Annual Report of the

2017-2018 To protect and manage the unique and endangered natural communities and species of the Albany Pine Bush, for ecological benefits and controlled and appropriate public recreational and educational use.

Table of Contents

Overview...... 1

Background and Mission...... 2

Board of Directors...... 3

Project & Programatic Highlights...... 4

Financial Highlights...... 9

How Can I Get Involved?...... 11

Preserve Staff & Contact Info...... 12

Cover photo by Rebecca Cain Photo by Alan Schroeder

Dear friends, including hiking, bird watching, How can you show your support? The Albany Pine Bush Preserve cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, Visit the preserve and enjoy this Commission (APBPC) is pleased horseback riding, mountain biking, beautiful habitat, come to the to present our Annual Report for hunting, fishing and paddling. Discovery Center and attend an fiscal year 2017-2018. It highlights education program, join or donate our activities from April 1, 2017 As the gateway or “front door” to the to the Friends of the Pine Bush to March 31, 2018 and provides a Pine Bush, the Discovery Center is Community, work with our staff snapshot of some of the ways we a gold LEED-certified interpretive and volunteer as a citizen scientist both protect and manage the 3,300- center where visitors come to or at the Discovery Center, sign acre Albany Pine Bush Preserve understand why the Pine Bush is rare up for our newsletter and follow and operate the Albany Pine Bush and special. A visit to this unique us on social media, including Discovery Center (DC) sponsored destination is an exciting exploration Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. by Trustco. where learning comes naturally We look forward to you joining us through interactive exhibits, an to protect, manage and discover the You can experience why the Pine outdoor Discovery Trail, and Albany Pine Bush! Bush is Globally Rare, Nationally numerous programs through all four Significant and Locally Distinct seasons on ecology, natural history, every day of the year. cultural history and natural resource The preserve hosts the best management. Sincerely, example of a northeastern interior in the world. It is the The Commission is public-private largest open space area in New partnership consisting of a board of York’s Capital Region. As a fire- state, municipal and private members Keith Goertz dependent ecosystem, it provides that oversee a dedicated and habitat for many plants and animals passionate group of employees and Board Chair and is home to 76 volunteers who support and manage NYS Department of Environmental State-designated wildlife Species the preserve and Discovery Center Conservation Director, Region 4 of Greatest Conservation Need, year ‘round. Receiving over 75,000 including the state and federally visitors annually, the preserve is a endangered butterfly. National Natural Landmark, Hudson Characterized by rolling sand River Valley National Heritage and over 20 miles of trails, Area Site, New York State Unique Christopher A. Hawver the preserve offers visitors many Area, Bird Conservation Area and Executive Director recreational opportunities National Audubon Society Important Albany Pine Bush Bird Area. Preserve Commission

1 Photo by Ann Marie Rutkowski

Background and Mission

hat is the Commission and here is the Albany Pine the best worldwide example of an W W inland pitch pine-scrub barrens what does it do? Bush, and what does it contain? —a unique ecosystem— and more than 76 wildlife Species of Greatest Established by the New York State The Pine Bush contains remnants Conservation Need. The Albany Pine Legislature in 1988, the Commission of ice age sand plains that were part Bush Preserve consists of 3,300 acres is a unique public-private partnership of a vast river delta at the edge of of lands protected within the Pine that works with willing landowners Glacial . The Pine Bush Bush and managed by the Albany Pine and a number of municipal, state, spans parts of the cities of Albany Bush Preserve Commission. federal and private partners to and Schenectady and the Towns of assure the protection, restoration Colonie and Guilderland and supports and management of the natural and cultural resources of the Albany Pine Bush. How does the Commission protect In advancing its mission to protect and manage a viable Preserve? and manage the Albany Pine Bush Protects land: The Commission Commission member agencies on for ecological, recreational and works with willing landowners to how a project (in the study area) may education benefits, the Commission acquire or otherwise protect priority affect the creation and management of believes in a balanced approach that lands within Pine Bush Protection a viable preserve. The Commission takes into account the positions and Areas with a goal of building a truly also provides recommendations on how recommendations of its members as viable preserve of approximately potentially negative impacts may be well as input from property owners, 5,380 acres. minimized or avoided altogether. interest groups and the general public. It has no regulatory authority. Manages land: The Commission uses Offers educational programing: The prescribed fire, as well as mechanical Discovery Center provides visitors with and chemical treatments to reduce interactive exhibits and activities, and is wildfire risk and restore ecological an invaluable tool for schools, colleges, communities, wildlife habitat, and scouts and other groups. Through control . hands-on discovery-based learning, staff and volunteers help visitors learn Reviews proposed development about the unique characteristics of projects: The Commission does not the Pine Bush and nurture a sense of have the ability to approve or deny stewardship for the preserve. development projects, but does advise

2 T he Board of Directors

The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission is established in the Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and consists of eleven voting members: the Commissioner of NYSDEC; the Commissioner of the NYS State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; the Mayor of the City of Albany; the Town Supervisors of the Towns of Colonie and Guilderland; the Chief Executive Officer of the County of Albany; the State Director of the New York field office of The Nature Conservancy and four members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The four appointed private citizen members of the Commission are, by training, education, experience or attainment, qualified to analyze, interpret or support matters relevant to the protection, maintenance and management of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve.

Hon. Kathy M. Sheehan Jessica Ottney Mahar Rose Harvey Mayor Policy Director Commissioner, City of Albany The Nature Conservancy NYS Office of Parks in New York Recreation and Historic Preservation Hon. Peter Barber Hon. Paula A. Mahan Supervisor Supervisor Town of Guilderland Town of Colonie Citizen Members: Dr. Harvey Alexander John Brust Nancy Pierson Keith Goertz Hon. Daniel P. McCoy Dr. Steven Rice Director, Region 4 Executive NYS Department of Albany County Environmental Conservation

Photo by Matthew Clark 3 Project and Programatic Highlights New kiosks installed at 12 conducting research for his latest Big news in the trailheads. Brand new kiosks book exploring contemporary Pine Bush… and signage have been designed, wildland fire (1960-present) around constructed, and installed the nation; the latest volume will Prairie warblers during the throughout the preserve (photo focus on the northeastern U.S. and non-breeding season. Science lower left). This much needed include an essay about our fire staff continued to collaborate upgrade replaced our aging management program. with scientists at University of infrastructure with new, state of Photo below: Fire Management & Massachusetts at Amherst and US the art structures. The kiosk size GIS Specialist, Tyler Briggs, and Forest Service Northeast Research has been expanded in order to Arizona State University Regents Station on a project to understand incorporate space for a large trail Professor, Dr. Stephen Pyne, tour a the ecology of prairie warblers map at each trailhead as well as recent burn in the preserve. during the eight months of the year informative educational signage, when they are not on the breeding interactive trail book displays, and grounds. The data suggest our a means of communication with prairie warblers winter on the the public via magnetic boards and Caribbean island of Hispaniola. a comment box. The kiosks have It appears most individuals took three panels and present visitor about two months to reach these information in a new and fresh locations in the fall of 2016, but way, helping visitors get oriented they completed the return spring and understand some of the things etting Involved… 2017 trip in about two weeks. Most that make the Albany Pine Bush G Preserve unique and interesting. individuals moved south along the Chat with Staff. This new event eastern US to the southern tip of hosted by our Directors Team Steven J. Pyne. Our staff had the Florida before crossing the ocean gives us an opportunity to meet our honor-of-a-lifetime when we were to Cuba and then to Haiti and neighbors and hear their questions, asked to host a visit by Stephen J. Dominican Republic and returned ideas and thoughts on any aspect Pyne. Dr. Pyne has written over along the same path. of living next door to us. These 30 books, mostly on the history opportunities were very insightful and management of wildland fire and have covered topics including in the U.S., Canada, Australia, preserve restoration, boundary and Europe. Currently a Regents encroachments and suggested Professor at the Arizona State improvements to the Discovery University School of Life Sciences, Center and grounds. Dr. Pyne visited the preserve 4 Promoting the Albany Pine worked on getting to the essence Bush. We continue to reach out In Our Community… of our mission and personality, to the Capital District and beyond visually as well as in words. The Students learn about the Pine in many different ways to convey new site will offer constituents Bush. Our Education staff worked the message of our globally many new ways to engage with with many schools over the past rare, nationally significant, and us including sharing their Pine year, bringing learning standards to locally distinct destination. We Bush stories and sharing programs life in the preserve. Students ages participated in many community and photos with friends on social pre-K through college participated events and partnerships including: media. in programs including Discover the Empire State Parks and Trail Pine Bush (photo below), Habitat Day, Girls STEM Day at Watch, Help a Habitat, Student UAlbany, the Mohawk Hudson Scientists and more! Watershed Symposium, St. Rose College Community Partnership Collaboration, Town of Colonie Family Fair, The Albany Capital Center Opening, Department of Transportation Employee Assisting partners. Our fire crew Community Information Fair, assisted regional partners, including Shop local. We have added several Town of Colonie Conservation the US Fish and Wildlife Service new, locally sourced items to Day, Community (USFWS), National Park Service, our gift shop, including pottery, Information Day, the Pine Bush USDA Plant Materials Center, jewelry, artists’ prints and posters, Neighborhood Association NYSDEC, Nantucket Land Bank as well as new wooden toys. Annual Meeting and the Albany (photo above), NYS Office of Chamber of Commerce Women Parks and Historical Preservation New website creation. Our of Excellence festivities. We and The Nature Conservancy website team was hard at work also assisted with the Friends (TNC) with nine (9) controlled in 2017 taking inventory of the of the Pine Bush Community burns totaling 656 acres in 2017. current website, creating a new annual meeting and are active These collaborations benefit version of the site’s organization, Ambassadors with the Guilderland regional wildfire risk reduction and eliminating redundancies, putting Chamber of Commerce. This is biodiversity conservation, and our like content together and making a result of direction provided by own prescribed fire program since suggestions on labels, general the Vision Strategy and Audience all of these partners assisted us with navigation structure and key Development Plan. prescribed fires. wayfinding devices. The team

Help A Habitat Program

5 Federal grant funding. With the visitors engaged and exhibit parts that connects Karner Barrens at support of the NYSDEC, our fire functioning. the Discovery Center to the Kings management program was awarded Highway Barrens to the west. It $160,000 in 2017 from the United Exceptional programming. Total also connects to a new trailhead on States Department of Agriculture attendance at our public programs Kings Road (#12). Portions of the (USDA) Forest Service, Wildfire exceeded 3,000. Popular public trail meander through high quality Risk Reduction Grant, to assist programs included Snakes in the pine barrens, while some parts with fuel reduction and fire Albany Pine Bush, Karner Kids go through a black locust forest management costs in the preserve. film festival kickoff and film that will be removed and restored making workshops, Fox Trot, within the next 3-5 years. Winter’s Eve Nature Journaling Visit the Pine Bush… and Night at the Discovery Center. The Night at the DC was a free New at the Discovery Center. evening program with games, The addition of a newly designed crafts, hikes, historic reenactors, “Tell Me A Story” exhibit to the and costumed staff and volunteers Discovery Center was a great Happening on that helped bring exhibits to life. success. A team of volunteers, This program alone brought in the ground… board members and staff worked nearly 200 guests! with multiple contractors finding Turning forests back into pine solutions to the nonoperational barrens on 260 acres. In the New Truax Trail Barrens. Over original exhibit while maintaining absence of regular fires many acres the past seven (7) years we have the original intent of the exhibit. of the Pine Bush have succumbed been steadily implementing the The new design opens up future to succession and are growing into preserve’s Resource Protection and design possibilities for the exhibit forests. Thinning of the forest trees Visitor Experience Vision. Part of space as well as paves the way for was the goal on 260 acres and the this plan is to open some new trails other needed exhibit upgrades in effect was dramatic. Pine barrens and close others. A section of new the Discovery Center. Between seemed to “pop” out of the forest trail opened late in December north visitors and program participants as thousands of trees were removed of Kings Road in a region recently our exhibits are used by over and the landscape was opened up to named the Truax Trail Barrens. 25,000 people per year and regular look similar to what it looked like a This is a through trail (not a loop) upgrades are necessary to keep our century ago. Photo above. 6 Keeping up with invasive species. participating in planning for new events provide us with unique Wildlife habitat restoration efforts programs, and contributing new opportunities to export our expert in the preserve continues until the ideas. knowledge while offering staff snow flies. Most of our autumn important professional development season focused on eliminating We had a total of 13 active opportunities in wildland fire invasive plants in the preserve. The Volunteer Naturalists. These science and management. primary invasive plant, the black volunteers hiked in the preserve, locust tree, is benefiting from the greeted visitors, and submitted more open, sunny landscape that their observations, contributing is being created in more and more a combined 159 volunteer hours. parts of the preserve as the pine They collectively encountered barrens are restored. Contracted and more than 700 visitors, and greeted seasonal pine bush crews eliminate or had conversations with 63% of these resprouting locust trees along those. Volunteers contribute to the with other invasive plants from work of the Education Department the months of September through in other ways including as December, allowing the native Volunteer Docents, Junior Docents, Workshop for the birds. Our plants to thrive once again. Program Assistants and Discovery Science staff hosted a 2-day Center volunteers. We extend our advanced bird banding workshop Prescribed fire.We conducted 13 heartfelt thanks to all who share at the Discovery Center in May controlled burns totaling 181 acres their time, talent and energy to help 2017. State Ornithologist for in 2017. Several regional partners raise awareness of the Albany Pine the Massachusetts Division of assisted us for the burns (USFWS, Bush! Fisheries and Wildlife (MADFW), TNC, Stanford Heights FD and Andrew Vitz, PhD helped lead NYSDEC) in addition to our staff Our prescribed fire expertise. the workshop. The class of 14 and volunteers. Photo below. As a member of the North Atlantic included our staff and volunteers, Fire Science Exchange (NAFSE) and several NYSDEC Wildlife our staff had the opportunity to Technicians. The training was

Our experts… share our experience with fire a refresher for our science staff; We hosted four Environmental ecology and fire management they captured and processed 1,791 Education Interns. Our interns as a guest lecturer at a several birds in 2017, with 1,477 new birds are students from local colleges workshops, field trips and banded and 314 previously banded who participate in many aspects webinars. We also cohosted a birds recaptured. Photo above: of the Education Department’s 3-day NAFSE, Fire and Fuels Dr. Vitz, right, and workshop work including leading visitors in Monitoring Workshop. These participants examine molt limits on interpretive experiences, a second-year male indigo bunting.

7 Fire Training. We partnered Beetle monitoring in cooperation with NYSDEC Region 4 Forest Our latest research… with NYSDEC. We teamed up Rangers to host three trainings in with the NYSDEC to document 2017. Including two annual fireline Endangered Karner blue but- the community of native pine refreshers certifying 106 people terfly numbers remained high in engraver beetles in the preserve The estimated sizes of the (the largest number by any region 2017. and search for the southern pine first and second broods in 2017 in NYS). We held an introduction beetle (SPB). SPB is a southern were 6,170 and 11,780 butterflies, to wildland firefighting certification US native that has spread north as respectively (Figure above). Com- and our fire and stewardship crew a result of climate change. SPB pared to the previous year’s esti- also participated in NYSDEC/ is killing pitch pine stands in the mates, these brood sizes represent State Police Helicopter Bucket New Jersey Pinelands and Long a 2% decrease for the first brood Training and participated in the NY Island (NY) Central Pine Barrens; and a 21% decrease for the second Long Island Incident Management it has been documented as far brood. This marks the fifth con- Academy. north as Ulster County (NY) and secutive year that the population western Massachusetts. Research exceeded the recovery threshold . Two of our shows improving forest health established by the USFWS (i.e., staff joined the New York State by thinning and burning pitch 3,000 adults in either the first or wildfire crew on several out-of- pine stands increases resistance second brood) and the fourth time state fire assignments in 2017. to SPB. Traps were set in several it exceeded the population target Staff assisted with the 26,000 acre sites that have received various set by our own APBPC population ‘Sunrise Fire’ in Montana in July, types of management including targets (7,640 adults). It is worth the 8,100 acres ‘Gibraltar Ridge prescribed fire and forest thinning. noting that these estimates are Fire’ in Montana in August, and Photo below: NYSDEC Forest conservative because we did not the 38,807 acre ‘Tubbs and Nuns Health Research Scientist, Jessica sample all of the sites in the pre- Fires’ in Santa Rosa, California Cancelliere, installs a pheromone serve where Karner blue butterflies in October. These deployments baited funnel trap in the preserve. help protect lives and property are known to occur. from uncontrolled wildfires and offer staff truly unique real-world Pollinator planning workshop. training opportunities that help The NY Natural Heritage Program them manage fire in the preserve. and the NYSDEC organized a Photo below: NYSDEC Crew #2 workshop as part of creating a pollinator conservation plan for New York State. The class came to the Albany Pine Bush to sample bees and participants were impressed with the quality of our habitat and its potential for hosting rare bee species.

8 Financial Highlights Condensed Statement of Activities (For Year Ended March 31, 2018)

Revenues, Gains and Other Support Government Grants $ 2,877,662

Mitigation Revenue $ 233,076

Lease Revenue $ 171,628

Investment Income $ 201,636

Contribution Revenue $ 71,804

Program/Other Revenue $ 34,043

Total Revenues, Gains and Other Support $ 3,589,849

Expenses Personnel and Administrative $ 1,865,430

Contract and Professional Fees $ 720,446

Conservation and Programs $ 539,187

Cost of Capital $ 253,583

Total Expenses $ 3,378,646

Change in Net Assets $ 211,203

PLUS: Net Assets at Beginning of Year $11,508,079

Net Assets at End of Year $11,719,282

9 Financial Highlights Revenue and Expenses (For Year Ended March 31, 2018)

10 How can I get involved?

Volunteer Through knowledge, Friends of the Pine With the help of volunteer docents participation and a Bush Community and educators, the Discovery show of support Friends of the Pine Bush Center offers many opportunities Community, Inc. is a 501(c)3 through programs and exhibit The Commission is working to membership organization formed interpretation about the natural build broad-based, sustained local for the charitable and educational and cultural history of the Pine support for preserve protection and purpose of supporting the Bush. The Pine Bush also provides management. Supporters active in activities of the Commission. hundreds of volunteers and partners preserve research and management The Friends work cooperatively with rewarding opportunities through citizen science and with Commission staff to add for hands-on conservation work. attending presentations reinforce additional land to the preserve, Volunteer researchers help monitor the APBPC brand as Globally-Rare, further conservation and education rare species and study habitat Nationally Significant, and Locally within the preserve, especially quality. Through boundary posting, Distinct. They help to further through organized activities and trail clearing, habitat restoration establish its position as the place programs at the Discovery Center. and interpretive projects, volunteers with which to affiliate for those Supporters can become a member are also working to make the interested in conservation science, by picking up a membership form preserve safe and enjoyable for all ecology, and natural history. at the Discovery Center or through who visit and live here. PineBushFriends.org. Pine Bush enthusiasts can show Visit the Commission website, support by signing up for email AlbanyPineBush.org, and click updates on AlbanyPineBush. on Events Calendar for current org, and liking the preserve on volunteer opportunities. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

11 Photo by Elise Josee Nigro

Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission Current Staff Contact Us Lisa Anthony Christopher Hawver Albany Pine Bush Director of Finance & Operations Executive Director Preserve Commission 195 New Karner Road, Suite 1 Grace Barber Joel Hecht Albany, NY 12205 Outreach Coordinator Stewardship Director (518) 456-0655 [email protected] Tyler Briggs Jesse Hoffman Fire Management & GIS Specialist Preserve Steward & Botanist AlbanyPineBush.org

Steven Campbell Erin Kinal The Discovery Center is open Conservation Biologist Education Program Director DAILY weekdays 9AM-4PM and weekends 10AM-4PM. Jacqueline Citriniti Patricia McLaughlin Closed Thanksgiving, Lead Educator Office Manager Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Wendy Craney Sara Poggi-Decker Communications Director Education Program Manager

Amanda Dillon Victoria Stoodley Field Ecologist & Entomologist Visitor Services Specialist

Blake Hastie-Etchison Visitor Services Associates Discovery Center Manager Ashley Ableman Courtney Clickner Neil Gifford Jodi Nash Conservation Director Sarah Reilly

12 Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission 195 New Karner Road, Suite 1 Albany, NY 12205 Tel: (518) 456-0655 [email protected] AlbanyPineBush.org Sept 2018