In this issue:
Mendon Ponds Park, located in the towns of Pittsford and Mendon (about 8 miles southeast of Rochester), is the largest Monroe County park at roughly 2,600 acres. It was named to the National Registry of Natural Landmarks in 1969 due to its geological history and the presence of significant glacial-melt features from roughly 11,000 years ago:
- kames (conical hills or mounds);
- eskers (long, windy ridges of stratified sand and gravel);
- and kettles (shallow, circular depressions).
There are roughly 40 miles of sandy hiking trails that weave through the dense woods surrounding the park’s open fields and ponds. The major trails are marked in color and are easy to follow; there are other unnamed connecting trails that are lightly trafficked and are usually marked with numbers. Most of the 10 trail loops are between 1 and 3 miles long.
A kettle pond known as the Devil’s Bathtub is a popular hiking destination, largely because it’s a rare meromictic waterbody, which means the top and bottom waters do not intermingle so it’s difficult for organisms to thrive due to the oxygen-poor environment. The Devil’s Bathtub Trail is a 1.8-mile loop with boardwalks to help hikers avoid muddy conditions. Other trails include the challenging East Esker Trail, which is a 4.7-mile hilly hike that travels through woods and fields of wildflowers. The Quaker Pond Trail is a 2.8-mile loop over level terrain that features views of working beavers and includes three observation points for spotting other abundant wildlife, including birds, muskrats, foxes, minks, and deer.
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Spring is an ideal time to observe bird migrations—and New York State is conveniently located along the Atlantic Flyway, one of the main migration routes. This proximity provides great birding opportunities, and DEC’s growing NYS Birding Trail offers 300-plus high-quality locations for viewing our feathered friends across the state. Visitors are strongly encouraged to visit the website for up-to-date information, including a specific site’s accessibility, as not all sites on the trail are accessible or may only have parts that are accessible.
DEC recently announced that 14 more sites were added in 2 birding trail regions:
One is located at the Friends of Rye Nature Center in the Hudson Valley region, a 47-acre wildlife preserve that offers over 2 miles of hiking trails, plenty of indoor and outdoor spaces for visitors, and lots of educational programs organized by Friends of Rye Nature Center.
The Long Island region added 13 sites, including the Sands Point Preserve Conservancy, one of Nassau County’s premier birding locations for the spring and fall bird migrations. It offers an open field, freshwater pond, formal garden, mixed deciduous woodlands, and 0.75 miles of Long Island Sound shoreline.
Also new to the Birding Trail is Massapequa Preserve, which has two pins on the NYS Birding Trail map, marking the Walker Street and Sunrise Highway entrances. This 432-acre preserve on the South Shore features a variety of habitat, including freshwater swamps, marsh, stream, a sandy-bog area and three lakes. The Nassau-Suffolk Greenbelt Trail, the longest hiking trail in Nassau County, extends from the southern end of the preserve on Merrick Road all the way to Cold Spring Harbor.
Also added were:
A view of Mill Pond. Photo by Peggy Maslow.
Show some love for our lands by participating in the 14th annual I Love My Park Day on Saturday, May 3.
Parks & Trails New York (PTNY), in partnership with DEC and NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, hosts the event, which brings together thousands of volunteers from across the state to participate in cleanup and improvement events at New York State parks, historic sites, and public lands. Help celebrate and protect New York State’s park system and prepare our public lands for spring by cleaning up litter, planting native plants, restoring trail and wildlife habitat, removing invasive species, and working on various site improvement projects. Gather your friends and family and join your community in helping to preserve and protect New York State’s lands.
For a list of regional projects and helpful information, visit the “I Love My Park Day” page on DEC’s website. Registration for volunteers is now open, and you can register online and view the interactive map at the PTNY website.
I Love My Park Day is a Love Our New York Lands Stewardship Day event. Check out our other Love Our New York Lands Stewardship Days and see how you can participate in stewardship and conservation year-round.
Just in time for spring migration, DEC launched the 2025 I BIRD NY Challenge. The Challenge is open to all ages and ends on Nov. 1, 2025. To complete the Challenge, participants must identify 10 bird species of their choosing and submit a Challenge sheet to DEC. All participants will be awarded a commemorative patch featuring the common loon, given a completion certificate, and entered into a drawing for great birding prizes. Participants will also receive an extra prize entry for providing a photo documenting their challenge experience. You can find the official rules (PDF) by visiting the I BIRDY NY webpage, as well as links to both an online Challenge Log and downloadable challenge sheets in English (PDF) and Spanish (PDF)
April showers bring May flowers. Celebrate spring and visit one of New York State’s famous flower festivals:
Albany Tulip Festival: May 10 and 11
Long Island Tulip Festival: April 13–May 5
Mohonk Tulip Festival: April 28–May 9
Rochester Lilac Festival: May 9–18
Learn how to read a topographic map and use a compass. You can then bring them on your outdoor adventure in case the battery in your GPS or phone dies or is too weak to provide guidance.
For more information, check out DEC's wide selection of outdoor activities on our events calendar. View upcoming programs or all the events currently scheduled, including public hearings and meetings. For information about upcoming events at DEC’s environmental education centers, visit the following links:
Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (Albany County)
Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve & Environmental Education Center (Erie County)
Rogers Environmental Education Center (Chenango County)
Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center (Dutchess County)
Visit DEC’s Facebook page for updates and to view our Facebook Live offerings. From adventures at fish hatcheries and nighttime hikes to Q&As about black bears, there is always something to see and learn.
Connect with DEC on: Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, X, Flickr, YouTube, and the DEC Podcast.
Subscribe to Conservationist magazine for only $12 for 7 beautiful issues. Know someone who enjoys the outdoors? Consider giving a subscription as a gift that will last the entire year.
Exciting articles about outdoor adventure and natural science are in every issue. You will also find:
- Incredible places to fish, hike, camp, kayak, and explore;
- Awesome birding and animal photography opportunities; and
- Exciting natural wonders, right here in New York State!
Readers will also enjoy the magazine’s regular features, including “Letters,” “Back Trails,” “Briefly,” and “On Patrol” in the latest issue of Conservationist. Visit DEC’s website to subscribe or call 1-800-678-6399. We now also offer a digital-only subscription for just $6 a year.
Still not sure about subscribing? DEC is offering a free trial issue to new Conservationist subscribers. Just send an email to the magazine at magazine@dec.ny.gov and a representative will respond with all the details.
Conservationist, the magazine that brings nature to your door.
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