The deadline for OCCA’S free summer professional development institute for teachers is MAY 15! If you’re an educator who works in the New York portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, please join us for this fun, educational, 40-hour institute that will take place from July 18-22 at the Pine Lake Environmental Campus of Hartwick College in Davenport. Activities focus on getting students outside and curious about their local watersheds, and how to integrate Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEEs) into existing curriculum. The institute is FREE, including lodging, meals and a stipend, and offers 40 hours of CTLE or Master Teacher credits. The registration deadline for the institute is THIS SUNDAY, MAY 15. Read more about the institute and register here.
May 14, 7am. The early bird gets the worm, and the early birder gets…the birds! Join OCCA and Becky Gretton, co-president, Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society for a morning walk around Mohican Farm in Springfield. We’ll explore the farm’s mix of habitats in search of warblers, blackbirds, bobolinks, woodpeckers, and more. This walk is suitable for beginners and experts alike. Bring binoculars, a bird guide (if you have one), and dress for the weather. Meet at OCCA’s office at 7am. Program is free, but please pre-register here.
The annual New York State Invasive Species Awareness Week is coming, June 6-12, 2022. The mission of the New York Invasive Species Awareness Week (NYISAW) is to promote knowledge and understanding of invasive species and the harm they can cause. OCCA will be hosting multiple events through the week:
Paddle and Pull, Goodyear Lake, June 5, 1-4pm. Help us get started on removing water chestnuts from Goodyear Lake. Bring your own watercraft or reserve a space in one of our canoes!
Frog-bit Friday, Clarke Pond, June 10, 10am-1pm. Go butt-deep in the swamp to fight invasives! Help remove European frog-bit from this pond that is adjacent to Otsego Lake
Paddle and Pull, Silver Lake, June 18, 10am-2pm. Water chestnut AND European frog-bit—plus lunch! (Yes, we know it’s not happening during ISAW, roll with it)
Not invasive species related: DATE CHANGE: Forest Rebirth—Basswood Pond has been rescheduled to June 11, from 9am to 11. Join us for a walk that explores the changes brought about by the recent timber harvest, then stay for “Art on the Trail” with the Butternut Valley Alliance!
The New York State Department of Health has a great informational page about ticks and tick-borne illness. Please check it out before your next adventure so you can keep yourself (and your furry friends) safe!