Annual Report 2016
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Grant Taylor Photography Grant Taylor 2016 Annual Report Dear Friends and Supporters: If there’s one word that describes the year at Seneca Park Zoo, it is “transformational.” This transformation refers not only to the construction planned for the Zoo, but to the transformation of the community’s awareness of the Zoo as a nature-based organization committed to conservation, sustainability, and species survival. For decades, accredited zoos and aquariums have been at the forefront of the fight against extinction, but most of that work has been behind the scenes, and the public wasn’t aware of our collective efforts. As a result, the word “zoo” continues to conjure up images of animals in cages for many people, especially non-traditional zoo audiences such as millennials and adults without children. This image is for the most part antiquated, but vestiges of what zoos used to be remain, including Seneca Park Zoo’s Main Building. 2016 was marked by two primary initiatives for the Seneca Park Zoo Society: 1. The creation and implementation of projects aimed at reconnecting people with nature. 2. Planning for the implementation of the Zoo’s Master Plan, including the launch of the largest capital campaign in the Zoo Society’s history. This Annual Report highlights many of our efforts to become a resource for people of all ages to learn about wildlife and wild “The Zoo’s tagline, places and become stewards of the earth. ‘Connect. Care. We believe that the first step is getting people outside and looking at the world Conserve.’ became the in new ways. Our continuing work with cornerstone of how we One Cubic Foot provides the ideal lens for school children, college students, and adult communicate.” learners to investigate the biodiversity in our “2016 was, in many ways, a year of planning and setting the stage for what is to come.” region. We brought the Genesee As an organization, we spend River One Cubic Foot project to quite a bit of time speaking to the public’s attention through a community groups about the fine art exhibition at Rochester real purpose of zoos, and the Contemporary Art Center (RoCo) leadership role Seneca Park and through balloon sculptures at Zoo plays in conservation. Our Airigami Adventure: Journey on regional conservation projects are the Genesee, as well as through beginning to become known, but replications of the project in we still face the reality that the first classrooms throughout the region. building our guests see is an old, We also took One Cubic Foot menagerie style exhibit space. All to Ranomafana National Park in that being said, in just about a year, Madagascar, where the team of that building will truly belong to Seneca Park Zoo Society staff, the past, as Seneca Park Zoo will National Geographic photographer expand its footprint by 20% to the David Liittschwager, and north, adding expansive habitats Smithsonian Institution scientists for giraffes and zebras, rhinos, documented more than 500 and ostriches, with an exhibition specimens, adding significantly to space providing day rooms for the scientific knowledge of species those animals and a glimpse at in Madagascar. the biodiversity of the ecosystem of East Africa. New indoor exhibits The Zoo’s tagline, “Connect. will include rock hyrax, naked mole Care. Conserve.” became rats, elephant shrews, cichlids, a the cornerstone of how we small aviary, plated lizards, pancake communicate. Our new website tortoises, and microhabitats tells many of our conservation featuring invertebrates. Guests stories, with information on will be able to feed the giraffes conservation work occurring year-round, with both outdoor and every day at Seneca Park Zoo, indoor feeding experiences. Our how we support in situ research snow leopards will move to a new internationally, and what we do exhibition space in the center of the here in our region. One of those Zoo, where red pandas will also be regional projects is monarch habitat featured. The Main Building will be restoration, which expanded emptied and razed, paving way for significantly in 2016, as we a new Tropics Complex to be built partnered with the NYS Department in the coming years. of Transportation to return a six- mile stretch of I-390 to native For the Seneca Park Zoo Society, monarch habitat. 2016 was, in many ways, a year of Marie Kraus “If we are successful in achieving our mission, our region, too, will be transformed by people living more sustainably, protecting the environment, and acting on behalf of wildlife.” Kathleen Sheffield planning and setting the stage for what is to life with nature and wildlife, working toward come. Our Partners In Conservation program moving our guests from connecting, to continues to grow, as does our Forever Wild caring, to acting on behalf of conservation Society, indicating a wider circle of people and species survival. If we are successful investing in the Zoo today and in the future. in achieving our mission, our region, too, While our attendance declined a bit in 2016 will be transformed by people living more due largely to record breaking heat, our sustainably, protecting the environment, and ability to efficiently manage our resources acting on behalf of wildlife. resulted in another year of a balanced budget. As we face the challenge of raising more Pamela Reed Sanchez than $20 million to ensure the complete Executive Director transformation of the Zoo, we do so with Seneca Park Zoo Society the knowledge that our supporters not only love animals, but care deeply about the survival of species in natural range. We also know you understand the role that this Stephen Brown Zoo plays in annually connecting hundreds Board President, 2016 of thousands of people from all walks of Seneca Park Zoo Society CONNECTING people with nature As part of the Zoo’s mission to inspire our community to connect, care for, and conserve wildlife and wild places, we actively encourage people to get out and experience nature. This year we involved many people in hands-on programs to understand and appreciate wild places. Ceci Menchetti “Today makes me think about nature more than I usually do.” -Tajineaque Scott, 7th grader, Integrated Arts and Technology High School Ceci Menchetti Ceci Menchetti A Long Walk to Water In 2016, the Zoo Society teamed up with the Rochester City School District to create an expedition program based on A Long Walk to Water, which is required reading for RCSD 7th graders. Written by Rochester native Linda Sue Park, the book is set in eastern Africa and refers to the habitats and animals represented in A Step Into Africa at the Zoo as it follows characters in Sudan (and Rochester) as they struggle to access fresh water. One-third of RCSD 7th graders spent time learning naturalist observation skills for locating water. Once they found the water source of Trout Pond, they collected water samples and conducted quality tests, analyzing their findings in relation to both animal and human health. Invasive Species Pull To draw attention to invasive species and the impact on ecosystems in our region, the Zoo Society partnered with the Finger Lakes Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (FL-PRISM) to host Invasive Species Pull events in the area. The public was invited to get their hands dirty and join the team to remove water chestnuts from the Genesee River and surrounding areas. The good news? Significantly less of this invasive plant was found this year Hilary Mosher compared to the team’s efforts in 2015. Butterfly Beltway The Seneca Park Zoo Society teamed up with the New York 2 State Department of Transportation (DOT) to expand its Million Butterfly Beltway monarch habitat restoration project along six Square Feet miles of Interstate I-390. The program included “non-mowing” zones to protect butterfly habitats. In June, we worked with of butterfly the DOT to plant two butterfly gardens at the rest stop near habitat Groveland, enabling the 13,000 visitors who stop there annually to understand the plight of monarchs and the things they can restoration do to preserve habitat of these important pollinators. While through the the team was planting the garden, a busload of international Butterfly Beltway tourists became fascinated, even giving the garden a “blessing” program in 2016 of sorts, which was featured on the local news. alone. This was just one of the installations that helped the Zoo Society expand the Butterfly Beltway by more than two million square feet in 2016 alone. One Cubic Foot Replication in the Genesee After last year’s success with One Cubic Foot biodiversity research conducted in the Genesee river, we expanded the program, replicating the research with students in the Rochester area. The program provided students without regular access to nature an opportunity to get their hands dirty and understand the importance more of clean water. than 17k people engaged with nature and animals via the ZooMobile. Lisa O’Malley ENGAGING people outside the Zoo In 2016, we worked to engage people and share the Zoo story in unexpected places. We connected people to the Zoo through art, lectures, and more. Ceci Menchetti 45K people came to see 40K balloons Airigami & RoCo In 2016, we engaged people with the One Cubic Foot initiative and the Zoo’s mission through art. In January, nearly 45,000 people ventured downtown to experience Airigami Balloon Adventure: Journey on the Genesee. The temporary installation, made of more than 40,000 fully compostable balloons, captured the imagination of visitors and depicted the vibrant life in the Genesee River. In February, the Zoo Society partnered with Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo) to create an exhibit of more than 60 awe-inspiring photographs by David Liittschwager featuring the One Cubic Foot project on the Genesee River, which was conducted with the Seneca Park Zoo Society and the Smithsonian in 2015.