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.