Voice of the River 2017 Annual Report

Inside: Planning For The Future - Education Programs Inspire - Protecting Infrastructure WELCOME Getting Work Done A Field-Based Approach, Grounded In Science

ver the past five years, AsRA has grown. Our staff and budget are larger, allowing Ous to get more work done on the ground – using rigorous science to identify and test solutions, strengthening relationships in our communities, setting goals, delivering on promises. Our reputation has also grown. Eight years ago, John Davis, a local conservationist admired across the country for his work on wildlands connectivity, noted that AsRA was the best kept secret in Adirondack conservation. The fact that he saw the BOARD OF DIRECTORS quality of our work then was encouraging. The idea that AsRA was a secret…that has Elizabeth Clarke Chair taken time and hard work to address. Ken Brownell Why? Because to us it isn’t just about brochures and press releases. These are Vice-Chair important pieces of the puzzle, but they must be tied to work achieved, work that serves a mission and an organizational philosophy. Our philosophy? Get scientifically informed Christian Brammer Treasurer work done in the river, on lakes and floodplains, on small essential tributaries, and Wally Walters anywhere in the watershed where threats exist to clean water and healthy streams. Our Secretary mission is helping Ausable communities to protect our streams and lakes. This kind of Evan Bottcher thoughtful, labor-intensive work – gathering data in streams, monitoring lakes, educating Nevton Dunn kids, testing samples in labs, building culverts, tagging fish, pulling invasive plants, Robert Farkas planting native trees – takes staff, planning, equipment, volunteers, colleagues, willing Audrey Hyson landowners, time, and financial support. Susan Lacy Our field-based approach is what makes us different. Join us. Support work Neil Levine grounded in science that protects our local waterways. Larry Master If you are already a member, thank you! Consider passing this report on to a Betsy Richert friend who you think will appreciate what a small dedicated group of professional staff, John Schuler supported by a volunteer board, with exceptional colleagues and an engaged community can get done. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Kelley Tucker SCIENCE & STEWARDSHIP DIRECTOR Elizabeth Clarke Kelley Tucker Brendan Wiltse Chair - Board of Directors Executive Director RIVER STEWARD Nicole Pionteck SCIENCE & OPERATIONS Cover: Aerial view of the phase 1 restoration of the Dream Mile along the West Branch of the Ausable River. Below: AsRA’s Executive Director, Kelley Tucker, and Board Chair, Liz Clarke ASSOCIATE discussing a river restoration project on the West Branch. Carrianne Pershyn

Ausable River Association 1181 Haselton Rd. PO Box 8 Wilmington, NY (518) 637-6859 [email protected] www.ausableriver.org

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Where not noted otherwise, photo credit AsRA A VOICE FOR THE RIVER Planning For The Future AsRA Adopts New Strategic Plan Left: © Brendan Wiltse n December of 2017, AsRA’s Board of Directors approved a Inew strategic plan – advancing our organizational mission AsRA’s Vision to help communities protect our streams and lakes. The We envision a community of watershed residents and intensive planning effort began in late 2015 with a series of visitors enjoying the Ausable River, its lakes and tributaries staff and board meetings to define the scope and purpose and working to protect its clean waters, healthy free- of planning. We included feedback from community flowing streams, and the diverse habitats that sustain members through informal one-on-one conversations. its native plants and wildlife. This community supports This conceptual phase led to a focusing of AsRA’s mission, and works in partnership with AsRA to inspire future vision, and organizational goals, development of a generations to cherish and protect our watershed. framework for a planning document, followed by several months of drafting and revising. The result is a five-year flexible plan that guides AsRA’s Mission AsRA’s staff and board, redefines programs, and lays out Helping communities protect our streams and lakes. a strategic staff expansion. Our goal is to enhance our capacity to serve our communities and protect the waters AsRA’s Goals of the Ausable watershed by building added efficiency, Clean Water: Streams, lakes, wetlands, and aquifers credibility, and strength in our work. Specifically, the new capable of supporting a full complement of human and strategic plan strengthens our current science, technical, ecosystem needs. and education programs that our communities rely on and trust, by shifting more staff time to these core goals: clean Healthy Streams: Shaded, cool waters, with ample water, healthy streams, engaged communities. It expands floodplains and self-regulating flows sustaining ecological our commitment to protect near and instream habitats and diversity and thriving communities. the native wildlife that depend on them – creating a new staffed program to protect biodiverse habitats, focusing Biodiverse Habitats: Habitats and ecosystems fostering first on native brook trout and other vulnerable species. native plant and animal species in and alongside streams, And it identifies two additional hires in the short to mid- lakes, and wetlands. term: a full-time communications manager to plan, design, and implement communications and marketing strategies Enjoying our Waterways: Responsible, low-impact that elevate the goals and programs of AsRA, increasing recreational opportunities protective of Ausable waterways public awareness, and expanding AsRA’s member, and adjacent lands. donor, and volunteer base; and a part-time finance and operations director supporting AsRA programs including: Engaged Communities: Informed residents and visitors organizational bookkeeping, financial strategy, grants caring for the health of the watershed where they live, tracking, contract compliance, and more. It also refines the work, and play. committee structure of our talented volunteer board. Our communities, our members, colleagues and A Voice for the River: A strong, sustainable Ausable River donors, and the hundreds of people our program work Association working in partnership to achieve shared directly affects every year inspire us to ensure that our goals. work is efficient and effective. You can view our priority action and our full plan on our website under the About Us Cover & Left: © Brendan Wiltse/ASRA tab.

2 ENGAGED COMMUNITIES Education Programs Inspire Next Generation AsRA’s education programs get kids outside and in streams

Participants in Discovering the Ausable: An Aquatic Stewardship Program taking a break during a paddling cleanup on the Ausable.

ublic stewardship is key to maintaining the health of The Culvert Lab is a two-part program that takes Pthe Ausable River watershed long-term. AsRA supports 6th and 7th graders in the field in June to study, measure, education and stewardship activities that promote the and discuss the impacts of an undersized culvert. The value of the Ausable system, the threats facing it, and same group then return to the site after it has been the role the community must play. We have developed transformed by AsRA and partners into a free-flowing, and expanded field-based youth programs that expose Climate-Ready Culvert and discuss the changes they students to hydrology, climate change, ecology, and observe. In 2017, students visited a culvert on Nugent Road biology and to methods for surveying streams, monitoring in Jay that, at low flows, was a barrier to fish passage and water quality, and creating biological inventories. caused extensive road flooding at high flows. They also Two of these programs designed for teenagers returned to a culvert they had seen the previous year on are Discovering the Ausable: An Aquatic Stewardship Otis Brook in Upper Jay to see the dramatic transformation Program and the Keene Central School (KCS) Culvert Lab. from a six-foot perched culvert to a large (big enough to Discovering the Ausable is a partnership program between walk under!) open-bottom arch culvert with a beautiful AsRA and that teaches teens natural stream flowing unimpeded under the road. outdoor recreational skills, provides them hands on At Nugent Road, the students conducted the experiences with scientific methods, and inspires an ethic same surveys and measurements that AsRA does before of environmental stewardship. The Culvert Lab teaches replacing a culvert. They measured the slope of the stream children from Keene Central School the basic concepts of with a laser level, performed a Wolman Pebble Count stream flow, hydrology, and wildlife connectivity. They take to determine streambed composition, and conducted their classroom learning straight to the field to measure, biological surveys of near and in-stream flora and survey, and identify the relationships essential to a healthy fauna (one of the favorite activities on a hot day). After culvert. It’s a model we hope to expand to other schools. completing the lab, the students gain an understanding Discovering the Ausable is a high impact program that replacing these culverts benefits both human and hosted during the summer that exposes youth to the natural communities in the watershed by allowing aquatic sciences and watershed stewardship in an safe passage for fish, and other aquatic and terrestrial immersive learning environment. During its five days, organisms, and greatly reduces the chance of road participants learn paddling and mapping skills, conduct flooding. a comparative study of two lakes, survey for benthic AsRA’s outreach programs encourage participants macroinvertebrates, and learn how to be good stewards to become good stewards of the places they live. They of the watershed along the way. AsRA and Adirondack learn that we all can care for our rivers, streams, lakes, and Mountain Club will host the third annual event July 15-19 watersheds. this year. 3 HEALTHY STREAMS Protecting Infrastructure & Reconnecting Streams Culvert replacement on Nugent Road in Jay

n 2017, AsRA completed the replacement of a culvert over Ia Rocky Branch tributary on Nugent Road in the Town of Jay. Because of the deteriorating and undersized pipes used to move the stream under it, Nugent Road flooded frequently in storms making it impassable for residents, emergency services, and for access to Town of Jay water supply infrastructure. The undersized pipes exacerbated

Left: © Brendan Wiltse erosion and cut off habitat access for aquatic wildlife trying to swim upstream to cooler waters. AsRA provided geomorphic surveys and design requirements for engineering, obtained permits and supervised removal of the undersized pipes under the road. They were replaced with a 19.1-foot aluminum arch that spans both banks. The new structure easily manages 100-year flood flows with room to spare. The stream channel, that had not seen daylight for decades, was restored to its appropriate width, depth, slope, and

Right Topt: AsRA, Right Bottom: © Brendan Wiltse roughness. The brook can now function fully, better manage sediment and debris, its waters visibly clearer. Amphibians and fish, especially native brook trout, immediately began reclaiming the entire reach of the stream. The project was surveyed and designed by AsRA, engineered by North Woods Engineering of Saranac Lake, constructed by Zielinski’s, Inc. of Jay with support from the Town of Jay and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Funding was provided by the FWS, the NYS Department of State, The Nature Conservancy-Adirondacks, and Top: Nugent Road culvert before replacement. Patagonia through The Mountaineer. Bottom: Culvert after replacement during high water.

Replanting Riparian Cover nce a culvert is replaced, we return to the site to Orestore native riparian cover above and below it. This is a critical step in safeguarding the stream. Good cover provides shade to help keep waters cool. It contributes leaf litter and other organic matter that serves as the base of the stream foodweb. Native plant root systems minimize

Right: © Brendan Wiltse bank erosion. Whenever possible, we work with local schools to get their students involved. In the photo to the right, students from North Wood School’s LEAP program help plan trees at a culvert we replaced on Jay Mountain Road in 2016. 4 1 2 LOOKING BACK: The Year in Photographs

1. Students from the Paul Smith’s College Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration helping to plant trees along the Dream Mile restoration site. 2. Paul Smith’s College student Austin Tremblay collecting data to monitor the success of different riparian planting techniques. 3. Corey Laxson from the Adirondack Watershed Institute preparing to deploy a YSI EXO 3 sonde in Mirror Lake. 4. Participants in the Discovering the Ausable: An Aquatic Stewardship Program sampling benthic macroinvertebrates in Marcy Brook. 5. Trees staged on a gravel bar in the West Branch to be used to reconstruct the riverbank along the Dream Mile. 6. Volunteers helping to clean tires and other trash from the river. 7. AsRA volunteer, Janelle Hoh, filtering water for eDNA analysis to help us understand the distribution of our native brook trout. 8. AsRA’s Science and Stewardship Director, Brendan Wiltse, sampling on Mirror Lake on a snowy December day. 9. AsRA’s Executive Director, Kelley Tucker, teaching Keene Central School students about a recently completed culvert replacement. 10. AsRA’s Executive Director, Kelley Tucker, standing in the river during a day of field work to survey the entire length of the East Branch of the Ausable. 10

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9 8 3 LOOKING BACK: The Year in Photographs

1. Students from the Paul Smith’s College Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration helping to plant trees along the Dream Mile restoration site. 4 2. Paul Smith’s College student Austin Tremblay collecting data to monitor the success of different riparian planting techniques. 3. Corey Laxson from the Adirondack Watershed Institute preparing to deploy a YSI EXO 3 sonde in Mirror Lake. 4. Participants in the Discovering the Ausable: An Aquatic Stewardship Program sampling benthic macroinvertebrates in Marcy Brook. 5. Trees staged on a gravel bar in the West Branch to be used to reconstruct the riverbank along the Dream Mile. 6. Volunteers helping to clean tires and other trash from the river. 7. AsRA volunteer, Janelle Hoh, filtering water for eDNA analysis to help us understand the distribution of our native brook trout. 8. AsRA’s Science and Stewardship Director, Brendan Wiltse, sampling on Mirror Lake on a snowy December day. 9. AsRA’s Executive Director, Kelley Tucker, teaching Keene Central School students about a recently completed culvert replacement. 10. AsRA’s Executive Director, Kelley Tucker, standing in the river during a day of field work to survey the entire length of the East Branch of the Ausable. 5

7 6 FINANCES

Financial Activities How Your Support Is Allocated Income Expenses Programs 74% $450,000 $400,000 $350,000 $300,000 $250,000 $200,000 $150,000 $100,000 $50,000 $0

PersonnelPrograms Insurance Fundraising

Program IncomeRestricted Grants Communications OfficeProfessional & Technology Services Change In Net Assets Donations & Fundraising

Administration 16% Fundraising 10%

Activities Financial Position As of December 31, 2017(unaudited) As of December 31, 2017(unaudited) Support and Revenue Assets Program Income ...... $28,095 Cash & Savings...... $125,292 Donations & Fundraising...... $95,470 Other Assets...... $500 Restricted Grants...... $280,568 TOTAL ASSETS...... $125,792 TOTAL ...... $ 404,133 Liabilities & Net Assets Expenses Current Liabilities...... $2,592 Personnel...... $171,603 Unrestricted Net Assets...... $55,728 Programs...... $148,227 Temporarily Restricted Net Assets...... $67,472 Office & Technology...... $18,621 TOTAL LIABILITIES & NET ASSETS...... $125,792 Professional Services...... $8,363 A copy of the latest annual filing for the Ausable River Association, Inc. may be Fundraising...... $5,879 obtained, upon request, from the organization or from the State Attorney Communications ...... $3,415 General’s Charities Bureau, Attn: FOIL Officer, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271. Insurance...... $1,425 TOTAL...... $357,533

663 18.6 Miles 50% 952 Anglers Of Stream Surveyed for of New Followers and Others Brook Trout using eDNA River Online 10,225 Tons of Excess Educated Channel Sediment Entering About Aquatic Directly The East Branch 139,908 Adjacent to Invasive Water Quality Data 147 Roads New Members Species Points Collected 7 OUR GENEROUS DONORS Thank You We rely on the support of members who care about the Ausable River, its lakes and tributaries. Together, we make a difference.

$500-$999 Margaret Brownell ADKHighpeaks Foundation, Inc. Joan Burchenal David Brunner and Rhonda Butler Noel and Bob Cacchio Golden Arrow Resort Champlain National Bank Donna and Wayne Ignatuk Ray Curran and Kathy Daggett Janeway Family Fund Patti and Bill Dilworth Headwaters Council Carol MacKinnon Fox Tim and Kay Driscoll Larry Master Charles and Lisa Eaton Rhoda and Paul Morrisroe Dominic and Melissa Eisinger Lise Strickler and Mark Gallogly Mark Epstein Jeff and Deb Erenstone Town of Black Brook Richard Erenstone $250-$499 Eye Peek Essex County Adirondack Garden Club Brian Fallon and Jennifer Nields Nan Boardman and Steve Amstutz Robert Farkas and Anne Scavo Great Range: $10,000+ Constantin Apostol Yvonne Farmer Evergreen Foundation, Inc. Barkeater Trails Alliance Rachel Finn 3M Foundation Liz and Michael Clarke John Fritzinger, Jr. Cloudsplitter Foundation Linda B. and G. Robert Cooley Sharon and David Fuerst Patagonia Laura and Robert Devinney Sue and Bob Gettens Nevton Dunn Rocco and Mandy Giampaolo Sentinel Range: $2,500-$9,999 Lorraine Duvall Tony and Bunny Goodwin Adirondack Foundation - Adirondack Leita and William Hamill Gordon Pratt Agency Gives Robert and Anne Jeffrey William and Christine Gremp Adirondack Foundation - Holderied Lesley Mendenhall John Haverlick and Debra Whitson Family Community Fund Ellen Metcalf Jim Herman and Dave Mason Adirondack Foundation - Mirror Lake Jill and Scott Murray John and Patti Hopkinson Inn Charitable Fund Norte Maar Hurricane Mtn. Chapter of ADK Columbia Sportswear Northeast Arboricultural Associates Christopher and Audrey Hyson IRONMAN Foundation The Fallen Arch Georgia Jones Johanson Family Tri-Lakes Trout Unlimited Michael Jay Kapolka Meg Parker Bob and Blaikie Worth Edward and Beverly Kerr Charles Kilbourne Soda Range: $1,000-$2,499 $100-$249 /Whiteface Mtn. KOA Adirondack Trail Improvement Society Adirondack Premier Properties, Inc. Joan and Miles Kulukundis AuSable River Two Fly Adirondack Riverwalking Ben Lacy On Behalf of John Tucci Adirondack Riverwalking Daryl Liro Branch Creek Organics In Honor of Jim and Parmalee Tolkan In Memory of John Lafferty Margaret and Ken Brownell AdkAction Susan Lourie and Eric Mosher William Chorske Lake Placid Advertisers Workshop, Inc. Claire Love and Justin Potter Susan Doolittle Susan and C Douglas Angevine Paul Martin High Falls Gorge Mary Ashmead Kathleen McCleary Mirror Lake Watershed Association AuSable River Two Fly McDonough’s Valley Hardware Co. Anne and Ken Stuzin B. A. Straight Real Estate Ed McNeil SubAlpine Coffee Barbara S. Dwyer, CPA Merrill L. Thomas Real Estate The Mountaineer Mary Barrie and Ted Stork Marcy Miller Town of Keene Mary Bell and Bill Joplin Moody Tree Farm Town of North Elba Amy Bergman Matthew Murrell Village of Lake Placid Bookstore Plus John Norlund Wally and Terry Walters Christine Bourjade and Alex Sylvia Norton and Joseph McCranels Randmanovich Ms. Mary Jane O’Neill 8 OUR GENEROUS DONORS

Mr. Donald Pachner Travis Avery Kara Page and Dirk Bryant Meg Balassone and John Mills Nancy and William Paternotte Adam Baldwin In Memoriam Michael Peabody Melissa Barber We appreciate gifts in memory Robert and Karen Peters Vincent and Alexandra Barrett of loved ones who cared for the Carol Pinney Jim and Joan Barton Ausable. John Lafferty was Chair Placid Audiology Hearing and Tinnitus Stephanie and Michael Battisti of the AsRA Board of Directors Center Zachary Bell for many years. His patience, Robert Plumb Lisa and Peter Bellamy Betsy Richert Melissa Bellew enthusiasm, and wise council John Sargent Rebecca Bennett helped lead the organization Normand and Judy Smith Robert Biesemeyer toward its current success. Brian Judson and Kathleen Smith Bill and Gail Billerman Parker was remembered for Ginnie Styles Suzanne Bohning his love of fishing the Ausable’s The Birch Store Greg Borzilleri Pam Thompson Evan Bottcher many streams. We were also Torrance Construction John and Kathleen Braico grateful to receive a donation in Town of Jay Craig Brashear and Rebecca Kelly memory of Phillip Moore. Eva Turel and John Longmire Jean Brennan Jane Julian Vecchione Caroline Brooks Erin Fuller In Memory of John Lafferty Thomas Brown David Gallipeau Janet and Sidney Jr. Ward Tracy Bruno and Mary Vrana Julia Goren Ward Lumber Lora Bushy Jonathan Gorgas Jeanne Warner Tara Butcher Jason Gorsage Kayla White Joan Cahalin Erin Griffin Whiteface Mountain Regional Visitors Natalie Canino Lauren and Jason Gundlach Bureau Patricia Castro & Castro Family Ethan Gundlach Margaret Whitman and Chuck Rogers In Memory of Brian Parker Rob Hastings Tad Winterbottom Saikat Chakraborty Michael Heekin Nick and Daui Woodin Shelly Cihan Brett Heineman Cecil and Gilda Wray Lori Clark Michelle Idler Penelope Clute Michael and Nancy Ingersoll Under $99 Joe Colburn Brendan Jackson American Postal Workers Union - Central Matthew Cole Ronald W. Jacobsen New York Area Local #258 Maria Costanzo Tim Jensen In Memory of Brian Parker Robert and Nancy Cressey In Memory of Phillip Moore Accounting Associates of Lake Placid Cecily D’Esopo Matt Johnson Scott Adams Peter Davis and Nancy Both William and Lynne Johnson Kate Asselin James De Golyer David and Lynn Johnson In Honor of Susan Lacy Pete and Kathy DeFina Seth Jones Linda S. Deyo Joe and Linda Kahn Tom and Ellen Dubois Jess Kanciruk 2017 Porta-John Olivia Dwyer Joanne Kennedy Susan and Maxwell Eaton Geri Knortz Program Sponsors Frank Endieveri David Kobe Adirondack Foundation - Ari Epstein Leslie and Carl Kopec Adirondack Gives Matt and Amy Faczan Wesley and Bethany Krawiec Ruth Kuhfahl Adirondack Trail Stephen Farrelly Louis Farrelly Terry Blank Family Fund Improvement Society Joe Fastaia Alan LaBrecque ADKHighpeaks Foundation Suzann Fay Gilles and Shawn Lamarche Barkeater Trails Alliance Adam Fernandez Donald and Melissa Lang IRONMAN Foundation Anthony Fiacco Chris Lang Jon and Alison Laurin SubAlpine Coffee M. Patterson Field Diane and Peter Fish Jan T Leung The Fallen Arch Barry Fitz-James Stephen Lewis Tri-Lakes Trout Unlimited Michael French Rick Lipinskas 9 OUR GENEROUS DONORS

Philip Lobo Nancy Sinkoff and Gary Dreiblatt Nils and Muriel Luderowski Amy Smith and Donald Ream Roland and Pam Machold Caleb Smith Save The Date! Kevin MacKenzie Ann Smith Mary Elizabeth Maguire Nikki Smith Ride for the River John Marino Amanda Smock Sunday, July 15th, 2018 Tuesday Mashtare Chris Sobik Hungry Trout Resort Vinny and Barbara McClelland Tyler and Pamela Socash Vicki McQueeney Sarah Sorensen Join us for the 7th annual Ride James McSparron John and Susan Spissinger for the River as we celebrate the Dean and Sandra Melville Bill Stokes and Karen Rappaport magnificent Ausable River and vibrant Tyler Merriam Jeanne Stopyro communities it passes through. Chip Moeser Evan, Gerrit, Lanse and Kate Stover Mary Lou Moore Aaron Stredny Learn more about this years ride at Connie Morrison Pete Suttmeier www.ridefortheriver.org. Thea Moruzzi Doug Swesty Justine Mosher Michael Szlepcsik Michael Murray Tahawus Center Mark Nardo Betsey and David Thomas-Train 2017 Sponsors Marcy Neville Emily Tracy Han Wah Ng Trout Unlimited Chapter Platinum Sponsors Sarah Nielsen Kelley Tucker Brian Nosal Emily Tyner High Falls Gorge David Nye Scott Van laer High Peaks Cyclery Stefanie Obkirchner Ashley Vu Hungry Trout Resort Rosemary Olmsted Donna Walsh The Mountaineer Tracy Ormsbee Timothy Wasnock Ed Palen Marjorie Waterson Gold Sponsors Marjorie Palmatier Gray Watkins Paul Apart Don Wegeng Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort Christine and Scott Pionteck William and Katherine Wellman Great Adirondack Brewing Seymour Preston, Jr. William and Katherine Wellman Company Kevin and Connie Prickett In Memory of John Lafferty Michael Purtill Tom Wemett Silver Sponsors Vic and Vickie Putman Kathleen Wiley and Jeff Leavitt Warren and Pat Radcliffe Willkommen Hof B&B Merrill L. Thomas, Inc. Craig Randall Brendan Wiltse Adirondack Premiere Properties Kathy Regan and Chuck Bruha Champlain National Bank Joel Reitz In-Kind Moody Tree Farm Bobbi and Scott Renderer Adirondack Watershed Institute Northeast Arboricultural Associates Sara Rheaume John Braico John Rhodes Big Slide Brewery Bronze Sponsors Debora Rice and Dan Mason Crowne Plaza adworkshop Steven and Jane Riley Evan Bottcher AuSable River Two Fly Richard Rogers Great Adirondack Brewing Company B.A. Straight Real Estate Seth and Trudy Rosenblum High Peaks Cyclery Barbara S. Dwyer, CPA Gregory and Catharine Roth Hungry Trout Resort Bookstore Plus John Rourke Lorraine Duvall Eye Peek Ryan Rowe Patagonia Gordon Pratt Agency Brian Rowe Pepsi Lake Placid Whiteface KOA Peter Rowley The Nature Conservancy Suzanne Russell McDonough’s Valley Hardware U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Placid Audiology Hearing and Randi Scheiner Ward Lumber Ed Schernau Zielinski’s Inc. Tinnitus Center Mr. Chris Shaw Torrance Construction Robert Shaw Ward Lumber Dylan Simms 10 Inspiring Responsible Stewardship 1181 Haselton Rd | PO Box 8 Wilmington, NY 12997

Our mission - is to help communities protect our lakes and rivers. Climate Refuge for Brook Trout

Probability of brook trout occupancy with a 6°C increase in July air temperature.

0% 25% 50% 75% 100% Date Source: SHEDS (ecosheds.org) model of brook trout occupancy under severe future climate warming reveals that the Ausable River watershed, particularly Asmall tributaries to the East Branch, as a climate refuge for our native wild fish. The entire Ausable River watershed has the third highest probability of brook trout occupancy under the most extreme warming scenarios. As we dig into the data even further, we find that small streams draining to the Ausable Lakes and Johns Brook have the highest probably of occupancy out of the entire native range of brook trout. Luckily, these small streams are protected by the NYS Forest Preserve and Adirondack Mountain Reserve. Lack of riparian cover and habitat fragmentation from undersized culverts decrease the probability of occupancy elsewhere in the watershed. The good news is that both of these issues can be addressed, helping to further protect our native coldwater fish from a warmer future. Our on the ground approach to conservation, by replacing culverts and replanting riparian buffers will help make sure brook trout are always found in the Ausable watershed. Follow Us