In this issue:
Volunteer registration for I Love My Park Day is now open! This event brings together thousands of people from across the state to participate in a variety of stewardship projects in New York State parks, historic sites, and public lands. Projects include restoring trail and wildlife habitat, planting native plants, picking up litter from our campgrounds and beaches, removing invasive species, and contributing to site improvement projects. Gather your friends and family and join your community in helping celebrate and protect our public lands at an event near you!
Free t-shirts are offered at most sites. More information, including how to register for an I Love My Park Day event, is available on DEC’s Events Calendar.
Check out our Flickr album for photos of last year’s event!
Volunteers plant seeds at Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center for I Love My Park Day 2024.
The Erie Canal turns 200 in 2025. The year will be full of celebrations, thought-provoking presentations, musical performances, and momentous journeys. Find upcoming events and festivals listed in one place on the new Erie Canalway events calendar.
It’s Spring, and the New York Blooms Report is here! This interactive map tracks cherry blossoms, lilacs, magnolias, tulips, and more as they bloom across the state. You can also find a list of flower festivals and other exciting bloom-related events. Many of our New York State Birding Trail locations are also wonderful places to look for spring flowers- just watch out for those April showers (it is Mud Season, you know!)
Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park in Oyster Bay, NY. Photo credit: Empire State Development
March 31 marked Transgender Day of Visibility, a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions and lives of transgender people. The message Transgender Day of Visibility sends is increasingly important due to ongoing challenges faced by trans and gender non-conforming individuals here in New York and across the country. DEC remains committed to maintaining a positive work environment and welcoming State lands for all.
In recognition of Transgender Day of Visibility, DEC regional offices and environmental education centers raised flags to show support of progress and acknowledge challenges in the fight for equality and human rights. DEC also hosted two events. On Sunday, March 30, in partnership with the Pride Center of the Capital Region and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation , DEC hosted a hike at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center. Nearly 75 people participated in one of three hikes. The following day, Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve and Environmental Education Center hosted a Transgender Day of Visibility Stroll with 30 participants.
Finally, on April 2, a flag raising ceremony was held in Region 5 at the Ray Brook office in honor of beloved DEC Forest Ranger, Robbi Mecus, who passed away on April 25, 2024, while climbing in Alaska. Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton provided welcoming remarks and additional remarks were provided by Forest Ranger Kabrehl. There was an Honor Guard presentation, and a moment of silence was held for Ranger Mecus. The ceremony was well attended by DEC executive staff, Region 5, the Division of Forest Protection, and members of Ranger Mecus’s family and the local community.
2025 Transgender Day of Visibility Hike at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPHRP) is now accepting grant applications for the “Connect Kids to Parks Field Trip Grant Program”! Open to public and non-public schools, municipalities, libraries, and eligible not-for-profits that are physically located in a New York school district and receive Title 1 funding, this program offers funding for field trip to state and national parks, historic sites and NY public lands. The Connect Kids program aims to connect New York students from pre-K through grade 12 with nature, outdoor recreation and history by reimbursing eligible costs for field trips to these sites.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis in the order received, while funding is available. Find out more information at the OPRHP Connect Kids webpage.
Join us on Saturday, June 14, 2025 for Get Outdoors & Get Together Day! DEC and State Parks, in partnership with the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), the NYS Division of Veterans' Services, Office of the Chief Disability Officer, Office of Mental Health and the NYS Justice Center, will be hosting free outdoor events at several locations across the state. This inclusive event encourages people of all ability, ages, identities and backgrounds to get together and try fun activities like fishing, archery, kayaking, birding, hiking, and more. Coinciding with National Outdoors Day, it is a great way to connect with nature and learn a new skill along the way.
Adaptive equipment will be available for select activities across sites. To find a location near you and for more details, visit the Get Outdoors & Get Together webpage. For a look at photos from previous years’ events, check out the Flickr album. We hope to see you out there!
Trying a kayak at Hempstead Lake State Park.
Want to get your kids out of the house and into the outdoors?
DEC Summer Camps combine environmental education, hunter education programs, and outdoor recreation into a fun adventure.
Campers solve challenges, explore environmental concepts, practice outdoor skills including backpacking, camping, and canoeing, and spend the week immersed in nature. They will explore New York's diverse habitats, have the chance to learn basic ecological concepts, and how human activities affect the environment.
Camps run Sunday afternoon through Friday afternoon. Check out current availability and register your child for camp today!
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Here in New York, we don't turn our backs on hardworking public servants – we open our doors.
We want you to join our New York State workforce. New York is a great place to live and work – and we have thousands of opportunities available for hardworking people who are looking for a fresh start in public service.
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Wed., Apr 23 - Pink Moon Walk at Knox Farm State Park
Thurs., April 24 - Tail-Blazer Hike at Darien Lakes State Park
Sat., April 26 - Name That Tree at Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center
Sat., April 26 - Third Annual Cobbs Hill Accessible Family-Friendly Learn-to-Fish Event at Cobbs Hill Park
Sat., April 26 - Pond Adventure at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
Sat., May 3 - I Love My Park Day (Statewide)
Sat., May 10 - Watchable Wildlife: Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day at Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
Sat., May 10 - Amphibians: Masters of Two Worlds at Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center
Mon., May 12 - Full Moon Walk at Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center
Mon., May 12 - Twilight On The Trails at Hudson Crossing Park
Tues., May 20 - Nature at Night at Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center
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