Pathways Spring 2015

www.nysoea.org 607.591.6422 illustrations by Kimberly Adriaansen

PathwaysOfficial Publication of the New York State Outdoor Education Association Spring 2015

2 Pathways Spring 20152

Timothy J. StanleyPresident, [email protected]

Presidents MessageIt is fitting and by design that Earth Day, a day to celebrate environmental protection, is planted firmly in April, a time when the northern hemisphere of the Earth awakens from its winter slumber. Spring is a time of promise and hope, and as I write this one symbol of hope has begun its northern migration-- the Monarch butterfly.

The orange and black insects plummeting numbers could represent one of the greatest environmental failures of our time... or could be mobilizing a united human effort to ensure one of the greatest environmental success stories of our generation. Already the insect has brought together leaders from three nations and in the words of President Enrique Pea Nieto of Mexico, We have agreed to conserve the monarch butterfly as an emblematic species of North America, which unites our three countries. 1 Mexico has already done much to protect the forests where the butterflies spend the winter. The United States and Canada are taking preliminary steps to mitigate the effects of herbicides such as Roundup and insecticides such as neonicotinoids along the migratory routes of the butterfly. They are also encouraging people to plant and maintain native milkweed, an obligate plant for Monarch larvae, along those corridors.

Dr. Julian W. Smith, a champion of outdoor education in the 1960s, felt strongly that modern societys problems were rooted in the very settings in which most of us live. He listed the causes of these problems as: the deterioration of the natural environment, urbanization, the frenzied tempo of modern living, mechanization, automation and computerization, sedentary living, abstraction and materialism. In outdoor education he saw an antidote as well as a solution for the problems of society.2

Dr. Smiths philosophy is reflected in our mission statement. NYSOEA promotes interdisciplinary life-long learning --Education in, for, and about the outdoors-- and seeks to inspire appreciation of the environment by all people. Our members know through direct observation and experience that the outdoors can remedy ailing spirits and awaken our sense of duty as stewards of the earth. Currently and historically, NYSOEA members

have and do work diligently in classrooms, nature centers, camps and other places to inspire environmental awareness, literacy, and caring.

No one wants a spring without the Monarchs triumphant return from Southern forests. It is environmentally literate people that empower nations to effect positive change. On one future Earth Day, we will reflect back upon one iconic insects plummeting populations and how we helped galvanize the resolve of nations to make better decisions for a healthy and vibrant ecosystem. This is the power of our profession, the power of outdoor education.

References:

1. Price, S. North American Leaders Commit to Protecting Monarch Butterfly Migration. 18 March 2014. http://blog.wwf.ca/blog/2014/03/18/north-american-leaders-commit-protecting-monarch-butterfly-migration/. Accessed 14 April 2015.

2. Carlson, Reynold E. Fifty Years of Resident Outdoor Education: 1930-1980. North Martinsville, IN: American Camping Association, 1980.

3.Carlson, Reynold E. Julian W. Smith. Taproot, A Journal of Outdoor Education. Spring/Summer 2010 Volume 20, 1.


Written by Jessica Kratz [email protected]

Constructing a Content CycleEditors

Corner

One of the beautiful things about having edited Pathways for over five years is that I have taken many journeys through the minds of naturalists. Editing provides a chance to become thoroughly familiar with each piece of content submitted to Pathways or vetted from another source for reprint. It is distinctly different from a casual or cursory read, and the process leaves an indelible imprint on your own patterns of thinking and writing. Seasonal pieces are often as much anthropology as they are phenology. The stark, barren landscape and crisp, exhilarating air of winter tends to bring forth submissions about reflections, resolutions, and renewal. Search the Pathways archives and you will find pieces about photographs, sauntering, gratitude, animal tracks, connections, and more. Where Winter waxes philosophical, Spring, by contrast, is much more pragmatic, sensory, even guttural. Search for past issues of spring Pathways (and even your own springtime thoughts and notes) and you can practically feel the salamanders slithering in the soil or hear the trills and tremolos of songbirds. Spring days bring forth a greater variety of nature experiences, but less time for reflection.

That being said, sometimes it is a greater challenge to get folks to submit springtime content. We are so busy doing what we love to do as outdoor and environmental educators that we do not find the time to reflect upon and share those experiences. Even brief reflections are valuable. A photograph sent to [email protected] along with a short caption can truly help capture and share the good work being done by outdoor educators in New York State.

As naturalists, we are attuned to the ongoing and overlapping cycles of nature: the rock cycle, the water cycle, nutrient cycle, nitrogen cycle, and so on. Within these cycles, there are processes by which things are built up, and processes that break things down. For instance, rocks break down from weathering and erosion, but those pieces

become rocks again through compaction and cementation. As both a naturalist and an editor, I view the Newsletter Cycle similarly: content requests, content generation and submission, content storage, obtaining reprint permissions, editing, layout, distribution. Just as a museum curator inventories and catalogues pieces, similar behind the scenes magic takes place with articles, photographs, and advertisements. After a piece of content is edited, the finalized version gets added to the Dropbox folder, where it can be accessed by those involved in editing, layout and distribution. (Our skilled cadre of editors, content contributors, webmaster Jonathan Duda, Office Manager Darleen Lieber, and Layout/Graphic Designer Matthew Fraher can never be thanked enough!) Often, while an issue is in layout or distribution, content is being received, stored, and edited for the next issue.

Just as the rock cycle and the water cycle are constant processes, so is the Newsletter Cycle. That being said, great content submitted from NYSOEA members, friends, and colleagues helps to keep the process exciting. I especially enjoy the viewpoints of students and professionals who are new to the organization and/or the field of EE, as well as the perspectives from the affiliate organizations. I prefer to have different projects at various phases of the cycle at any given time, and I have found that writing makes me a better editor, editing makes me a better writer, and my limited layout and graphics experience provides me with a greater appreciation for illustrators, photographers, and graphic artists.

When I need to step away from the Newsletter Cycle entirely, I create a very different form of content. As a small child, I began my day by dumping blocks onto the floor and building small creations prior to going to school in the morning. Nowadays, I am certainly not much of a morning person, but when I need to combat writers block, cabin fever, or the bad weather blues, I seek out small building projects. I still love the sound of creativity cascading as blocks crash


A few weeks later, on March 8th, a sunny Sunday morning with temperatures above 40 degrees, signs of spring were much easier to find. We set our clocks ahead the night before, and snow is evaporating from the local landscape. Just as the spring season has begun to emerge, so has Spring Pathways. I am working through a second draft of this piece, and have received several others, which are about to be edited, then added to the Dropbox. The concurrent cycles of creation, within Nature and the nature of content, continue. And the beat goes on

to the table or floor. There is something calming about the process of constructing, of executing a sequence of steps and seeing them lead towards a finished product. On a Monday morning in February, cold weather and snow silenced the birds and restricted my travels. I could not find any signs of spring, so I decided to build one: a robin made of plastic blocks. First the display stand, then the body, then the wings I wondered how it would all come together. This was followed by the tail assembly, and then the head.

While I did not build it perfectly, as evidenced by a few leftover pieces and some modifications to get the head to connect with the body, I found myself, four hours later, with a distinctly recognizable red-breasted robin sitting on my kitchen table. More importantly, I was calm, and I was inspired to share the story, and to resume the cycle again.

No longer struggling to find signs of spring, I went to work on Tuesday, February 24th. Walking in 12 degree weather in bright sunshine, I heard woodpeckers tapping with the cadence of skilled carpenters. They also knew that spring was on its way. In a few short weeks, in that very spot, overlooking Loosestrife Swamp, that tapping would give way to the trills of spring peepers and the warbles of songbirds, and the blanket of snow will be melted and replaced with waves of green. But in that moment, the woodpeckers were all the spring- and all the inspiration- I needed.

Project Learning Tree:


Project Learning Tree:A hands on approach to learning

Written by Morgan Smith

The main goal of the workshops is for instructors to learn how to use Project Learning Tree materials and activities in their own lessons. At the end of the workshop, those who attended receive curriculum guides for the age level of that workshop.

Do the workshops work?Great question! In 2012, Sara Velardi, a PhD candidate of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) began a two-year study that looked into the value of the New York State Project Learning Tree workshops. Sara is an expert in environmental education with a Masters degree in Environmental Interpretation from SUNY ESF.

How did she do it?Sara began her study by surveying some of the people in charge of New York States Project Learning Tree workshops. The surveys included questions about types of workshops, limitations of workshops, workshop attendance, and which resources may make the workshops more successful. A total of 26 facilitators responded to the survey.

Educators that had gone to a Project Learning Tree Workshop were also sent an online survey. The survey asked about when the workshop had taken place, what type of workshop it was, and how each person has used the Project Learning Tree activities in their own lessons since the workshop. 94 educators completed this survey.

Have you ever found yourself doodling or daydreaming in a class or meeting? Ever thought, I dont think I can listen to this person talk for another minute. Now imagine the opposite. Think of a time when you were so interested in a topic or excited about an activity that you did not want it to end.

Many environmental education organizations replace dry lectures with entertaining, hands-on activities. An example of one such organization is Project Learning Tree.

Project Learning Tree is an American Forest Foundation program that provides educators with ideas for lessons about the natural world that are suitable for many audiences. Most of the lessons use hands on activities that include multiple learning styles.

In order to reach these goals, Project Learning Tree holds many workshops designed for teachers.

What do you do at a workshop?Workshops come in many shapes and sizes. Types of workshops include Early Childhood, PreK-8, and Secondary Modules, which are designed for high school and college-level students. They range in length, lasting anywhere from two hours, to full weekends, to semester-long workshops in some cases.


Sara then met with 6 of the people who had responded to her survey for one-on-one interviews. In the interviews, she was able to dive deeper into the details of their experiences at the workshops. Sara was also able to ask about how they had used their new knowledge in their own lessons.

What did she find?It turns out that most of the educators do use the Project Learning Tree activities in their lessons at least a few times a year. Teachers that went to a workshop for high school and college- level audiences were two to three times more likely to use the Project Learning Tree programs monthly to weekly.

What did the educators like about the workshops?Instructors enjoyed the hands-on portions of the workshops most. They also enjoyed the workshops that took less time, had a clear theme, and focused on a more specific audience.

Sara did ask workshop members if they would have rather been a part of an online workshop to save them more time. She found that most people preferred the in-person workshops because of the hands-on aspect.

What does this all mean? In terms of Saras first question that asked about the value of the workshops, the study suggests that Project Learning Tree workshops are a useful tool for teachers.

Sara hoped to learn more about how much of what was taught at each workshop was used after the fact. Her results suggest that people who attended the Secondary Module workshops used what was taught there more than the other workshops.

This could be due to the fact that they were focused on a more specific audience, were shorter than most other work-shops, and because they tended to have a specific theme.

It seems that Project Learning Tree is a useful tool for all educators that touch on the natural world even rarely. It is a great way to get ideas for lessons that actively involve the audience and inspire exploration of environmental subjects.

Morgan Smith is a graduate student at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF), pursuing Masters degrees in Environmental Interpretation and Public Administration.

Maple Goodness!By MaryLynne Malone, Diversity Committee Chair

[email protected]

There is nothing like the sweet taste of Maple Syrup on a hot waffle! This years Maple Celebration at Sharpe Reservation allowed for another opportunity to raise funds for the DEC Campership. NYSOEAs Campership program has recently been dedicated in memory of Brother Yusuf Burgess, a strong proponent of getting inner-city youth outdoors. The morning started off with a few flurries, delaying the start of the event, but encouraging the sale of hot beverages, bringing our grand total to $418.00. None of this would have been possible if not for the preparation of the batter and the equipment by our president Tim Stanley and the generous volunteers provided by the Fresh Air Fund. As always, it was a great time spent with great people. If you are interested in joining the NYSOEA Diversity Committee please feel free to e-mail [email protected].


Today, the DECs environmental education camps conduct week-long programs for eight weeks during the summer. The camps, open to both boys and girls ages 12 to 17, help children become environmentally literate and develop skills for life-long learning. But they have not always looked like they do today.

The idea for a conservation camp grew from a 1947 meeting of the presidents of the sportsmens federations from seven counties: Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Schuyler, Tioga and Tompkins. They approved a residential camp program to foster conservation education among the younger generation. (from the 1947 Sportsmens Conservation Camp report). That year, 70 boys aged 12 to 16 attended the 10-day camp. Topics included shooting, fishing, bird dog demonstrations, basic conservation, wise land use, forestry and stream improvement. But during the 1970s, major changes helped make the camps what they are today, and I am proud to have been instrumental in the changes.

When I was hired by DEC Commissioner Henry Diamond in December of 1970 to serve as Assistant Director of Conservation Education in the newly-named Department of Environmental Conservation, one of my major responsibilities was to oversee and administer the three conservation education boys camps. In short order, and with the full agreement and endorsement of Earl Westervelt and later, Holt Bodinson (both served as Director of Conservation Education), I was able to convince all concerned that GIRLS be accepted into the Lake Colby camp since it was most suited for some construction modifications (including a girls bath and shower facility). I also insisted that the curriculum be expanded to include lessons and field experiences in environmental education in addition to the traditional programs of hunter safety training, fly-tying and fishing, canoeing, swimming, animal habitat studies, and other sportsmens activities and skills.

At the time, the NYS Conservation Council had a strong interest in what the new DEC was up to and was, to a certain degree, suspicious. Since fish and game clubs were the primary sponsors of summer campers and since the beginning of time they only sponsored boys, a challenging information and public relations effort had to be made to include girls and also to allow sponsorship by other clubs and organizations as well as individual parents on occasion.I led the charge to establish a great rapport with the NYS Conservation Council and its Education Committee chairperson. Then, with the support of Commissioner Diamond and following Commissioners, Lake Colby was

modified and began accepting both boys and girls from many different organizations and a revitalized curriculum was developed and presented.

Since DeBruce was the next most logical and practical camp to adjust to include both genders it was eventually modified to accept girls. Rushford presented more logistical and construction challenges and took longer to modify.

In those days getting an annual state budget appropriation to support the camp operations and maintenance was a true and uncertain challenge; however, as a result of expanding the curriculum and including both sexes it became a bit easier. Roy Irving served as a senior conservation educator on my staff and did a superior job in hiring staff for the camps, preparing budgets, arranging for all camp operational needs and in the processing of camper applications.

The DEC environmental camp program, along with the Forest Parks Interpretive Program (which I also administered along with Chuck McNulty) have been very popular and successful over the years. The changes we made in the 1970s to include girls and add environmental education to the camp experience, along with Brother Yusufs commitment to include children from underserved neighborhoods, has made the program even better.

Today, DECs environmental education camps conduct week-long residential programs for eight weeks during the summer. Through hands-on, interactive education and interpretation programs for children ages12 to 17, campers become environmentally literate and develop skills for life-long learning. The overall goal is to encourage campers active stewardship in the protection of natural resources and enhancement of environmental quality through actions they take in their everyday lives.

The residential camp program, which started in 1947, is an enjoyable blend of learning and recreation that heightens campers environmental awareness. Activities, such as sampling streams for aquatic life, netting butterflies, watching birds and hiking through forests, bring conservation concepts to life. Actions, such as recycling and careful use of water, teach environmental stewardship. Opportunities to take hunter safety courses and to develop fishing techniques provide skills for outdoor recreation and enjoyment that will last a lifetime.

http://www.eastiron.org/documents/students/DECSummerCamps.pdf Accessed 6 April 2015.

Big Changes for DEC Environmental Education CampsWritten by Jerry E. Passer


Due to all the snow removal I needed to contend with this winter, there came a day when I decided it was time to skip out for a bit of snowshoeing. Knowing it would be necessary to return shortly to rake my roofs (again), I put on my winter moccasins and grabbed the wood-framed snowshoes I made a few years ago. Using the wool strips that act as the binding, I hitched into them and set out from our barn. While we live on an old farm, Im lucky enough to have neighbors that dont mind my wandering across their property. Consequently I have an 18 acre field next door and 30 acres of mixed woods adjoining it at my disposal. Combine that with our own acreage and theres a significant amount of room for me to roam. Because of that large chunks of time can be spent exploring, following tracks, watching wildlife or meandering alongside the stream. It was into this setting I trekked off on my snowshoes; alone.

While I should have known better (and actually, I do) it surprised me how difficult it was to make headway. Breaking trail by oneself is always tiring but doing it in 2+ feet of snow is exhausting. Although still in decent shape for my age, I needed to stop occasionally to catch my breath before continuing onward again. Eventually I need to set visual goals for me to reach before Id take my next rest. While able to make progress, it remained painfully slow; even more so when going uphill. The distance that typically takes me less than a R

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Lessons Relearned in the Winter Woodshalf hour to cover took almost 50 minutes. Before long I realized it would be foolish to continue to the other side of the hill; my usual turn around point. Taking a short breather, I turned around and headed back towards home. Backtracking along my own trail, I was finally able to look up and notice how truly quiet the woods actually were. While it was snowing steadily the world around me was silent; as if I were enclosed within a cathedral. This was the second day of the snowfall and there were no tracks to follow or birds to hear. It appeared as if every creature had holed up out of the weather, sticking tight to their personal cover, conserving energy and waiting it for it to end; a wise move on their part in my opinion. The only sign of life, beside me, were the freshly chiselled holes in a hemlock; the result of a pileated woodpeckers efforts. Other than that, the woods appeared to be a monochromatic world of nothingness.

As I came out to the edge of the field, I noticed the wind had picked up a considerably. While not a white out, the blowing snow definitely made visibility a concern. Luckily for me the route back home crosses the large open field which is defined by wooded hedgerows on two sides. Had the visibility been cut down even further it would have been easy enough to follow the edge where field meets forest but it made me wonder...what would I have done if Id been anywhere else? I didnt bring a compass so my orientation could have become


disoriented very easily. It made me realize that even on all the local trails I travel, having a compass in my pocket would have been handy.v

Before too long the outline of my barn came into view and I knew everything would be fine. While the snowshoeing back was easier due to my earlier efforts, I definitely felt my store of energy beginning to drain. A lack of water was catching up with me as well since Id brought nothing with me to keep hydrated or slake my thirst. On the whole, the one positive thing I did do was to wear all wool throughout this short journey. While tired, I was definitely warm and dry, protected by my wool shirt, wool vest, wool mitts and hat. Slipping in the back door, I shook off the snow that had settled on my outer clothing and headed inside for a quick rest and refreshment before heading out again to finish the work of cleaning up from this latest storm.

So, what did I relearn through all of this? Well I hope its obvious what was reinforced but if not, heres my short list: 1) Breaking trail while snowshoeing is tiring work; even more so when alone and in deep unconsolidated snow. 2) Knowing your route is important; being able to find it is more so. Have a compass or some sort of directional aid to assist you if visibility becomes poor. 3) Having water and some jerky, dried cranberries, etc. with you is always a plus. You dont have to eat it but having it gives you a hedge against dehydration and energy loss. 4) Dressing properly will protect you from whatever the elements throw at you.

Although just a quick trip, this short ramble around Red Hill presented me with yet another opportunity to discover something. In this case it was about me and my actions but regardless the lesson, I continue to feel blessed, living and learning in this beautiful environment.

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

Milestones Dr. Helen Ross Russell, 99Photo courtesy of Frank Knight

Dr. Helen Ross Russell, an Environmental biologist, author, educator, and NYSOEA Art and Literary Award recipient (1982), passed away in Jersey City, NJ this past November, just shy of reaching 100 years of age. An early female Ph.D. graduate of Cornell Universitys nature study department, she taught at Fitchburg State College and became its first woman dean. A self-described environmental biologist, her books, Foraging for Dinner and City Critters, were outsold by her bestselling book, Ten Minute Field Trips. With consultancies at the New York Academy of Science and the Brooklyn and New York Botanical gardens, she found time to teach at Manhattan Country School and was truly a dynamo in the environmental education field.

See more at:http://obits.nj.com/obituaries/starledger/obituary.aspx?pid=173103924#sthash.TvQcU8Ks.dpuf


In 1968, over one hundred fifty educators from across New York State attended the first of what was to become the annual NYSOEA conference. In his keynote, Dr. Hugh Masters, Director of the North Georgia Mountains Commission, spoke of the preservation and education efforts that had been done since the original inception of the Association in 1958 and envisioned what was to come. Forty-seven years later the NYSOEA Legacy Committee is doing the same in preparation for our 50th anniversary in 2018 and we need your help!

To help us look back, we are collecting:

pictures from conferences, workshops and meetings

publications

meeting minutes

The material can be hard copy or digital. If it is hard copy, it can be brought to the conference in November and dropped off at the Story Corps booth that will be part of our 2018 Legacy booth! If it is digital, it can be e-mailed to [email protected]. This material will be archived at a university library and some of it will be included in a publication entitled NYSOEA: The First 50 Years.

To help us decide what form the publication will take, as well as to help us plan other parts of the celebration, a short survey will be sent out to the membership sometime in this spring. The committee is looking forward to hearing from the entire membership to assist them in their efforts.

Using a Story Corps booth and individual interviews we are gathering our members experiences, stories and thoughts about NYSOEA from the past 50 years, their thoughts about outdoor education and their vision for the next 50 years. All of the interviews will be archived in a digital history collection and some will be included in the Legacy Presentation at the 2018 conference. Whether you are a long time member or new to the association, we would love to hear from you! To make the process easier, the Legacy Committee has designed a series of questions to guide people. The interview can either be a video or just audio. The Story Corps booth will be available at conferences and workshops. For those not able to attend any of these events, we can set up a Skype call that can be recorded. If you would like to share your memories, please contact [email protected].

The committee is also working with the Board to determine the location of the 2018 conference as well as to help in its planning. This is a milestone event and the committee will be seeking sponsorships. If you have any sponsorship recommendations, please send contact information to [email protected].

Please help us commemorate and celebrate this momentous event as well as to envision our future together by sending in any pictures or materials that you have, taking a few minutes to complete the survey when you receive it and, sharing your memories, thoughts and experiences with us.

NYSOEA Conference, Eddy Farm Retreat and Conference Center

photo courtesy of Carolann James

Legacy Committee Looks AheadWritten by Dorna Schroeter, Legacy Committee Chair [email protected]


The illustrations were originally used to create a self-guiding interpretive brochure for the Mildred Faust Trail in Clark Reservation State Park (Central Region).

Kimberly Adriaansen is the Program Coordinator for Tifft Nature Preserve (and NYSOEA board chair) in the Western Region and a life-long advocate of infusing science education with art. Drawing upon her science and art background and love of the outdoors, she leads Nature Journaling workshops for all ages in pursuit of bringing people intimately closer to the natural world vital to us all.

Contact Kimberly at [email protected] for biological illustration requests.

Illustrating NaturallyWritten by Kimberly (May) Adriaansen [email protected]

Ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) with Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)

Nonnatives - Common periwinkle (Vinca minor) and common mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) which the scientific name has changed - leading to challenges in using older field guides

Eastern Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana)

When using field guides - identifying the common, increasingly spreading, nonnatives (which are sometimes more prevalent than natives!) ... can be a challenge. Some field guides may not contain info on the new-ish nonnatives or the field guide may not identify the plant as a nonnative (which I personally think is important).

Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata) Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)


In Genesis, Adam named every beast of the field, every bird of the air and we have been adding to his list with a vengeance ever since: 5,490 mammals, 9,998 birds, 1 million insects, 320,000 flowering plants a total of 1.7 million so far with 13,000 species added each year. It is estimated that the total number of species worldwide ranges from 3 to 5 million, or more. Field guides enable us to name species for ourselves, and new, easier-to-use guides have helped many thousands explore, enjoy and help protect Natures remarkable diversity. Choosing the right guides is an important first step for yourself, your family, or your students.

WHAT IS A FIELD GUIDE?Field guides are books that enable the user to identify an organism afield or at the windowsill. A basic field guide should:

{be field guide-sized (approx. 7.5 X 4.5) for easy portability

{have text, pictures and range maps on facing pages

{use simple keys or pictures to aid in quick and easy IDs

{include all of a groups species in the geographic region covered

The 800 species of North American birds can fit in one field guide, while our 10,000 plus wildflowers obviously cannot. Today, there are guides to nearly every group of plants and animals, plus the whole realm of natural history. I wont recommend specific guides here users should choose guides for their interests, abilities and learning styles. Beginners

Photo courtesy of Maren V. Morsch

Choosing a Field Guide:Ensuring Natural History ID Success

Written by Frank Knight [email protected]

A cornucopia of field guides

should choose a regional guide and acquire more as interest and knowledge grow. I have more than a dozen each of both bird and plant guides.

MENTORING CHILDRENIf a child will be learning plants or animals with an adult, an adult guide works well. First guides written for children can inspire them alone. With the growing number of people enjoying the outdoors, there are now field guides to wildlife behavior and ecology, and ecosystem guides for specific regional areas, such as Long Island, the Catskills, and the Adirondacks.

It is a good idea to test drive a field guide from the library before purchasing one. Does it meet the four criteria above? Does the book have picture- or non-technical keys to prevent having to look at every page in the pink section of the guide to find which wild rose you have discovered? All of us are intimidated by technical keys, but simple ones can be fun to use and force us to look closely to learn the organism. Do the illustrations show sufficient leaf detail to help you distinguish the dandelion from the many other yellow-flowered composites? I prefer simple line drawings or paintings showing diagnostic leaf, stem, and flower structure. Since inexpensive color printing came along, many publishers illustrate their plant guides with pretty, but useless, small photos to the extent that some users wont purchase guides without them. Interestingly, birders have rejected this trend: the three best bird guides available today use paintings.

Remember that whichever guide you choose, you will need other books or internet resources to learn an organisms


fascinating ecological relationships and adaptations for survival that species field guides are not designed to provide. Check the date of your existing guides; older ones wont reflect the many changes recently in scientific, some common names, and range changes.

FIELD GUIDE ABUSEAbout a decade ago, I had a revelation that I shared in a Poster Session at the Northeast Wildlife Conference in Saratoga: So many informational wildlife handouts and exhibits still had two-dimensional species descriptions with boring, redundant verbiage next to clear illustrations, followed mostly with the habitat, range and vocalizations found in field guides. For years, we wildlife educators reached first for the handy field guides on our shelves. The two most fascinating ecological relationships those with the organisms environment and those with the community of other plants, animals and us were largely ignored. This was also reflected in small scissor and paste exhibits. Behavioral and ecosystem guides have helped dramatically add breadth and depth to our work.

But go on an amateur -led bird or wildflower walk and still experience the archaic there is a hermit thrush or here is a swamp buttercup presentation with the total list of species seen as the grand finale. We professionals need to train docents and set examples for our publics by starting with How the World Works: Our Suns energy cycles nutrients through living communities of plants, animals, humans, and decomposers. Any and all fascinating and sustainability-promoting educational walks, programs and exhibits can hang on that mantra. The degree to which we have succeeded with this, and what more we need to accomplish in our reality-oblivious culture are highly debatable and might make for lively interchanges in Pathways and conference sessions.

THERES AN APP FOR THAT!A friend who leads birding trips told me that when his group sees a bird of questionable identity, he turns around to see them not thumbing through their guides, but instead focused intently on their phones. Available apps include iBird lite, the free version of the more robust iBird Pro; Sibley; and Peterson, among others. Hearing the bird calls and songs is an added bonus, and sightings can be shared at e-Bird or BirdLog NA. Comprehensive and useful wildflower apps are still works in progress.

With your new guide in hand (or your trusty tablet/phone), spend some time reading the introductory information, and practice with feeder birds or neighborhood weeds. A field guide that sits on the shelf is useless. It should be as essential in the field as your hat, binoculars, and cell phone camera.

Elizabeth (Libby) Young, VP Administration

Libby Young [email protected] has been involved with SCA since she served as an environmental educator for the Gallatin National Forests Earthquake Lake Visitor Center in 2010. The following year, she served another SCA term with the Hudson Valley Corps. Libby became hooked on SCAs mission, initiative and culture, and has been involved with the organization ever since. In her current role as program coordinator for the SCA Hudson Valley Corps, she supports the placement of 40 50 SCA/AmeriCorps members with various conservation groups, from Saratoga to Long Island, and everywhere in between. Each year, SCA collaborates with partners to organize and facilitate service projects, trainings and events throughout the region. As a Leave No Trace Master Educator, Libby also has the pleasure of leading 3-day Trainers courses in the backcountry. She values the opportunity to work with a wide variety of people, provide professional development and growth opportunities to young adults, and support local environmental education and conservation initiatives in the Hudson Valley.


Environmental educators Chris Hendershot and Jill Eisenstein discuss the benefits of the natural world to children of all ages.

C: One of the main reasons I chose the field of environmental education was my upbringing on a dairy farm and fascination with always learning something new. On any given day I could be out in our woods and see something new!

J: Me, too. I grew up on a 100-acre abandoned farm, exploring the woods and fields in the Adirondack Mountains. Every day there was something to discover and learn and I wanted to introduce others to the incredible wonders of the outdoors.

C: In contrast, many students that I work with talk about organized, structured activities -- their sports team or their dance class after school or a lacrosse tournament on the weekend. Rarely do I hear them talk about building forts from tree branches, or walking through fields chasing fireflies. It seems the times of spending an entire summer day outside and only coming in when it was dark are gone...but why?

I cant tell you how many times Ive heard, Boy, when I was a kid we only came inside when it was dark! or My folks said go outside, and my friends and I would build forts and pretend we were pirates! Unfortunately, these comments are mainly coming from parents or grandparents in their late 30s or older.

J: The world has changed drastically in our lifetime. Not only do fewer and fewer people own farms, but parents seem to

Get Out!Written by Jill Eisenstein & Chris Hendershot

have a lot more reasons to not allow their children to roam. We have insect-borne diseases and stranger dangers our own parents did not deal with. Parents often cant just send their kids out to play in the park or neighborhood without a watchful eye.

C: Technology has changed us too. On average, children ages 3-12 spend 27 percent of their time each week watching television, and just 1 percent outdoors in some type of structured or unstructured activity.

Technology has given us two problems to face: 1) technological advances give us more time, but we fill the time with organized sports and indoor activities: and 2) technology itself in the form of media distracts us for hours on end. This combination leads us to the ultimate problem: no time left for unstructured activities in the natural world.

J: And yet, you and I know what unstructured time in nature did for us. It awakened an unquenchable curiosity, helped us focus, trained our powers of observation, and ultimately helped us with our careers!

C: Allowing children the time to be outdoors has many physical and mental health benefits: it engages students in learning and has been shown to help with attention difficulties, hyperactivity, childhood obesity, and in general, to disconnect from things that are unreal. Nature is real; it is always changing and giving us something new to discover.

J: The natural world teaches life lessons. There are things


humans control and things humans do not control. There are seasons, immutable natural laws, food webs, weather events that one can learn about, learn from, but not control. In nature, humans and human-made things are not at the center of everything!

I treasure each moment when I get to see a child connect with the natural world, whether its an ah-hah! experience or a wide-eyed wondering look at a new creature or plant.

C: Many of us have heard of Nature Deficit Disorder a term coined in Richard Louvs book Last Child in the Woods. Many of us know that our children are suffering from it. What are we doing to change it? If the national average of media time (watching TV, listening to music, computer time, and playing video games) is over 7 hours a day for children 8-18 then adults/ parents, are allowing or even encouraging it. Are we really ignoring their need for outdoor play?

C&J: Given these challenges, how can we help our children experience the joy of discovery found in the natural world? The answer is simple just open the door and walk out! Leave the smartphone and iPad inside, and take a walk, but not a got-to-get-someplace walk, just a being-out walk. In many places the children of today will need an adult to go with them, but that adult could give them a little leeway to explore...touch the water, look under rocks, peek into holes in tree trunks, crawl on the forest floor and smell the earth and rotting logs or run through a field of flowers, pretend to be in another place or time. There are natural areas, preserves and parks all around us that invite exploration. Make the time and take your time; you are making a huge investment in future generation of explorers who will love and care for the environment. Go ahead... open the door and GET OUT!

Chris Hendershot is a School Program Manager/Environmental Educator at the New Canaan Nature Center, New Canaan, CT and calls New York State home. Jill Eisenstein is an Environmental Educator at Fresh Air Funds Sharpe Reservation Environmental Center, Fishkill, NY.

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(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.

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NYSOEA Executive BoardPresident Tim StanleyVP Administration Elizabeth YoungVP Communication Eric PowersVP Human Resources Jessica KratzVP Program - Jolene ThompsonSecretary - Loren Smith, Ph.D.Treasurer - Elizabeth Van AckerOffice - Darleen Lieber

Regional DirectorsEastern - Kate BrillMetro - Sunny CorraoNorthern - Brian DeGroatWestern - Kimberly AdriaansenCentral - Josh Teeter

2015 NYSOEA ConferenceRebecca Houser,2015 Conference Chair

PathwaysIssue EditorsJessica Kratz Sarah Conley

Graphic DesignerMatthew Fraher

Content Editors Sarah ConleyDarleen LieberJill EisensteinRichard ParisioBenette Whitmore, Ph. D.

Online Content/Marketing ManagerJonathan Duda

Contributing Past EditorsFrank Knight Snapper Petta

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Pathways Spring 2015

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