In this issue:
DEC and State Parks, in partnership with the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) and the NYS Division of Veterans' Services, will be hosting free outdoor events at 22 locations across the state on Saturday, June 8. Get Outdoors & Get Together Day is an inclusive event where all ages, abilities, identities, and backgrounds are welcome to participate in fun, healthful activities. Coinciding with National Get Outdoors Day, it is a great way to connect with nature and learn a new skill along the way. Try archery, kayaking, hiking, birding, fishing and so much more!
Adaptive equipment will be available for select activities across sites. We hope to see you out there!
A huge thank you to the volunteers, staff and partners who participated in an I Love My Park Day 2024 event on May 4! Thousands of volunteers joined DEC, State Parks, and Parks and Trails New York in cleanup and site improvement events across the state. Projects ranged from invasives species removal to cleaning up trash, planting native plants, restoring trails, and so much more. Thank you for helping to celebrate, protect, and preserve our public lands, so they can be enjoyed for years to come!
Check out our Flickr album for photo highlights on all the great people and projects that made I Love My Park Day 2024 such a success.
If you missed this event and are looking for other opportunities to give back to New York lands, check out our additional Love Our New York Lands Stewardship Days - Adirondack and Catskill Park Day on September 7 and Fish and Wildlife Day on September 28. Stay tuned for more details this summer!
Did you know that your favorite park or nature trail might be only a bus ride away? Several bus lines throughout the state make regular stops at popular nature centers, parks, and trailheads.
- The NFTA-Metro Parks Adventure Bus makes FREE visits to places like Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve and Environmental Center, Beaver Island State Park, Fort Niagara State Park, and Chestnut Ridge Park, from June through December.
- In Tompkins County, the TCAT to Trails program will take you to Buttermilk Falls State Park, Sapsucker Woods & Lab of Ornithology, Taughannock Falls State Park, and many more!
- Check out the CDTA Nature Bus, which offers FREE bus rides in Albany and Schenectady to Albany Pine Bush, Tivoli Lake Preserve and Farm, Five Rivers Environmental Education Center, Thacher State Park, Mabee Farm Historic Site, and Sanders Preserve.
- How about taking the Ulster County Nature Bus to visit the sites like Walkway Over the Hudson, Sojourner Truth State Park, Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Catskills Visitor Center, and various points along the Ashokan Rail Trail? Hikers in Putnam County can request a drop off from the Cold Spring Trolley at several trail heads including the Mount Beacon Trail, Breakneck Ridge and Little Stony Point.
You can also reach out to your local nature center or environmental education center for information on public transportation options that may be available.
The Canalway Challenge is kicking off its 6th Season on the New York State Canals! The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor invites New Yorkers to trace history and track miles as part of the 2024 Canalway Challenge. This program is free and offers the opportunity for people of all ages and abilities to participate by setting a personal mileage goal, and walking, running, cycling, or paddling along the NYS Canal System to achieve it, while receiving recognition and rewards. The mileage options are 15 miles, 90 miles, 180 miles, and 360 miles, and there’s even a virtual 1st Mile Challenge open to people with mobility challenges. For ideas on adaptive ways to complete the challenge, check out Adaptive Cycling Along the Erie Canalway: TRAID on the Trails, a Fitness Inclusion Network Guidebook (PDF)!
Photo Credit: Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
May 26 - June 1– Black Birders Week 2024
Various dates in June – Fishing at the Gantries (Queens)
Sat., June 1 – Bioblitz at Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve and Environmental Education Center
Sat., June 1 – Family Fun: Snake Stories with Maizie at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
Sat., June 1 – Annual Family Fishing Day at Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery
Mon., June 3 – Monday Morning Rambles: Harry Lang X-Country Trail at Rogers Environmental Education Center
Mon., June 3 – Monday Morning Rambles: Harry Lang X-Country Trail at Rogers Environmental Education Center
Sat., June 8 – Get Outdoors & Get Together Day (Statewide)
Sat., June 8 – Teach-Me-To-Fish Free Fishing Clinic (Erie County) at Tifft Nature Preserve
Thu., June 13 – Pride Outside Sunset Hike at Rockefeller State Park Preserve
Fri., June 14 – Rainbow Lantern Walk at Caleb Smith State Park Preserve
Sat., June 15 – Camping 101 at Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve and Environmental Education Center
Tue., June 25 – Honeybees and Beekeeping for Adults at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
Thu., June 27– Honeybees and Beekeeping for Children and Adult Partners at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
Sat., June 29 – Free Fishing Day (Statewide)
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