• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

BLACK ROCK FOREST NEWS Fall 2013 The Black Rock Forest Consortium Volume XXIII, No. 3 Students and Teachers Rave about Research Symposium Summer Science Camp! Consortium Hosts Regional Scientists cientists working at Black Rock Forest and around the Hudson SHighlands region presented their work at the Consortium’s eighth Re- search Symposium, held on June 17, 2013. Some 100 people attended the event, which included 36 talks as well as eight posters on display in the Science Center. The symposium, co-sponsored by the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, was divided into four sessions: a ple- nary in the morning, and simultaneous afternoon programs on water resources and biodiversity, animals and the envi- ronment, and plants. “The Highlands are an important region,” noted Dr. William Schuster, the Consortium’s executive Dr. Antonia Florio and Dr. Bryan Falk measure a snapping turtle in the Surveying Turtles class. director, “and there is a lot of exciting work going on.” he Black Rock Forest Consortium’s es, noted that she learned a lot she could pilot program of four weeks of apply to her classroom. “The teach- Consortium Research T Summer Science Camp, three at ers were so enthusiastic and made the Several of the talks featured signature the Forest and one at the University of ‘work’ so inviting that even the most Consortium research, including the Florida’s Seahorse Key Marine Laborato- reserved and timid of campers found a Future of Oak Forests experiment, ur- ry, was a big hit with students, teachers, way to participate,” she said. “Anoth- ban-rural gradient investigations, and and parents. Students said, “I loved how er benefit of the camp,” she added, “for studies designed to help ensure wildlife we got to hold the turtles,” “I loved go- students who love to learn, who love sci- connectivity between the Forest and ing out and catching bugs,” “The instruc- ence, and who are excited by things that Schunemunk Mountain. Dr. Schuster tors were awesome,” and “I felt ecstatic many think are weird, who are probably led off the symposium with a presenta- about the camp,” and many are already the nerdy students at their schools, is tion on the results of the oak research, thinking about coming back next year the opportunity to be with their peers. I a multi-year, multi-investigator proj- and telling their friends about it. Parents don’t think anyone anticipated how pow- ect designed to identify the cascade of raved too. “I was so impressed at [my erful that experience would be. During impacts following the loss of oaks, a son’s] field journal and the detailed notes the high school week, the connections foundation taxon in northeastern for- he took. They really show me his interest between students who might never ests, should they succumb to current and excitement about the program. He have been with their true peers before or future threats (see “From Microbes and I cannot wait until next year,” wrote was wonderful to observe. They bonded to Mammals,” Spring 2012, and “Under one. Another noted that her daughter quickly and spent the week laughing and the Canopy,” Fall 2012). He reviewed the didn’t watch television when she came talking about ideas and observations. history of the project, which involved home from the camp; instead “her time Beautiful!” using a species-removal technique in is spent reading and doing research on experimental plots: some with all oaks the computer. I am happy to see such a The Camp Program girdled, some with all non-oaks gir- change in my daughter.” The concept of the camp, as developed dled, some with half the oaks girdled, Emily Boronkay, a Storm King School by the Consortium’s education director and some controls. Before girdling, sci- teacher who assisted with several class- (continued on page 4) (continued on page 6) Black Rock Forest News Report from the Executive Director Whether great leaders are born, or made, we all recognize great As has often happened, Consortium member effort leadership when we see it, and miss it when it is gone. We lost combined with the nearly boundless capacity of Forest a great leader and friend when Frank Moretti, our Consortium Manager John Brady to turn vision into reality. One of the president, died in July. hallmarks of Metropolitan Montessori School’s activities has Frank pursued ideas with passion, even when conditions been to implement a new project in the Forest each year, usually on the ground or limited resources meant that the pace of working with John. They independently designed a project for a progress was likely to be slow. He had a vision for our Black teaching/sleeping platform at a remote Forest location to allow Rock Forest Science and Education Center at least five years students to more easily immerse themselves in nature. John before we were able to construct it, and sold others on the and our staff recognized the congruence of these ideas and concept. Realizing the vision for our flagship “green and smart” worked to ensure that the design would provide classroom and facilities took a huge amount of work, time, and fundraising. sleeping space, and an outdoor science lab with a high-speed But once the project began, Frank was already envisioning Internet connection. some of our next important steps. The Montessori School students, John, and the Forest Crew The Virtual Forest was a concept we worked on starting worked on it through the year, and now the new “Outpost” is around 1997. We began with one remote, automated monitoring nearly ready for use. I inspected it with Dr. Kevin Griffin last station connected to a radio telemetry network and a crude month and we agreed that it could provide great support for web interface that provided something painfully far from “real- Forest research teams, reminiscent of some remote sheltered time” transmission of environmental data. Now, 15 years later, spaces in New Zealand in which we had earlier set up multi- a six-station monitoring network supports a range of research investigator ecophysiology experiments near ancient Podocarp studies and has informed the development of innovative forests. Constructed with Black Rock Forest timber from the web-based tools and curricula used to enhance college and site, the Outpost will be dedicated in Frank’s memory. secondary school courses in life science and chemistry. I am very pleased to announce that Dr. Griffin, another Another of Frank’s visions will soon become a reality in the great leader in education and also in ecological research, has Forest. Two years ago, he shared with us a concept of remote, agreed to become the Consortium’s next president (see Forest self-contained student work stations distributed around the News in Brief, p. 7). At its genesis, the Consortium was fortu- Forest, networked to each other and to schools and colleges. nate to have Barnard College Professor Phillip Ammirato as its These would enable remote experimentation and collaborative first president, providing the leadership needed to start and projects among teams with discrete functions ranging from firmly establish the new organization. Phil was then succeeded on-the-ground data collection to sophisticated data analysis, by Frank, and now the Consortium is privileged to be led by interpretation, and discussion back on school campuses. At Kevin Griffin and to help pursue realization of his visions. Great about the same time, Black Rock’s recently hired education leadership is invaluable regardless of whether it is innate or de- director, Dr. Jeffrey Kidder, was independently advocating for veloped over time. But we all recognize that we have clearly new remote teaching and research facilities around the Forest seen it in the succession of presidents of the Black Rock Forest to free groups from dependency on our Science Center and Consortium. Forest Lodge structures. — Dr. William Schuster Board of Directors of the Consortium The Black Rock Forest Consortium Institutional Members The Spence School Sibyl R. Golden, Chairman advances scientific understanding through American Museum of Natural History Storm King School Dr. Kevin Griffin, President research, education and conservation Barnard College Teachers College Valerie Colas-Ohrstrom programs It is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) The Browning School Trevor Day School Geoffrey W. Dann, Treasurer organization supported by membership The Calhoun School Urban Assembly for Applied Math Vivian Donnelley dues, grants, and gifts. Central Park Conservancy and Science Christopher J. Elliman Columbia University Consortium Staff Scott Godsen Cornwall Central School District Editor: Sibyl R. Golden Helene L. Kaplan William Schuster, Ph.D., Executive Director The Dalton School Design: Jenkins & Page (NYC) John Brady, Forest Manager Liam Kavangh Frederick Douglass Academy © 2013 Black Rock Forest Consortium Sam Keany Emily Cunningham, Director of External Harlem Academy Dr. Ryan Kelsey Affairs The Hewitt School Caryn L. Magid Jeffrey Kidder, Ph.D., Education Director Hunter College David N. Redden Jack Caldwell, Operations Manager Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Anne Sidamon-Eristoff Barbara Brady, Office Manager Hole—The Ecosystems Center Beatrice Stern Matthew Munson, Data/Network Manager Metropolitan Montessori School Dr. Martin Stute Kate Pavlis, Research Associate/ Newburgh Enlarged City School District Christie Van Kehrberg, Secretary Environmental Educator New York City Department of Parks Julio Vazquez and Recreation New York – New Jersey Trail Conference 65 Reservoir Road, Cornwall NY 12518 William T. Golden (1909-2007), New York University Phone: (845) 534-4517 Founding Chairman Queens College E-Mail: brfoffice @ blackrockforest.org The School at Columbia University Web: www.blackrockforest.org 2 Fall 2013 • Volume XXIII, No. 3 Frank Moretti Visionary Consortium President hen Dr. Frank A. Moretti died in July, the Black Rock For- W est Consortium lost not only its long-time president but also a true friend of the Forest.

Load more

  8

Copy Link