Spring 2009 the Black Rock Forest Consortium Volume XIX, No

Black Rock Forest News Spring 2009 The Black Rock Forest Consortium Volume XIX, No. 2 Consortium Celebrates Its Teacher Workshop 20th Anniversary! Educators Plan Trips, Curriculum estive is the word for the Black The Golden Award Rock Forest Consortium’s 20th eachers from six independent F “We created the William T. Golden Anniversary Celebration! On May 13, and public schools and science award to honor Bill’s creativity and T a sold-out crowd of more than 250 education students and teachers persistence in founding the Consor- Consortium members and friends from New York University’s tium,” said Executive Director Dr. gathered for lunch at the Union Steinhardt School of Culture, Edu- William Schuster. Bill Golden’s in- League Club, where the first William T. cation, and Human Development terest in Black Rock Forest went Golden Award for Innovative Leader- gathered at Black Rock Forest on back to 1981, when Dan Steiner, ship in Science and Science Education February 27 for a workshop on cre- vice-president and general counsel of was presented to Helene L. Kaplan. ating successful educational experi- Harvard University and a long-time There were many reasons to cele- ences in the Forest. About half of the friend, called to ask his advice about brate. Since its founding in 1989, the 17 teachers who participated were the Forest, which Harvard then Consortium has built two award- able to stay overnight in the Lodge owned but used infrequently. Based winning green for a second half-day program. on his experi- buildings, the Helene L. Kaplan, recipient of the first William The program kicked off with a ence with other Science Center T. Golden Award, in front of photograph of tour of the Forest’s green Science research or- and the Forest Black Rock Forest that was presented to her. Center and Forest Lodge, including (Photo: Jennifer Strader) ganizations, Mr. Lodge; research- the laboratories and the trout Golden came ers have pro- hatchery. After lunch, Consortium up with the duced more staff members Jack Caldwell and idea that a con- than 400 scien- Hannah Roth reviewed the logistics sortium of sci- tific papers; and of planning a trip to Black Rock, entific and edu- more than including Lodge information and cational insti- 11,000 stu- other topics. The teachers then tutions could dents visit the split into smaller groups, led by share both the Forest each John Brady, Matthew Munson, resources and year. The Con- Chris Lee, and Bill Schuster, to dis- the costs of the sortium not only cuss their previous class experi- Forest. After supports mem- ences in the Forest and develop that 1981 con- ber research curricula for student trips to the versation, Mr. and teaching Forest during the winter or spring. Golden spent programs, but The smaller groups reflected the the next eight also has devel- diversity of the teachers attending years develop- oped innovative the workshop: elementary, middle ing the idea science, educa- school, and high school teachers all with New York tion, and con- participated, as well as the NYU institutions, servation pro- education students and teachers. Forest neighbors in Cornwall, and jects. These include multi-year, multi- Consortium schools represented Harvard itself. investigator research on the future of included Browning, Dalton, Metro- Helene L. Kaplan worked with oak forests and the presence and im- politan Montessori School, Trevor him throughout those years to shape pact of mercury in the environment; a Day School, and the Urban Assem- the structure of the Consortium and summer Field Ecology Research In- bly for Applied Math and Science; a to negotiate the transfer from Har- ternship for high school students; teacher from the Elisabeth Morrow vard, and has continued ever since annually raising and releasing native School in New Jersey, under con- as an extraordinarily helpful board brook trout into Forest streams; and sideration for one open spot in the member. “We honor Helene for her creating the Virtual Forest, a web- Consortium, also participated. dedication over the past 20 years to based teaching tool that will put Con- Subject areas ranged from elemen- making Black Rock Forest Consor- sortium scientists’ data and models tary math and science to high into the hands of students. (continued on page 5) (continued on page 4) 2 Black Rock Forest News Spring 2009 Black Rock Forest Report from the Executive Director Consortium he adage “the more things floor and to streams in affected ar- T change, the more they stay the eas. This is followed by increased same” can sometimes provide impor- wood decomposition, and can trans- Black Rock Forest News is published three times a year by the Black Rock tant perspective. But some kinds of form forests from functioning as ma- Forest Consortium. changes, in some settings, can result jor carbon sinks into sources of car- in impacts that are both profound bon to the atmosphere. Increased The Black Rock Forest Consortium is an alliance of public and private schools, and long lasting. biomass of wood-eating insects and colleges, universities, and scientific and Black Rock Forest and much of decomposers should eventually result cultural institutions engaged in research, the surrounding Highlands experi- in benefits to consumers and preda- education, and conservation in the 3835- enced damage from a heavy ice storm tor populations, and more energy acre Black Rock Forest in New York’s last December. Thick loads of ice flowing through the community tro- Hudson Highlands. built up on nearly every tree in the phic web. Some studies have shown The Black Rock Forest Consortium is a Forest above about 700 feet, com- initial losses of bird species adapted not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization sup- prising about 90% of the Forest. For to closed-canopy forest interiors, but ported by membership dues, grants, and more than 24 hours, the sounds of have also demonstrated increases of gifts. branches and trees cracking, break- some open/edge bird species. Consortium Institutions ing, and falling to the ground filled Ice storm damage can also lead to American Museum of Natural History the air. When it was over, I counted increased export of nitrate in stream Barnard College 95 trees uprooted or broken just in waters, at least for a few years, due The Browning School the half mile between the entrance most likely to reduced uptake by The Calhoun School gate and the Science Center. damaged vegetation. But the combi- Central Park Conservancy Not all areas, nor all species, re- nation of increased nitrogen and in- Columbia University Cornwall Central School District sponded in the same way. Smaller creased woody debris in streams can The Dalton School trees were more likely to bend or lead to enhanced in-stream nutrient Hunter College snap, while larger trees were more retention, growth of algae and plants, Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods likely to experience limb breakage. and enhanced fish habitat. On a large Hole—The Ecosystems Center Birch trees, with their relatively soft scale, major disturbances appear to Metropolitan Montessori School wood, were often mortally damaged, be important mechanisms for increas- Newburgh Enlarged City School District while oaks often only lost horizontal ing both ecosystem diversity and New York City Public School 311 branches. Severe trunk damage oc- landscape heterogeneity. But with New York – New Jersey Trail Conference New York University curred most often on steep slopes rapidly spreading invasive species, it The School at Columbia University and uprooting was most common in is not known how much of the new The Spence School wet areas with shallow soils pulse of diversity will be exotics or Storm King School So what about the longer term? other undesirable organisms. Trevor Day School Some indications may be provided by Much will seem the same after Urban Assembly for Applied Math the consequences of an ice storm 10 this ice storm. We will still have a for- and Science years ago that produced damage of est. But, on close view, it will not be Consortium Staff similar magnitude across 7 million the same. This is consistent with the William Schuster, Ph.D., Executive Director hectares of northern New England current ecological view of the ubiquity John Brady, Forest Manager and adjacent Canada. As much as of disturbance and the lack of any Jack Caldwell, Operations Manager 10% of the live above-ground forest real “equilibrium” state or regional Emily Cunningham, Development Director biomass was lost due to this storm. “climax community” in nature. In- Barbara Brady, Administrative Assistant From a human perspective, one stead, initial starting points and ran- Matthew Munson, Data/Network Manager Hannah Roth, Research Associate/ impact is a sense of decreased visual dom events determine conditions in Environmental Educator aesthetics. From an ecological per- any given place and time, all species spective, one of the biggest impacts is react individually to changes in condi- Consortium Officers increased light penetration, to the tions, and events sometimes result in Sibyl R. Golden, Chairman Frank Moretti, Ph.D., President potential benefit of many opportunis- completely novel communities. William M. Kelly, Treasurer tic organisms. Studies have shown Somewhat analogously, we can Christie Van Kehrberg, Secretary increased growth in those trees un- reflect on the impacts of the Black Consortium Address damaged by the storms. But tree ring Rock Forest Consortium on the occa- analyses have demonstrated that sion of its 20th anniversary. While 129 Continental Road Cornwall NY 12518-2119 vigor and growth of damaged trees some things have remained the same, Phone: (845) 534-4517 often remain reduced for years, and others have changed. The “seedlings Fax: (845) 534-6975 may eventually be followed by mor- and saplings” that have been pro- Web: www.blackrockforest.org tality from secondary factors.

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