Spring 2010 NYSOEA Pathways

8/2/2019 Spring 2010 NYSOEA Pathways

1/141 of 14Pathways Spring 2010

PathwaysOfcial Publication of the New York State Outdoor Education Association Spring 2010

w w w . n y s o e a . o r g 6 0 7 . 5 9 1 . 6 4 2 2

The Chesapeake Bay Program launched Bay Backpack,www.baybackpack.com, an online resource for teach-ers and environmental educators to engage students inhands-on learning about the Chesapeake Bay and its localwaterways. These waterways in New York State are part ofthe Susquehanna River Watershed draining through Penn-sylvania and Maryland into the Bay.

Bay Backpack provides educators with the necessaryresources to give their students a meaningful watershededucational experience through projects that allow studentsto gain a deep understanding of environmental issuesin the Chesapeake Bay and its local streams and rivers.Teachers can use Bay Backpack to search by subject,location and grade level for books, lesson plans, curriculum

by Krissy Hopkins

Bay Backpack Website Promotes

Outdoor Learning

In the center of the campus where I used to work, thereare three good-sized Basswood, or American Linden trees.

Most everyone in the school passes underneath one ofthem at least once if not several times over the course ofthe day. There was a picnic table in a grassy area betweenthe trees, and in good weather, there were invariablystudents or teachers seated, talking, reading or eating.On hot, sunny days, one could often see people lingeringunderneath the trees while talking, as they providedexcellent shade. As the leaves of the trees began to turn,I always kept my eyes on the ground underneath thosetrees, for while the colors where not so spectacular assay, sugar maple, the veins showed prominently becauseof their darker color, and they produced a great imagewhen xeroxed, and I used them for the children to label,

watercolor, and trace the veins with colored pencils.

In the spring, when the seeds sprouted, the rst leaf, unlikethe heart-shaped leaves to follow, gave the seedlings theappearance of miniature palm trees, and I often enjoyedshowing them to the children, letting them guess what theywere before revealing their identity. Sometimes I wouldrescue a few of them from the mowers by digging them outwith a trowel and potting them, so the children could have achance to observe their growth.

By Chaffee Monell

Why Environmental Studies?

Into the Swamp with the Outing ClubBy Katie Fox

Late morning. I handle thepaddle awkwardly, eyeingthe fast-approachingembankment as I try to steerus back into the middle of

the canal. However, ourcanoe seems determined toshow us the local wildlife upclose and personal, carryingus inexorably towards theoverhanging branches andmuddy shoreline.

And yes, towards the nine-foot-long alligator sunning itselfin that mud.

Uh, I say to my canoe partner in the stern, I think youshould use the J-stroke to turn.

I am, she replies, but she sounds worried. Not, however,as worried as I feel. After all, Im the one who is sitting inthe bow. The alligator looks awfully close.

Snapper Petta, the leader of the trip and faculty advisor ofthe SUNY College at Oneontas Outing Club, had taught usthe proper techniques for handling canoes before we hadstarted the trip. As we drift towards the alligator, we fail to

The seeds of the Basswood are quite distinctive as well.They hang in small clusters at an angle from the middleof a small leaet that is oblong in shape. The whole

assembly falls together from the tree in the early fall, beforethe leaves turn color and fall. I wondered why the seedswould have this peculiar structure, since I knew that natureseldom does things without a purpose. On a thought, Ithrew one of them into the air, and (can you guess it?)it fell slowly, in a spiraling fashion much like the muchbetter-known winged seeds of maples. Delighted with mydiscovery, I knew that I had found another ready-madescience demonstration/experiment for my class to make theday a little more interesting to them.

One afternoon, at a staff meeting of the entire faculty of theschool, I asked the headmaster for ve minutes at the endof the meeting because I wanted to show my discovery tothe staff. I held up the little Basswood seeds hanging fromtheir parachute and asked the teachers (there were about

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2 of 14 Pathways Spring 2010

NYSOEA Executive BoardPresident

MaryLynne Malone

VP AdministrationMaritza Cuevas

VP CommunicationNirmal Merchant

VP Human ResourcesTim Stanley

VP ProgramRebecca Houser

SecretaryMeaghan Boice-Green

TreasurerElizabeth Van Acker

OfceDarleen Lieber

Regional DirectorsEastern- Tim NeuMetro- Jessica KratzNorthern- Gary Griz CaudleWestern- Lauren MakeyenkoCentral- Christine DeCesare

2010 National Confer-ence Committee ChairsJessica Olenych

Betsy UkeritisMaryLynne Malone

PAthwaysFrank Knight (Editor)Darleen Lieber (Editor)Nathan Garcia (Layout, Student)Nicole Gatherer (Teacher)Jonathan Duda (Marketing Manager)Snapper Petta (Member)Richard Parisio (Poetry Editor)

Invitation for Articles and News.The PATHWAYSteam is always eager to hear from members and publish the articles thatthey have authored or news or event announcements that they would like to share with fel-low members. We invite you to send your submission for our Summer issue. Simply sendus the text with any supporting material -- pictures, newspaper clippings and more. We canreceive it in any of the ways listed below.

Advertising in PathwaysPATHWAYSwelcomes 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: [email protected]: (607) 753-5982

Materials should be typed. Please include a short biographical section about the author ofthe article. References cited in the article should be listed at the end of the article, APA style.

(ISSN 1077-5100) PATHWAYSis published four times a year by the New York State Out-door Education Association and is emailed to NYSOEA members. Opinions expressed bycontributors are theirs solely and not necessarily those of the Editorial Board of PATHWAYSor of NYSOEA. Advertisements included in PATHWAYS should not be interpreted as en-

dorsement of the product(s) by NYSOEA.

A Note from the President

Mail: Darleen M. LieberRef: Pathways Advertisement / ArticleE-334 Park Center, SUNY Cortland RPLS Dept.PO Box 2000 Cortland, NY 13045

Hi all. I hope you have enjoyed a white winterand are ready for some warmer weather. Springis a great time to start fresh, get rid of the cobwebs, and enjoy the changes around us that arehappening so quickly. Sap starts owing, budsstart forming, and before you know it, the treesand shrubs have leafed out! Each year they get

a brand new start. Well 2010 has begun withthe NYSOEA sap owing. We had a wonderfulWinter Weekend and awards ceremony atAshokan. The NYSOEA Board, along with theELP and Communications Committees, are

working hard. The Tri-Chairs of the NAAEE Conference Committee are workingvery hard setting up the information for the 39th Annual Conference being held in ourstate, and soon we will be looking for volunteers to help on-site. The 2011 NYSOEAConference Committee is being established and, before you know it, the buds aregoing to swell. Participate in one of our many regional events or join a committee.You can take the time to nominate someone for a NYSOEA award, invite a teacherto participate in our Teacher Ecology Workshop, or bring our display board to a

conference or gathering you are planning to attend. Some of our long-time membersfeel as though their participation in NYSOEA has passed the leang-out stage andon to fall - this is just reminder that you are still a valuable part of our organization,and each year, the natural cycle starts again! So for those of you who have beenlying dormant, winter is over - lets spring into action!

Wishing you well,MaryLynne


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3 of 14Pathways Spring 2010

Makefossil fuels

more expensive vs.making alternative fuels

cheaper

Beyond Copenhagen essay by Bjorn Lomborg

In his essay on dealing with gobal warming, BjornLomborg suggests economic and technological issues may

be hindering the worlds progress. His suggestion: Instead otrying to make fossil fuels more expensive, we should focus

on making alternative energy cheaper.

To read the TIME, Dec. 04, 2009, article in full and giveyour opinion, please visit www.nysoea.org.

Lomborg, the director of the CopenhagenConsensus Center, is the author ofCool It

andThe Skeptical Environmentalist

Stirring the PotWith y rods and reels supplied by the New York State De-partment of Environmental Conservations Division of Fishand Wildlife, students at Green Tech High Charter Schoolnow have the opportunity to participate in an outdoor ed-venture club that takes them beyond their often restrictedurban pastimes.

On Saturday, October 3rd. the camera crew of the FuzzySlippers Production Company of Burlington, Vermont,lmed Green Tech High students y shing in WashingtonPark. These students will be featured in a production of alm Mother Natures Child about the relationship betweenyoung people and the natural world and its implications ontheir health and well being. The lm is intended for PBSbroadcast, educational, and home video use.

The Green Tech High After-School Nature Clubs provideopportunities for students to set goals, be physically active

together, practice group skills learned in teambuilding ac-tivities, and learn the basics of back packing, y shing andother outdoor pursuits while exploring the natural world.Teambuilding activities form the foundation of After-SchoolNature Clubs program. Under careful guidance from GreenTech staff and volunteer instructors, students use lots ofimagination to develop and practice communication, leader-ship, trust, safety, responsibility, decision-making, andproblem-solving skills.

Patrick Sisti is a licensed Adirondack outdoor guide special-izing in y shing. As an outdoor educator with a sinceredesire to encourage the connection of todays urban youth

with nearby nature, he volunteers his time and attention toa select group of students at the Green Tech High CharterSchool.

The After-School Nature Clubs are coordinated by BrotherYusuf Burgess and the Youth Ed-Venture and Nature Net-work. Yusuf serves as the Parent Intervention Specialist forthe Green Tech High Charter School.

Mother Natures Child

Green Tech High Afterschool Fly Fishing Club to be featured in

PBS Documentary.

Left: Green Tech High Charter School students Carlos Ventura

and Daniel McClurkin demonstrate their straight-line casting at anearby lake.

Above: Adirondack Guide, Patrick Sisti, instructs students in dryy casting techniques during an after-school nature club session

at Green Tech High Charter School.

For information about Yusef Burgess and Green Tech High

Carter school in Albnay, NY, please visit www.nysoea.org.


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RAmb

lings

fromr

edh

ill

bySnapperPetta

The blizzard of 2010 raged silently outside ourAdirondack cabin window. Snowakes, almostundetectable in size yet heavy in substance,relentlessly fell to the ground. Accumulating ata rate that stressed both nature and the nerves,rie cracks occasionally sounded as anothertree or overburdened branch crashed to theforest oor. This was no time to be outside. Withthe electricity out, now was the time for readingor reection; or in my case, both.

Deep within the valley between the Seward andSantanoni mountain ranges liesa beautiful mountain stream.This area, once the realm ofloggers, was the home of NoahJohn Rondeau, the Mayor ofCold River, population one.Noah went to the woods in1929 to escape the escalatingonslaught of civilization andauthority in his life. His home,lovingly referred to as theHermitage, was made possible

through a life lease arrange-ment with the widow of theprevious owner. When Noahmoved in, the area looked noth-ing like it does today. Combin-ing hard work and creativity, hefashioned a town made fromrecycled lumber camp buildingson the logged-out site. An ingenious creation ofteepees, made up of long, pre-notched polesthat would eventually become his winter woodsupply, gave him temporary storage and housingfor the many visitors who eventually made their

way to his door.

Rondeaus personal cabin, the Town Hall, wasapproximately 8 x 12 with four foot side wallsand a ridge of only six feet. Being just over 5in height, this served him very well. His bed,a wooden box propped up on four galvanizedbuckets found in an abandoned lumber camp,was lined with a mattress of sweet grass,marsh hay, and deerskins. Coupled with abearskin and a wool blanket or two, Noah sleptwarmly throughout the harsh Adirondack win-

Noah John Rondeauters. During the worst of storms, Rondeau was ableto stay within his cozy shelter, never having to gooutside. Instead of braving the elements, he wouldremove rags which were stuffed in a hole boredthrough his log wall, reach out an arm, and pull in apole from one of his teepees that had been stagedoutside for just this purpose. With a quick smackof his hand axe, Noah had a perfectly sized pieceof fuel to feed the stove. Rounding out Noahs citywas his other building, the Hall of Records. Hous-ing a personal library consisting of texts on astron-omy, religion, philosophy, and other weighty topics,

this structure was also used asguest housing and a storehousefor the many supplies that Noahsfriends brought in when theycame for a visit.

By now you might be wonderinghow a hermit ties into a storm ofepic proportions. If you look backyoull notice I mentioned readingand reection. At the time of thestorm, I was engrossed in a new

book on Noah and his journals.Described as looking like theywere written by an inebriatedchicken, Noah used a code hecreated to keep his personaldiaries just that - personal. These

journal entries, deciphered onlywithin the past few years, add

more details to his life in the Cold River valley ashe experienced it season to season. As the stormwaged its worst outside my window, I wondered if Iwould have been up to the challenge; living throughit all in a small isolated cabin, the closest neighbor

located about twenty miles away, by snowshoe noless. In this time of highly romanticized thoughtson the good old days, I wonder if they were reallythat good. Would I have survived Noahs lifestyle?Im not sure. I know I possess some of the skillshe did, but did he ever get lonely? His journalsnever reect feelings of loneliness or boredom, butI wonder nonetheless. Could I have done it? Howabout you?

Until next time, may all your rambles lead you tonew and exciting places...


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Subjects Matter

guides and other materials to support their classroom stud-ies. Bay Backpack includes an interactive map that teach-ers can use to nd outdoor educational programs in theircommunities. A training calendar lists professional develop-ment opportunities that help educators build condence toteach about environmental topics. Bay Backpack also listsfunding programs that provide the often-missing piece tosupport environmental education, including eld trips andprojects such as schoolyard habitats.

Additionally, Bay Backpack uses a blog to feature neweducation initiatives and in-depth resources such as ideasfor classroom projects. Educators can share informationwith each other on the blog by leaving comments or writ-ing guest entries about their own environmental educationprograms.

To learn more about Bay Backpack, visit www.bayback-pack.com. Interested educators can also follow BayBackpack on Twitter @baybackpack to receive additionaleducation-related news and resources.

Krissy Hopkins is a member of the Chesapeake Bay Programs

Fostering Stewardship Team and Education Workgroup.

(Bay Backpack cont.)

INTRODUCTIONThis lesson includes an analysis of Walt Whitmans poem,

This Compost, from his famous collection of poetry,Leaves of Grass. Through a literary lens, students willdiscuss and understand the rebirth of organic materialsthrough composting.LESSON OVERVIEW

Grade Level & Subject:Grades 9-12: Language Arts and/or English

Length:One 45 min. class period

Objectives:After completing this lesson, students will be able to:

Analyze the poem, This Compost, through a literarylens Relate the poem, This Compost, to the rebirth of

organic material Compare facts about the decomposition and renewal

process of compost to language use and word choicein the poem, This Compost

Consider why composting is a contradictory processthat is a natural part of the earths cycle of life

Explain how composting is the rebirth of organicmaterial

(To view the lesson in full please visit www.nysoea.org)

by Sarice Greenstein

Life, Death, Dirt and Walt WhitmanBrother Yusuf is the Par-ent Intervention Specialistat Green Tech High CharterSchool in Albany, New York.

He is a member of the Boardof Directors of the Childrenand Nature Network and aformer Environmental Educa-tor for NYS DEC responsiblefor its diversity program andfor increasing urban diversity at its summer youth camps.He is member of Albany Schools Youth Safety Task Force,a collaborator on Youth Violence Intervention Conferencingand a friend and mentor to many young people.

As a dedicated youth professional, he engages youngstersin exploring the natural world with a variety of outdoor rec-

reation activities: camping, boating, hunting, shing, hiking,and skiing all outside the often-constricting worlds theylive in.

Brother Yusuf serves as Chairperson of the EnvironmentalAwareness Network for Diversity in Conservation (EANDC)and is a member of NYSOEAs Diversity Committee.

He is a graduate of the Leadership Training Institute ofHofstra College and is currently taking a course in environ-mental education and urban planning at Empire State Col-lege. Brother Yusuf lives in Albanys Arbor Hill close to theHudson River where he kayaks and peddles the adjoiningbike path with Cheri, his wife of 40 years.

Whos That?!?

Environmental Awareness Networkfor Diversity in Conservation


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remember the less obvious ones.

Forget the J-stroke! I shout back at her as the canoedrifts closer to the shore. Just sweep! All right, maybe thegator isnt dangerously close, but hey, Id never seen oneof these animals this close without a wall between us. I amcertain that both parties would appreciate a little distance.

By dint of sheer strength and more than a little panic, wemaneuver the aluminum canoe away from the alligator andzig directly towards the opposite shore. One or the bothof us overcorrect the boat, and we zag back across thecanal. It would look bizarre to someone watching from land,but luckily for us, our group is alone on the canal for themoment. We all weave back and forth and do our best toavoid each other while learning the basics of canoeing.

Theres nothing like the threat of running straight into aneight-hundred-pound predator to promote effective canoehandling skills. A short while later, my partner and I get theknack of steering straight down the water trail. We evenremember how to work the J-stroke. At last, we start toenjoy the view.

And what a view it is, too. The sunlight streams throughdraperies of Spanish moss, which hangs from cypresslimbs like shaggy beards. The water reects perfectly; itsopaque, tea-like color creating a mirror of its surface. It isa year of drought, so alligators that would have normallybeen hidden underwater are up on the dry banks for usto admirefrom a distance. Their eyes appear at variousintervals in the water around us, watching our approach,and vanishing in a stirring of ripples as we draw closer.

Chattering kingshers swoop across the trail of waterbefore us, and ibises wade through open stretches of greenlily pads - thousands of white daubs against a backgroundof green.

The Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia is one of the mostbeautiful areas Ive ever seen and one of the most unlikelyplaces for me to have ended up. When I told my familywhat I had decided to do with my spring break during mysophomore year, I was repeatedly asked the question, Areyou crazy? Id had plenty of time to ask it of myself duringthe nineteen hours it took to drive down there with the veother Outing Club participants and the two trip leaders.

Katie Fox is an alumnus of SUNY College at Oneonta .

Plenty of time to worry and wonder whether this trip was amistake. Id never been this far from home before and hadnever paddled a canoe either. There was plenty for me toworry about until we launched our canoes into the swamp,but when the stress of controlling the canoe began to fade,so did my collection of anxieties and fears. I couldnt helpbut enjoy myself because the Okefenokee was simplyamazing.

It took me a while to understand the repercussions ofthat trip. I began to realize that facing my fears had givenme something precious: memories that I still treasuretoday. Because of it, I began to gain condence. Thistrip accelerated what had started during the previous fallwhen I became a student trail guide for the Outing Club.Over the next few years following that rst major trip,I began to expand my comfort zone and found myselfwith a conglomeration of experience that I had neverdreamed possible. With the Outing Club I traveled toAcadia National Park in Maine as well as back down to theOkefenokee the following year. By assisting Snapper with

numerous day hikes and other trips, I learned how to lookout for the safety of a group in the woods. Since Oneontaoffers a minor in outdoor education, I signed up for it andbroadened my horizons even more through the requiredleadership classes. Now I am looking ahead to a possiblecareer in this incredible eld.

Life isnt an easy or simple path to navigate, but lookingback upon my accomplishments over the past four years, Ifeel up to the challenge. No matter where it is that I end up,however, the Outing Club has given me a solid foundationto base not just a possible career, but my outlook on life.How many clubs can claim as much?

Evening. Were on a sunset boat tour; no J-strokesrequired. As the sun begins its languid descent into thedistant line of cypresses, wave after wave of ibises iesoverhead, their reections cutting across the tea-coloredwater of the swamp prairie. The beating of their wingsoverhead and the nearby croaks of a Sandhill Crane jointhe distant, trilling melody of a whippoorwill to completethe alien, stirring voice of the swamp. Behind our boat, theorange-gold moon begins to rise and brings cooler air withit. Alligator eyes shine from the waters placid surface, theonly hints that ancient predators are hunting around us. I

have to keep reminding myself, this is real.

(Into the Swamp cont.)


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Some kids are just naturally drawn to the outdoors.While youngsters growing up in a rural area have naturebeckoning at their doorsteps, for those of us who gotour start in an urban environment, nature was a bit moreelusive. Still, it could be found if one took a closer look.

During part of my early childhood, my family lived in the

Eastchester Housing Project in the Bronx. At age six orseven, I wasnt conscience of paying any more attentionto creatures and plants than anyone else. Along withthe other kids, I still played hopscotch in boxes drawn onthe pavement with chalk and jumped double Dutch rope.In the playground, I climbed the monkey bars, stood onmetal swings, and pumped with my legs to make them goas high as I could and ran through the sprinklers in thesummertime. I and the other kids raced along the pavementon our roller skates despite the inevitable skinned knees- I still have the scars to prove it (as well as a skate keysomewhere in a box in the basement). On the Fourth ofJuly we ran around at dusk holding sparklers up

high.

The Project did have areas of grass andtrees, but these were closed off byhedges and by fences of red, splintery,wooden slates and wire. One risked ahandful of splinters as well as a palmstained red if you tried to climb overthe fence. My third oor apartmentbedroom window overlooked one ofthese fenced in areas and the coolgreen grass beckoned to me below seen but out of reach. Yet, directly outsidemy window was an oak tree, its branchesdipping down towards the ground. Brightcolored Blue Jays, striking in their blue, white andblack pattern, called raucously as they ew among thebranches. Grey squirrels also leaped about. Back outsidein the courtyard between the apartment buildings, littlesparrows hopped about looking for crumbs that peoplemight have dropped. Fascinating to watch were the antsgoing in and out of cracks in the pavement. I remembercrouching down low to get a better look. In spring, a sweet-smelling white ower blossomed on the hedges. Mapletrees grew in the surrounding neighborhood. Like many

kids, I took the seeds and stuck them on my nose, thoughthe word samara (a simple dry fruit) was eons awayfrom being part of my vocabulary. I didnt know the namesof many of these creatures and plants, but the way theylooked was etched in my mind. Perhaps it was better that

Nature in a Bronx Housing Project

no one identied these things for me. Instead, I absorbedtheir characteristics to the point where years later, as Ibegan to study natural history, it would be like rediscoveringold friends. Ah, I would say to myself, that had been a pinoak outside my window, a privet hedge along the walkwayand a House (or English) Sparrow in the courtyard.

I remember being very happy and content with my life in thehousing project. There were other children to play with andI always felt safe. My mother was only a yell away up to thethird oor window. I freely went up and down the buildingelevator by myself. My carbon footprint was certainly lowerthan it is now as I not only walked to the playground thatwas on the grounds of the Eastchester Housing Project, butalso walked to school, as well as walking with my motherto nearby stores. We had one car that my father drove towork but we also took the elevated trains and subways tomany places. It was not a pollution free environment - far

from it with the exhaust of cars and trucks. Smog andother pollutants were present. I envied the local

surrounding houses that had small backyardsof their own. Inside were gardens of tomato

plants and owers. In my young mind, Iresolved that one day I would have asquare of land to call my own.

At age eight, my family left thehousing project and moved to StatenIsland. There, we did indeed have asmall backyard. Though Staten Island

was culture shock in many ways (thekids didnt play hopscotch, jump double

Dutch rope, or roller skate as there wereno large areas of pavement to play on), the

elds, woods, and local pond quickly lured andbeckoned me outdoors. Tree climbing, exploring,

and winter sledding and skating soon became some ofmy favorite activities. While I found adjustment into a newschool and community to be difcult, nature and the out-of-doors became a healing retreat.

As an adult, for many years now I have lived in a house inthe Catskills on a couple of acres of land. Deer, turkeys,opossum, and even the occasional bear sometimes wandethrough my backyard. I could not now imagine living in an

apartment building in a city surrounded by concrete, brick,tall buildings, and noise. Still, when I think back on my earlyurban, apartment dwelling beginnings, I remember family,friends to play with, and nature only a blue jays call away.

Reba Wynn Laks is the Director of Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center, a facility ofthe NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Previously, she was Education Directorat the Mohonk Preserve. A member of NYSOEA for approximately 15 years, she served on theBoard for three years as the Eastern Regional Representative.

by Reba Wynn Laks



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25) if any of them knew what this strange object was. Noone knew, though some ventured guesses. I gave them ahint, saying that every one of them had probably steppedon one that day (they littered the ground between the mainbuildings of the school). Still, no one could gure out whatit was except that perhaps it was a seed of some sort. Ihad it passed around the group and asked each teacher tomake some observation or comment relevant to the seed,

but different from what everyone else had said. Everyonecould say something different. I then repeated my ightexperiment before them. Following that, I revealed what theseed was. We then briey discussed some of the lessonsthat could originate from that little seed:

(a) in a math/physics class, one could examine theproperty of spirals or measure the difference in timethe parachute caused the seed to take in falling to theground, thereby calculating the distance the seeds couldfall from the tree with crosswinds of different strengths,

b)a writing or poetry class could work on describing the

seed, the way it fell through the air, or about somethingelse it made them think of,

(c) a music class could explore the kinds of music thatthe motion of the falling seed might evoke,

(d) a biology class could use it as an example of seeddispersal or evolution, compare it to other seeds, plant itand watch it sprout,

(e) an art class could draw it,

(f) a history class could investigate the ways in whichLinden trees were connected to human history andfolklore,

(g) an economics class could discuss the trees economicimportance.

In conclusion, I mentioned to the group that the type ofthinking that we had been doing was exercised infrequentlyin schools. Most thinking taught in schools is convergentthinking,* whereas this type is known as divergent thinking.Both are important, but since we already give a good dealof attention to convergent thought, perhaps we should step

out of the box and give a bit more emphasis to divergentthought (more about this later).

*According to Wikipedia, divergent thinking is a thoughtprocess or method used to generate creative ideas byexploring many possible solutions. It is often used inconjunction with convergent thinking, which follows aparticular set of logical steps to arrive at one correctsolution.

To read the article in full please visit www.nysoea.org.

(Why Env. Studies cont.)

Nancy wrote a seal poem before attending the WRITEHARBOR SEAL POETRY event on Saturday, February 27,2010. Three couples gathered at the Theodore RooseveltNature Center at Jones Beach State Park. We gathered fora workshop and hopes to see harbor seals in the intercoastalwaterway nearby. We stowed our lunches and were treated to

natural history folk singer Jerry Ahern. Director Annie McIntyrefollowed with a seal power point presentation. Our goal was tolearn facts about harbor seals, hopefully see them in the wild,then end with a poetry writing session and sharing.The seals had moved to another location after six success-ful years of wildlife viewing. We opted to walk the boardwalk.Stong westerly winds piled snow drifts against false beachheather. We spotted fox and rabbit tracks, and in the dunes,a ock of smallish birds working for beach grass seeds. Icaught a few eld marks and said that they looked like smallmeadowlarks with a yellow streak through the eye and a stoutbill. Using workshop leader Max Wheats eld guide, I identi-

ed the bird as a dicksissel, way out of its normal central USArange. A suitable substute for the missing harbor seals.We broke for lunch and listened to an introduction on howto write poetry by Wheat, long-time NYSOEA presenter andmember. Then we broke into a 20 minute writing session fol-lowed by sharing our rst drafts. Heres mine:SHE HAS YET TO SEE ONENow, however, there is her needHaving already written a seal poemBased on questions about sealsWhere do they live? How do they sleep? She wrote.

Perhaps shell see one bottling, or galumpling,Or maybe even porpoising.Perhaps her need will have to waitTo go where they liveTo lookAnd discover something else.The program ended with a few more songs by Jerry Ahernand a brief harbor seal puppet. Tom Stock made Nancy theharbor seal puppets using color photos and hot glued whitestraightened white paper clips to show long whiskers and Tom

the Walrus with tusks and google eyes and plastic strandsfrom an old scrubbing brush for vibrisse - walrus whiskers.Nancy still has ample opportunity to view one of the more than4,000 harbor seals that visit Long Island in the winter lookingfor the plentiful herring schools in Atlantic Oceans cold water.Tom Stock, NYSOEA life member, poet, naturalist, puppeteer,pine barrens enthusiast, retired science teacher, will presenta soil workshop at the National Environmental Education As-sociation in Buffalo, N.Y. in September [email protected]

AN OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE AT JONESBEACH, NEW YORK, WINTER 2010

by tom stock


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NaturallyPoetic

We all live in watersheds, and the Chesapeake Baywatershed stretches across more than 64,000 squaremiles, encompassing parts of six states including Dela-ware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia andWest Virginia and the entire District of Columbia. Almost17 million people live in the Chesapeake Bay watershed,and what they do every day impacts how clean our localwaterways are.

This summer, Central New York teachers located withinthe Chesapeake Bay watershed will be eligible to takepart in Bay education opportunities designed to helpteachers provide their students with Meaningful Water-shed Educational Experiences (MWEEs).

Teachers can choose to attend a ve-day ChesapeakeBay Academy at Rogers Environmental Education Center,or a Project WET in the Bay Institute. Programs focus onthe Chesapeake Bay Watershed, and teachers will learncontent and methods for providing Meaningful Watershed

B-WET Grant funds workshopswithin the Chesapeake Bay Wa-tershed in New York State.

The day before he leaves for California, Jaredand you buy sandwiches and sodafrom the corner deli and take them to eatin the park by the high school. The clouds are paleand heavy with water. Across the pond, a familyfeeds bread to the snapping turtles, who watchthem with unblinking dinosaur eyes. Morons, you mutter,

and he swigs in silent agreement. Years ago,the two of you tossed pebbles into the water, watchedthe ripples bloom and merge. He says, too many peoplecome round here now, man. You do not say, you wont

anymore. You look at his reection in the water,a pool of wobbling color with inkblots for eyes, your faceoating beside it like a cast-off shadow. Tomorrow there will be rain,you think, and a paper due, and snapping turtleswith their ancient, savage shells, their pig-like nostrils.Something warm swells behind your eyes. The skyis vibrating just a little, and only around the corners.

- Caroline DeanScarsdale, NY

Educational Experiences (MWEE) for their students. Infollow-up outreach with participants students, MWEEswill be modeled and support material provided. Schooldistricts at the headwaters and along tributaries will betargeted.

Learn some creative ways to integrate the ChesapeakeBay and environmental issues into your classroom les-

sons by visiting the Bay Backpack website at http://www.baybackpack.com Search through the Bay Backpacksbooks, multimedia, curriculum guides, individual lessonplans, and online data sources about the subjects you areteaching in class.

If you are interested in attending the ve day academyat Rogers or in scheduling a Project WET workshop inyour area, please contact Amy Kochem at Rogers Envi-ronmental Education Center. Email [email protected] or call 607 674 4017, ext. 628

The poem was submitted to the national contest Riverof Words, featuring poetry and art on the theme ofwatersheds for grades K-12. To learn more about Riverof Words, contact me ([email protected]) or go towww.riverofwords.org.-Richard ParisioPathways Poetry Editor

NYS Coordinator for ROW


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The recipients of this years awards are as follows:

The New York State Outdoor Education Association Recognizes Out-standing Individuals

(OLIVEBRIDGE, NY) On Saturday, February 6th, after a cold winters day of attending ecology workshops, maple sugaringclasses, and craftmaking sessions, attendees of Ashokans Winter Weekend gathered in the glowing warmth of a grass-pel-let stove to honor those who have contributed vast amounts of time and effort in the eld of outdoor education over the year.

The Environmental Impact Award--given to an individualor organization involved in research, conservation, andpolitical action that inuenced, protected, and successfullydealt with problems associated with the environment--waspresented to the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater.

The Appreciation Award--awarded to a NYSOEA memberor member afliate group who has contributed to the growth

and/or betterment of the organization--was presented toBetsy Ukeritis of the New York State DEC and Jessica Ole-nych of Common Grounds Education Consulting in Arkvillefor chairing the 2010 North American Association for Envi-ronmental Education Conference, and to Nirmal Merchant,the VP Communications, for the impressive short-time spanfor implementing the redesign of the new website.

The Outdoor Educator Award--recognizing the outstand-ing classroom teacher, outdoor/environmental educator orinterpreter in the Association who has used the outdoorsto enrich curriculum and/or interpret the natural world in away that has expanded the environmental appreciation ofchildren or adults--was presented to Nance Gross, ProgramDirector at the Ashokan Center.

The Service Award--for outstanding support of Associationgoals by contribution of personal time and energy--was pre-sented to Susan Hereth, Education Coordinator for ScenicHudson, whose contributions as a Conference Chair, theChair of the Literacy Committee, and the great strides thatcommittee has made in accomplishing NYSOEAs goal tobe an environmentally literate state, and to Tim Stanley ofthe Fresh Air Funds Sharpe Environmental Center for goingabove and beyond the tasks set for the positions of VP Pro-gram and VP Human Resource as well as spearheading the

establishment of the Environmental Literacy Committee.

Awards photos by Frank Knight


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environmental educationBuilding Connections~Bridging Gaps

naaees 39th annual conferenceBuffalo-Niagara, New York Sept. 29 - Oct. 2, 2010

7th Annual Research Symposium Sept. 28 & 29

Join us as we welcome these special guests

TOM CHAPIN

Wednesday, September 29Opening Ceremony

Join Grammy Award-winning

musician, entertainer, singer-

songwriter, and storyteller Tom

Chapin as he helps NAAEE kick

o its 39th Annual Conerence!

LOIS GIBBS

Thursday, September 30

Lois Gibbs, ounder o the Center

or Health, Environment and Justice,

won the nations frst community

relocation o 900 amilies due to a

leaking toxic waste dump in Love

Canal, New York. Through this eort

she helped the nation to recognize

the link between peoples exposures

to dangerous chemicals in their

communities and serious public

health impacts.

OREN LYONS

Saturday, October 2Annual Awards Lunch

Chie Oren Lyons is the Faithkeeper

o the Turtle Clan, and a member

o the Onondaga Nation Council

o Chies o the Six Nations o the

Iroquois Conederacy. His many

interests include international

indigenous aairs and international

environmental issues. Among his

many awards are the First Annual

Earth Day International Award o

the United Nations and the Elder

and Wiser Award o the Rosa Parks

Institute or Human Rights.

THE CALL FOR PRESENTATIONScloses February 1, 201http://www.naaee.org/conerence/call-or-presentations


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In the woods where I live and play, we are between winterand spring in what we affectionately call mud season! Outcome the hiking boots as we put away snow shoes andcross-country skis. Its the season for the NYS InclusiveRecreation Resource Center (IRRC) to help make trailsmore accessible to people of all abilities and to suggest

some useful resources.

My involvement with accessibility began almost 30 yearsago starting with trails. Small groups of students and Iwould head to Shavers Creek Nature Center and work onthe trails. Our intent was never to post a sign stating thistrail is accessible; nor was it to convince administratorsto pave the trails. We were there to gure out what madetrails inaccessible and see what improvements we couldmake. We studied the literature available at the time andlistened to and observed members of a local support groupfor individuals with visual impairments, as well as a friendwho uses a wheelchair, by coaxing them onto the trails.

Little has changed in the way we look at trails, but what haschanged is this:

We now know that people need information - accurate,specic, descriptive information to make recreationparticipation decisions based on their interests and abilities.We learned that we needed to focus on trail edges, incline,cross slope, surface, width and length, and overhead

clearance.

Here are some helpful resources; all of which describe trailcharacteristics in detail and all give trail users decision-making choices.

Universal Trail Assessment Process (UTAP)

www.benecialdesigns.com/trails/utap

Much like NYS IRRCs Inclusivity Assessment Tool, UTAPis concerned with providing land managers and trail userswith accurate and detailed information. UTAP describes trailconditions and features (e.g., boardwalk, picnic table) andthen posts the information for potential users to decide forthemselves. Stations are established at the beginning andend of each trail or trail segment and then along the trailwhenever there is (1) a visual change of about 15 degreesor more in trail direction, (2) 5% or more in grade or crossslope, (3) a signicant change in tread width, (4) a change

in surface; or when (5) the previous station will be out ofsight for more than about 100 feet, or (6) the trail branchesor intersects another trail. Measurements are then takenat the station, from one station to the next, at a typical orrepresentative point between stations, at maximum gradeand cross slope, and minimum clearance width.

Parks & Trails New York (PTNY)www.ptny.org

Accessible Parks and Trails Programs mission is to makeNew Yorks parks and trails accessible to people withphysical limitations. To do this, PTNY decided to createa group of trained volunteers to gather the necessary

Pathways to Creating AccessibleTrails

by Vicki Wilkins, Ph.D.

information for their Trail Finder Maps. They hosted two-day UTAP Certied Coordinator Trainings from 2006through 2008 to develop a group with the knowledge, skills,and commitment needed to assess New Yorks trails. Learnmore about this program and the names of the UTAP-trained volunteers, trainers, and coordinators on their

website.

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)

www.dec.ny.gov

Led by Carole Fraser, Statewide Access Coordinator, andby regional access coordinators, DEC accessible facilitiesprovide hiking and other outdoor recreation choices forall visitors. On the DEC website, nd the names of theregional access coordinators as well as links to theirinclusive facilities. Also link to John Dillon Park (www.

johndillonpark.org), a fully accessible wilderness area

facility.

Access Board

www.access-board.gov/outdoor/

Trails are addressed in the Draft Final AccessibilityGuidelines for Outdoor Recreation Areas for addition tothe Architectural Barriers Act Americans with DisabilitiesAct Guidelines. Technical provisions address surface, cleartread width, passing spaces, obstacles, slope, cross slope,resting intervals, gates and barriers, and trail signs. Theguidelines suggest that trail signs include: trail or segmentlength, surface type, typical and minimum tread width,typical and maximum running slope.

Spring brings us new things to see in our woods, and trailswill get us there all of us. Make every effort to make thetrails comply with the three resources guidelines above.Provide descriptive information about the trails so thatpeople with disabilities and their friends and families canmake better trail choices. Help the NYS IRRC promoteopportunities for people of all abilities to recreate and playwherever they choose!

For more information and questions about trails, pleasevisit www.nysirrc.org.

NYS DECs Black Pond Trail


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Wind Wisdom in the Classroom

The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA),in collaboration with the New York State Outdoor Educa-tion Association (NYSOEA), is facilitating Wind Wisdom forSchool Power Naturally, a free professional developmentworkshop for formal and non-formal educators on SaturdayApril 17, at the Greenbelt Nature Center on Staten Island,

NY, from 1:00 4:00 p.m.

Wind Wisdom for School Power Naturally offers a hands-onintroduction to the technology and engineering involved inrenewable wind energy and provides a context for teachingscientic and engineering principles related to properties ofthe wind, energy transformations, and electricity.

This workshop is suitable for teachers who work withgrades K-6. At this workshop, educators will receive:

engaging, hands-on science and engineering activitiesthat support New York State Learning Standards andCore Curriculum, addressing specic performance indi-cators, and enrich existing scholastic programming

a free Wind Energy Education Kit

curricular units Wind Wisdom for School Power Natu-rally (two units), grades K-4 and 5-6.

Registration is required. TO REGISTER, visit the NESEAwebsite http://www.nesea.org/k-12/events/ click on 4/17Wind Wisdom workshop and click on here for a download

able registration form.

For questions, please contact NESEAs Education Directorat 413-774-6051 x 21 or email [email protected]

This workshop is part of the Solar Sails New York Project:an Expansion of Solar and Wind Energy Education forSchool PowerNaturally. MANY THANKS to our sponsor:the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for making this project possible.

NESEA: Wind Wisdom workshop onStaten Island April 17 1-4 pm

The North American Association for Environmental Educa-tion is holding their annual conference this fall in Buffalo-Niagara (Sept. 29-Oct. 2). In conjunction with this confer-ence, there are several scholarship opportunities that maybe of interest to your students. One of the scholarshipsin particular is reserved for a college/university student inNew York State pursuing a career relating to environmental

education. Please share this information with your students,or feel free to forward this to colleagues who work with stu-dents who may be interested in these opportunities.

Environmental Education Scholarships for Academic Studyin the amount of $500 to $1,000 are available from theNorth American Association for Environmental Education(NAAEE) for students attending a college or universityin New York (the host state of the 2010 NAAEE confer-ence). Scholarship recipients are encouraged to attend theNAAEE conference in Buffalo-Niagara, New York; thus, inaddition to the scholarship, scholarship recipients will beoffered a free registration to the conference (September 29

October 2, 2010) and a one-year student membership inNAAEE. Applicants must be currently preparing for a careerin formal or nonformal environmental education throughcoursework (including pre-service teacher preparation),volunteer experiences, or paid work.

Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must be enrolled atleast half-time in an academic program at the time of theirapplication and at the time of the 2010 conference. Appli-

cants do not have to be current members of NAAEE. Per-sons of color and people working in environmental justiceare especially encouraged to apply.

The scholarship application can be accessed online athttp://www.naaee.org/conference/scholarships

Education ConsultingP.O. Box 39Southelds, NY 10975(845)351-2967

NAAEE Environmental EducationScholarships for Academic Study


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Non-Prot

U.S. PostageP A I DCortland, NY

Permit No. 14

New York State Outdoor Education Association

c/o Department of Recreation, Parks and Leisure StudiesP.O. Box 2000

SUNY Cortland

Cortland, New York 13045

NYSOEAisaprofessionalorganizationthatpromotesinterdisciplinarylife-longlearningin,for,andabouttheoutdoorsandseekstoinspireappreciationoftheenvironmentbyallpeople.

PathwaysInthisSpring2010issue:LivingintheBronxDirt,Dirt,dirtStirringthepotWhyEnvironmentalStudiesandmore....

CheckoutourNEWandIMPROVED

website!www.nysoea.org

Documents

Spring 2010 NYSOEA Pathways