Meadowlark
NEWSLETTER OF FRIENDS OF HEMPSTEAD PLAINS AT NASSAU COMMUNITY COLLEGE President's Message The return of the growing season Volume 4, Issue 1 means we will have a chance to see how Winter, 2005 The groundhog certainly seems to our ongoing projects are progressing. We have been correct in predicting six more have several ongoing invasive plant weeks of winter. Despite snow a few days control projects. I am very anxious to see Inside This ago, and more on the way though, there whether we are starting to make progress Issue: are signs of spring around. I have seen in reducing our mugwort and cypress What Does It many Robins around my home this week, spurge populations. In this newsletter you Take To Keep and they along with Cardinals and a few will also find information about some new A Prairie? other intrepid species have been singing. restoration and invasive control projects. This spring wake up call is a call to nature Falconry At and a call to those of us interested in the Please try to make sure that you NCC Hempstead Plains. The call for us is to come to one of our volunteer community check our calendars and mark off dates to Teachers workdays. A schedule of these events is Learning attend at least one Friends of Hempstead included in this newsletter. I also encour- About The Plains event. We will be starting our age you to come to one of our scheduled Prairie community workdays and Friday lunch Friday lunchtime walks. Bring a friend or walks before you know it. There are also family member as a way to encourage Poetry Work- several dates where we will be exhibiting them to become an active member of the shop Report materials about the Hempstead Plains and Friends. We have great networking going the Friends. Notably the Hicks Spring Thorough- on during these events. We have met all breds On The Garden Show is coming very soon. We sorts of people who are willing to bring Plains will have a display set up on March 12th their knowledge and talents to the work of and 13th, and need volunteers to man the the Friends. Please spend some time to Management table. Please offer us two hours this think about what you can offer to our Committee weekend. You will meet some nice organization. Contact either Betsy Gulotta Report people, have a chance to enjoy the garden at the Friends of Hempstead Plains office, displays, and bring the name of our organi- or myself in the Biology Department at Upcoming zation out into our community. In addition Nassau Community College (my office Events: to these events, you will also find an- number is 572-7048). We will be happy to nouncements of our second poetry work- find a meaningful project for you to be a Friday Lunch shop, and our second teacher training part of. Walks workshop in this newsletter. Please share this information with friends and family Volunteer Yours in service, Workdays members who you think would find these Catherine D. Kelly, Ph.D. activities to be of interest. President, Friends of Hempstead Plains Poetry Work- shop II at Nassau Community College, Inc.
Friends of Hempstead Plains at Nassau Community College, Inc. offers educational programs to schools, community groups and the general public. We have many volunteer opportunities for those interested in help- ing with prairie restoration, development of a library, and giving programs. For extra newsletter copies, address changes, membership and volunteer information, please contact Betsy Gulotta, Conservation Project Manager, at 516-572-7570 or email [email protected] Avian Visitors Entertain return to the Falconer's gloved What Does It Take To Long Islanders At NCC hand for a food reward. In many by Betsy Gulotta Keep A Prairie? Falconry is an by Betsy Gulotta ancient sport and As far back as we have written art form involving a history about Long Island, there unique bond has always been prairie habitat in between man and central Nassau County. Current birds of prey. ecological knowledge suggests Friends of Hemp- that most grassland habitats stead Plains require fire to maintain them. hosted a special Early descriptions of the Hemp- program on Fal- stead Plains indicate that they conry and Birds of were burned frequently. Henry Prey in October Hicks (1892) wrote: “The Plains 2004 at Nassau proper, consisting of the thick sod Community Col- Bob Young is pictured during Falconry demonstration with a Red- of many species, annually burned lege. Master tailed Hawk, one of the many birds on display at NCC. over”. Another account by Harper (1918) states: “Fire seems to be a cases, falconry involves rehabili- normal environmental factor in this tating injured birds and teaching prairie…but just what its normal them to hunt so that they can be frequency may have been in released back into the wild. Harris prehistoric times is impossible Hawks from the American south- now to determine”. west, Peregrine Falcons and Red- tailed Hawks (which live in our It is likely that fire was used by area) make good Falconry birds. Native Americans to clear fields, improve hunting, increase acorn The audience enjoyed up- and berry production, and make close views of Red-tailed Hawk, travel easier (Bromley 1935, Day Harris Hawk, Goshawk and 1953). Annual reports from the Peregrine Falcon, as well as Town of Hempstead during the Great-horned Owl and the less 1600’s show that both controlled common Snowy Owl, Goshawk and uncontrolled fires burned on and Barn Owl. It was a great the Plains. As the area became opportunity for picture-taking and a more settled, laws were passed to chance to touch these magnificent prevent farmers from burning their birds. fields intentionally. Never-the-less A rare snowy owl displayed at NCC. Town records indicate that random brush fires continued to occur in Falconers Bob Young and Sonny the vicinity of the Hempstead Squiciarino brought several of Plains remnants. their birds of prey that are trained in the sport of Falconry. In Today, much of the country’s addition, they exhibited other prairie habitat is maintained by birds of prey, illustrating the regular controlled or prescribed unique adaptations that these burns. Kansas burns 25% of its predatory birds possess. grassland each year. Similar practices occur in Wisconsin, Birds trained for Falconry are Illinois and other prairie states. not tamed, but are trained to fly “Controlled range burning is a free in the wild and to either management tool necessary to Haris Hawk showing off its impressive wing catch their natural prey and/or Keep continued on fifth page . . . 2005 SPRING EVENTS AT THE HEMPSTEAD PLAINS FRIDAY LUNCH WALKS SPRING PRAIRIE POETRY Enjoy early blooming wild flowers on the Prairie WORKSHOP See the Birdfoot Violet, Nassau County’s official flower (For seasoned and budding poets) Learn about our efforts to save this rare habitat Saturday, May 14, 2005 (shine or rain) Join Friends of Hempstead Plains at our Lunch Walks At the Hempstead plains at N.C.C. From 12:00 to 2:00 PM on the following Fridays (weather permitting) With Long Island nature poet, Maxwell Wheat Introducing nature poet, Edgar Carlson April 15 Biology Professor Betsy Gulotta
May 6 and 20 This is a workshop for poets – the idea being to give these June 3 and 17 artists a new source for their poetic language. Modern American July 8 poetry is characterized by powerful words and combinations of words that express emotion. Poets are turning to nature for their language now more than at any other time in American poetry Bring your cameras, binoculars, and sneakers history. They are finding in the life histories of animals and plants and in the technical and popular terms used for habitat description, words and combinations of words that express not only their own reactions to nature, but that give them language WEEKEND with which to write about the human condition
VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY PROGRAM WORKDAYS 9:30 Welcome and Introductions 9:45 Presentation: Hempstead Plains Natural History 10:00 Walks led by Naturalists 11:15 Presentation: Human History of the Hempstead Plains Help restore the native prairie 11:30 Writing Session Remove invasive species 12:00 Lunch, when you can read you works in progress (bring bag Lunch; refreshments served) 1:00 Continue Writing Session and Sharing Join Friends of Hempstead Plains for our 2:00 Conclusions and Announcement about next Habitat Weekend Workdays from 9:00 AM to 12:00 Poetry Workshop PM Free for Members; $10.00 for Non-members become a member for $25.00 Registration necessary: call 516-572-7570 or email April 16 [email protected] May 7 and 22 Sponsored by June 5 and 18 Friends of Hempstead Plains at Nassau Community College
Bring gloves, rakes, and clippers Directions To Hempstead Plains At Nassau Community College Meadowbrook Parkway to Exit M4, follow signs to For more information, contact the Friends Coliseum and Charles Lindbergh Blvd. Turn right into Phone: 516-572-7570; email: East Parking Area for NCC. See Hempstead Plains [email protected] entrance at first intersection.
For more information, contact the Friends: 516-572-7570; [email protected] Thank You To Our Friends
Friends of Hempstead Plains wishes to express our thanks and appreciation to the following donors, current members and/or supporters of our restoration and education projects Soroptimist International of Nassau County Reckson Associates Realty Corporation Whittier Publications LIPA Hicks Nurseries, Inc. Tool Rentals, Inc. (Baldwin) Sign Studio Nassau Community College The Nature Conservancy New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Independence Community Foundation Control Environmental Services Trachenberg and Pauker, CPA United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Long Island Community Foundation
Welcome New Members Thank you to our new members and donors since fall 2004 Charles and Dorothy Doreen Bucci Lisa Moore Sally Bogan Andrews Edgar Carlson Margaret Conover Shari Romar Al O'Rourke Eric Passanisi Maria Leon-Pineros Sophia Rose Cliffe Anthony J. Ricca Esther Ernst Maria Tafuri Susan Langton Britt Norris Julie Gibson Mildred E. DeRiggi Wendy Murbach Christine Marzigliano Kathleen Gaffney Nancy K Bell Susan and Hugh McQuillan Debra Oleksiak Kristin Anastasio Nancy Pirtle South Shore Audubon Society
Friends of Hempstead Plains T-Shirts for Sale!
Buy a t-shirt with our beautiful logo. Available in sizes Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large. Please send a check for $10.00 plus $2.50 shipping to Friends of Hempstead Plains, (specify size; S,M,L,XL) at Nassau Community College, Inc., Depart- ment of Biology, Nassau Community College, Garden City, New York 11530
The Friends Of Hempstead Plains at NCC, Inc. is a not-for-profit, tax exempt group organization dedicated to preserve, restore and manage the Hempstead Plains through sustained and planned stewardship and educa- tional programs. We recognize the need for prairie habitat protection and community awareness. In response to this need, a group of educators, conservation groups, and local community members joined to protect and reclaim the prairie grasses and the extremely rare plants which exist, under protection, on a nineteen acre parcel on our campus. For more information contact Betsy Gulotta, Conservation Project Manager, at: [email protected]. Thoroughbred Racing On Keep...... continued from second page prairies. Without active manage- The Hempstad Plains ment, they are quickly changing preserve the grasslands”, David into shrub land and eventually by Betsy Gulotta Hartnett, director of a prairie woodland. Recommendations History tells us that horse research natural habitat in Kan- from noted restoration ecologist, racing was one of the first recre- sas, said. Gerould Wilhelm, Illinois, when he ational activities on the Hemp- visited the Hempstead Plains last stead Plains. In 1670, Daniel The native prairie remnants of year, stated that we should be Denton wrote in his "Brief Descrip- Hempstead Plains consist of the putting 95% of our management tion of New York" from his "Roots same grassland species and efforts into controlled burns to and Heritage of Hempstead Town"; habitat type as our mid-western allow the native habitat to revive "Towards the middle of Long itself. Island lyeth a plain sixteen miles discovered the use of gun pow- long and four broad, upon which der. United States Fish and Wildlife plain grows very fine grass, that When the Dutch saw the Service biologist, Eric Rozowski, makes exceeding good Hay, and British fleet, they surrendered visited the Hempstead Plains last is very good pasture for sheep or without a shot and now, without a year and recommended manage- other Cattel; where you shall find war to fight, Nicholls needed a ment by prescribed burns. Work- neither stick nor stone to hinder way to keep his horses fit, but ing with the Partners for Fish and the Horse heels, or endanger clearing a forest of its trees for a Wildlife Program, New York Field them in their Races, and once a horse to race was crazy. Shortly Office, Eric indicated that the year the best Horses on the Island after, he began looking for a USFWS has selected the Hemp- are brought hither to try their natural clearing and in May of the stead Plains as the first site in swiftness and the swiftest re- next year, after riding seven days New York State for controlled burn, warded with a silver Cup, two on horse back from Ferry Slip, he sponsored by the Partners Pro- being Annually procured for that came upon a natural clearing, gram. If all goes well, they will purpose." called Salisbury Plains, which provide the necessary equipment today would surround Garden and trained personnel to adminis- A recent article in the "Daily City, Long Island, …By royal ter the burn on the site. Challenge Weekend Edition". decree he commissioned February 27-29, by New York America's first permanent race- The Nature Conservancy Racing Association Turf Writer, course named "New Market", successfully conducted three Ande Brown, recognizes the after the one in England, where prescribed burns in small sections Hempstead Plains as the site of they raced for "A crown of silver of the Hempstead Plains in the the origin of Thoroughbred racing on the value thereof in wheat", 1990’s. Friends of Hempstead in this country. Excerpts from his which took two men working on a Plains is excited about the oppor- article about the history of African filed for one growing season to tunity to continue this important Americans in Thoroughbred earn. History has not yet uncov- management practice. We will racing, are as follows: ered the names of the captured continue to up-date our members, slaves who campaigned in the friends and supporters about the "The history of Black men with owner's silks for the next one preparations for such an undertak- Thoroughbred race horses in hundred and eleven years in the ing. America can be traced back 340 life of New Market (whose north- Background material for this years to September 1664, when ern boundary on today's Garden article was obtained from the Col. Richard Nicholls arrived in City maps is marked by New “Hempstead Plains Fire Manage- New York Harbor with four English Market Road and Stewart Av- ment Plan”, Dec. 1994, written by gun ships that transported thor- enue), when the Revolutionary The Nature Conservancy. More oughbred horses trained for war War began." information on history of the by captured Mende slaves from Hempstead Plains and prescribed West Africa. The fierce Mende If you have a piece of history burns is available in the Friends’ horsemen had mastered the about the Hempstead Plains to office, at Nassau Community horse, thousands of years before share, please contact us at: College, Department of Biology, F the birth of Christ and had recently [email protected], and we will 3225. been defeated when the English print it in our newsletter. Management Commit- Poetry Workshop With Long Island Nature Poet, tee Report Maxwell Wheat by John Price by Betsy Gulotta The Management Committee On Sept. 11, 2004, a beautiful sunny morning, several people inter- was established by the Board of ested in writing nature poetry joined Maxwell Wheat, Long Island nature Directors to study and make poet, for a 3 hour poetry workshop at the Hempstead Plains. After a brief recommendations on how our 19 tour and introduction about the natural history of the prairie habitat by acres of Hempstead Plains prairie Betsy Gulotta, Conservation Project Manager, Max guided them on how should be managed. The they can use nature’s settings to enhance their poetry. Each participant Committee’s mission is driven by was given a chance create a poem and to share his/her works with the the mission of the organization, rest of the group. It was amazing how, in a short time, we can become which is to preserve and restore inspired to visualize and express our natural surroundings in new ways! our remnant of Hempstead Plains Two of the poems that emerged from the Workshop are reprinted in this through careful management, issue of the Meadowlark. education and research. This includes maintaining and expand- Our next Poetry Workshop with Maxwell Wheat will be held on May ing rare and endangered species 14, 2005 at the Hempstead Plains. Look for schedule in this issue of the like sandplain gerardia, frosted Meadowlark. elfin butterfly and hand-maid moth. The Committee met twice since fall of 2004, and is working Poets Emerge From First Poetry Workshop with Conservation Project Man- ager, Betsy Gulotta, to develop a detailed written “Hempstead Orphans In The Field What Makes These Plains Plains Management Plan”. In a By Susan McQuillan By Diana Puglisi George major part of this plan, the Com- I am walking I am walking through the Hempstead mittee will make recommenda- Where orphans of the field Plains, tions to the Board of Directors Vie for attention Looking for a subject for my poem. regarding steps to be taken on Among porcupine milkweed seed pods At the edges many intruders are how to best manage our prairie And big blue stems with turkey feet. Recently mown down to restore a native within the next ten years. These The unwanted ones stab under my feet space. recommendations include ways to And wave at my eyes… I cross a layer of crunchy stubble remove non-native invasive plants Look at me! Like the rocks lining North Shore beaches as well as how to preserve and Look at me! And wade into a sea of little bluestem, restore native prairie grasses and I want to see milkweed bugs the color of edge, and switch grass wildflowers. monarchs Laden with boneset, milkweed, goldenrod, We need help on our Commit- And carpets of blue green spurge. and indigo. tee. If you are interested in joining But the invader touches my hand as I walk us, please call or email John Price by What makes these plains under the sand office – 516-676-7247 And whispers… here is home – 516-484-0477 Look at me. An unseen world of deep roots, email –
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