ello. I’d like to introduce myself the privilege of serving as your Presi- in common. We will also be working Has the new President of the dent. I am looking forward to leading with the Friends of the Dyken Pond Rensselaer Land Trust. My family our Board and staff in building on our Center and with the Rensselaer and I moved to the Capital Region 18 substantial accomplishments in land Plateau Alliance this coming year on years ago. As Liz and I explored the conservation. establishing perma- various parts of the region, we were I see many nent conservation struck with the scenic countryside, opportunities for Taking care for properties on the open spaces, and extensive forests us to make a differ- of Rensselaer Rensselaer Plateau. of Rensselaer County. We felt that ence to maintaining This summer, the Rensselaer County would be an excel- the character of the County’s land, public boat launch lent place to raise our two daughters, County through air, and water is will be completed by and so we found a home in Crop- land conservation. the NYS DEC on our seyville, where we enjoy hiking, In urban areas such a responsibility Hoosic River property. running, birding, tracking, snow- as Troy and Rensse- we all share. For those who can’t shoeing, and cross-country skiing laer, and in heavily wait until then and right outside our front door. suburban towns such as East Green- don’t need a boat to fish, our Hoosic In our first few years here, I bush and North Greenbush, land River property will offer public access attended some hikes led by the Rens- dedicated to natural ecology or to to the Hoosic River starting with selaer-Taconic Land Conservancy passive recreation is more and more opening day of trout season on April 1. (RTLC). When I learned that RTLC was at a premium. We will also stay A grant from the Land Trust Alli- more than just an outing club, that active in the more rural towns in ance has enabled us to engage the it was a group of people dedicated to the central and western part of the services of a professional non-profit maintaining the character of Rensse- County, where the expansive forests consultant, who will guide the RLT laer County through the conservation and wetlands keep our water clean Board in the development of a fund- and provide habitat for wide-ranging raising and communication plan. animals such as bobcat, bear, coyote, Taking care of Rensselaer moose, and fisher. County’s land, air, and water is a From the President responsibility we all share. I thank NiCk Conr ad Coming Up for RLT you for your support as a member. If you would like to more directly partic- We are excited about the coming year. ipate in accomplishing our mission, I of its lands, I felt that this was a group We are currently working with some encourage you to volunteer for any to which I could commit my time and like-minded non-profit organiza- activity, in the office or on the ground. energy, and I volunteered to serve on tions on protecting their lands. For We are also actively seeking to grow the Board and to lead hikes. Little did example, Boundless Woods is a group our Board of Directors, so please let us I know then that, 12 years later, RTLC of homeowners in the vicinity of know of your interest or of someone would have evolved from an all-volun- Bowman Pond in Taborton who share you would like to nominate. I am eager teer group into the Rensselaer Land a love of the land around them. They to work with all of you to conserve Trust, a nationally-accredited land have joined forces and pooled their more open spaces and natural areas trust with professional staff; and resources to donate a conservation and to continue to maintain the that, starting this year, I would have easement on 70 acres of land they own quality of life that we all value. Looking Back ChRistine Young aNd NiCk Conr ad LT went through a few tran- Rsitions in 2009: We moved our office to River Street in the heart of downtown Troy, and we launched our new logo and website. Among our other accomplish- ments, we worked with two sets of landowners to place conserva- Board of directors tion easements on their properties Nick Conrad, President (and we hope to complete those this year). Stewards conducted Robert ingalls, Vice President monitoring visits to all of our 11 Bob Ingalls, right, leads 2009 Garrett Brown, Treasurer easement properties and to the wildflower hike at Geiser Preserve. Stacey Goldstein, Secretary four properties we own. We spon- Carl Cipperly sored six hikes, and we hosted a blueberry dessert social to honor our landowner partners who have donated easements to our land trust. Francille Egbert Board members were guest speakers on two radio shows, and our Execu- James Garrahan tive Director presented a session at a workshop for woodlot owners. John Munn William Niemi Thank you to our 2009 Volunteers! W. Jeffrey Roche Our events would not have been a success without our volunteers! We Marcy Stengel wish to personally thank all volunteers who have given countless hours of work to ensure the success of our organization. Special thanks for helping with specific events or activities deservedly go to the Bruns- Christine Young, Esq., wick Boy Scouts, Brunswick Cub Scouts, Chris Whelan, Gregg Stacy, Executive director Trout Unlimited, Paul Schroeder, George Wilson, Keith Goldstein, Marcy Paul Schroeder, Stengel, Charis Kotfila, Jenny Hixon, Maila Niemi, Doree Cox, Kathy Volunteer Coordinator Munn, Elizabeth McLean, Marybeth Heimke, Marcia Hoppel, Russell Dunn, Sharon Bock and Jean Smith. Second annual Tomhannock Reservoir Clean-up Over 100,000 people in Rensselaer and Albany Counties get their drinking water form the Tomhannock Reservoir. Our annual clean-up keeps garbage out of the Tomhannock, helps keep the water clean, and teaches the next generation about the importance of protecting our water. For Earth Day 2009, RLT President Bill Niemi organized Scout groups and other volunteers to pick up garbage along the Tomhannock. See the Outings Schedule in this newsletter for details about our Third Special thanks to Annual Tomhannock Reservoir Clean-up on April 24th. Nate Simms for photographs on pages 2–3, 4–5, 8–9, Second annual oktoberfest 10–11 and cover. Our second annual Oktoberfest fundraising benefit was a Publication of this huge success with over 2,000 attendees. Sponsored and newsletter is funded in part hosted by Brown’s Brewing Company, 100% of the event’s by the Land Trust alliance. proceeds went directly to RLT. The event featured music from the bands Flood Road Blue Grass Band, The Albany designed by Brian Murray. Pipes & Drums, and Celtic folk rockers Hair of the Dog. Printed by alchar Printers, Troy, New York. 2 Annual Report 2009 Trail Vision Plan Press Event annual Meeting Approximately fifty people attended the Trail Vision Press Our annual breakfast buffet meeting was attended by sixty members at Event hosted by Brown’s Brown’s Brewing Company. Our featured speaker was Dr. Ward Stone, Brewing Company. The Trail Wildlife Pathologist for the New York State Department of Environ- Vision Plan is a county-wide mental Conservation. Dr. Stone spoke from the heart about the need study of potential public recre- to connect young people to nature, and for all of us to become involved ational trails for Rensselaer locally in protecting our environment. County. The Plan is based on an inventory of existing trails of all types and four public “visioning 2009 outings sessions” held throughout the Our 2009 outings started in April with a tour with Russell Dunn of the County. It is hoped that the waterfalls along the Wynantskill that powered Troy’s industrial heyday. Plan will help guide private and public investment in developing Volunteer Doree Cox led a hike in early May on the new Escarpment Trail trails and help coordinate plan- at the Capital District Wildlife Management Area. Hikers were treated to ning initiatives. Copies of the sign of moose and bear, indications of the important role the Rensselaer plan are available on the RLT Plateau plays in providing forest habitat for wide-ranging animals. website at www.renstrust.org or you may call our office at Tray Biasiolli, a bird biologist with NY State Parks, led an early-morning 518-659-LAND(5263) for a copy bird walk at the Dyken Pond Center. Highlights included black-throated of the printed report. The Plan blue warbler, and Tray found a blue-headed vireo nest with one egg. The was created in partnership with bird trip was followed by a presentation at the Grafton Inn by Kim Rensselaer County Alliance for Trails, Rensselaer County, and Corwin, co-editor of The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in New York State. RLT, with funding from Hudson Valley Greenway and with assis- At the end of May, RLT Board member and expert botanist Bob Ingalls tance from many individuals, led a wildflower hike at RLT’s own Geiser Preserve in Taborton. In July, including our own members volunteer Sharon Bock and Nick Conrad led a hike to one of Rensselaer Melissa Barry, Brian Zweig and County’s natural landmarks, the Snow Hole. Although there was no snow, John Munn. it was cold enough in the Hole to feel like there should be. Our schedule concluded in September at The Nature Conservancy’s Barberville Falls Preserve. A hike under fall colors was followed by lunch at the spectacular 92-foot falls, where a baby milk snake also enjoyed the sun.