brought some people back to farming, beekeeping, and
hunting in the communities where they live. Sterba concludes
with the need for human oversight in forest management,
and it involves reconnecting people to their ecosystems- and
getting people outdoors!
14 Pathways Summer 2013
by Kimberly May
15 Pathways Summer 2013
ADVERTISING IN PATHWAYS
PATHWAYS welcomes advertisements which will be
of interest to the membership of NYSOEA. If you have
a product, service, equipment, resource, program, etc.
that you would like to share with our membership via
an advertisement, we can receive it through any of the
following ways.
Email: pathways@nysoea.org
Fax: (607) 753-5982
Mail: Darleen M. Lieber
Ref: Pathways Advertisement / Article
SUNY Cortland RPLS Dept.
PO Box 2000, Cortland, NY 13045
Materials should be typed. Please include a short
biographical section about the author of the article.
References cited in the article should be listed at the end of
the article, APA style.
(ISSN 1077-5100) PATHWAYS is published four times a
year by the New York State Outdoor Education Association
and is emailed to NYSOEA members. Opinions expressed
by contributors are theirs solely and not necessarily
those of the Editorial Board of PATHWAYS or of NYSOEA.
Advertisements included in pathways should not be
interpreted as endorsement of the product(s) by NYSOEA.
INVITATION FOR ARTICLES AND NEWS.
The PATHWAYS team is always eager to hear from members
and publish the articles that they have authored or news
or event announcements that they would like to share with
fellow members. We invite you to send your submission for
our next issue. Simply send us the text with any supporting
material -- pictures, newspaper clippings, and more. We can
receive it in any of the ways listed below.
Editors Note: We have received your feedback and
will be attempting a new digital layout in the coming
seasons. Hopefully this will make for an easier, and
ultimately more enjoyable reading experience. We
appreciate your patience as we transition to this new
layout. Thank you!
Anticipoting AIbonyi
ridging Hittory, Outdoor ducotion ond
Urbonirotion for our future
come be o port of the +s
th
AnnuoI HY5OA conference
October :+-::, :as
in New Yorks Historic Capital Region
Workshop presenters are sought to fll the Workshop presenters are sought to fll the
impressive schedule of programs highlightng: impressive schedule of programs highlightng:
Outdoor Education and the Common Core
The Nature of New York
Sustainability: Preserving Our Future
History Shapes Our Environmental World View
Urban Outdoor Education
OFF OFF- -SITE SITE
PROGRAMS PROGRAMS
FEATURED FEATURED
SPEAKERS AND SPEAKERS AND
PERFORMERS PERFORMERS
Joe Bruchac Joe Bruchac
Donald Knaack, Donald Knaack,
The Junkman The Junkman
John Waldman John Waldman
To submit a workshop proposal, visit the 2013 Conference page at: To submit a workshop proposal, visit the 2013 Conference page at:
www.NYSOEA.org www.NYSOEA.org
Or contact our conference commitee at: Or contact our conference commitee at:
conferencecommitee2013@nysoea.org conferencecommitee2013@nysoea.org