A Letter From the Executive Director

Dear Friends,
For many of us in the Northeast, winter feels like the quiet season, a time when we can hunker down, move at a slower pace, and enjoy cozy activities with family and friends. In March and April, we prepare for spring with renewed energy and enthusiasm. This spring is quite different; COVID-19 has already caused great disruption and ongoing uncertainty here in New York State, the United States and across the globe. The Huyck Preserve has paused its programs and activities to protect the health of its users, staff, and community. We will keep you updated via our website and social media channels as we resume normal operations when it is safe to do so.
Before our offices closed in mid-March, two new staff members, who joined us in the fall, livened the pace of our winter.
Michaela Fisher was hired as our Membership and Outreach Coordinator in November, but she is no stranger to the Preserve. Hailing from Berne, Michaela first came to us as a Wildlife Ecology Research high school student. After earning her BS in Natural Resources from Northland College, she worked as our education assistant in 2019 teaching school field trips and summer education programs. Michaela is passionate about conservation and is pursuing her master’s in Biodiversity, Conservation, and Policy at the University at Albany while working full-time for the Preserve. We’re thrilled to have her as part of the team! Michaela loves to meet our members, so say hello on social media, or stop by or call the office when we reopen.
The Preserve also hired its first-ever Stewardship Coordinator in January. Garrett Chisholm came to us from a position with the Maine Conservation Corps at Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park in Freeport, Maine and has hit the ground running. This is such a critical position for the Preserve’s commitment to the conservation of our natural resources, and we are so glad Garrett is here. I’m sure you’ll agree the land is in good hands after you read more about Garrett in the pages ahead. Look for his invasive species events as our revised schedule is posted, and get in touch to learn how you can become a Huyck Preserve Volunteer Steward.
This winter, we’ve expanded in more ways than just staffing. Thanks to a tremendous gift by a Preserve friend and member, our boundaries have grown as well! We are thrilled to add this critical piece of property to the Huyck Preserve as we seek to secure protection of more of the Lake Myosotis watershed and the important ecological communities in the area. Read more about this significant addition below.
We are using this time of working remotely to best serve the needs of our visitors and program users when we reopen. In the meantime, spend time safely outside, enjoy the turning of the seasons whose reliability brings comfort, and look ahead to when we can get back together to celebrate the beauty of this place together.
Wishing you and yours peace and good health,
Anne Rhoads, PhD, Executive Director
For many of us in the Northeast, winter feels like the quiet season, a time when we can hunker down, move at a slower pace, and enjoy cozy activities with family and friends. In March and April, we prepare for spring with renewed energy and enthusiasm. This spring is quite different; COVID-19 has already caused great disruption and ongoing uncertainty here in New York State, the United States and across the globe. The Huyck Preserve has paused its programs and activities to protect the health of its users, staff, and community. We will keep you updated via our website and social media channels as we resume normal operations when it is safe to do so.
Before our offices closed in mid-March, two new staff members, who joined us in the fall, livened the pace of our winter.
Michaela Fisher was hired as our Membership and Outreach Coordinator in November, but she is no stranger to the Preserve. Hailing from Berne, Michaela first came to us as a Wildlife Ecology Research high school student. After earning her BS in Natural Resources from Northland College, she worked as our education assistant in 2019 teaching school field trips and summer education programs. Michaela is passionate about conservation and is pursuing her master’s in Biodiversity, Conservation, and Policy at the University at Albany while working full-time for the Preserve. We’re thrilled to have her as part of the team! Michaela loves to meet our members, so say hello on social media, or stop by or call the office when we reopen.
The Preserve also hired its first-ever Stewardship Coordinator in January. Garrett Chisholm came to us from a position with the Maine Conservation Corps at Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park in Freeport, Maine and has hit the ground running. This is such a critical position for the Preserve’s commitment to the conservation of our natural resources, and we are so glad Garrett is here. I’m sure you’ll agree the land is in good hands after you read more about Garrett in the pages ahead. Look for his invasive species events as our revised schedule is posted, and get in touch to learn how you can become a Huyck Preserve Volunteer Steward.
This winter, we’ve expanded in more ways than just staffing. Thanks to a tremendous gift by a Preserve friend and member, our boundaries have grown as well! We are thrilled to add this critical piece of property to the Huyck Preserve as we seek to secure protection of more of the Lake Myosotis watershed and the important ecological communities in the area. Read more about this significant addition below.
We are using this time of working remotely to best serve the needs of our visitors and program users when we reopen. In the meantime, spend time safely outside, enjoy the turning of the seasons whose reliability brings comfort, and look ahead to when we can get back together to celebrate the beauty of this place together.
Wishing you and yours peace and good health,
Anne Rhoads, PhD, Executive Director
A Letter From the President of the Board
Dear Members,
In these trying times, there is tremendous comfort in the recurring, seasonal rhythms of nature. I’m writing on the first day of spring, looking out my window at a flock of American Robins foraging on the lawn and thinking of all the other birds migrating back to our area, such as the Northern Mockingbird, the Ovenbird, and the Eastern Bluebird. The sight of an anemone peeking out of the ground in the backyard or the fuzzy growth of the pasqueflower brings me joy.
Did you know that we have a special trail at the Huyck Preserve called the phenology trail, which is designed for you to observe the awakening of nature and record these observations using Nature's Notebook, an app on your phone? Why not use a solitary outdoor activity to contribute to a nationwide scientific database? If you are interested, our staff is available to help with any questions (email us at [email protected]).
You may also hike our trails while respecting social distancing and, with a little luck, you might see a rare occurrence such as the ice disc our new Stewardship Coordinator, Garrett Chisholm, saw in the Ten-Mile Creek a few weeks ago. Learn more about his discovery in his interview below.
Enjoy nature and stay healthy!
Alexandra van Horne, President, Board of Directors
In these trying times, there is tremendous comfort in the recurring, seasonal rhythms of nature. I’m writing on the first day of spring, looking out my window at a flock of American Robins foraging on the lawn and thinking of all the other birds migrating back to our area, such as the Northern Mockingbird, the Ovenbird, and the Eastern Bluebird. The sight of an anemone peeking out of the ground in the backyard or the fuzzy growth of the pasqueflower brings me joy.
Did you know that we have a special trail at the Huyck Preserve called the phenology trail, which is designed for you to observe the awakening of nature and record these observations using Nature's Notebook, an app on your phone? Why not use a solitary outdoor activity to contribute to a nationwide scientific database? If you are interested, our staff is available to help with any questions (email us at [email protected]).
You may also hike our trails while respecting social distancing and, with a little luck, you might see a rare occurrence such as the ice disc our new Stewardship Coordinator, Garrett Chisholm, saw in the Ten-Mile Creek a few weeks ago. Learn more about his discovery in his interview below.
Enjoy nature and stay healthy!
Alexandra van Horne, President, Board of Directors