Past Workshops

Fall 2009

October

October 3, 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Finger Lakes Institute
3rd Annual My Place in The Finger Lakes Conference The My Place in the Finger Lakes project will utilize the Finger Lakes environment (built, natural, urban, suburban and rural) as part of the learning experience and incorporate inquiry and firsthand experiences into curriculum modules following the New York State Math Science and Technology Standards. This year's conference theme is the flora and fauna of the Finger Lakes and opportunities to conduct field science in the region. Guest speakers are coming from the Finger Lakes Community College, Liverpool High School, Geneseo Middle School, SUNY ESF as well as Hobart and William Smith Colleges. For more information, download the Brochure. Contact Sheila Myers or call (315) 781-4380.

October 3, 10:00 am, Seneca Lake State Park Pavilion 3 (near the Park Office)
Greening for the Greater Good: Give Back to the Lake! Seneca Lake Beach Cleanup
Finger Lakes Institute, Seneca Lake State Park, City of Geneva
The northern shoreline of Seneca Lake is heavily used throughout the year by community members and visitors for picnicking, walking/running, school functions, special occasions, dog walking, sporting events, boating, and community events. To observe the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup, the Finger Lakes Institute is once again coordinating its community coastal cleanup event in Geneva, NY. In 2008, volunteers collected over 250 pounds of litter and debris!! In cooperation with the City of Geneva and Seneca Lake State Park, the Finger Lakes Institute invites community members to come together to give back to Seneca Lake! In a blending of recordkeeping and community service, participants will scope out the Seneca Lake shoreline (approximately 3 miles) for litter found along Seneca Lake. All registered participants will split into teams and be provided with trash bags and data sheets to record the specific types and quantities of lake debris found. The data collected will be used to better identify sources of pollution and help find solutions for preventing it. Families, organizations, school groups, scout troops, 4H clubs, and individuals are invited to participate in this public service activity! Closed toed shoes and a wind break layer are recommended to be worn. Children under 12 must be supervised. Free refreshments provided! Registration requested. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu. Looking for a local beach cleanup? Visit www.alsnyc.org.

October 6, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm, High Acres Landfill Pollinator Garden
Greening for the Greater Good: WOW Pollinator Garden Work Day
The Finger Lakes Institute and Women of Water (WOW) are partnering together for the special occasion of maintaining a pollinator garden. WOW, a young club of professional women who work in the field of water resources, adopted the pollinator garden to beautify the area surrounding High Acres Landfill in Fairport, NY. A pollinator garden incorporates a diversity of flowers to attract pollinators, such as bees, tiny wasps, butterflies, beetles, moths, flies, hummingbirds and bats. These hard-working animals help pollinate over 75% of our flowering plants, and nearly 75% of our crops. Community members are invited to volunteer their time to help maintain the garden by spreading mulch, weeding, and planting new flowers. Anyone interested in joining WOW or learning more about the club and future networking opportunities should attend this event. Please register to attend by calling (315) 781-4382 or email smeyer@hws.edu.

October 7, 7:00 p.m., HWS Albright Auditorium
A Local Goes Global: Bringing Home a Perspective on Renewable Energy and Sustainability
Suzanne Hunt, Hunt Green, LLC

Based in Washington D.C., Hunt works on policy and investment regarding energy, climate/environment, food/agricultural and international development. Hunt’s interest in biofuels began when she initiated biodiesel production and use at her family’s farm and winery, Hunt Country Vineyards in Branchport, N.Y. Her most recent initiatives include work on the role of agriculture in climate change, renewable energy and green buildings in South America, and the use of Web 2.0 and Global Information Systems technologies to build the “information infrastructure” needed to accelerate the successful deployment of climate change solutions.

Suzanne Hunt is the President of Hunt Green, LLC, in Washington DC which advises on energy, agriculture, transportation, and the environment. Current and past clients include the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Wildlife Federation, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Wolfensohn & Co., the Global Bioenergy Partnership, and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. Ms. Hunt makes frequent speeches and media appearances around the world. She also provides thought leadership through numerous publications and board memberships.

In 2007 Science Magazine featured Ms. Hunt as a "Pioneer." She is a founding advisor to the annual Art Center Sustainable Mobility Summit and the Climate Lab. Previously, Ms. Hunt directed the Worldwatch Institute’s bioenergy program, where she orchestrated the landmark study, "Biofuels for Transportation: Global Potential and Implications for Energy and Agriculture.” Her interest in biofuels began when she initiated biodiesel production and use at her family’s farm and winery. Ms. Hunt has a BS in Environmental Science from Penn State and a dual master’s degree in International Affairs and Natural Resource Management from American University and the UN’s University for Peace in Costa Rica. Her most recent initiatives include work on the role of agriculture in climate change, renewable energy and green buildings in South America, and the use of Web 2.0 and GIS (Global Information Systems) technologies to build the “information infrastructure” needed to accelerate the successful deployment of climate change solutions. For full bio and publications click here. This event is free and open to the public.

October 13, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 pm, Hobart and William Smith Colleges' Vandervort Room (campus map)
Techniques for Evaluating Water Resources in the Finger Lakes
Cosponsored by the Finger Lakes Institute, United States Geological Survey, and Finger Lakes-Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance.
The United States Geological Survey, in partnership with the Finger Lakes - Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance and the Finger Lakes Institute will be sponsoring a conference on October 13, 2009 in the Vandervort Room on the Hobart and William Smith Colleges campus in Geneva, New York. The conference will highlight techniques for evaluating water resources in the Finger Lakes and provide opportunities to share data and experiences with peers. This one-day conference will bring together people who are interested in and/or working to protect watersheds and water resources to discuss:

new issues and directions in watershed management programs

emerging techniques in watershed monitoring, analysis, and management practices

ways of improving information and technology transfer to improve our efficiency and effectiveness

opportunities for partnerships to creatively address shared problems.

This conference also represents an opportunity for the United States Geological Survey to share its most current work and services with the public. Presentations will highlight case studies, research findings, and program overviews from local government, academia, industry and the USGS, with special emphasis on sharing information about new tools, techniques and approaches to address current watershed management issues. Anyone having an interest in water resources and watershed management who would like to expand their knowledge of work being done in the region and ideas that can be adapted across local settings should attend. For more information call Kristy LaManche at (315) 673-7148 or Ed Bugliosi at (607) 266-0217. View the Agenda and Registration Form.

September

September 2, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Lakefriendly Households: Is Your Home Healthy and Environmentally Friendly? Part I
Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator and Edith Davey, Ontario County Conservation Educator
Sponsored by the Ontario County Water Resource Council Special Projects Fund
There are multiple sources of pollution to the Finger Lakes environment, including households. Whether you live along a lakeshore, in view of a lake, or draw drinking water from Finger Lakes groundwater, all households can become more lake friendly. Every household in the Finger Lakes watersheds can improve water quality through simple and constructive efforts on their property. This program will identify the correlations between lakeshore and watershed development and water quality and household environmental risk. Participants in this 2-part series program will focus on protecting water quality through proper management of wastewater and solid waste, lead around the home, household hazardous waste products, and liquid fuels.
The guidelines used throughout the program will reference Home-A-Syst, a nationwide pollution prevention and risk assessment program supported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Each program participant will receive a complimentary copy of the 116-page Home a Syst: an Environmental Risk-Assessment Guide for the Home created by Northeast Regional Agriculture Engineering Service located in Ithaca, NY. This program is free and open to the public.

September 9, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom Postponed for a later date.
Lakefriendly Households: Is Your Home Healthy and Environmentally Friendly? Part 2
Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator and Edith Davey, Ontario County Conservation Educator
Sponsored by the Ontario County Water Resource Council Special Projects Fund
There are multiple sources of pollution to the Finger Lakes environment, including households. Whether you live along a lakeshore, in view of a lake, or draw drinking water from Finger Lakes groundwater, all households can become more lake friendly. Participants in this program will gain a better understanding of how to become more environmentally friendly, protect their personal health, and reduce their ecological footprint. This program will identify the correlations between lakeshore and watershed development, water quality and household environmental risk. Topics of discussion in Part 2 will focus on reducing environmental and health risks through management of stormwater, landscaping and gardening, water wells, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency.
The guidelines used throughout the program will reference Home-A-Syst, a nationwide pollution prevention and risk assessment program supported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Each program participant will receive a complimentary copy of the 116-page Home a Syst: an Environmental Risk-Assessment Guide for the Home created by Northeast Regional Agriculture Engineering Service located in Ithaca, NY. This program is free and open to the public.

September 17, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Geographies of Garbage: Worldwide Waste, Local Impacts
Dr. Darrin Magee, HWS Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies
Modern "disposable" societies create regional, national, and global geographies of garbage. When we throw stuff "away," where does it go? Within a short distance of Geneva lie two of the largest landfills in the northeast United States, having a combined daily permitted disposal capacity of 9000 tons. Despite modern landfill technologies that promise "safe disposal" and even "green energy," such large landfills often cause significant concerns in the communities where they are located. In this talk Dr. Darrin Magee will attempt to cover some of the details of landfill technologies, global waste flows, risks and options. This event is free and open to the public.

Saturday, September 19, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm, Montezuma Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
Greening for the Greater Good: Working Together to Restore Nature
Co-sponsored with Montezuma Alliance for the Restoration of Species and Habitats (MARSH)
MARSH (Montezuma Alliance for the Restoration of Species & Habitats) is part of a larger effort to restore, protect, and enhance wildlife habitat on nearly 50,000 acres in the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. The Alliance is forming a volunteer group to support the habitat restoration efforts of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Montezuma Audubon Center and other partners at Montezuma to control invasive species in grassland, shrubland, forest, marsh and river. In support of public service and the control and prevention of the spread of invasive species, the Finger Lakes Institute is recruiting volunteers to participate in one of MARSH's work days. On September 19, program participants will have a hands-on opportunity to help restore nature. After receiving instruction on how to identify the plants and how to manage them, participants will cut and pull invasive species, such as honeysuckle and buckthorn and other woody invasive plants, along the Seneca Trail and within the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to replant with natives that will be more beneficial to wildlife & less harmful to Montezuma habitats overall! Volunteers are asked to BRING WATER, insect repellant, sturdy shoes, and wear long pants. Lunch will be generously provided by the Friends of the Montezuma Wetlands Complex. This event is free and open to the public. Please register to attend by calling (315) 781-4382 or email smeyer@hws.edu. This work day is one of many that MARSH has coordinated. To learn more about future MARSH work days, call (315) 568-5987.

Saturday, September 26, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Using a GPS Unit to Learn More about Nature
Nathan Burtch, FLI GIS Specialist
This is an opportunity to learn a new technology with a touch of natural history! Led by GIS Specialist Nathan Burtch, participants in this workshop will learn how to use a handheld GPS unit. After an introduction to Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and an opportunity to play with the technology, attendees will practice their new skills in a geocache nature scavenger hunt. In the afternoon, attendees will use their GPS units to locate unique trees and learn a little natural history. This program is an introductory program using Garmin Etrex GPS units (provided). If you have a different type of GPS unit that you are trying to figure out how to use, bring it and Nathan Burtch will try to answer your questions at the end of the workshop. Lunch is provided. This program requires registration and payment. Register by September 21st by calling Sarah Meyer, Community Outreach Coordinator, at (315)781-4382 or email smeyer@hws.edu. Payment of $15 should be mailed to 601 S. Main St., Geneva, NY 14456. Checks made payable to “The Finger Lakes Institute”.

Summer 2009

August

August 18, Finger Lakes Institute's William Scandling Research Vessel
Science On Seneca Community Science Workshop
Dr. John Halfman, Professor of Environmental Studies and Geoscience; Sheila Myers, FLI Education Outreach Coordinator; and Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator - CANCELLED
Experience the outdoor classroom aboard the Finger Lakes Institute's research vessel just as many teachers and students do when they participate in the FLI's award-winning Science on Seneca education program. In this half day adult aquatic science workshop, community members will cruise Seneca Lake aboard the FLI's 56-foot research vessel, The William Scandling, to experience the full range of scientific tests and equipment, including plankton tows, sediment samples and water chemistry, that are regularly used when monitoring the Finger Lakes' water quality. Instructed Dr. John Halfman, Sheila Myers, and Sarah Meyer, participants will refresh your knowledge and understanding of water resources, aquatic ecology, and limnology through the practical experience of data gathering and hands-on activities. This program is conducted outdoors, onboard a boat.

CANCELLED
August 21, 7:30 pm, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
An August Sky - Stargazing in the Finger Lakes Region
Doug Reilly, Amateur astronomer and National Park Service Astronomy In The Parks Volunteer
Co-sponsored with the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Montezuma National Wildlife Refute
Ever in awe of the night sky but wonder how to find the constellations? Is that a planet? A star? A satellite? After sunset, August’s new moon will provide a dark backdrop to the Finger Lakes night sky. Geneva-based amateur astronomer Doug Reilly (punkastronomy.com) will give a three-part guided tour of humanity's place in the universe. The tour will start with a short interactive discussion about the scale and structure of the universe, starting with earth and working outwards in space and backwards in time. The second part will be a laser-guided tour of the night sky, introducing some key summer constellations and other sky landmarks. And finally, participants will use the telescope to see up close some of the showpieces of the night sky, such as Jupiter, The Ring Nebula in Lyra, the Lagoon Nebula in Sagittarius, the galaxy Andromeda, the double-star Albireo, and the Great Hercules Cluster. Those interested in astronomy and learning more about these night sky landmarks can visit Doug’s blog at punkastronomy.com. Participants should dress in layers, bring bug repellant, a flashlight and lawn chairs. Red cellophane will be provided to cover white light flashlights. If the sky is cloudy or if it is raining, the event will be cancelled. This event is free and open to the public.

August 29, 8:00 am-10:00 am, Montezuma Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
Band Together!!! You're in the FLYWAY
Linda Ziemba, Wildlife Biologist MNWR
Co-sponsored with Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Have you ever held a live bird? Curious to know what wildlife biologist do? Love to watch birds? Montezuma is situated in the middle of one of the most active flight lanes in the Atlantic Flyway. In this educational activity, participants will work with Linda Ziemba, refuge wildlife biologist, to trap and band ducks in order to contribute to the Atlantic Flyway-wide preseason duck banding effort. Data gathered is essential for setting hunting regulations for game birds. The data are used to assess hunting pressure, estimate productivity and survival, and measure the vulnerability of different age/sex classes to hunting pressure. Participants in this program will be exposed to a variety of live waterfowl, such as mallards, wood ducks, American black ducks, Northern pintail, and American green-winged teal, and be given the opportunity to handle and band the live birds. No experience is necessary to participate in this bird banding activity. In the event of rain, this program will be cancelled. Participants are advised to bring a camera! This program is free and open to the public. Please register to attend by email at smeyer@hws.edu or call (315) 781-4382.

July

July 1, 5:00 pm, Emerson Park Pavilion, Auburn
Owasco Lake Day
Owasco Lake Watershed Lake Association and Cayuga County Water Quality Management Agency
In this public meeting, Dr. John Halfman, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, will provide an overview of his most recent regional water quality survey results from the 2008 field season and provide specific information relating to Owasco Lake's changing water quality. In addition to receiving water quality research updates from Dr. John Halfman participants will also hear from Senator Michael Nozzolio and a variety of state and local officials. Special guest Dr. Peter E. Black, Professor of Water Resources, Emeritus at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry will present "Together We Can Make the Difference". Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, view numerous water related educational exhibits and gather information about the water quality of Owasco Lake. This event is free and open to the public. Parking is free. For questions or more information contact owascolakeday2009@gmail.com or visit www.owla.org.

July 7, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Lakefriendly Households: Is Your Home Healthy and Environmentally Friendly? Part 2
Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator
Sponsored by the Ontario County Water Resource Council Special Projects Fund
There are multiple sources of pollution to the Finger Lakes environment, including households. Whether you live along a lakeshore, in view of a lake, or draw drinking water from Finger Lakes groundwater, all households can become more lake friendly. Participants in this program will gain a better understanding of how to become more environmentally friendly, protect their personal health, and reduce their ecological footprint. This program will identify the correlations between lakeshore and watershed development and water quality and household environmental risk. Topics of discussion in Part 2 will include greening your household and cover topics such as phosphorus free living, yard and garden care, composting, hazardous household products, and reducing energy consumption. This program is free and open to the public.

July 9, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Community College's Muller Field Station
Honeoye, NY
Homeowners Guide to Aquatic Plants
Marion Balyszak, FLI Director
Cosponsored by The Finger Lakes Institute and Onondaga Cornell Cooperative Extension
To reduce the emergence and spread of invasive aquatic plants in the Finger Lakes, community members must be educated and supported in early detection, rapid response, and proper management techniques. In this evening presentation, participants will learn about various invasive aquatic weeds that wreak havoc and continue to threaten Finger Lakes waters, including frogbit, fanwort, water chestnut, Eurasian watermilfoil, curly pondweed. This evening program will focus on the types and benefits of aquatic plants, invasive and native plants identification, aquatic plant management, and nutrient management. This program is partially funded by the New York State Great Lakes Protection Fund Large Grant Program.
Topics will include:

• Name that Plant - Distinguishing one aquatic plant from another by learning basic plant identification. Live plant specimens will be available for practice.
• Plant Management - An overview of aquatic plant management, including in-water control options for invasive plants, volunteer opportunities, and case-study examples
• Don't Feed the Plants - A look at upland inputs of nutrients that promote excessive aquatic plant growth in the lake, and homeowner and community strategies for controlling nutrient inputs.

This program is free and open to the public.

Our Great Lakes Water Resources: Conserving and Protecting Our Water Today for Use Tomorrow
Public Meetings Scheduled by Great Lakes Basin Advisory Council
The Great Lakes Basin Advisory Council (GLBAC), in response to the directive issued to the Council in the ratifying legislation of the Great Lakes Regional Compact (the Compact) in 2008, will soon release a draft report regarding how New York's water resources can best be managed. In light of the growing need for renewable energy and threats from climate change recommendations will attempt to guarantee the lakes will remain sustainable resources for future generations of New Yorkers, along with the fish, birds, animals, and plants that make up a healthy ecosystem. The recommendations made for this report include New York's entire Great Lakes Basin, inclusive of the Finger Lakes region.

The GLBAC has worked together with other agency representatives to produce this report over the last year. Recognizing the complexity of the Compact and the issues the GLBAC was charged to consider, the Council outlined an approach to develop recommendations consistent with the following guiding principles and public input. Those guiding principles included:

• The Council would rely on input from relevant State agencies and non-governmental organizations to the greatest extent possible.
• The report‘s contents should serve as an initial and continuing source of guidance to the State Legislature in considering future State legislation on water resources.
• The production of this report is an opportunity for the Council to highlight key management and scientific information needs that will promote more effective water conservation and projection of future supply needs.

The report is designed to stimulate further dialogue and public input. The Council will therefore host a series of public input sessions at the following locations:

• TBA Plattsburgh: SUNY Plattsburgh
• 7/15 Watertown: State Office Building, Conference Room #1, 4-6pm
• 7/21 Cortland: SUNY Cortland, Jacobus Lounge, Brockway Hall, 4-6pm
• 7/23 Troy: Center for Environmental Health, Conference Room 4A/B Flanigan Square, 547 River Street, 4-6pm
• 7/27 Buffalo: Buffalo State, Great Lakes Center, Teaching Pavilion, 4-6pm
• 7/28 Rochester: RIT, Building #76 (Carlson Center for Imaging Science), Carlson Auditorium, 4-6pm

The meetings are free and open to anyone with an interest in New York's Great Lakes Basin. Public input on the draft report is welcomed until August 14, 2009 via mail, email, or at one of the public input sessions. Further information is available at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/56095.html

June

June 15, 7:00 - 9:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Seneca Room
Genesee-Finger Lakes Regional Blueway Analysis Stakeholder Meeting: Finger Lakes Region
Brian Slack, Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council
Hosted by the Finger Lakes Institute
Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council has coordinated four regional stakeholder meetings in an effort to inform paddling enthusiasts and other paddling stakeholders about the Blueway Analysis Project and to solicit important input from them. Stakeholders will be provided with a presentation on the project and will then be asked to lend their knowledge and expertise regarding access point locations, site conditions, and paddling conditions. Attendees will also be asked to lend their general thoughts and concerns pertaining to the project as a whole. The success of a blueway system is based largely on connectivity from one corridor to another. Participants are therefore encouraged to discuss waterways outside of meeting's geographic region. Further, if you are unable to attend a meeting in your preferred region, please feel free to attend at another location. For more details about the multiple stakeholder meetings, contact Brian Slack at bslack@gflrpc.org or (585) 454-0190 x21. Learn more at www.gflrpc.org/blueways.htm.

June 15, 7:00 pm, Otisco Lake Marina
Talking and Teaching About Aquatic Weeds: A Workshop for Educators
Kelly Somerlot, Onondaga Cornell Cooperative Extension
Interested in getting the word out about weed issues in Otisco Lake? Want to increase your knowledge-base about aquatic plants so that you can better answer questions from the public? Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onondaga County is offering specialized, more detailed aquatic plant classes open to community group/municipal leaders, educators, civic spokespeople, and anyone else who interfaces with the public about aquatic plant issues. This class will review local cases of nuisance plants in the Finger Lakes and greater Central New York region, as well as past and upcoming management strategies and research projects. Participants will also be provided with a sampling of educational materials and ideas for successful public outreach campaigns. For more information, contact Kelly Somerlot.

June 22, 6:00 - 8:00 pm, Hobart and William Smith Colleges Warren Hunting Smith Library, Geneva Room
June 25, 6:00 - 8:00 pm, Human Services Complex, 323 Owego Street, Montour Falls, NY 14865
Water Quality Training for Planning Boards, Zoning Boards, and Zoning Board of Appeals
Seneca Lake Area Partners in Five Counties (SLAP-5)
This training will focus on improving and maintaining Seneca Lake water quality which is fundamental to the economy and the quality of life in our watershed communities. The session will provide information about the lake's current water quality and how land use decision-making can support the protection of the watershed's natural resources. This training will also provide participants with the available tools and resources to support the efforts of a municipality to preserve the highest water quality standards while encouraging sustainable and economically viable development. The same material will be covered in each training session. There is no cost to attend this training but pre-registration is requested to reserve a seat at the location of your choice. Pre-register by June 19 to the Yates County Soil and Water Conservation District at (315) 536-5188. SLAP-5 is a collaborative working group comprised of public agencies, organizations, and citizens who share a commitment and responsibility for protecting Seneca Lake water quality. Learn more about SLAP-5.

June 25, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
A Homeowners Guide to Aquatic Plants
Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator
Cosponsored by The Finger Lakes Institute and Onondaga Cornell Cooperative Extension
To reduce the emergence and spread of invasive aquatic plants in the Finger Lakes, community members must be educated and supported in early detection, rapid response, and proper management techniques. In this evening presentation, participants will learn about various invasive aquatic weeds that wreak havoc and continue to threaten Finger Lakes waters, including frogbit, fanwort, water chestnut, Eurasian watermilfoil, curly pondweed. This evening program will focus on the types and benefits of aquatic plants, invasive and native plants identification, aquatic plant management, and nutrient management. This program is partially funded by the New York State Great Lakes Protection Fund Large Grant Program.
Topics will include:

• Name that Plant - Distinguishing one aquatic plant from another by learning basic plant identification. Live plant specimens will be available for practice.
• Aquatic Plant Management - An overview of aquatic plant management, including in-water control options for invasive plants, volunteer opportunities, and case-study examples
• Don't Feed the Plants - A look at upland inputs of nutrients that promote excessive aquatic plant growth in the lake, and homeowner and community strategies for controlling nutrient inputs.
  
  This program is free and open to the public.

June 30, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Lakefriendly Households: Is Your Home Healthy and Environmentally Friendly? Part 1
Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator
Sponsored by the Ontario County Water Resource Council Special Projects Fund
There are multiple sources of pollution to the Finger Lakes environment, including households. Whether you live along a lakeshore, in view of a lake, or draw drinking water from Finger Lakes groundwater, all households can become more lake friendly. Every household in the Finger Lakes watersheds can improve water quality through simple and constructive efforts on their property. This program will identify the correlations between lakeshore and watershed development and water quality and household environmental risk. Participants in this 2-part series program will learn about household water quality, health, and environmental risks and discuss topics such as drinking water wells, water conservation, wastewater and solid waste management, stormwater runoff, fuel storage, and heating/cooling systems. This program is free and open to the public.

Spring 2009

January

January 8, 5:30 pm, Skaneateles Library Association (49 E. Genesee St., Skaneateles)
Monitoring and Modeling: How Skaneateles Watershed Speaks Through Stream Flow and Pollutant Loads
Soni M. Pradhanang, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Ph. D. candidate
What are the cumulative impacts of land use in the Skaneateles Lake watershed? How does stream flow correlate with sediment, nutrient, and pesticide inputs to the lake? In this presentation, Soni Pradhanang will speak about her current studies in assessing the effectiveness of agricultural best management practices in nutrients and sediments of Skaneateles Lake watershed. In addition to her water quality research, Soni will present her preliminary analysis of the variations in surface and groundwater temperature in forested and agricultural watersheds. Program participants will learn from Soni’s expertise in monitoring pollutant loading and become more aware of how stream monitoring can be used to create nutrient loading models for an entire watershed. Soni hopes that her work in the Skaneateles Lake watershed can help her attain her personal goal to apply her hydrologic research in places like Nepal, her home country. This event is free and open to the public.

January 29, 6:30 pm, Albright Auditorium on the HWS Campus
FLOW: How Did a Handful of Corporations Steal Our Water -Movie and Discussion
With a panel discussion led by Attorney Beth Kinne, J.D. – HWS Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies
About FLOW: Irena Salina's award-winning documentary investigates what experts label the most important political and environmental issue of the 21st Century - The World Water Crisis. Salina builds a case against the growing privatization of the world's dwindling fresh water supply with an unflinching focus on politics, pollution, human rights, and the emergence of a domineering world water cartel. Interviews with scientists and activists intelligently reveal the rapidly building crisis, at both the global and human scale, and the film introduces many of the governmental and corporate culprits behind the water grab, while begging the question "Can anyone really own water?" Beyond identifying the problem, FLOW also gives viewers a look at the people and institutions providing practical solutions to the water crisis and those developing new technologies, which are fast becoming blueprints for a successful global and economic turnaround. How does the World Water Crisis affect the Finger Lakes region of New York, a region containing over 4.2 trillion gallons of freshwater? What can we learn from local and global experiences? Panelists will include representatives from different parts of the world, including the Finger Lakes region, to speak about their first hand experience coping with water conflicts, resolutions, and rights locally and globally. This event is free and open to the public. Space is limited to 50 attendees due to public performance rights of the film. Please register to attend by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

February

February 12, 6:00 pm, The Finger Lakes Institute's Classroom
A Public Comment Event: Ecosystem Based Management to Protect Coastal Waters and Communities
Cosponsored by the Finger Lakes Institute and the Great Lakes Research Consortium
The New York Ocean and Great Lakes Ecosystem Conservation Council issued a report on Thursday January 29, 2009 calling for action to protect the state's coastal waters and coastal communities. In the report, titled Our Waters, Our Communities, Our Future, the council recommended an "ecosystem-based management" approach that will coordinate the efforts of various state agencies to address issues including land use, water quality, building capacity and research goals. The Council, made up of nine state agencies today, released a draft report for public review. The final report will be submitted to the Governor and Legislature later this year.
The Great Lakes Research Consortium, with the Finger Lakes Institute as a co-sponsor, is hosting a public comment period for the draft report. This public comment event will include presentations by council members who will discuss the plan. A discussion and comment period will follow. The draft report is available for viewing, comment and download at www.NYOGLECC.org. Details on other similar public comment events held statewide are also available on the website. Refreshments will be served and the event is expected to last 2 hours. This event is free and open to the public. For more information on this event, please contact Khris Dodson at 315-470-6720 or at glrc@esf.edu.

February 16, 2009, 7:00 pm, Sanford Room on the HWS campus, Geneva
Learning from Other Lakes: A Journey to Lake Baikal
Peter Thomson, Author of Sacred Sea: A Journey to Lake Baikal
Sponsored by the Finger Lakes Institute, HWS Russian Area Studies Program, HWS Environmental Studies Program, the HWS Provost Office
The book, Sacred Sea follows veteran environmental journalist Peter Thomson as he sets off from Boston with his younger brother for one of nature's most remarkable creations: Lake Baikal. A gargantuan crack in the Siberian plateau, Lake Baikal is the world's largest body of fresh water, its deepest and oldest lake, and a cauldron of evolution, home to hundreds of unique creatures, including the world's only freshwater seal. It's also among the most pristine lakes on earth, with a mythical ability to protect itself from the growing human impact-a "perfect," self-cleansing ecosystem. But at Baikal the brothers also find ominous signs that this perfect piece of nature could yet succumb to the even more powerful forces of human hubris, carelessness and ignorance. They find that despite its isolation, Baikal is connected to everything else on Earth, and that it will need the love and devotion of people around the world to protect it. On their trek halfway around the world by train and cargo ship the author and his brother encounter a stream of people who are also lonely, displaced and yearning for something beyond the limits of their own lives, but many of whom are also big-hearted and deeply connected to their own communities and the world around them. What begins as a search for restoration in nature becomes as well a discovery of the restorative power of trust, faith and human connection.
About the Author:
Peter Thomson is a failed oyster shucker, housepainter, waiter, and DJ who eventually found his groove as a public radio reporter. In 1991 he joined the fledgling NPR environmental news program Living on Earth as its founding producer and editor, and went on to help bring home a sackful of awards for the program and himself over nearly a decade as LOE's Producer, Senior Editor, Western Bureau Chief, International and Special Projects Editor and Senior Correspondent. His reporting for LOE took him to Brazil, Morocco, Alaska and many other parts of the U.S. He left the program in 2000 to travel with his younger brother by train and boat to Alaska, Japan, Siberia, Lake Baikal and points ever farther west until they once again found themselves back in Boston. Sacred Sea: A Journey to Lake Baikal, Peter's first book, is the chronicle of that journey.
Peter has received fellowships from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; the Rockefeller Foundation's Study and Conference Center in Bellagio, Italy; the MacDowell Colony in Peterborough, New Hampshire; the Mesa Refuge, in Pt. Reyes Station, California; the Institutes for Journalism and Natural Resources and the Marine Biological Laboratory's Science Journalism program. He's currently a freelance writer and radio producer and a member of the board of directors of the Society of Environmental Journalists and the advisory board of the Metcalf Institute for Marine & Environmental Reporting. Peter lives in Boston.

Learn more! Peter will be presenting on his book and adventures on Lake Baikal. Books will be available for sale at the HWS College Store and signing at the event. This event is free and open to the public.

February 17, 6:00 pm, The Finger Lakes Institute's Seneca Room
Local, Organic and Fair
Elizabeth Henderson, Peacework Organic Farm
What is local? Organic? Fair? These terms are commonly found on supermarket shelves all across the nation while consumers question how these terms are actually defined. In this presentation, Elizabeth will talk about how CSAs and farmers markets are becoming the local, organic and fair food systems that citizens imagine when they buy from a local farm. Elizabeth Henderson has been a farmer for over 27 years at Peacework Organic Farm in Wayne County, New York. Her farm provides organic produce to the Genesee Valley Organic Community Supported Agriculture Project (GVOCSA), which has been in existence since 1989. Her significant contributions to the organic and local foods movement include her book titled, Sharing the Harvest: A Guide to Community-Supported Agriculture. In her career, Elizabeth has emphasized not only the environmental and economic benefits of buying local, but also the building of direct relationships between farmers and the public. While some organic advocates worry that "local" will supersede organic, Elizabeth thinks the rising commitment to buying local gives farms that sell directly to the public an enormous opportunity. This event is free and open to the public.

February 19, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Project Puffin: An Intern's Perspective on Seabird Restoration and Conservation in the Gulf of Maine
2008 Intern, Elizabeth Zinsser and Project Director, Stephen Kress
The National Audubon Society started Project Puffin in 1973 in an effort to learn how to restore puffins to historic nesting islands in the Gulf of Maine. Now after over 30 years of operation, Project Puffin, has successfully reintroduced puffins, and other seabirds, to several Gulf of Maine islands using techniques, such as chick transplantation and foster parenting, gull and vegetation control, use of decoys, and tape recordings of courtship sounds broadcast from the islands. Restoration of seabird colonies takes years of persistent work, since so many factors influencing success are beyond the control of researchers. For example, young puffins must find ample food and clean waters while avoiding predators. Unfortunately, oil spills, depleted fish stocks, entanglement in fishing nets and predation by gulls decrease the number of surviving birds. Considering these odds, the establishment of new puffin and tern colonies through active management is especially exciting. In this presentation, Elizabeth Zinsser WS'10 will share her experiences as a summer intern with the National Audubon Society's Seabird Restoration Program. Liz is the fourth student from HWS who has participated in this project during the summer. Liz’s experiences last summer were so successful that she will return this coming summer as a resident intern hired directly by the Audubon Society. Steve Kress, P'07, P'10, founder and director of the Seabird Restoration Program, will be present to review what Audubon has learned and why "Project Puffin" is important. This summer a fifth HWS student will be selected to participate in the program as part of the summer science program. Details will be available on the internship that's unlike most: you're living on an island out in the ocean, camping with colonies of seabirds. This seminar is open to all students, faculty and the community to learn more about Project Puffin. Students interested in applying for this internship for this summer should attend the event to learn more about life on the islands and expectations for research as well to meet the project director, Steve Kress. This event is free and open to the public.

February 26, 7:00 pm, The Finger Lakes Institute’s Seneca Room
Four Years of Comparative Limnology: Honeoye, Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca, Cayuga, Owasco, Skaneateles & Otisco Lakes, 2005 -2008
Dr. John Halfman, Professor of Geoscience at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY
Water quality is critical to the well-being of the residents in the Finger Lakes region. Initiated in 2005, John Halfman and students at Hobart and William Smith Colleges have completed monthly water quality monitoring of eight central Finger Lakes. In this talk, Dr. John Halfman will discuss the results of his monitoring efforts from the 2008 field season, offer explanations of data, and present an updated ranking of lakes based on new water quality data and information. Free and open to the public.
Questions?, please contact Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator.
Learn more about Halfman’s Finger Lakes research.

March

March 3, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Latin American Summer Community Service Trips for College Students
Katharine Boerma, William Smith '12 and Sustainable Horizon Alum and Recruiter
Scheduled to start May 18th, 2 week-long service trips will provide an opportunity for college students to travel abroad for community service in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Sponsored by Sustainable Horizons, a company that organizes international programs to enhance the community service and environmental education opportunities for college level students, these two trips are carefully designed, safe and exciting excursions providing students with a hands-on experience that cannot be replicated in the classroom. Presenting an unparalleled opportunity for community service, environmental conservation and adventure, Sustainable Horizon unites people together with world cultures and challenges them to think, grow and learn about themselves and contribute to sustainable development. In this evening program, Kate Boerman, a Sustainable Horizon’s High School Program Alum, will provide an overview of the two, week long environmental service trips. Her presentation will provide an overview of the trip, itinerary, cost, fundraising ideas, and the goals for the planning process to all interested individuals. This event is free and open to all college students. To learn more about Sustainable Horizons, visit www.sustainablehorizon.com. If you are interested and unable to attend or have questions, please contact Katharine Boerma at katharine.boerma@hws.edu.

March 4, 7:00 pm, HWS Campus Albright Auditorium (adjacent to St. Clair St.)
A Public Information Forum: Zero Waste-Waste Management for the 21st Century
Dr. Paul Connett, American Environmental Health Studies Project
Hosted by the HWS Environmental Studies Program
Dr. Paul Connett, world-renowned waste management expert and chemist, will speak on 21st Century sustainable solutions to waste management. Dr. Connett's lecture will include a comparison of gasification incineration with mass burn incineration, the arguments against incineration (including the health dangers), and an analysis of the gasification technology proposed by Casella Waste Systems for the Ontario County Landfill. Connett will also give more details on sustainable solutions to waste management, and progress on these around the world.
Dr. Paul Connett is a graduate of Cambridge University and holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from Dartmouth College. In May 2006, he retired from his full professorship in chemistry at St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY, where he taught for 23 years. His specialty was environmental chemistry and toxicology. Over the past 23 years his research on waste management has taken him to 49 U.S. states, and 50 other countries, where he has given approximately 2,000 public, pro bono presentations. Ralph Nader said of Connett, "He is the only person I know who can make waste interesting." He has co-authored 6 peer-reviewed articles on dioxin and numerous other articles on waste management. This event is free and open to the public. Please park in the Medbery Parking Lot on Pulteney St., Geneva . For further information, call the Finger Lakes Zero Waste Coalition at (315) 412-0401, or e-mail 0waste@earthlink.net.

March 5, 4:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Workshop: Cell Phone Recycling in Schools
Sheila Myers, Finger Lakes Institute's Education Outreach Coordinator
Rayza Santiago, FLI/HWS Bonner Leader
The Finger Lakes Institute is hosting an hour-long session on March 5th at 4:30 pm-5:30 pm on recycling in schools. Based on a lesson plan created by two seniors at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, the session will include a PowerPoint presentation, a packet of background information on recycling, and classroom activities. This lesson plan was presented to middle school students at Geneva City School in 2008 and had a great reception from both students and teachers. The FLI will hand-out out information and collection boxes for starting a cell phone recycling program at your school to the first 20 people to register. The program is free and will include light snacks and refreshments.
Register: By March 2nd email smyers@hws.edu.

March 10, 6:00 pm, The Finger Lakes Institute's Seneca Room
Geneva, NY LLC: The Case for Private-sector Rehab
Rick Hauser, AIA, LEED AP, In.Site: Architecture
In. Site: Architecture (www.insitearch.com) engages sustainable design on many levels and recognizes that the re-use of existing buildings within the infrastructure of an existing downtown is more sustainable than the "greenest" new building. Rick is founder and partner of In. Site: Architecture (Perry and Geneva) and taught architecture at Hobart & William Smith Colleges for twelve years. In this presentation, Rick will speak about the imperative of "community entrepreneurism" and the steps involved and the nuts and bolts of buying and rehabilitating downtown buildings. His expertise in Main Street revitalization originally grew out of numerous volunteer civic projects he spearheaded over the past 15 years. He is engaged in revitalization efforts from adaptive re-use of historic structures to serving as a revitalization consultant for small cities and towns. Most recently, Rick has coupled his architectural skills with community entrepreneurism towards solving the problem of vacant downtown buildings. He spearheaded the creation of a community-wide, for-profit LLC in Perry, NY where over 20 members invested over $300,000 towards the purchase, design and rehabilitation of key downtown buildings. The 12,000 ft2., 1856 Rufus Smith building was the most recent target. It now houses nine businesses on three levels. This event is free and open to the public.

March 26, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Return to Warden's Grove: The Aesthetics of Field Research
Christopher Norment, Professor of Environmental Science and Biology at SUNY College at Brockport and author of Return to Warden's Grove
In this presentation, Christopher Norment's will describe his experiences while conducting his dissertation research on the breeding ecology of the Harris's Sparrow the Northwest Territories of Arctic Canada, 325 miles from the nearest road. After an introductory slide show, he will read from his recent book, Return to Warden's Grove (University of Iowa Press, 2008). The major theme of this event, and of Chris's book, will be what might be called the "aesthetics" of conducting scientific research in a field setting. Chris Norment is a professor of Environmental Science and Biology at the College at Brockport, State University of New York. This event is free and open to the public.

April

April 2, 6:00 pm, Skaneateles Library Association (49 E. Genesee St., Skaneateles)
Monitoring and Modeling: How Skaneateles Watershed Speaks Through Stream Flow and Pollutant Loads
Soni M. Pradhanang, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Ph. D. candidate
What are the cumulative impacts of land use in the Skaneateles Lake watershed? How does stream flow correlate with sediment, nutrient, and pesticide inputs to the lake? In this presentation, Soni Pradhanang will speak about her current studies in assessing the effectiveness of agricultural best management practices in nutrients and sediments of Skaneateles Lake watershed. In addition to her water quality research, Soni will present her preliminary analysis of the variations in surface and groundwater temperature in forested and agricultural watersheds. Program participants will learn from Soni's expertise in monitoring pollutant loading and become more aware of how stream monitoring can be used to create nutrient loading models for an entire watershed. Soni hopes that her work in the Skaneateles Lake watershed can help her attain her personal goal to apply her hydrologic research in places like Nepal, her home country. This event is free and open to the public.

April 20, 7:30 pm, HWS Library Geneva Room
HWS Green Progress Report
Sponsored by HWS Campus Greens
Come listen in as our campus is given another "green" report card. How has HWS been doing? Have they improved in the past year? What can they do better? Panelists from the HWS campus and abroad will give feedback on how HWS has been going green. Audience members will be encouraged to give their input and questions as well. This event is free and open to the public.

April 22, 7:30 pm, HWS Library Sanford Room
Panel Discussion Local Foods Perspectives
Sponsored by HWS Campus Greens and the Finger Lakes Instiute
The Local Foods movement is growing rapidly in our region, especially now that books like Michael Pollan's Omnivore's Dilemma have provided facts about where our food comes from. Join us as we watch two short films and discuss the local food movement in the Finger Lakes region. Our panelists will include recent William Smith graduate Christine Moskell '08, current student Prabi Basnet '09, local farmer Andy Fellenz and Geneva Community Garden advocate Virginia Torruella. This event is free and open to the public.

April 23, 5:00 pm, HWS Campus Albright Auditorium
What Can Individuals do to Deal with Global Climate Change When They Aren't Authorized to Negotiate with World Governments?
Dr. Stephen Schneider, Climatologist
Sponsored by the Finger Lakes Institute, HWS Environmental Studies Program, HWS Geoscience Department, and HWS Campus Greens
Stephen H. Schneider is the Melvin and Joan Lane Professor for Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies, Professor of Biology, and a Senior Fellow in the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University. He served as an NCAR scientist from 1973-1996, where he co-founded the Climate Project. He focuses on climate change science, integrated assessment of ecological and economic impacts of human-induced climate change, and identifying viable climate policies and technological solutions. He has consulted for federal agencies and White House staff in six administrations. Involved with the IPCC since 1988, he was Coordinating Lead Author, WG II, Chapter 19, "Assessing Key Vulnerabilities and the Risk from Climate Change" and a core writer for the Fourth Assessment Synthesis Report. He along with four generations of IPCC authors received a collective Nobel Peace Prize for their joint efforts in 2007. Elected to the US National Academy of Sciences in 2002, Dr. Schneider received the American Association for the Advancement of Science/ Westinghouse Award for Public Understanding of Science and Technology and a MacArthur Fellowship for integrating and interpreting the results of global climate research. Founder/ editor of Climatic Change, he has authored or co-authored over 500 books, scientific papers, proceedings, legislative testimonies, edited books and chapters, reviews and editorials. Dr. Schneider counsels policy makers, corporate executives, and non-profit stakeholders about using risk management strategies in climate-policy decision-making, given the uncertainties in future projections of global climate change and related impacts. He is actively engaged in improving public understanding of science and the environment through extensive media communication and public outreach.

The Event
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated in 2007 that global warming was "unequivocal" and that human activities were "very likely" to have created most of the warming since 1970. The institutional and political commitments to business-as-usual dependence on carbon based fuels will not easily be overcome in the short term, although vigorous research, development and deployment of more efficient systems and low carbon emitting sources is certainly feasible over the next few decades. Therefore, adaptation strategies are needed to deal with "in-the-pipeline" climate change; and mitigation activities which will dramatically lower our collective carbon footprint will be needed to deal with impacts that are difficult to adapt to. In this presentation, Stephen will discuss the many actions that individuals, groups, businesses, cities, states, and countries can do to reduce global warming, while at the same time providing sustainable jobs and reduced dangers from importing oil from unreliable foreign sources. These actions help to motivate needed international cooperation. This event is free and open to the public.

Find the HWS Campus Albright Auditorium.

April 25, 8:00 am-3:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute
Science on Seneca Teacher Training Day
Barb Halfman, HWS SOS Coordinator
Science on Seneca is an educational outreach program of the Finger Lakes Institute and Hobart and William Smith Colleges. The next training date for certified 7-12 grade teachers that are interested in participating in the SOS program is April 25th, 2008 from 8 am - 3 pm. The day will begin at the Finger Lakes Institute on the Hobart and William Smith campus with a brief introduction to the program logistics. We will then head to the WILLIAM SCANDLING research vessel on Seneca Lake to learn how to use the research equipment on-board. After lunch we head back to the FLI for a one-hour overview of the educational resources at the FLI and provide access to more information and resources on Finger Lakes related environmental and water quality topics. This training is free. Once teachers complete the training they are able to bring their classes on a field trip on the WILLIAM SCANDLING for $15.00/trip.
To register for the training, contact Barb Halfman at bhalfman@hws.edu
Directions to FLI are on the website at fli.hws.edu/findus.asp
Visit the SOS website to learn more: fli.hws.edu/sos/

April 26, 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm, The HWS Quad
Finger Lakes Sustainable Picnic and Live Music
Sponsored by HWS Campus Greens
The Finger Lakes region has so much to offer its residents in terms of local food and drink. This Sustainable Picnic will feature local Geneva vendors offering free samples and sale of their delicious products. Those local businesses that may be present include: Red Jacket, Normal Bread, The Coffee House, The Red Dove, and possibly more. Come relax outside, eat some good food and listen to some great local bands, such as Revision of Ithaca. The HWS Peace Festival will be in the same location immediately following the picnic. Rain location for this event will be the HWS Barn. This event is free and open to the public.

May

May 19, 6:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Collection Fever and Scientific Adventures
Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator
Interested in local history and science? Intrigued by the connections they have to world history? Many early explorers and scientific adventurers from the early 19th century, such as Emmeline Moore, the Folwell Family, Edward Birge, Henry Saltwell, Anna Comstock, Frank Pugsley to name only a few, have been overshadowed by more noteworthy names and affiliations. Yet, in this presentation Sarah Meyer will highlight their accomplishments and give recognition to their and other contributions to Finger Lakes research. Participants in this program will be introduced to the roots of natural sciences in the Finger Lakes and how they grew from self taught botanists and geological enthusiasts to regional historical landmarks and close relationships with Charles Darwin. After this program, participants will enjoy refreshments in the Finger Lakes Institute Exhibit Area. This event is free and open to the public.

May 27, 6:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Greening for the Greater Good: A Demonstration Rain Garden at the FLI
Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator
A rain garden is a shallow depression designed to capture and soak up stormwater runoff. The Finger Lakes Institute will install a new demonstration rain garden in its back lawn this month. In this two-part program series, Sarah Meyer will provide a presentation to citizens about how they can protect water quality andenhance their home landscape with a rain garden. Meyer will describe the step-by-step approach taken at the FLI to create its demonstration rain garden. In this presentation, participants will learn about stormwater runoff, the benefits of a rain garden, the methods for planning, designing and sizing a rain garden, plant selection, and garden maintenance. Volunteers are needed to help plant the rain garden on May 30. This event is free and open to the public.

Click Here to read the Power Point presentation. (PDF)

May 30, 9:00am, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Greening for the Greater Good: Demonstration Rain Garden Planting
Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator Interested citizens are encouraged to attend the May 27 evening rain garden presentation to receive valuable information about remediating stormwater runoff by installing a rain garden on their home property. During the morning rain garden planting on May 30, volunteers will plant the Finger Lakes Institute demonstration rain garden. Sarah Meyer will provide a brief background of the rain garden project with descriptions of the selected plants and designed layout. Volunteers will experience the rain garden installation by laying a dry creek bed and planting suitable native flowering plants. Volunteers are asked to bring hand tools and garden gloves if available as some gardening tools will be provided by HWS. Volunteers will be provided lunch and an opportunity to win door prizes! This event is free and open to the public. Approximately 10 committed volunteers are needed for this event. Please sign up by emailing smeyer@hws.edu.

Fall 2008

October

October 30, 8:30am - 4:30pm; Belhurst Castle, Geneva
Land Use in the Finger Lakes: Making the Right Decisions to Sustain Economic Viability and Water Quality
Sponsored by the Finger Lakes Institute at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Partial funding provided by: New York State Legislature through the advocacy of Senator Michael F. Nozzolio and The Stardust Foundation of Central New York
Water quality in the Finger Lakes is related to land use. Local decision making related to comprehensive planning, zoning, and protection legislation by communities surrounding the Finger Lakes will be critical to the future protection of the lakes and continued economic viability. The Finger Lakes Institute will sponsor a full-day symposium featuring a training workshop on land use decision-making by the Pace University Land Use Law Center, a panel discussion on regional approaches to land use and a demonstration of how geospatial technology can be applied in local settings to effect sound land use decisions presented by the Institute for the Application of Geospatial Technology (IAGT) in Auburn. Registration deadline, Tuesday, October 21. Registration Fee: $25.00 includes refreshments, lunch, and program materials. Register online or download a registration form. Directions to Belhurst Castle. Learn more.

November

November 11, 2008 6:30 pm; The Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Aquatic Plants in the Finger Lakes: Native, Invasive, or Nuisance?
Dr. Bin Zhu, Research Scientist
Aquatic plants can directly or indirectly alter the physical and chemical environment in lakes by shaping light, temperature, and nutrient dynamics. They also play a significant role in shaping the structure and dynamics of food webs in water column and at lake bottom, even at relatively low areal coverage. For example, aquatic plants are used as food or habitat by algae, zooplankton, invertebrates, and fishes; therefore, they affect predator-prey interactions among these groups. In addition, aquatic plants can affect property value, swimming and boating. Particularly nuisance and invasive species cause many problems in the lake ecosystems. This presentation will discuss native, invasive, and nuisance aquatic plant species in the Finger Lakes, with focus on Skaneateles Lake, Owasco Lake, Cayuga Lake, Seneca Lake, and Honeoye Lake. This event is free and open to the public.

November 13, 6:30 pm; Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Why Build Green?: CEC's Green Building Guide and Statewide Outreach Initiative
Sabrina Wells, Environmental Program Associate and Green Building Coordinator for Citizen's Environmental Coalition
This presentation will present the reasons people build green, identify CEC's advocacy efforts on the state level to promote green building policies, and encourage an interactive discussion of the decision making process when deciding to green your home. A brief presentation on the health effects of toxic building materials will also be given as well as an overview of NY State financial incentive programs. Copies of CEC's Green Building Guide will be available. This event is free and open to the public. Preview CEC's Green Building Guide.
Presenter Sabrina Wells, Environmental Program Associate and Green Building Coordinator for CEC, has broad experience in environmental advocacy and non profit work. Her commitment to environmental and social justice has shaped her career and educational choices and she has long advocated for policy changes that address pollution, climate change, and water quality issues. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in environmental policy from Prescott College in Arizona and is pursuing a Master of Arts in Environmental Public Policy. Her research has included international environmental justice, climate change, and Latin American studies.

Love Canal Activist Lois Gibbs Visits HWS
Sponsored by the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Love Canal is a neighborhood in Niagra Falls, N.Y. where 20,000 tons of toxic waste had been buried and later two schools, residential homes, rental units and churches were built upon. In 1978, after becoming concerned for her child's health and exposure to chemical substances, Lois Gibbs created the Love Canal Homeowners' to show that the buried chemicals were connected to residents health problems- birth defects, miscarriages, cancer, etc.. Today, Lois Marie Gibbs is executive director of the Center for Health, Environment and Justice and author of Love Canal: My Story and Dying from Dioxin. Her new book, Love Canal: The Story Continues..., was published in April 1998 by New Society Publishers. All events are free and open to the public.

Hobart and William Smith Colleges Campus Map

November 19, 2008, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.; Albright Auditorium
Film Screening: "In Our Own Backyard: The First Love Canal."

November 20, 2008, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.; Albright Auditorium
Lois Gibbs's talk titled "Environmental Activism and Citizen Activism: Lessons Learned from the Last Thirty Years--Where Do We Go From Here?"

November 21, 2008, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m., Stern Hall 217
One-on-one meetings with Lois Gibbs

December

December 2, 5:00 pm; Albright Auditorium campus map
Ron Walker, Friends with Feathers
Sponsored by the Finger Lakes Institute and the Hobart and William Smith Colleges Office of the Provost
Friends with Feathers is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about birds of prey. The Friends with Feathers aviary is home to birds of prey that can not be released into the wild (due to an injury or defect). Ron Walker, "Friends with Feathers" program presenter, has an extensive wildlife education background. He taught high school biology for 30 years and has been a scout leader and nature interpreter for more than 25 years, helping students of all ages to understand their natural environment. While enjoying this live bird presentation, participants will learn about the natural history of birds of prey (raptors) and how recent environmental changes have effected bird habitat and encouraged wildlife management/conservation. Last year's demonstration delighted children of all ages. This event is free and open to the public.

December 4, 6:00 pm; The Seneca Room (adjacent to 603 S. Main St., Geneva)
Local Food - Growing in the Finger Lakes
Andy Fellenz, Fellenz Family Farm
The Fellenz Family Farm is a NOFA-NY certified organic fruit and vegetable farm in Phelps, NY. In this presentation Andy Fellenz, owner of Fellenz Family Farm, will discuss the importance of buying local food in order to support local farmers and to help the Finger Lakes environment. Fellenz is a supporter and major contributor to the Geneva, Canandaigua, and Pittsford CSAs. A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program is often characterized as a risk sharing partnership between the farmer and the members. Members purchase a share of the farm's production and over the growing season they receive a share of what was harvested that week. Fellenz will speak about his experience as a local farmer and how he works to provide organic and locally-grown produce to residents of the Finger Lakes Region. He will speak specifically to the growth of local foods in the Finger Lakes, seen primarily through the lens of one farm, while providing some historical and regional context. This event is free and open to the public.

Spring 2008

January

January 23, 6:00 pm, Sanford Room of the HWS Library
Sarah Meyer, Finger Lakes Institute at Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Information Session: Alternative Spring Break Trip- Helping Clean America’s Rivers: Ohio River Clean Up in Louisville, KY*
The Finger Lakes Institute and the HWS Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning are planning an Alternative Spring Break Trip to Louisville, KY. Hosted by Living Lands and Waters, HWS students will hard work clearing pollution from the riverbanks of the Ohio River. During this trip, students will travel by boat to clean the shores of the Ohio River, participate in an educational ecology workshop, and tackle exotic bush honeysuckle invading the river’s islands. Attend this Information Session to learn more about the FLI’s Alternative Spring Break trip to Louisville, KY and other HWS sponsored trips. Information including applications can be found on the CCESL website. *This trip is only open to HWS Student applicants.

January 29, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom, 601 S. Main St. Geneva
Dr. Thomas Drennen, Senior Economist for Sandia National Labs, Author of Pathways to a Hydrogen Future, and Hobart and William Smith Colleges Associate Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies
Pathways to a Hydrogen Future
Hydrogen may someday fuel our cars, power and heat our homes and businesses, and revolutionize the way we use energy. Moving to a hydrogen economy could help reduce our reliance on foreign oil, improve local air quality, and reduce the risk of climate change. In this presentation Drennen will provide an overview of his recently released book, Pathways to a Hydrogen Future, in which Drennen proposes a potential hydrogen economy. Pathways to a Hydrogen Future seeks to untangle the competing visions of a hydrogen economy, explain the trade-offs and obstacles and offer recommendations for a path forward. What are the economic and environmental trade-offs of alternative hydrogen production, storage, transport, and end use options in the year 2020? Attend this event to learn more about how hydrogen can be an alternative energy of our future! Thomas E. Drennen, associate professor of economics at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, holds a Ph.D. in resource economics from Cornell University, a master's degree in public affairs from the University of Minnesota, and a bachelor of science degree in nuclear engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Visit Drennen’s website at http://www.drennenhws.com/. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

January 30, 8:00 pm, Hobart and William Smith Colleges Albright Auditorium (adjacent to St. Clair St., Geneva)
HWS Committee on Environmental and Political Relations
Web cast: The 2% Solution
Can our nation cut global warming pollution 2% a year for the next decade? If so, what would it take? The Hobart and William Smith Colleges Committee on Environmental and Political Relations and the Finger Lakes Institute are sponsoring a web cast called The 2% Solution. The web cast, produced by the National Wildlife Federation and aired by the Earth Day Network, is part of a national educational initiative on global warming solutions for America called "Focus the Nation". Join Stanford University climate scientist, Stephen Schneider, sustainability expert Hunter Lovins and green jobs pioneer Van Jones and youth climate leaders, for a discussion of global warming solutions. The web cast will be an audience-based discussion of global warming solutions, including opportunities for the audience to weigh in with cell phone voting. The campus community, business professionals, civic organizations, and other interested parties are encouraged to participate. For more information on "Focus the Nation", visit www.focusthenation.org. This event is free and open to the public.

January 31, 7:00 pm, Hobart and William Smith Colleges campus Albright Auditorium (adjacent to St. Clair St., Geneva)
Facilitated by Prof. Tara Curtin, and Hobart students Tim Robbins (’11) and Paul Golab (’10)
Panel Discussion: Focus the Nation -Global Warming Solutions for America
Focus the Nation is an educational initiative engaging millions of students and citizens with political leaders and decision makers about global warming solutions. This event is an effort to involve colleges, universities, and other institutions in interdisciplinary discussions about global warming solutions for America, with over 1,300 institutions participating, including Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Panel participants include Profs. Paul Kehle (Education) and Susanne McNally (History); several students; Stuart Einstein, Geneva’s newly-elected Mayor; and Jerry Leone of Casella Waste Systems, Inc.. Discussion will focus on the individual and coordinated efforts that can be made on campus, locally, and regionally to cut carbon emissions. Audience members will be engaged and encouraged to voice their thoughts in this national conversation. For more information, visit http://www.focusthenation.org/ . This event is free and open to the public.

February

February 6, 10:00 am -2:00 pm, Belhurst Castle Meritage Ballroom, Rt. 14, Geneva, NY
Jeff Myers, NYSDEC Bureau of Water Assessment and Management’s Water Quality Assessment Section
Finger Lakes Basin PWL Regional Information Sharing and Discussion Meeting
PowerPoint Presentation
Comments from the Audience
Meeting Notes
Read the December 2007 WI/PWL Document
In December 2007 the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation -Division of Water, Bureau of Watershed Assessment and Management released The Oswego River Finger Lakes Basin Waterbody Inventory and Priority Waterbodies List (PWL) to reflect an assessment and inventory of monitoring efforts and water quality information for waterbodies within the Finger Lakes basin. All waterbodies encompassed by all or portions of Cayuga, Chemung, Cortland, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Oswego, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tompkins, Wayne and Yates Counties, are included in this inventory and water quality assessment list. The Finger Lakes Institute at Hobart and William Smith Colleges invites you to participate in this information-sharing session to discuss how the 2007 PWL was compiled; how and why it differs from previous lists (last issued in September 1996); future monitoring needs for the regions waterbodies; and what can be expected in the next basin update (expected in 2009)? Jeff Myers, from the NYSDEC Bureau of Water Assessment and Management’s Water Quality Assessment Section, will be present to welcome comments, additions, and questions regarding the report. Lunch provided, some space still available. To attend this event, please register by calling (315) 781-4382 or email smeyer@hws.edu by Friday, Feb. 1.

February 11, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Neil F. Laird, HWS Assistant Professor of Geoscience, Co-sponsored by the Geneva Chapter of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society
Lake-Effect Snows associated with Small and Large Lakes
Lake-effect snow storms can significantly influence annual snowfall totals, especially in regions near lake shorelines. These storms have been responsible for snowfalls of greater than 100 inches at locations during a multi-day period, an amount which is nearly equivalent to the average amount of snow received over an entire winter. This talk will present results from scientific investigations that extend understand of lake-effect snow storms to small lake environments and situations when lakes are extensively ice covered.
The current understanding of lake-effect winter storms and the conditions that lead to their development have been largely shaped from the study of large lakes (e.g., Great Lakes). Two recent studies conducted at Hobart and William Smith Colleges have taken a climatological approach to investigating lake-effect snow storms that develop in association with small lakes. The characteristics, frequency, and environmental conditions of lake-effect events which originated over or were enhanced by (a) the NYS Finger Lakes during an 11-winter period and (b) Lake Champlain during a 9-winter period will be discussed.
The presence of widespread ice cover in regions of the Great Lakes coupled with the limited understanding regarding the development of lake-effect snow storms over ice-covered lakes often provides significant challenges to winter weather forecasting. Two recent studies of the influence that ice cover has on lake-effect snow development have greatly increased understanding in this important area. An examination of Lake Erie lake-effect snow events which developed over extensive ice cover and recent analyses of data collected during the Great Lakes Ice Cover – Atmospheric Flux (GLICAF) field project will be discussed. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or emailing fli@hws.edu.

February 18, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Emily Runnells and Emily Golson, WS ’08, 2008 National Audubon Society’s Seabird Restoration Program Interns plus others from previous years and Stephen Kress, Founder and Director of the National Audubon Society’s Seabird Restoration Program
Project Puffin: An Intern’s Perspective On Seabird Restoration and Conservation in the Gulf of Maine (See PDF)
Humans have devastated seabird colonies in many parts of the world by excessive hunting for food and feathers and by introducing mammals such as cats and rats to otherwise secure nesting islands. Worldwide, 23% of all seabird species are now globally threatened. In North America, coastal development is a growing concern as the human population is becoming increasingly concentrated with 70% of the US population living within 100 miles of a coastline.
Although seabird nesting islands seem safe due to their remoteness, they are intimately connected to human activities. For example, Maine seabird nesting islands are affected by large populations of Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls that benefit from garbage and fisheries waste practices hundreds of miles from nesting islands. As scavenging large gulls increase, they deter smaller, migratory seabirds, such as puffins and terns from nesting on many of their historic nesting islands.
Each summer the National Audubon Society Seabird Restoration Program hosts internships for college students to assist in the restoration of seabird population in the Gulf of Maine. What is it like to spend your summer on an island, sometimes miles out to sea, amidst colonies of seabirds? In this program, previous interns, Emily Runnells and Emily Golson, share stories about their internship experience, the birds, the challenges, and the inspiration of working every day for the protection of avian species that have been, and still are, facing rough waters. Project founder and director, Stephen Kress, will be available to answer questions and share insights as well. A summer 2008 internship is available for HWS students, but anyone with an interest in past and ongoing conservation efforts will want to attend. College students are encouraged to attend to learn more about Audubon’s 2008 Maine Summer Internship in Conservation Biology.  This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required - call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

February 19, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
John Halfman, Professor of Geoscience at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY
Water Quality of Seneca Lake and other central Finger Lakes (See PDF)
Water quality is critical to the wellbeing of the residents in the Finger Lakes region.  Initiated in 2005, John Halfman and students at Hobart and William Smith Colleges have completed monthly water quality monitoring of seven central Finger Lakes. In this talk, Dr. John Halfman will discuss the results of his monitoring efforts from the 2007 field season, offer explanations of data, and present the past decade of research on Seneca Lake and its major tributaries.  Free and open to the public. Registration is requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu. Learn more about Halfman’s Finger Lakes research.

February 28, 6:30 pm, Hobart and William Smith Colleges Library, Geneva Room
Kevin McGowan, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
(See PDF)
Mary Hess, HWS Department of English
Gordon Eddington, City of Geneva
Rita Sarnicola, Citizens Respectful Of Wildlife
Mark Deutschlander, moderator from the HWS Department of Biology
A Discussion of Perspectives: Crow Roosting in the Finger Lakes Region
This panel discussion will examine the annual winter visitation of crows to the shoreline communities of the Finger Lakes region and how attitudes have changed over time in regard to the ecological and cultural value and management of crows. The panel will focus primarily on the impact of the crow populations on Finger Lake communities, particularly why the crows roost in such numbers and locations and how Finger Lake communities cope with annual crow roosting. Audience members of this event will gain insight of the unique biological characteristics and historic cultural value of this avian species. In addition, common options considered and utilized for their management by the City of Geneva will be discussed, for crows often roost along the shorelines of Seneca Lake. An example of community activism to encourage respect and appreciation of wildlife will also be presented. The panelists will each talk for about 10 minutes, followed by time for discussion and comment from the audience. Posters from the students of Prof. Deutschlander's Bird Obsessions course, a first-year seminar on bird and human interactions, will be on display highlighting the biology of crows, the role of crows in myths and cultures from around the world, and pervasiveness of crows in literature and art.  Members of the public are encouraged to attend this discussion to voice questions and concerns to the experts in this panel. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or by emailing fli@hws.edu.

March

March 4, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Diane Brandli, Ashley McGraw Architects, P.C.
Peter J. Arsenault, Stantec Architecture
The Green Building Industry and Sustainable Communities:  From the “Big Picture” to the Details   
From building interiors to the building site, to the greater community, to the economy that supports them and the natural environment surrounding them, “people, planet and profit” are intricately intertwined and cannot exist with a piece of the puzzle missing. In this presentation, Diane Brandli and Peter Arsenault, both LEED accredited professionals and members of the US Green Building Council, will provide an overview of the green building industry and an explanation of the larger piece of the puzzle, creating sustainable communities, a sustainable economy and a healthy surrounding environment. Will what we view as the “silver bullet” today turn out to be an even bigger problem tomorrow? This presentation will inspire thoughtful inquiry and action for building more sustainable businesses, homes and communities. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu. Learn more about GreeningUSA, a Syracuse-based organization whose mission is to advocate sustainable environments to the benefit of local economies and communities, at http://www.greeningusa.org/.

March 6, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Courtney Wilson, William Smith Student '08
United Nations Climate Negotiations: A First Hand Account
(PDF) (VIDEO - Realmedia)
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international treaty aimed to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and thereby prevent global warming. As a signatory of the UNFCCC, the United States is committed to a voluntary "non-binding aim" to reduce greenhouse gases. Courtney Wilson, a senior at William Smith College, recently attended United Nations Climate Change Negotiations in Vienna, Austria and Bali, Indonesia to learn of the conversations, process, and framework used to assess the progress made in dealing with climate change at a global scale. Discussions at these climate change conferences paved the way for a new post-2012 international climate change policy. Participants in this event will learn about Courtney's unique experience at the conferences and hear her first hand account of the conversations between international policy negotiators and climate researchers. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

March 11, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Lisa Turturro and Paul Tornatore (bio), Haley and Aldrich, Inc.
Geothermal Energy - Using Lessons from the Past to Plan for the Future
2057 Envision Movie Shown
The issue of sustainability and the emergence of "green" thinking have brought a renewed focus on how we can serve as stewards of our natural resources. Within the energy sector, geothermal energy is often viewed as a way to substantially achieve green goals - but after system installation, geothermal users are often disappointed with the results. Through geothermal practice, Haley & Aldrich has learned that it takes more than the industry rules of thumb and the "geothermal cookbook" to get it right and make it work. In this presentation, Lisa and Paul will explore how the use of geothermal energy can support overall campus sustainability programs and will discuss what they have learned about how to design geothermal applications in a way that fulfills expectations. Haley & Aldrich meets an array of strategic environmental, engineering and management challenges working with clients throughout the United States and internationally. Headquartered in Boston, the firm has 475 professional and support staff in 21 offices nationwide including Rochester, NY. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email email fli@hws.edu.

March 16-22, Louisville, KY
Trip Coordinator: Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator
Host Organization: Living Lands and Waters
Alternative Spring Break Trip: Helping Clean America’s Rivers: Ohio River Clean Up in Louisville, KY*
Roll up your sleeves and get ready to get dirty! Sixteen HWS students will join Chad Pregracke and Living Lands and Waters Alternative Spring Break Program for a fun week of hard work clearing pollution from the riverbanks of the Ohio River. During the trip, students will travel by boat to clean the shores of the Ohio River, participate in an educational ecology workshop, and tackle exotic bush honeysuckle invading the river’s islands. Students will spend their nights staying at The Legacy Center in Louisville, KY where all meals and accommodations are provided. Learn about the students' experiences by visiting their blog.

March 27, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Greg Dlubac H'08, Courtney Wilson WS '08, and Emily Golson WS'08
Student Presentations: GIT Ahead and Regional Science Education
Throughout each academic semester the FLI has students conducting research on the Finger Lakes region. Topics of research pertain to the Institute's four core initiatives: research, education outreach, community outreach and public service, and economic development and regional planning. For this event, three presentations will be given to provide and overview of student accomplishments within GIT Ahead , a program that aims to incorporate geospatial technology (GIS, GPS) into the classroom, and the FLI's Education Outreach, as it works to introduce FL geology into teaching and curriculum development. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

April

April 5, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Barb Halfman, Science On Seneca Coordinator
Science on Seneca Teacher Training
Science on Seneca is an educational outreach program of the Finger Lakes Institute and Hobart and William Smith Colleges that enables local science teachers to use Seneca Lake as an outdoor classroom. After a brief introduction to program logistics, participants will board the William Scandling research vessel on Seneca Lake to learn how to use the research equipment on-board.  After lunch, a one-hour overview of Finger Lakes related environmental and water quality topics and additional educational resources will be provided. Once training is completed by teachers, they are certified to bring their classes on a field trip on the William Scandling for $15.00/trip.  This training is free to all teachers. Registration required by contacting Barb Halfman, at bhalfman@hws.edu. Visit the SOS website.

April 10, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
David J. Nicosia, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, NOAA-National Weather Service, Binghamton, NY
Climate Change in Central New York: Past, Present and Future
Temperature, precipitation and snowfall data will be presented for the last 50 to 100 years at various climate stations in upstate NY. Changes will be correlated with global changes in weather circulation patterns: El Nino/Southern Oscillation, Arctic Oscillation, and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Are such changes a sign or “footprint” of global warming?  How is the present state of the climate system different than 30 to 40 years ago? Is the frequency of severe storms and flooding increasing in central NY? What might our climate look like in 2100 if the IPCC computer model projection of around 2 to 3 degrees C of warming occurs?   Participants in this event will learn from David's expertise in severe weather monitoring and become more aware of the historical representative weather changes that have affected the Finger Lakes region. Learn more about NOAA paleoclimatology.This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

April 16, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute National Wildlife Federation’s live broadcast…
Chill Out: Campus Solutions to Global Warming
Campuses across the country are taking steps to confront global warming. Through energy efficiency, renewable energy, habitat restoration and awareness projects, campuses are leading the way. Chill Out: Campus Solutions to Global Warming recognizes campuses and campus leaders for their efforts to solve global warming issues. Brought to you by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and co-sponsors, this free broadcast, hosted by the Finger Lakes Institute, will include a live panel discussion by Chill Out contestants, climate scientists and conservation professionals who will take questions by phone from students, faculty and staff nation-wide. The live broadcast will feature positive, practical solutions to global warming being implemented by higher education campuses around the country. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or emailing fli@hws.edu. Learn more about the National Wildlife Federation’s Chill Out! and watch last year’s broadcast!

Fall 2007

November

November 2, 12:00-1:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Robin Lane, The Finger Lakes Weekend Wino
Lyric and Music Creativity Seminar: Releasing Your Creativity through Lyric & Music- A Plate of Poetry & A Glass of Song

Robin Lane brings over 20 years of crafting songs and poems to the Finger Lakes Institute. Robin has been an award-winning songwriter, a major label recording artist and now has turned his craft to writing songs and poetry about the region he has come to call "one of the most beautiful and spiritual areas in the world" — The Finger Lakes region. Over the years, he has penned and recorded 12 collections of songs in a variety of styles from Blues to Spiritual to Country to Folk to Rock and his latest CD is a tribute to the Finger Lakes titled "Sparkling Diamonds – Songs of The Finger Lakes." Robin Lane, the Finger Lakes Weekend Wino, will present a seminar for "Releasing Your Creativity Through Music & Lyrics". This seminar is for anyone who is interested in learning unique techniques to enhance your creativity. Listen to the Weekend Wino’s music.

This event is free and open to the public.  Lunch is included, seating is limited. Please register by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu. Late in the evening on November 2, Robin will give a live performance (read below).

November 2, 8:00 pm -10:00 pm, Hobart and William Smith Colleges Albright Auditorium, St. Clair St., Geneva
Featuring the Lyrics & Music of Robin Lane, The Finger Lakes Weekend Wino
Live Performance: Songs, Poetry & Spoken Images of The Finger Lakes
Robin Lane brings over 20 years of crafting songs and poems to the Finger Lakes Institute. Robin has been an award-winning songwriter, a major label recording artist and now has turned his craft to writing songs and poetry about the region he has come to call "one of the most beautiful and spiritual areas in the world" — The Finger Lakes region. Over the years, he has penned and recorded 12 collections of songs in a variety of styles from Blues to Spiritual to Country to Folk to Rock and his latest CD is a tribute to the Finger Lakes titled "Sparkling Diamonds – Songs of The Finger Lakes." Along with his musical talents, Robin has come to be an aficionado of Finger Lakes wine. He is the creator of the popular Finger Lakes Weekend Wino blog website, which provides news and discussion about the Finger Lakes area and its wines and wineries.  Join Robin for a musical lyrical journey to a "Higher Spirit" inspired by the beauty of the Finger Lakes.

The evening performance, appropriate for all ages, will feature selections from his new CD, poetry and spoken images of the Finger Lakes. This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments provided. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

November 3, 10:00 am -4:00 pm, Seneca Lake State Park Nathan Burtch, FLI GIS Specialist, and Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator
Geocache Event: Exploring the Finger Lakes
A GPS unit is an electronic device that determines your approximate location on the planet and is used to navigate from your current location to another location. This geocache event incorporates the use of a GPS unit to explore and learn about the natural history of the Finger Lakes region. Participants in this event will use a GPS unit to find their way through an outdoor, trivia-filled scavenger hunt and will be rewarded for their findings. This event is free and open to the public. GPS units and instruction provided, space is limited. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

November 8, 7:00 pm, Albright Auditorium on the HWS Campus, Geneva, NY
Nationally recognized: Chad Pregracke, Founder and President of Living Lands and Waters from East Moline, Illinois, Author of From the Bottom Up: One Man’s Crusade to Clean America’s Rivers
Helping to Clean America’s Rivers

As the founder of America’s only “industrial strength” river clean-up organization, Living Lands & Waters nationally recognized, Chad Pregracke, 32, tells a compelling and funny story about growing up on the river and how his river experiences led to his unique vision to clean up the Mississippi River. 

Chad has been the recipient of more than 40 awards, including the Jefferson Award for Public Service presented to him in June of 2002 in the United States Supreme Court in Washington, DC.  Chad accepted that award along with Rudolph Giuliani, Bill and Melinda Gates, and Lilly Tartikoff.  In August of 2002, Chad was invited by the Coca-Cola Company to attend the World Summit on Sustainable Environments in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he met and shared information about his river cleanup projects with people from all over the world. Since then, Chad’s projects have been filmed by many of the major networks such as CNN, Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning Show, NBC Nightly News, MTV, PBS, and the list goes on and on.  Time, People Magazine, Readers’ Digest, Life, Outside, Smithsonian, and National Geographic are among the numerous publications in which Chad has been featured.

During his talk, Chad takes the audience out on one of the world’s greatest rivers – a journey filled with lively characters, colorful places and gripping adventures. His delivery is motivating, educating, compelling, stimulating, captivating, refreshingly spontaneous and genuine.

From the darkness of underwater shell-diving to the brightness of open-air community clean-ups, Chad’s tale embodies the importance of setting goals (one river and one piece of garbage at a time) and illustrates how determined hard-work and persistence pays off.

The river environment is relentlessly real and Chad brings the same up-front honesty to his presentation. Chad’s sincere enthusiasm is an uplifting wave for audiences of all ages as he relates his personal conviction to clean America’s rivers.

Chad will leave his audience knowing that each one of us makes a difference; he empowers the audience with his fascinating story and genuine compassion to make a difference.

Chad’s book, From the Bottom Up: One Man’s Crusade to Clean America’s Rivers, is now available for sale at the HWS College Store and will be sold during the event on November 8.

This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments provided.

Learn More about Chad and Living Lands and Waters!

Watch the CBS News Video!
An interview with Chad!
About his book!

November 13, 5:30 p.m., Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator
A World Away: Reflections on Southern Africa’s Environmental Awareness
In May 2007, Sarah Meyer, FLI community outreach coordinator, traveled to Malawi, northern Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, Africa on a vocational, cultural exchange sponsored by Rotary Foundation. In this presentation, Sarah will share her observations of the African environment, environmental education, scientific research and the cultural lifestyles revolving around water, conservation and preservation in southern Africa. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

November 15, Finger Lakes Institute Building
Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator
Celebrate America Recycles Day: Cell Phones for Science!
Recycling and properly disposing of electronic waste reduces the amount of persistent toxic chemicals that may compose landfill leachate. Recycle your cell phone today by dropping it off at the FLI and receive a gift! Each phone will generate funds to support continued Finger Lakes research. Acceptable drop off items include: cellular phones, batteries, accessories, PDA s, blackberries, pagers, and chargers. Mail or drop off your cell phones to the FLI! Directions to the FLI are available online.

November 17, 9 am -3 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Sheila Myers, FLI Education Outreach Coordinator
Project WET Teacher Training
Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) is a nonprofit water education program for educators of young people ages 5-18. The program facilitates and promotes awareness, appreciation, knowledge, and stewardship of water resources through the dissemination of classroom-ready teaching aids. This is a six-hour training session to get acquainted with the program, curriculum guide, and to experience a few of the activities first hand. To register, call (315) 781-4380 or email smyers@hws.edu.

October

October 2, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Dr. Bruce Gilman, Professor of Environmental Conservation/Outdoor Recreation
Voyage of Discovery
Nothing can be more rewarding for a naturalist than a journey to some distant land. The ease with which we become comfortable conducting our research in the Finger Lakes is deceptive. Granted that new discoveries and insight can occur locally, they pale in comparison to the personal growth and mental stimulation that accompanies global travel. During spring 2007, Bruce Gilman traveled to the Galapagos Islands and instantly became a student of their natural history. He walked in Darwin’s footsteps exploring the marine and terrestrial environments. Be it his encounter with the “beach master”, his amazement with the frigate birds or his appreciation of the subtle interaction among Opuntia cactus and island creatures, the Galapagos have made a lasting impression. And yet, despite their unique character, these islands are subject to all too familiar human impacts. Join us for a colorful introduction to the ecology of the Galapagos and a thoughtful discussion of human domestication of landscapes. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

October 6, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY
3rd Annual Finger Lakes Research Conference
The 3rd Annual Finger Lakes Research Conference will highlight Finger Lakes scientific research and provide opportunities for students, faculty and other scientists to meet others interested in environmental science and scholarship. The goal of this annual conference is to highlight all aspects of Finger Lakes research, particularly as it applies to problems related to the Finger Lakes of western and central New York State. Both 15-minute oral presentation and poster displays are scheduled during the day-long conference. Presentations and posters are either: 1) results of ongoing or completed research, or 2) research plans and proposals.  If you are interested in participating in the 3rd Annual Finger Lakes Research Conference, contact Sarah Meyer at (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

October 19-20, Finger Lakes Institute Building
1st Annual My Place In The Finger Lakes Conference
REGISTER NOW
The My Place in the Finger Lakes project has two goals: 1) to help teachers introduce environmental topics in multi-disciplinary subjects – not just science; and 2) to introduce student and teacher knowledge about the Finger Lakes environment and how human interactions can influence this environment. This curriculum will give students the chance to learn more about the Finger Lakes region: the history, geography, geology, and ecology.  One of the goals of this curriculum is to enhance opportunities to provide students with a context for learning science and keep them interested in the sciences as they progress through the higher grade levels. The My Place in the Finger Lakes Conference, hosted by the FLI, is for region middle school teachers (Grades 5-8). The two-day conference will include multidisciplinary topics and curriculum ideas for teaching youth at the middle school grade levels about the Finger Lakes environment. The second day of the conference will include educational field trips to local sites to learn more about field trip opportunities and hands-on experiences in the Finger Lakes region. If interested, contact Sheila Myers, FLI Education Outreach Coordinator, at (315) 781-4380 or email smyers@hws.edu.

October 24, 8:30 am-3:30 pm, Belhurst Castle, Geneva, NY
Co-sponsored by the Finger Lakes Institute and the Finger Lakes-Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (FL-PRISM)
Weeding Out the Good from the Bad: A Workshop on Managing Aquatic Plants in the Finger Lakes
Coordinated to bring together concerned citizens, educators, managers, and researchers, this workshop will:
• provide an update on the current science and policy of aquatic plant management in New York State and the methods of education in the Finger Lakes region;
• detail the effective management methods used to battle noxious and invasive aquatic plants and present those plants currently threatening the Finger Lakes; and
• explain how to identify specific aquatic plants in the Finger Lakes region, their habitat, methods of spread, life cycle, and possible management strategies. This workshop will also give an opportunity for audience members to engage in an informal discussion on the status of aquatic plants in the Finger Lakes, the obstacles involved with managing them, and the extensive research conducted to understand their means of distribution and effective management strategies so that they may be better controlled and prevented from further spreading. Registration is $20. To register, please call (315)781-4382 or e-mail fli@hws.edu.

October 24, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Hobart and William Smith College Students
Finger Lakes Institute Fall 2007 Student Research Presentations
Throughout each academic semester the FLI has intern and independent study students conducting research on the Finger Lakes region. Topics of research pertain to the Institute's four core initiatives: research, education outreach, community outreach and public service, and economic development and regional planning. These presentations are a record of the student’s progress and will be finalized with a concluding full report in December 2007. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

September

September 12, 7:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Alan Kitty and Steve Raffuel, Founders of Row4Life
Saving Lives Through Sport: A Primer In Creating Sport-Charity Events
In this presentation, two rower-fundraisers teach you how to use your sport to change the world and save the environment. The founders of Row4Life, Alan Kitty and Steve Raffuel, take a break from their 300 mile rowing odyssey on the Erie Canal to speak about the nuts and bolts of putting together an athletics-based charity fundraising event. Rowing from Buffalo to the Hudson from Sept. 8th through Sept. 18th, they will also speak about how rowing has impacted their lives, their desire to use their sport to help make the world a better place, and how their event is helping to create awareness of the environment on the Erie Canal. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

September 13, 7:30 pm, Warren Hunting Smith Library, Geneva Room
Marion Balyszak, Director of the Finger Lakes Institute at Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Edith Davey, Conservation Educator with the Ontario County Soil and Water Conservation District
Marion Schwartz, longtime resident on Canandaigua Lake
Daniel Davis, Assistant Regional Director and current Acting Regional Director for the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Finger Lakes Region
Whose Lake Is It Anyway? Competing Interests in the Finger Lakes: A Panel to Discuss Competing Interests in the Finger Lakes Watersheds
This program, co-sponsored by the Geneva Historical Society and the Finger Lakes Institute at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, will be offered in conjunction with the Society’s current exhibit From Steamboat to State Park: Public Access in the Finger Lakes, which examines the use and development of the Finger Lakes over the past 200 years and how attitudes have changed about quality of life in the area and about the environmental impact of industry. The panel will focus primarily on environmental issues and the impact of land and water use on the Finger Lakes, particularly how to balance residential, agricultural, and recreational use of the lakes with environmental concerns about water quality and invasive species. The panelist will each talk for about 15 minutes, followed by time for discussion and comment from the audience. Refreshments will be served. Parking is in the Medbery Lot off of Pulteney Street near Hamilton Street. This event is free and open to the public. For further information, call the Geneva Historical Society at (315) 789-5151 or the FLI at (315) 781-4382.

September 15, 8 am, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Barb Halfman, SOS Coordinator
Science On Seneca Teacher Training Day
Science On Seneca enables regional high school science teachers to use Seneca Lake as an outdoor classroom. To participate in Science On Seneca, science teachers must take part in this free training session. During the training, teachers experience the full range of scientific tests and equipment available to them aboard The William Scandling research vessel, including plankton tows, sediment samples and water chemistry, to name a few. For a nominal fee ($15 per class), teachers may then return with their students and conduct research on Seneca Lake aboard The William Scandling, and use all the resources of this floating classroom. Teacher training is free. Contact Barb Halfman at (315) 781-3606 or e-mail bhalfman@hws.edu to register.

September 15, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Seneca Lake State Park (Pavilion #3), Geneva, NY
Seneca Lake State Park Beach Cleanup
Collect and record the litter found around Seneca Lake! In observance of the International Coastal Cleanup, the Finger Lakes Institute is holding a community coastal cleanup event in Geneva, NY. All registered participants will be provided with trash bags and data sheets to record the specific types and quantities of lake debris found. The data collected will be used to better identify sources of pollution and help find solutions for preventing it. Bring a bag lunch, closed toed shoes, and work gloves. Free and open to the public. Registration required. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu. (Directions to Seneca Lake State Park.)

September 27-28, Burgundy Basin Inn/Brookwood Inn, Pittsford, NY
2nd Annual Unifying Economic Development and the Environment Conference
The Finger Lakes Institute and Finger Lakes-Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance (FL-LOWPA) have co-planned this conference to bring together an audience of business and industrial leaders, community planners, elected officials and water quality affiliates to focus on 1) the role of our environment in the region’s economy and 2) examples of new initiatives that engender alternative energy, green technology, sustainability and economic development to protect a very high quality asset for this region. The conference will examine recent environmental and economic trends, explore opportunities for new markets and identify approaches that unify economic development and environmental protection across the Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario region. The conference agenda will highlight biodiversity and ecosystems at risk; the potential impacts of climate change; alternative energies; agriculture and the developing markets for local food products; and toxic waste sites and the emerging issues of their redevelopment. The second day of the conference will feature field trips to representative sites within the Rochester area. Local elected officials, public agencies, business owners, tourism representatives, economic developers, environmental and civic organizations, planners, agricultural producers, landowners and academics are encouraged to attend. Participants may register for individual conference days. Register by September 14.

Summer 2007

August

August 29, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator
FLI Student Program Orientation
Student Programs at the Finger Lakes Institute (FLI) are available each semester and encompass one or more of the four core areas of the Institute. Students will not only gain experience in day-to-day operations of the Institute, but can also complete a core project related to primary watershed management priorities for one or more of the eleven Finger Lakes related and connected to the four core areas of FLI.

FLI Student Programs:
*Internship (CIP)
*Independent Study
* Senior Integrative Experience (HWS only)
*Summer Science Research Fellowship (HWS only)
*Volunteer

It is mandatory for all students intending on completing a FLI Student Program within the Fall 2007 semester attend Program Orientation on August 29. All other students interested in learning about how they can take advantage of the available student projects at the FLI should attend this event to learn more! Please contact Sarah Meyer prior to this event if you are interested in completing a FLI Student Program by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.  

August 13-17, Finger Lakes Institute Building
Sheila Myers, FLI Education Outreach Coordinator
Finger Lakes Teacher Institute
The Finger Lakes Institute at Hobart and William Smith Colleges is embarking on the development of a multi-disciplinary curriculum called: My Place in the Finger Lakes for middle school students. The My Place in the Finger Lakes project has two goals: 1) to help teachers introduce environmental topics in multi-disciplinary subjects – not just science; and 2) to introduce student and teacher knowledge about the Finger Lakes environment and how human interactions can influence this environment. The Finger Lakes Institute will host several regional middle school teachers to participate in the Finger Lakes Teacher Institute in August 2007. During the week-long Institute, teachers will be conceptualizing and writing education modules as part of the My Place in the Finger Lakes regional middle school curriculum. Agenda TBA. If interested, contact Sheila Myers, FLI Education Outreach Coordinator, at (315) 781-4380 or email smyers@hws.edu.

August 3, 1:30 pm, N-Viro Soil Manufacturing Facility, Syracuse, NY
Jeffrey J. LeBlanc, President of WeCare Organics, LLC
N-Viro Soil Manufacturing Facility Tour
In January 1992, Onondaga County awarded a long-term contract to Waste Stream Environmental to design, install, permit, and construct a full-scale permanent facility for the use of biosolids using the N-Viro Process. Today, the N-Viro Soil manufacturing facility converts 200 wet tons/day of biosolids, generated at the Syracuse Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant, into N-Viro Soil™, a product rich in organic micro-nutrients, lime, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.  WeCare Organics, LLC operates the N-Viro Soil facility in Syracuse, NY and markets the finished product throughout New York State. Participants in this tour will have the opportunity acquire information regarding the N-Viro Soil manufacturing process, composition, uses, applications, and availability. Transportation provided leaving from the Finger Lakes Institute at 12:00 pm. Space is limited. Pre-registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

July

July 31, 5:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Vince Scalise, Chairman of the Cayuga-Seneca Canalway Trail Association
Planning for the Future: The Cayuga/Seneca Canalway Trail
The continued planning for the development of the Cay/Sen Canalway Trail has been somewhat of an adventure unto itself over a period of approximately seven years. When the trail is finally completed, it will extend 19 miles from the lakeshore in Geneva, follow along the canal to Waterloo, Seneca Falls and then to the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. Individuals and organizations from both Ontario and Seneca Counties have been involved in the project with support from the Seneca County Board of Supervisors, Parks and Trails New York and the Canal Corporation. The trail provides a vital link to the Erie Canal trail, offering an opportunity for hikers and bikers to visit two Finger Lakes, state parks, historic sites, a national park and a national wildlife refuge. Economic development, health and physical fitness, education, recreation and being a part of the beauty of the Finger Lakes region are some of the benefits of the proposed trail. This talk will allow attendees to follow the steps taken to date to make the trail a reality. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

July 13, 12:00 pm -4:00 pm, Fessenden Dairy, LLC , King Ferry, NY
Tim Fessenden, Sixth Generation Farmer
Tender Loving Compost Facility and Farm Tour
Since 1863, the Fessenden family’s commitment to quality fruits, vegetables and milk has been coupled with a commitment to the environmental stewardship of the valuable land and water resources. Functioning in a new era of nutrient management, Tim Fessenden’s continued emphasis on quality is reflected in their Tender Loving Compost, made from dairy manure solids. Enjoy a tour of the Fessenden Tender Loving Compost Facility and Farm. Participants will have a first hand look at the 1,050 head dairy farm, its unique nutrient management system and the process by which the compost product is made and used. Transportation will be provided to the farm at 12:00 pm, leaving from the Finger Lakes Institute at 601 S. Main St. in Geneva and will return at 4:00 pm. This is event is free and open to the public. Space is limited. Register by calling (315) 781-4382 or by emailing fli@hws.edu.  

June

June 26, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Sharon Anderson, Watershed Steward for Cayuga Lake Watershed Network
Rain Gardens: A Beautiful Step for Clean Water
Rain gardens add beauty to yards, provide habitat for butterflies and birds, reduce flooding and protect streams and lakes from pollutants. A rain garden is a bowl shaped garden that captures and filters rainwater from a downspout, patio or slope. The rainwater slowly seeps into the ground water reducing runoff but disappearing in too short a time to breed mosquitoes. Sharon Anderson will present on rain gardens and the many plants well suited for the alternating wet and dry conditions. A sampling includes cardinal flower, Siberian and blue flag iris, pagoda and red stemmed dogwoods, native magnolia and elderberry, day lilies, swamp milk weeds, sedges, hosta and ferns, to name just a few. Participants in this program will receive a free copy of Smart Steps for Clean Water, which is chock full of easy actions you can take to keep water clean—at home, in your car or while fishing and boating! For more information about rain gardens visit www.cayugalake.org. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

June 19, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Kevin Stack, President of Kevin Stack Homes—Northeast Natural Homes
Seven Generations Sustainability: Building in Nature's Image
This presentation integrates how to design, build and maintain sustainable homes and buildings by adopting principles to Build In Nature's Image. The presentation discusses different aspects of sustainability in our built environment, including the USGBC's LEED for Homes pilot program and how to identify and implement ecological performance standards to quantify and optimize human & ecological health & performance. Ecological and 7th Generation principles translate into a cost-effective, practical whole systems approach to co-adapt our built environment to its surrounding natural world. The ecological performance standards to be discussed emphasize technologies, design and construction strategies that purify air, earth and water, close resource loops and restore human & ecological health and rebuild biodiversity. Actual costs and post-occupancy performance data for the first certified LEED for Homes pilot project (Gold) in NYS will be presented. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

May

May 12, 9am-6pm, 4-H Camp Bristol Hills, Canandaigua
Nathan Burtch, FLI GIS Specialist
Cache Bash 2007
Nathan Burtch, the GIS Specialist at the Finger Lakes Institute at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, will be the keynote speaker at Cache Bash 2007, a geocaching event coordinated by 4-H Camp Bristol Hills. Nathan will discuss his recent project at the HWS Campus Hanley Preserve, which involved the mixing of GPS and GIS technology to create a land cover map of the preserve for a college level Field Biology course. If interested in attending Cache Bash 2007, call (585) 394-3977 x407.

May 8, 5:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Nadine Folino-Rorem, Professor of Biology at Wheaton College, Illinois
The Impact of an Invasive Hydroid on Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities
How abundant is this hydroid? What does it consume? Does it compete with fish for food? Cordylophora caspia, a hydroid originating from the Caspian and Black Seas, is becoming a prevalent biofouler in brackish and freshwater systems globally due to water quality changes and its ability to colonize various hard substrata including zebra mussels. Nadine Folino-Rorem studies these hydroids in the Finger Lakes and Great Lakes regions to document their current spread and their association with invasive mussels. Participants in this event will gain a better understanding of the hydroids presence in the Finger Lakes and Great Lakes, how the hydroid alters species composition and structure, and whether its prey consumption effects fish prey availability. Currently, Nadine Folino-Rorem is investigating the presence of Cordylophora caspia in Seneca Lake. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or by emailing fli@hws.edu.  

May 2, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Paul Richards, Assistant Professor of Earth Sciences at SUNY Brockport
Can Topographically-based Phosphorus Loading Models Be Used to Guide Buffer Management?: A field test in Western NY
View PPT Presentation (PDF)
79% of the land in the Black Creek watershed (part of the 2,500 square mile Genesee River Basin) is agricultural/idle. Topographic-based loading models are attractive for guiding agricultural best management practices in theory, but several technical issues need to be overcome before they can be used for this function without field verification. Technical issues include digital elevation model (DEM) quality which impacts the location and size of flow accumulation, tile drains which can modify surface flow paths, and historic modification of the topography which is not always reflected in the DEM. Paul Richards collected data over a one month period and used the data to compute the frequency of overland flow, approximate volume of overland flow and phosphorus, and mean concentration of phosphorus at each site. In this presentation, Paul Richards will provide an overview of his field study of overland flow chemistry undertaken in Black Creek watershed to determine if a topographically-based loading model could be used to rank sites for assigning appropriate agricultural buffer widths.  Learn more about Richards and his research. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or e-mailing fli@hws.edu.

April

April 24, 4-7 pm, Finger Lakes Institute
Sheila Myers, Finger Lakes Institute’s Education Outreach Coordinator
Finger Lakes Regional Educators Meeting
The Finger Lakes Institute is compiling education modules that give middle school students the chance to learn more about the Finger Lakes region: the history, geography, geology, and ecology. The FLI is interested in hearing from regional middle school teachers! Regional teachers and educators are invited to attend a brainstorming session for the development of education modules based on the Finger Lakes environment. Dinner provided. Registration closes on April 16. Register by calling Sheila Myers at (315) 781-4380 or email smyers@hws.edu.

April 20, 1:00 pm, Model Healthy Home, Rochester
Katrina Smith Korfmacher, PhD Research Assistant Professor of Environmental Medicine and Community Outreach Coordinator at the University of Rochester's Environmental Health Sciences Center
Model Healthy Home Tour
The Southwest Area Neighborhood Association (SWAN), the Rochester Fatherhood Resource Initiative (RFRI), and the University of Rochester Medical Center have created a Healthy Home to help people find and deal with environmental health hazards in their homes.  Some of the hazards include asthma triggers, lead, mold, pests, unintentional injuries, and carbon monoxide.  Informational checklists as well as resource lists provide the visitor with steps that they can take to create a healthier home. Participants will tour the Rochester’s model “Healthy Home,” a hands-on museum constructed in a residential home near the Susan B. Anthony neighborhood of Southwest Rochester.  We will tour the home with local guides and learn about how the facility is being used to educate residents, community groups, and property managers how to make their home environments healthier. Transportation provided at noon from Geneva. Meet at the Finger Lakes Institute in Geneva and then carpool to Rochester’s Healthy Home, at 700 West Main Street Rochester, NY 14611. This event is free and open to the public. Space is limited. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

April 19, 7:00 p.m., Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Meghan Brown, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biology at Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Our lakes are being invaded by exotic fleas! Can we stop them?
Have you ever found a gooey mass on your angling line and wondered what it was? Are you curious about the impact of non-native (exotic) species in the Finger Lakes? Do you know what you can personally due to limit the spread of the spiny waterflea (Bythotrephes) and the fishhook water flea (Cercopagis)? These two notable exotic species are native to Eurasia and invaded North America during the last 25 years. The timing and locations of their initial invasions in the Great Lakes suggest that they arrived in the ballast water of ocean going vessels. Inland lakes in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, New York (including the Finger Lakes) and Ontario are now invaded-- likely resulting from transport on boating/angling equipment, waterfowl, and direct water connections. Bythotrephes and Cercopagis, which measure about 1cm in length, have been implicated in reducing the abundance and diversity of native plankton, competing with fishes, and entangling on recreational fishing equipment. To prevent the spread and negative impacts of these exotics this talk will illustrates the consequences of biological pollution by these species and the complex factors that allow the establishment of an invader. Dr. Meghan Brown will discuss her current research on the spread of these species to inland waters, which aims to better inform boaters, anglers, and the shipping industry about procedures to prevent careless introductions. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or e-mail fli@hws.edu.

April 17, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
HWS Seniors Karen Thorp, Megan Crocker and Rachel Sukeforth
Three Student Presentations
Haze Events and Visibility Variations for Several Sites across New Hampshire
View PPT Presentation (PDF)
Is your air polluted? How can you tell? Air pollution is composed of particles in the air which decrease visibility, negatively impact our ecosystems and cause respiratory ailments in humans. Air pollution is visualized as haze or smog in metropolitan areas, however, air pollution is present in even our pristine environments, such as the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Karen Thorp’s study quantified visibility in New Hampshire, identified chemical composition of air pollution and illustrated air pollution source regions. In this presentation, Karen will explicate the issues surrounding air pollution and justify project findings.
Going With the Flow: Evidence for Changes in Circulation in Seneca Lake, NY During the Holocene
Layered sediment of the Finger Lakes, NY records valuable information about changes in environmental and climate conditions over the past ~18,000 yrs. Within Seneca Lake, there are erosional features at water depths of 26 meters. Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain these features; intense lake level fluctuations or increased erosion due to intensified internal wave activity (Halfman and Herrick, 1998; Mullins and Halfman, 2001). In this presentation, Megan Crocker will explain how she is able to determine changes in relative current velocity over the past ~12,000 yrs by analyzing two sediment cores collected from the northern region of Seneca lake.
Investigation of Anthropogenic Sources of Chloride in Skaneateles Lake, NY
View PPT Presentation (PDF)
Skaneateles Lake is the primary source of drinking water for Syracuse, NY. Preliminary data show increased concentrations of chloride in Skaneateles Lake over the last century, especially since the 1940's. Increased use of deicing salts, as well as residential growth in the watershed, are potential factors to this increase. Rachel Sukeforth will outline suggested future research to identify the exact sources and their contributions to the increase in chloride concentration.
This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

April 14, TBA, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Barb Halfman, SOS Coordinator
Science On Seneca Teacher Training Day
Science On Seneca enables regional high school science teachers to use Seneca Lake as an outdoor classroom. To participate in Science On Seneca, science teachers must take part in this free training session. During the training, teachers experience the full range of scientific tests and equipment available to them aboard The William Scandling research vessel, including plankton tows, sediment samples and water chemistry, to name a few. For a nominal fee ($15 per class), teachers may then return with their students and conduct research on Seneca Lake aboard The William Scandling, and use all the resources of this floating classroom. Teacher training is free. Contact Barb Halfman at (315) 781-3606 or e-mail bhalfman@hws.edu to register.

April 4, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Anne Wibiralske, HWS Assistant Professor and Assistant Director of Environmental Studies
Old Forest Mapping and Preservation Project: A Community-based, Collaborative Forest Protection Partnership in the Finger Lakes Region
View PPT Presentation (PDF)
In this presentation, Anne Wibiralske will talk about the forest mapping and old stand assessments the Old Forest Mapping and Preservation Partnership is working on in and around the Finger Lakes National Forest. This partnership, coordinated by Wibiralske, includes Hobart and William Smith Colleges’ Environmental Studies Program, the Finger Lakes Institute, Finger Lakes National Forest, Finger Lakes Forest Watch, Friends of the Forest, and the Finger Lakes Land Trust. The partnership, through cooperative efforts, seeks to produce new information that contributes to long-term forest planning, guided by the values and concerns of local community members and forest managers. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

March

March 29, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
FLI Student Program Participants
Finger Lakes Institute Spring 2007 Student Research Presentations
View PPT Presentation (Keating)
View PPT Presentation (Nickerson)
View PPT Presentation (Rootes-Murdy)
Throughout each academic semester the FLI has intern and independent study students conducting research on the Finger Lakes region. Topics of research pertain to the Institute's four core initiatives: educational outreach, research, community outreach and public service, and economic development.  Presentations will be given by:

• Kirby Rootes-Murdy ’08, Ecological and Social Impacts of Eurasian Species in the Finger Lakes
• Katelin Nickerson ’07, Mapping the Change in Abundance of Aquatic Plants Using Aerial Photograph Interpretation
• John Keating ’07, Development of Educational Curriculum on Seneca Lake

These presentations are a record of the student’s progress and will be finalized with a concluding full report in May 2007. To learn more about the FLI Student Program, visit http://fli.hws.edu/internships.asp. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

March 28, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
City of Rochester staff Leonard Schantz, Chief of Water Quality Operations, and Donald Root, Watershed Conservationist
Glory! Hemlock Water at Last!
Vew PPT Presentation
On January 24, 1876, the headline in a Rochester newspaper read, "Glory! Hemlock Water at Last!". The headline heralded the arrival of Hemlock Lake as the drinking water supply for Rochester's 75,000 residents. No longer would Rochester's growing population need to depend upon contaminated private wells and cisterns as a drinking water supply. Since 1876 Rochester residents have relied upon Hemlock and Canadice lakes for their drinking water supply. These lakes and surrounding watershed lie "upland " in the hills of Livingston and Ontario counties, about 30 miles south of Rochester. The City owns a large portion of the watershed, including their surrounding shoreline. City of Rochester staff Leonard Schantz, Chief of Water Quality Operations, and Donald Root, Watershed Conservationist, will discuss the tumultuous early history of the City's upland system, and also discuss current water treatment and watershed management practices and challenges. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

March 12, 6:30-9:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Maxwell Wheat, H ’50, Published Poet of God-Hawk: Poems of Nature, A Sisterhood of Songs, and Following their Star
Evening of Poetry Discovery
The Finger Lakes environment, Geneva, and Hobart and William Smith Colleges has become the subject of poems by Hobart alum ’51, Maxwell C. Wheat, Jr.. This poetry reading workshop, designed for non-poets, will help participants realize --you can understand poetry, have fun with poetry, and make poetry a part of your life! Enjoy an evening of poetry discovery with Maxwell Wheat as he offers a three part workshop on 1) the comforting language of poetry, 2) readings of poetical works by William Cullen Bryant and others, and 3) listening to his writings about Geneva, the HWS Biology Department, and the natural environment. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or e-mailing fli@hws.edu.

Winter 2007

February

February 28, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Stuart Brodsky H '85, National Program Manager of Commercial Property Markets ENERGY STAR -Climate Protection Partnerships Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Addressing Global Warming Isn't Inconvenient; It's at Your Doorstep
Global warming and the idea of climate stewardship are on the minds of the American public. There has been exponential growth in the urge to "just do something."  And every American can. Stuart Brodsky (H '85), U.S. EPA manager of ENERGY STAR, will speak about climate change, the extent Americans contribute to this global threat and describe the resources the federal government has developed to help American businesses and individuals save money, improve the comfort of our homes and offices AND reduce US emissions of greenhouses gases that are contributing to global warming. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or emailing fli@hws.edu.

February 22, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Tom Drennen, HWS Professor of Economics, and a Horizon Wind Energy Representative
Learning from Neighboring Watersheds: Tapping Maple Ridge Movie Showing and Discussion
The film, Tapping Maple Ridge, is a meditation on the unexpected parallels between wind energy and maple syrup production. The film illustrates the visual and conceptual correspondences between the sugar bush (a stand of maple trees tapped for syrup) and the wind farm. Interviews with maple syrup producers, Tug Hill landowners, Lewis County residents, and wind energy developers reinforce and elaborate on those relationships. Tapping Maple Ridge hopes to help influence the public conversation about the desirability of wind energy by demonstrating how it is in keeping with a long American tradition of using local sustainable resources for the common good. This film was funded by Horizon Wind Energy and PPM Energy, partners in the Maple Ridge Wind Farm. This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.  

February 8, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Katrina Smith Korfmacher, PhD -Research Assistant Professor of Environmental Medicine and Community Outreach Coordinator at the University of Rochester's Environmental Health Sciences Center
Home-based Environmental Health: Rochester’s Healthy Home
View PDF Presentation
The University of Rochester, in partnership with community groups, has created a Healthy Home demonstration house in a residential home in downtown Rochester.  With the implementation of the new Rochester lead law in July 2006, the demand for education and training in effective, low-cost lead hazard control has increased exponentially.  In addition, there is an increasing recognition of the importance of home-based environmental health hazards to community health and health disparities, particularly for children (e.g. asthma, toxins, and lead poisoning).  The Healthy Home provides property owners, contractors, residents and professionals with hands-on demonstrations of various low-cost methods for reducing such hazards. It will also educate them about the health impacts of these hazards and provide resources and information for addressing hazards in their own homes.  This talk will describe the purpose, goals, and construction of the Healthy Home, its success in reaching varied audiences to date, and its potential for replication in other communities. Learn more about Rochester’s Healthy Home! This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.  Plan ahead! A tour of the Healthy Home is scheduled as an FLI Community Outreach event for April 20, 2007!

January

January 24, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Dr. Tim Sellers, Assistant Professor of Biology and Environmental Science; Director, Center for Aquatic Research, Keuka College
Microscopic, But Macro-important: The Phytoplankton of Keuka Lake
View PPT Presentation
While often overlooked (and socially shunned), the floating, microscopic algae (phytoplankton) in lakes are central to both water quality issues as well as the lake’s ecological health.  Phytoplankton can rapidly respond to changes in the watershed (e.g., nutrient runoff) and they form the base of the energy and nutrition sources for the majority of aquatic organisms in the lake’s food web.  In order to maintain good water quality and ecological functioning, the mechanisms that drive phytoplankton dynamics (and the resulting food web effects) must be better understood.  Scientific research is rarely conducted alone, and aquatic research on the Finger Lakes is no exception.  This talk will cover how student and faculty researchers at Keuka College’s Center for Aquatic Research are integrating their own phytoplankton-based experimental and modeling research studies with the existing field work conducted by many regional groups.  This event is free and open to the public. Registration requested. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

January 18, 7 pm, Albright Auditorium
Tara Curtin, HWS Professor of Geoscience and HWS Students
Movie Showing and Panel Discussion: An Inconvenient Truth
What kind of scientific research has been conducted to understand the climate change phenomenon in the Finger Lakes region? How has historical climate change affected the Finger Lakes region? What would the world look like if the greenhouse effect and global warming continued at such levels that they resulted in worldwide catastrophe and disaster, including multiple hurricanes, tornadoes, tidal waves, floods and the beginning of the next Ice Age?

This documentary presents Al Gore’s campaign to make the issue of global warming a recognized problem worldwide. Intertwining simple but harrowing statistics with personal reflections, Gore explains that the tools and methods to reverse the damage we have done are at hand and that the economic consequences of tackling the problem are positive rather than negative.

Be not only entertained by the documentary film, An Inconvenient Truth, but also learn of the realities science can attempt to explain about global climate change. After the movie showing, participants will have the opportunity to question a panel of knowledgeable professors and students familiar with topics, such as global climate change, paleoclimatology and meteorology.

This event is free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu. Albright Auditorium is on Hobart and William Smith Colleges campus within Lansing Hall, located adjacent to St. Clair Street, Geneva. Visitor parking is available in the Medbery Lot on Pulteney St.

January 17, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator
FLI Student Program Orientation
Student Programs at the Finger Lakes Institute (FLI) are available each semester and encompass one or more of the four core areas of the Institute. Students will not only gain experience in day-to-day operations of the Institute, but can also complete a core project related to primary watershed management priorities for one or more of the eleven Finger Lakes related and connected to the four core areas of FLI.

FLI Student Programs:

• Internship (CIP)
• Independent Study
• Senior Integrative Experience (HWS only)
• Summer Science Research Fellowship (HWS only)
• Volunteer

It is mandatory for all students intending on completing a FLI Student Program within Spring 2007 semester attend Program Orientation on January 17. All other students interested in learning about how they can take advantage of the available student projects at the FLI, should attend this event to learn more! Please contact Sarah Meyer prior to this event if you are interested in completing a FLI Student Program by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

Fall 2006

December

December 5, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Evan Michael Lowenstein, Green Village Consulting
Sprawl and 'Smart Growth' in Upstate New York
View PDF Presentation
Did you know that between 1992 and 1997, Upstate New York's population grew by only 0.5 percent, but during the same period the amount of developed land grew by 14 percent? This means that land is being developed Upstate at twenty-eight times the rate of our population growth. Join Evan Lowenstein, a Rochester-based urban/environmental planner who runs Green Village Consulting, to learn why cities and villages in the are suffering from lost residents and businesses, while many suburban and rural towns are suffering the consequences of rapid growth. How is all this happening region-wide with virtually no population growth? This presentation will define this phenomenon; detail its causes and consequences; and propose "smart growth" solutions for our region. Participants will learn how the "sprawl-without-growth" phenomenon is devastating Upstate's economic, environmental, and social health. Green Village Consulting is an enterprise dedicated to sustainable development, smart growth, and environmental protection. This event is free and open to the public. Registration required. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

November

November 20, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Doug Wood, Hydrographer on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ship, the Thomas Jefferson
Charting Our Nation's Coast: A presentation on how and why hydrographic surveys are done for resource management, environmental research and the safety of shipping
How do we map our coasts? What is aboard those huge boats? What is NOAA? Doug Wood, a hydrographer for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, graduated from HWS in 2005 with a BA in geoscience. He has worked for two seasons as a hydrographer on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ship Thomas Jefferson which hails from Norfolk, VA. Since he has served on the TJ, Doug has had the opportunity to travel with work- from New England to Galveston, TX. Aboard the TJ, Doug has surveyed New York Harbor, New London, CT, the Chesapeake and its approaches, Wildcat Knoll (off Boston), Cape Fear, Cape Hatteras, and done post hurricane work in the Gulf of Mexico. Doug has also spent time aboard the ship Kilo Moana surveying the Gulf of Alaska to possibly increase territorial water. In this presentation, Doug will share information gained through his professional experience with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Those who attend this event will learn about the history of hydrography, what tides tell us, the value of oceanographic geology, and what additional information is available to learn more. Free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315)781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

November 15, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
John Halfman, Professor of Geoscience at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY
Is there reason for concern? Explanations of A Preliminary Water Quality Study of Selected Finger Lakes, New York
View PDF Presentation
All of the Finger Lakes are listed as threatened, stressed, or impaired in the most recent New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Priority Waterbodies List (PWL) with some also listed on the federal 303D List. Finger Lakes residents and policy makers are just beginning to realize these threats to their water supplies and the complex nature of the problems to be addressed. In this presentation, John Halfman will summarize the 2005 preliminary investigation on water quality indicators from the seven central Finger Lakes, Honeoye, Canandaigua, Keuka, Seneca, Cayuga, Owasco, and Skaneateles Lakes, and reveal potential linkages between water quality and water quality protection legislation. Results from his 2006 field season will be incorporated into the presentation as well. You may review John’s report here prior to attending this presentation. Free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

November 2, 6:30p.m., Finger Lake Institute Classroom
Jacob Trimmer, Susquehanna River Basin Commission Volunteer Speakers Bureau
LEARNING FROM NEIGHBORING WATERSHEDS: Restoring American Shad to the Susquehanna River
View PDF Presentation
Bordering the southern edge of the Finger Lakes basin are the Chemung River and Upper Susquehanna sub-basins of the Susquehanna River which drains into the Chesapeake Bay. Since the 1830’s human activities, primarily the construction of dams, pollution and over fishing, have broken the American shad’s natural migratory cycle up the Susquehanna River Basin. The watershed, nearly the size of South Carolina, has established a collaborative multimillion dollar migratory fish restoration program to return American shad to their historic range. In this presentation, Trimmer will discuss the historic migration patterns of the American shad, the efforts made to restore their passage on the Susquehanna River, and the potential for the return of shad to their natural watershed. The geography and the history of the Susquehanna Basin will be integrated into this presentation to compare and contrast the Susquehanna River Basin the Finger Lakes Basin. The Susquehanna River Basin Commission is an example of how a coordinated effort between partners can provide the mechanism to guide the conservation, development, and administration of water resources in a vast river basin. Free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

October

October 25, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Steve Dwyer H’07 and HWS Aquatic Biology students, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Finger Lakes Institute Fall 2006 Student Research Presentations
View PDF Presentation
Throughout each academic semester the FLI has intern and independent study students conducting research on the Finger Lakes region. Topics of research pertain to the Institute's four core initiatives: educational outreach, research, community outreach and public service, and economic development. These presentations are a record of the student’s progress and will be finalized with a concluding full report in December 2006.

This semester’s student, Steve Dwyer H’07, is researching the history and population status of the unique Seneca strain of lake trout. His research questions whether Seneca Lake still holds the title of “Lake Trout Capital of the World”? Dwyer will introduce his semester-long project, summarize its content and reveal preliminary findings.

To compliment Dwyer’s presentation, examples of other student research on Seneca Lake will be shared through posters and short presentations. HWS Aquatic Biology students will summarize their class projects studying plankton in Seneca Lake. Plankton is the first link in the aquatic food chain; it is eaten by many organisms, including mussels and fish. The student projects have examined day/night changes in plankton populations, the correlation between blue-greens algae and N concentration, bottom density of zooplankton and water depth, chlorophyll a and zooplankton density, and plankton diversity at various water depths. Free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

October 23, 7-8 p.m., Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Nelson G. Hairston, Jr., Frank H.T. Rhodes Professor of Environmental Science at Cornell University
Eggs of the Living Dead: Reconstruction Pollution History and Pelagic Ecosystem Response Using Dormant Daphnia Eggs
View PDF Presentation
Dr. Nelson Hairston, a Senior Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and an internationally known biological limnologist, is most interested in the ways that organisms deal with variable environments.  How do organisms respond to natural and anthropogenic environmental change?  How do their responses influence ecological dynamics? Through his many published works, Hairston has explained the interaction among microevolutionary, population, community, and ecosystem processes.  Hairston has studied how zooplankton and fish respond to a polluted systems and why species populations differ in pigmentation, vertical distribution in the water column, and in population dynamics, depending on their specific environment. In his presentation, Dr. Hairston will use examples from Onondaga Lake and Lake Constance (Europe), to tell about the importance that species type and diversity have on the functioning of an aquatic ecosystem. Free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu

October 14, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY
2nd Annual Finger Lakes Research Conference
The 2nd Annual Finger Lakes Research Conference will highlight Finger Lakes scientific research and provide opportunities for students, faculty and other scientists to meet others interested in environmental science and scholarship. The goal of this annual conference is to highlight all aspects of Finger Lakes research, particularly as it applies to problems related to the Finger Lakes of western and central New York State. Both 15-minute oral presentation and poster displays are scheduled during the day-long conference. Presentations and posters are either: 1) results of ongoing or completed research, or 2) research plans and proposals.  If you are interested in participating in the 2nd Annual Finger Lakes Research Conference, contact Sarah Meyer at (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

September

September 7, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Paul McKeown, Region 9 Fisheries Manager for New York State Department of Environmental Conservation - Bureau of Fisheries
Koi-Herpes Virus and Invasive Species
View PDF Presentation
In New York State In June, 2005, approximately 40,000 common carp (Cyprinus carpio) cumulatively weighing more than 75 tons washed onto the shores of Chautauqua Lake after an outbreak of the Koi Herpes Virus (KHV), a viral disease highly contagious to koi carp (a strain of common carp) and common carp. Although the origin(s) of KHV in Chautauqua Lake have not been conclusively determined, outbreaks of KHV within the watershed in 2003 and 2004 indicated that it was likely introduced through the ornamental fish industry. Knowing that the Finger Lakes support abundant carp populations, what is the potential risk that one of the eleven lakes could be infected by the Koi Herpes Virus? Paul McKeown, Fisheries Manager from the Region 9 NYS-DEC Office in Allegany, will discuss what the Finger Lakes region can learn from Chautauqua's experience with KHV. Participants will learn about how invasive species travel to the Finger Lakes region, the different implications that are associated with invasive species introductions, and what precautions Finger Lakes communities may take to prevent an outbreak from occurring. This presentation will provide details of the Chautauqua Lake carp die-off and an overview of other invasive species and viruses threatening the Finger Lakes region aquatic environment. Free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

September 16, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Seneca Lake State Park (Pavilion #3), Geneva, NY
Seneca Lake State Park Beach Cleanup
Collect and record the litter found around Seneca Lake! In observance of the International Coastal Cleanup, the Finger Lakes Institute is holding a community coastal cleanup event in Geneva, NY. All registered participants will be provided with trash bags and data sheets to record the specific types and quantities of lake debris found. The data collected will be used to better identify sources of pollution and help find solutions for preventing it. Bring a bag lunch, closed toed shoes, and work gloves. Free and open to the public. Registration required. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu. (Directions to Seneca Lake State Park.)

September 28, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Mark Denecke, G/FLRPC -Finger Lakes Energy Smart Coordinator
Wondering About Wind Power-Helping Local Governments Deal with Wind Power
View PDF presentation
Wind development is sharply increasing in upstate New York, particularly in the Finger Lakes Region.  Wind power can be a promising renewable energy source, but it can also create complicated issues of public policy and opinion.  Municipalities across New York are navigating through an often complicated process, planning for and siting wind power, a technology that most municipalities do not address in their zoning or comprehensive plans.  Join Mark Denecke, Finger Lakes Energy $mart Coordinator at the Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council, to learn what local municipalities can do to prepare for and to deal with wind energy development. Free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

September 30, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., Keuka Lake State Park (lower level Picnic Shelter)
Keuka Lake State Park Beach Cleanup
Collect and record the litter found around Keuka Lake! In observance of the International Coastal Cleanup, the Finger Lakes Institute is holding a community coastal cleanup event in Bluff Point, NY. All registered participants will be provided with trash bags and data sheets to record the specific types and quantities of lake debris found. The data collected will be used to better identify sources of pollution and help find solutions for preventing it. Bring a bag lunch, closed toed shoes, and work gloves. Free and open to the public. Registration required. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu. (Directions to Keuka Lake State Park)

Summer 2006

August

August 2, 6:30 p.m., Finger Lakes Institute
Web Pearsall, Region 8 Senior Fisheries Biologist for New York State Department of Environmental Conservation - Bureau of Fisheries
Fisheries Management in the Western Finger Lakes
According the Region 8 Annual Report, the NYSDEC Avon Office fisheries staff is working on numerous projects pertaining to fisheries management of the western Finger Lakes. Projects include fish stocking, fish population assessments, stream surveys, electrofishing surveys, and rainbow trout spawning run surveys. Participants will learn of the progress being made on specific NYSDEC Region 8 fisheries projects and what fisheries management projects are taking place within, and proposed for, the individual western Finger Lakes watersheds. Free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

July

July 14, 1-2:30, Finger Lakes Institute
Stephen Klemann, Recycling Marketing Manager - Western Region, FCR Ontario - Casella Waste Systems
Jerry Leone, Regional Engineer - Western Region, Casella Waste Systems, Inc.
Waste After the Curb: Landfill and Recycling Facility Tour
Meet at the Finger Lakes Institute in Geneva and then carpool to Stanley, NY where you can tour the area’s waste management system, operated by Casella Waste Systems, Inc.. Participants will be led on detailed tour through the workings of the landfill, gas energy plant, single stream recycling facility, and leachate pond. Discussions will help participants identify where the wastestream leads after household trash leaves the curbside and to what capacity Casella functions to manage waste generated by the Finger Lakes region and other areas of the state. This event is free and open to the public. Space is limited. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

June

June 2, 3:30-9:00 pm, Watkins Glen State Park, Watkins Glen, NY
Education Outreach Coordinator and Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator
Finger Lakes Institute Educational Exhibit at the Second Annual Green Grand Prix
Designed with this years theme, Energy Independence and Cleaner Emissions, in mind, the Finger Lakes Institute will provide a family-friendly educational exhibit at the 2006 Green Grand Prix, taking place in Watkins Glen, NY. This exhibit is intended to increase public awareness of environmentally friendly vehicles, alternate fuels and fuel economy. Participants will be provided educational resources pertaining to energy independence and how it relates to the Finger Lakes environment. To learn more about the 2006 Green Grand Prix, visit GlennSpeed.com.

June 6, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Tim Martinson, Cornell Cooperative Extension Area Extension Specialist for the Finger Lakes Grape Program
Promoting and Measuring Adoption of Sustainable Viticulture Practices in New York
View the Sustainable Viticulture Newsletter
A group involving all grape extension programs and grape industry groups (Canandaigua Wine, National Grape Cooperative, the Long Island Vineyard Management Group, and the New York State Wine Grape Growers) are developing a Sustainable Practices workbook for growers to assess their production practices.  It is the latest effort in a process that started in the late '80s with promotion of Integrated Pest Management practices, continued with Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) worksheets in the late 90s.  The goal is to promote practices that further what is referred to as the '3 E's' of sustainability: Practices that are Environmentally sound, Economically feasible, and promote social Equity.  In this presentation, Martinson will describe how this project is unfolding, and the reasons why the Finger Lakes grape-growing, processor, and winery community is supporting it. Free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315)781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

June 14, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Paul McKeown, Region 9 Fisheries Manager for New York State Department of Environmental Conservation - Bureau of Fisheries
Massive Carp Die-off in Chautauqua Lake; Finger Lakes Next?!
In June, 2005, approximately 30,000 common carp (Cyprinus carpio) cumulatively weighing more than 75 tons washed onto the shores of Chautauqua Lake after an outbreak of the Koi Herpes Virus (KHV), a viral disease  highly contagious to koi carp (a strain of common carp) and common carp.  Although the origin(s) of KHV in Chautauqua Lake have not been conclusively determined, outbreaks of KHV within the watershed in 2003 and 2004 indicated that it was likely introduced through the ornamental fish industry. Knowing that the Finger Lakes support abundant carp populations, what is the potential risk that one of the eleven lakes could be infected by the Koi Herpes Virus? Paul McKeown, Fisheries Manager from the Region 9 NYS-DEC Office in Allegany, will discuss what the Finger Lakes region can learn from Chautauqua's experience with KHV. Participants will learn about the path of outbreak that occurred in Chautauqua Lake, what impacts the virus may have on fisheries, tourism and vacationing in the Finger Lakes region, and what precautions communities may take to prevent an outbreak from occurring. Free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

June 20, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Matthew Beckwith, Senior Environmental Science Student at Keuka College’s Center for Aquatic Research
What is Growing in Keuka Lake?: Nutrient Addition Effects on Phytoplankton Growth Rates in Keuka Lake
View PDF Presentation
Recipient of the 2005 Finger Lakes Research Conference Student Award for Best Student Presentation, Matthew Beckwith, a student at Keuka College in Penn Yan, NY, will present his scientific research on Keuka Lake to the Finger Lakes community. Beckwith’s research includes investigations into the ecosystem-level dynamics by identifying limiting nutrients and quantifying phytoplankton population growth rates in response to elevated nutrient inputs (e.g. nitrogen and phosphorus). Results from phytoplankton grazing (both zooplankton and benthic mussels) experiments and light-production dynamics studies will also be discussed. Free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

June 23, 8:00 am- 4:30 pm, Holiday Inn, Auburn, NY
Unifying Economic Development and the Environment Conference
Conference Web site
The Finger Lakes Institute and Finger Lakes-Lake Ontario Watershed Protection Alliance (FL-LOWPA) have co-planned this conference to bring together an audience of business and industrial leaders, community planners, elected officials, and water quality affiliates to focus on: 1) the role of water in the region’s economy; and 2) examples of new economic models that engender green initiatives, technology, and sustainability and economic development to protect a very high quality asset for this region. The conference will examine recent environmental and economic trends; explore opportunities for new markets; and identify approaches that unify economic development and environmental protection across the Finger Lakes and Lake Ontario rgion. The conference agenda highlights regional assets and challenges, and identifies pathways for collaboration and innovation at the community, watershed, and regional levels. Local elected officials, public agencies, business owners, tourism representatives, economic developers, environmental and civic organizations, planners, agricultural producers, landowners, and academia are encouraged to attend. Register by June 19, 2006. Registration Form and Agenda.

Spring 2006

May

May 11, 2006 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Matthew Beckwith, Senior Environmental Science Student at Keuka College’s Center for Aquatic Research
Nutrient Addition Effects on Phytoplankton Growth Rates in Keuka Lake
Recipient of the 2005 Finger Lakes Research Conference Student Award for Best Student Presentation, Matthew Beckwith, a student at Keuka College in Penn Yan, NY, will present his scientific research on Keuka Lake to the Finger Lakes community. Beckwith’s research includes investigations into the ecosystem-level dynamics by identifying limiting nutrients and quantifying phytoplankton population growth rates in response to elevated nutrient inputs (e.g. nitrogen and phosphorus). Results from phytoplankton grazing (both zooplankton and benthic mussels) experiments and light-production dynamics studies will also be discussed. Free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

May 13, 2006 9-12 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom/Keuka Outlet Trail (Hopeton Rd.)
Education Outreach Coordinator and Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator
Signs of Spring Interpretive Hike
Celebrate Earth Day by welcoming spring to the Finger Lakes region– RAIN or SHINE! All are invited to enjoy this family-oriented 1-mile interpretive hike on the Keuka Outlet Trail. Young and old alike will identify the signs of spring that are characteristic to the Finger Lakes region. Meet at the Finger Lakes Institute at 601 S. Main Street in Geneva and later caravan to the Hopeton Rd. access point to the Keuka Outlet Trail. All are invited to return to the Institute after the hike to enjoy refreshments and a post-hike activity! Please bring sturdy hiking shoes/boots, water, a snack, and an extra layer of clothing. Children must be accompanied by an adult. This event is free, open to the public, and rated as easy. Space is limited. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

May 17, 2006 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
John Hassett, Professor of Chemistry at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, NY
Gasoline from Motorboats in New York Lakes
View PDF Presentation
John Hassett has measured gasoline levels in selected New York State lakes at different times and locations, including Canandaigua Lake, to determine if the lakes were contaminated with gasoline and if motorboats were a significant source. Results suggest that NY water quality standards may be exceeded at some locations and times in popular recreational lakes. Participants in this event will learn how scientific research can be used to indicate correlations between motorboat use and risks to water quality. Free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

April

April 8, 2006 8:00am, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Barbara Halfman, SOS Coordinator
Science on Seneca Teacher Training Day
Science on Seneca enables regional high school science teachers to use Seneca Lake as an outdoor classroom. To participate, science teachers must take part in this free training session. During the training, teachers experience the full range of scientific tests and equipment available to them aboard The William Scandling research vessel, including plankton tows, sediment samples and water chemistry, to name a few.  For a nominal fee ($15 per class), teachers may then return with their students and conduct research on Seneca Lake aboard The William Scandling, and use all the resources of this unique floating classroom. Teacher training is free. Contact Barbara Halfman at (315) 781- 3606 or email bhalfman@hws.edu to register.

April 19, 5 -8:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute
Roxanna Johnston, Watershed Coordinator, City of Ithaca; Tim Hicks, Watershed Resource Specialist, Schuyler County Soil and Water Conservation District; Water Quality Volunteers from the City of Ithaca
Finger Lakes Institute Open House Featuring a Panel Discussion at 6:15 p.m.
Water Quality Volunteers and Coordinators from the Finger Lakes Region Water Quality Activism
On a regular basis, in watersheds across the Finger Lakes Region, volunteers sample and test the water quality of nearby streams and lakes. Though their efforts are largely unseen, the results from their tests are instrumental in tracking and ensuring that the water quality remains environmentally healthy. Come find out what motivates the volunteers and their coordinators. Participants in this event will learn how the data gathered is used to keep the Finger Lakes watersheds healthy and how members of the Finger Lakes community can become active volunteers. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required - call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

April 20, 2006 1-3:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom/Keuka Outlet Trail (Hopeton Rd.)
Education Outreach Coordinator and Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator
Signs of Spring Interpretive Hike
Celebrate Earth Day by welcoming spring to the Finger Lakes region– RAIN or SHINE! All are invited to enjoy this family-oriented 1-mile interpretive hike on the Keuka Outlet Trail. Young and old alike will identify the signs of spring that are characteristic to the Finger Lakes region. Meet at the Finger Lakes Institute at 601 S. Main Street in Geneva and later caravan to the Hopeton Rd. access point to the Keuka Outlet Trail. All are invited to return to the Institute after the hike to enjoy refreshments and a post-hike activity! Please bring sturdy hiking shoes/boots, water, a snack, and an extra layer of clothing. Children must be accompanied by an adult. This event is free, open to the public, and rated as easy. Space is limited. To register, call (315)781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

April 27, 2006 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Mark Deutschlander, Associate Professor of Biology at Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Bird Migration and the Braddock Bay Bird Observatory
Each fall and spring the Finger Lakes Region becomes a host to migratory birds on their way towards wintering or breeding grounds. Mark Deutschlander, assistant professor of biology at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, will give a presentation on migration and specifically the activities of the Braddock Bay Bird Observatory, a non-profit organization for which he serves as President and where he conducts much of his research. The observatory is a volunteer-based organization that conducts research to monitor migratory birds on the south shore of Lake Ontario (just northwest of Rochester). Braddock Bay is listed as one of Audubon Society’s Important Bird Areas, as it is a focal point of songbird and raptor activity during spring and fall migration. Mark will describe the research, education, and conservation efforts of the observatory and the role of U.S and Canadian governments in coordinating avian research efforts on a continental scale. He will also briefly describe his research efforts at the observatory, which focus on the sensory and physiological aspects of navigation, and he will describe his more recent activities at the Colleges’ Hanley Biological Field Preserve to participate in a national monitoring effort to monitor the health of breeding bird populations. Participants in this evening’s presentation will gain an understanding of the role that observatories and the public can play in monitoring bird migration and opportunities that exist in the Finger Lakes Region to get involved in bird banding and monitoring. Free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

March

March 28, 7 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Tara Curtin, Assistant Professor of Geoscience at Hobart and William Smith Colleges
The Geology of Wine in the Finger Lakes, NY
View PDF Presentation
Understanding the geomorphology and deglacial history of our landscape has a direct impact on the agricultural community of the Finger Lakes region. The history of our landscape offers good explanations as to why the Finger Lakes region offers prime land for growing grapes. By studying the thickness, texture and color of each layer of sediment present in several local vineyards, Tara Curtin, and many Hobart and William Smith Colleges students, have learned much about the area’s geological history. She will discuss some of the physical factor such as the position of ancient shorelines and deltas that influence the character and quality of wine. This evening presentation will demonstrate the importance of understanding the physical environment as one essential element of the terroir of the Finger Lakes region. Free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315)781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

March 28, 11 am - 3 pm, Hobart and William Smith Colleges Warren Hunting Smith Library Atrium, Geneva, NY
Co-sponsored by HWS Environmental Studies Program, FLI and Salisbury Center for Career Services
Environmental Job & Internship Fair 2006
Students! Don’t miss a chance to meet business representatives from the field of environmental studies! The Environmental Job and Internship Fair 2006 is an opportunity for you to seek permanent jobs, summer jobs, and internship possibilities offered by environmentally oriented businesses, such as NYS DEC Rogers Environmental Education Center, Peace Corps, The Museum of the Earth at Paleontological Research Institution, Coler Natural Insulation, and the University of Rochester Medical Center (Environmental Medicine/Toxicology Training Program). Stop by employer tables to ask questions, distribute resumes, and scope out your job placement potential!

Looking to Hire? If your business/organization is interested in participating in this exciting event, please complete and fax (315-781-3515) or mail the registration form. For questions, please call Brandi Ferrara at (315) 781-3514.

March 29, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Students, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Finger Lakes Institute Spring 2006 Student Research Presentations
Throughout each academic semester the FLI has interns and independent study students conducting research on the Finger Lakes region. Topics of research pertain to the Institute's four core initiatives: educational outreach, research, community outreach and public service and economic development.

Six students have researched a variety of topics pertaining to the Finger Lakes region during the spring 2006 semester, including:

• Clair Catillaz ’06, Sustainability of the Finger Lakes Wine Industry and Policy;
  View PDF Presentation
• Emily Corcione ’06, Public Access to Waterfront in the Finger Lakes region;
  View PDF Presentation
• Matt Murphy ’06, An Analysis of Exotic Species and The Policies Trying to Control them;
  View PDF Presentation
• Jennifer (Quinn) Schweizer ’06, Local Energy Policy and The Potential for Smart Growth in the Finger Lakes Region;
  View PDF Presentation
• Nicole Vance ’06, A Comparison of Green Buildings and Homeowner Incentive Programs in the Finger Lakes Region;
  View PDF Presentation
• Ryan Williams ’07, Using GIS to Analyze Alternative Energies for Seneca County.
  View PDF Presentation

These presentations are a record of the student’s progress and will be finalized with a concluding full report in May 2006. This event is free and open to the public. Registration required by calling (315)781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

February

February 4, 12:00 pm, Paleontological Research Institute, Ithaca Natural History at Noon Lecture Series
Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator
Science: Brought to You By The Finger Lakes Institute
Sarah Meyer will be present at PRI’s Natural History at Noon on February 4, 2006 with a family-friendly table display introducing the Finger Lakes Institute to the Finger Lakes community. Sarah Meyer, the FLI’s Community Outreach Coordinator, will present information about zebra and quagga mussels and current water quality research conducted by Hobart and William Smith Colleges faculty. Participants will learn about the current issues facing the Finger Lakes watersheds and obtain information pertaining to the FLI’s K-12 educational programs, public service opportunities and educational resources available to the Finger Lakes community. Learn more about the Paleontological Research Institute.

February 15, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Neil Laird, Assistant Professor of Geoscience at Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Investigation of New York State Finger Lakes Snow Band Events
View PDF Presentation
Much of the current knowledge regarding lake-effect snow storms has been developed through investigations of systems associated with large water bodies, such as the Great Lakes and the Great Salt Lake. The Finger Lakes region of New York State harbors a collection of small lakes with differing sizes which produce lake-effect snow systems. This observational study provides a unique examination of the frequency, spatial distribution, and conditions favorable for lake-effect systems associated with these small lakes. Neil holds a bachelor’s degree from State University College at Oswego, and a master’s and doctorate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research has appeared in scientific journals that include the Journal of Atmospheric Sciences, Journal of Applied Meteorology, Monthly Weather Review, Journal of Geophysical Research, Weather and Forecasting, and Physical Aerobiology. His background and research in meteorology, particularly on winter and summer lake-effect weather systems, is highly regarded and makes him well qualified to discuss lake-effect and lake-enhanced events within the Finger Lakes region. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required - call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu

February 27, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Stephen Kress, Director of National Audubon Society's Seabird Restoration Program  
Saving Seabirds on our Crowded Coasts: Ethical Choices for Wildlife Conservation
Sponsored by the HWS Department of Biology and the Finger Lakes Institute
Humans have devastated seabird colonies in many parts of the world by excessive hunting for food and feathers and by introducing mammals such as cats and rats to otherwise secure nesting islands. Worldwide, 23% of all seabird species are now globally threatened. In North America, coastal development is a growing concern as the human population is becoming increasingly concentrated with 70% of the US population living within 100 miles of a coastline.

Although seabird nesting islands seem safe due to their remoteness, they are intimately connected to human activities. For example, Maine seabird nesting islands are affected by large populations of Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls that benefit from garbage and fisheries waste practices hundreds of miles from nesting islands. As scavenging large gulls increase, they deter smaller, migratory seabirds, such as puffins and terns from nesting on many of their historic nesting islands.

In this program, Dr. Stephen Kress, Director of National Audubon Society's Seabird Restoration Program, discusses the exploitation of Maine seabirds for food and feathers and discusses how his pioneering work has led to the recolonization of puffins, murres, and terns to historic nesting islands in the Gulf of Maine. Eastern Egg Rock, a tiny 7 acre island off midcoast Maine is a case study. As a case study, he will explain how his team has recolonized the island with Atlantic Puffins, Common, Arctic and Roseate Terns. Today the colony hosts more than 5,000 nesting seabirds including all species ever known to historically nest at the island.

Dr. Kress reviews the successes of this widely acclaimed program, discussing how over the past 32 years, his Audubon team has developed techniques with broad application to seabirds worldwide. In addition to his program in the Gulf of Maine, he will share some of the results from some of his other successful restoration projects such as work to restore Common Murres in California following the Apex Houston oil spill, Caspian Tern and salmon conflicts on the Columbia River and efforts to save the endangered Cahow, national bird of Bermuda, from rising oceans. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required - call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

February 28, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
John Halfman, Associate Professor of Geoscience and Environmental Studies at Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Water Quality of the Finger Lakes
View PDF Presentation
Water quality is critical to the wellbeing of the residents in the Finger Lakes region.  This talk will discuss the results of monitoring efforts by John Halfman and his students at Hobart and William Smith Colleges utilizing last summer’s research on the seven central Finger Lakes, and the past decade of research on Seneca Lake and its major tributaries.  Free and open to the public. Registration is required - call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu. Learn more about Halfman’s Finger Lakes research.

January

January 19, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Tom Drennen, Associate Professor of Economics at Hobart and William Smith Colleges
"End of Suburbia" Movie Showing and Discussion
The End of Suburbia explores the American way of life and its prospects as the planet approaches a critical era, as global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip supply. Come and watch this documentary film and participate in a discussion of what peak oil means for North America? How can Smart Growth be incorporated into planning communities within the Finger Lakes region? As energy prices skyrocket in the coming years, how will the populations of suburbia react to their collapse? And what can be done now, individually and collectively, to avoid The End of Suburbia? Participants will have the opportunity to join in a discussion of specific points brought up in the movie and brainstorm about solutions to the theory of peak oil. To learn more about The End of Suburbia visit http://endofsuburbia.com/. Free and open to the public. Registration is required - call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

Fall 2005

December


December 7, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
George Grasser, President and CEO of Partners for a Livable Western New York
Smart Growth and New Urbanism Are Coming! –Is New York Ready to Let Them In?
View PDF Presentation
New Urbanism and Smart Growth are truly unique living arrangements which combine walkability, connectivity, sustainability, and traditional neighborhood structure into future community planning and development. Partners for a Livable Western New York promotes the creation of walkable neighborhoods, the improvement of existing neighborhoods, mixed-use development and other alternatives to urban sprawl. In this presentation, George Grasser, President and CEO of Partners for a Livable Western New York, will cover the elements of Smart Growth, why Smart Growth is now the preferred alternative to conventional development, and what New Urbanism is with examples of New Urbanism developments. Participants will learn the obstacles of Smart Growth and New Urbanism and what steps communities must take to implement Smart Growth and New Urbanism practices and policies. Grasser will also discuss the prospects for doing nothing to change community planning and the effects of the end of cheap oil on the Finger Lakes region.

George Grasser is a retired land development attorney and is presently the President and CEO of Partners for a Livable Western New York. He is also a developer of infill housing and presently developing the first new urbanism development (23 houses in the Village of Lewiston, NY) in the Buffalo metropolitan area. This event is free and open to the public. Registration required –Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

December 14, 6:30pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Matt Griffiths, Genesee /Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council, Finger Lakes Energy $mart Coordinator
Mark D. Smith, Prime Energy Solutions, Inc., President
Get Energy $mart!
View PDF Presentation
Learn how to save energy, money, and the environment with energy-efficiency and renewable energy in your home. Matt Griffiths, Finger Lakes Energy $mart Communities Coordinator, will provide an overview of the technical assistance and financial incentives available to homeowners and new home buyers through New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)’s Energy $mart programs. Mark Smith, President of Prime Energy Solutions, Inc. will discuss photovoltaic (solar energy) systems in detail as an example of clean, cost-effective renewable energy that homeowners can use to offset their demand for utility power. To learn more visit NYSERDA Energy Smart Programs or Prime Energy Solutions, Inc. Free and open to the public. Registration required –Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu

November

November 1-30, Finger Lakes Institute

Calling All Cellular Phones!
In celebration of America Recycles Day, the FingerLakes Institute encourages Finger Lakes residents to safely recycle their rechargeable batteries, you may reduce the amount of persistent toxic 2Schemicals that may leach into soil and drinking water when buried in landfills. Donate your cell phone to the Finger Lakes Institute and the Institute will have it recycled by Eco-Cell who will ensure that the cell phones and their accessories will be reused or properly recycled. Eco-Cell will pay the Finger Lakes Institute up to $12 for each working digital cell phone. Generated funds will directly benefit the FLI’s mission to promote environmental research and education of the Finger Lakes and surrounding environments. (The FLI will provide an ongoing drop-box for cellular phones and rechargeable batteries.)    

November 3, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
DenSnis Money, Chairman of Seneca White Deer Inc.
A National Treasure –The White Deer of the Seneca Army Depot
Dennis Money, Chairman of the Seneca White Deer Inc., will talk about the ecological value and economic incentives for preserving and protecting habitat for the unique herd of white deer located at the Seneca Army Depot. Seneca White Deer Inc. Group promotes conservation and ecotouring to protect the natural resources of the 11,000 acre Seneca Army Depot. The not for profit corporation is committed to the preservation, development, and display of the white deer and the Seneca Army Depot’s significance in the Cold War. Money will talk about how ecotouring may be a viable economic incentive to bolster Seneca County and the Finger Lakes region, while helping to protect the world’s largest herd of white deer. All interested people are encouraged to attend. This event is free and open to the public. Registration required –Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

November 9, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Finger Lakes Institute Fall 2005 Student Research Presentations
Throughout each academic semester the FLI has intern and independent study students conducting research on the Finger Lakes region. Topics of research pertain to the Institute's four core initiatives: educational outreach, research, community outreach and public service, and economic development. These presentations are a record of the student’s progress and will be finalized with a concluding full report in December 2005.

November 15, 6:30pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator
Putting the Call Out For Cell Phones
Due to their rapid replacement cycle, cell phones contribute a growing portion of the toxic materials (e.g. antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, copper and lead) that end up in our landfills. In honor of America Recycles Day, Finger Lakes Institute’s Community Outreach Coordinator, Sarah Meyer will present, “Putting the Call Out For Cell Phones”. Members of the community are encouraged to attend to learn about the environmental impacts electronic waste has on the environment if not properly disposed of. Participants will have the opportunity to donate old (broken or usable) cell phones, accessories, and rechargeable batteries into drop boxes at the Finger Lakes Institute to ensure their proper reuse and safe recycling.

November 16, 6:30pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Ed Primrose, CEO of Empire Biofuels, LLC
Empire Biofuels: The Right Time and the Right Place
View PDF Presentation
Empire Biofuels plans to convert 18.7 million bushels of corn into 50 million gallons of ethanol annually. Local residents and farmers are encouraged to learn about the history and site selection of the local ethanol production plant in Seneca Falls, NY, and how its production of ethanol and byproducts will boost the economic stability of the Finger Lakes region. Free and open to the public.
Registration required. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu

October

October 18, 5:30pm-8:30pm, Emerson Park, Auburn, NY
2nd Annual Owasco Lake Watershed Symposium
The Finger Lakes Institute will be represented at the 2nd Annual Owasco Lake Watershed Symposium to acquaint participants with the research and activities held within the Owasco Lake Watershed. If interested in attending the symposium, contact Kristy LaManche at (315) 422-8276.

October 17-21, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom

CANCELLED October 15, 10am, NYSDEC Public Fishing site parking lot (located on Genesee St. off of Rt. 14S in Montour Falls, NY)
Catharine Creek Water Quality Monitoring
Celebrate World Water Monitoring Day!
View PDF Presentation
The Finger lakes Institute is committed to sharing and protecting our community's aquatic ecosystem and welcomes citizen participation. All are invited -experienced and first-time monitors, students, and senior citizens! Citizens' monitoring activities will contribute water quality data that will help characterize watershed conditions and trends, establish baseline water quality knowledge, and build environmental awareness. Learn simple methods to monitor water quality. Meet at the NYSDEC Public Fishing site parking lot parking lot located on Genesee St. in Montour Falls, NY. Free and open to the public. See map
Registration required. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu

October 1, 10am, Flint Creek, Ontario Pathways trailhead parking lot (located on Rt. 96 between Phelps and Clifton Springs)
Flint Creek Water Quality Monitoring
Celebrate World Water Monitoring Day!
View PDF Presentation
The Finger lakes Institute is committed to sharing and protecting our community's aquatic ecosystem and welcomes citizen participation. All are invited -experienced and first-time monitors, students, and senior citizens! Citizens' monitoring activities will contribute water quality data that will help characterize watershed conditions and trends, establish baseline water quality knowledge, and build environmental awareness. Learn simple methods to monitor water quality. Meet in the Ontario Pathways trailhead parking lot located on Rt. 96 between Phelps and Clifton Springs. Free and open to the public. See Map
Registration required. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu

September

September 27, 4-7pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Project WILD Aquatic Teacher Training
All youth educators are encouraged to become trained and certified in Project WILD Aquatic. In the face of competing needs and pressures affecting the quality and sustainability of life on earth, Project WILD addresses the need for human beings to develop as responsible citizens of our planet. Each person completing the Project Wild Aquatic training will receive a FREE copy of the Project WILD Curriculum and Activity Guide, which focuses on wildlife and habitat, and the Project WILD Aquatic Curriculum and Activity Guide, emphasizing aquatic wildlife and aquatic ecosystems. This is a three-hour training session to get acquainted with the program, curriculum guides, and to experience a few of the activities first hand. Please dress in casual clothes, and be ready to go outside for some activities. To register, call the Education Outreach Coordinator at (315) 781-4380.

September 25, 1-4 p.m., Geneva Town Hall
Finger Lakes Institute Educational Booth at Geneva Town Fest
The first “Geneva Town Fest” will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, September 25 on the grounds of town hall on County Road 6, Geneva. The Finger Lakes Institute will be present with a family-friendly table display introducing the FLI to the Geneva community. Information about zebra and quagga mussels and current water quality research conducted by Hobart and William Smith Colleges faculty will be featured. Children will be able to make their own solar bead bracelet! For more information about Town Fest, contact Geneva Town Hall at (315) 789-3922

September 13 and 15, 4-7pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Project WET Teacher Training
All youth educators are encouraged to become trained and certified in Project WET. Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) is a nonprofit water education program for educators and young people ages 5-18. The program facilitates and promotes awareness, appreciation, knowledge, and stewardship of water resources through the dissemination of classroom-ready teaching aids. This is a six-hour training session to get acquainted with the program, curriculum guide, and to experience a few of the activities first hand. Please dress in casual clothes, and be ready to go outside for some activities. To register, call the Education Outreach Coordinator at (315) 781-4380.

September 14, 6:30pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Ursula Smith, Cornell University Paleontology PhD student, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department
View PDF Presentation
11,000 year old Mastodon bones recovered in New York- not far from the Finger Lakes! Ursula Smith, a PhD student at Cornell University, will trace the area's geologic history from the original deposition of our local rocks through to the glaciations that formed the lakes themselves, and discuss local sites of interest, including the Watkins Glenn, Taughannock Falls, and the Chemung County and Hyde Park Mastodon excavations. This talk aims to provide an overview of the geological history of the Finger Lakes Region and how the area fits into the overall history of North America. Smith will speak briefly about her ongoing research on the morphology of gastropod shells and their evolutionary patterns. Free and open to the public. Registration required –Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu

September 17, 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Science on Seneca (SOS) Teacher Training
Science on Seneca enables local science teachers to use Seneca Lake as an outdoor classroom. To participate, science teachers must take part in one of two yearly training sessions (fall and spring). During the training, teachers take a cruise on Seneca Lake aboard the William Scandling, Hobart and William Smith Colleges’ 65 ft. research vessel. These teachers experience the full range of scientific tests and equipment available to them aboard the William Scandling, including plankton tows, sediment samples and water chemistry, to name a few. This event is FREE! Call Barb Halfman, SOS Trip Coordinator, at (315)781-3606 to reserve a spot in the SOS Teacher Training, request information, or to set up a cruise for your students. To learn more about Science on Seneca visit, http://fli.hws.edu/education.asp#sos.

September 17, 10am, Seneca Lake State Park Pavilion #3
Finger Lakes Beach Cleanup
Celebrate New York State Beach Cleanup Day!
View PDF Presentation
Collect and record the litter found around your lake or river! In observance of the International Coastal Cleanup, the Finger Lakes Institute is holding a community coastal cleanup event at Seneca Lake State Park (Pavilion #3)! All registered participants will be provided with trash bags and data sheets to record the specific types and quantities of lake debris found. The data collected will be used to better identify sources of pollution and help find solutions for preventing it. Bring a bag lunch, closed toed shoes, and work gloves. Free and open to the public. To find out more about the International Coastal Cleanup, visit http://www.alsnyc.org/cleanup.htm.
Registration required. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu

Summer 2005

August

August 24, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
An Educational Presentation on The Community Preservation Act
View PDF Presentation
Many New York communities are struggling to balance growth and development with preservation of working farms, natural areas, and parklands. A proposed bill in Albany would allow towns to establish a Community Preservation Fund to preserve natural areas and encourage smart growth, following a model successfully used in the five East End towns of Long Island. Anne Reynolds, Special Projects Director of Environmental Advocates of New York, will discuss community preservation needs and options in the Finger Lakes Watershed, with an educational focus on this proposed legislation and other potential solutions. Community members are encouraged to attend to learn how towns can preserve open space and retain good water quality in the Finger Lakes region. To learn more about the Community Preservation Act, visit http://www.eany.org/issues/topics/pop_cpa.html

August 17, 6:30pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
“End of Suburbia” Movie Showing
The End of Suburbia explores the American way of life and its prospects as the planet approaches a critical era, as global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip supply. Come and watch this documentary film and participate in a discussion of what peak oil means for North America? How can Smart Growth be incorporated into planning communities within the Finger Lakes region? As energy prices skyrocket in the coming years, how will the populations of suburbia react to their collapse? And what can be done now, individually and collectively, to avoid The End of Suburbia? To learn more about The End of Suburbia visit http://endofsuburbia.com/. Free and open to the public. Registration required –Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu

August 21, 12-4pm, Camp Barton at Frontenac Pt., Trumansburg NY
Cayuga Lake Watershed Network 8th Annual Lakefest FLI Educational Booth
The Finger Lakes Institute will have a hands-on exhibit for children and adults to learn more about the current issues facing the Finger Lakes watersheds. Information pertaining to K-12 educational programs, public service opportunities, and educational resources will be available to participants. Enjoy the day learning about ways you can preserve our drinking water source! For more information, visit http://www.cayugalake.org/news/Lakefest2005announcement.php

July

July 16, 10am, Grimes Glen, Naples, NY
Grimes Glen Fossil Find
View PDF Presentation
Grimes Glen, located in Naples, NY, is known for its beautiful waterfalls and paleontological significance. Enjoy an educational fossil hike/find through Grimes Glen to discover common fossils found throughout the Finger Lakes region. The New york State Museum houses a 390,000 year old tree fossil found in Grimes Glen! Come and find your own treasure while learning about the geologic history of the Finger Lakes. Meet in the parking lot located on Vine St. in Naples, NY. Be prepared to hike approximately 1 mile. Bring water, bag lunch, and closed toed shoes. Be prepared to get wet. Free and open to the public.
Registration required. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu

July 10, 1-4pm, Isaak Walton League Guyanoga Rd. (off of Rt54A) Jerusalem, NY
Keuka Lake Chapter Izaak Walton League 75th Anniversary Open House
The Finger Lakes Institute will be attending the Keuka Lake Chapter Izaak Walton League Open House celebration to provide an overview of the Finger Lakes Institute’s mission and goals to promote research and education about the Finger Lakes. In the past, water monitoring has been conducted on Guyanoga Creek and results and explanations of data will be available. Join the Izaak Walton League in celebrating its 75th year of conserving, protecting and sustainably using America's rich resources. For more information, visit http://www.iwla.org/chapters/chapter.asp?p_state=New%20York

June

June 29, 6:30pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Marjorie Tweedale and Marvin Mobbs, Finger Lakes National Forest
Whether you are a hiker, cross country skier, camper, fishing or hunting enthusiast, snowmobiler, horseback rider, r wildlife watcher, the Finger Lakes National Forest can provide the recreational and educational experience you are seeking! This presentation will include an introduction of the Finger lakes National Forest to the Finger Lakes regional community. Learn about the educational opportunities and programs the FLNF has planned for 2005-2006! Free and open to the public.
Registration required. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu

June 22, 6;30pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Weeds Watch Out (W2O) Invasive Plant Identification Workshop
Co-sponsored by Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association and Seneca Lake Area Partners in 5 Counties (SLAP-5)
View PDF Presentation
Weeds Watch Out (W2O) is an educationa and outreach program attempting to thwart the spread of invasive aquatic plant species into, within, and from the Oswego River Basin, a sub-basin of Lake Ontario. With the ability to identify aquatic plants, participants will understand what native species look like, what are some potential future aquatic invaders, and what methods are used to control the spread of invasive species. Participants witll receive a plant identification key and a watch list for plants posing a threat to the swego River Basin. Free and open to the public.
Registration required –Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu

Spring 2005

June 15, 6:30pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Dr. Joseph Makarewicz, SUNY Brockport
Initiation of BMPs Leads to Reduction in Coliform Bacteria and Nutrient Loss from Agricultural Land in the Finger Lakes of New York State
View PDF Presentation
Dairy farming on steep-sided slopes of the Finger Lakes of New York State is a common practice. Besides major losses of nutrients and soil from these sub-watersheds, downstream streams and lakes are often impacted by high coliform counts, increased nutrient levels, algal blooms and excessive macrophyte growth near stream mouths. Dr. Joe Makarewicz, professor of Biology at SUNY Brockport, will explain the effects of management practices developed by Cornell Cooperative Extension and the County Soil and Water Conservation District and initiated on agricultural lands in the Greywood sub-watershed of Conesus Lake. Free and open to the public.

May

May 18, 6:30pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Jennifer Grant, NYS Agricultural Experiment Station
Community Insect Pest Management
View PDF Presentation
This presentation will introduce methods of successfully controlling insects, diseases, weeds, and rodents in homes, workplaces, and public areas. Finger Lake community members will learn about the ecology of their land and enable them to make and implement decisions which are safe, productive and sustainable. The application of a set of methods for managing pests, including pest prevention techniques, pest monitoring methods, biological controls, pest attractants and repellents, biopesticides, and pesticides will be explained. Free and open to the public.

April

April 28, 10am-1pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Susan Brind Morrow, Author of Wolves and Honey: A Hidden History of the Natural World
Writing Workshop, 10-12pm
Attend this writing workshop to learn how to write based on memories and observations as Susan Brind Morrow did for her book, Wolves and Honey: A Hidden History of the Natural World. This course will help participants strengthen their writing by focusing on two important fundamentals of creative nonfiction. The first of these deals with the need to master four critical aspects of writing craft: tone, setting, transition, and the application of dramatic device. The second, equally important part of the workshop is to help participants more fully understand how the natural world of the Finger Lakes influences their own lives and culture, and through that understanding, begin to more firmly establish in their writing a sense of personal voice and spiritualism. The workshop will include a mix of lecture, simple exercises, and even storytelling. Free and open to the public.

Lunch with Susan Brind Morrow, 12-1pm
Join Susan Brind Morrow for lunch. Enjoy conversation and company of Susan Brind Morrow for a more intimate setting to ask questions of her observations and memoir of the land of the Finger Lakes. Lunch will be served. Free and open to the public.

April 27, 6:30pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Susan Brind Morrow, Author
Presentation and Book Signing of Wolves and Honey: A Hidden History of the Natural World
Susan Brind Morrow returns to her hometown, Geneva, NY, to present on her newly published book, Wolves and Honey: A Hidden History of the Natural World. Written from notebooks kept during the mid-1980’s, Susan Brind Morrow’s observations and memories of the natural world will cause the audience to think anew about our sometimes neglected but always profound relationship to the Finger Lakes. Her perspective of the connections between human beings and the land and her personal experiences with the natural world of the Finger Lakes region are of interest to many regional residents, especially naturalists, aspiring writers, teachers, etc. Copies of her book will be available for sale and signing at the time of the event. Free and open to the public.

April 23, 10am -1pm, NYS Fire Academy- Montour Falls, NY
Earth Day Celebration! ”Inspired by the Earth”
The Finger Lakes Institute presents an educational booth on green energy and solar art at the Schuyler County 2005 Earth Day Festival. Open to elementary and middle school-aged children and families. Location: NYS Fire Academy, Route 14, Montour Falls, NY
Hosted by: Schuyler County Environmental Management Council
Open to the public.

April 21, 6:30pm, Finger Lakes Institute Exhibit Area
Finger Lakes Institute 2005 Exhibit Reception, “Making Connections: Your Lakes and the Finger Lakes Institute”
Our educational exhibit establishes the connections between the residents of the Finger Lakes region, our natural resources, and the Finger Lakes Institute. Making Connections: Your Lakes and the Finger Lakes Institute informs visitors of current concerns and methods used to protect the Finger Lakes region through scientific research, education, community outreach, and economic development. Displays present a closer look at prehistoric fossils, zebra mussels, and macroinvertebrates found throughout the Finger Lakes. Join the FLI staff in a reception celebrating the completion of their first educational exhibit! Free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

April 20, 6:30pm Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Bruce Gilman, Finger Lakes Community College
Honeoye Lake - After Twenty Years of Field Research, What Have We Learned?
View PPT Presentation
Perimeter sewering, exotic species invasions, macrophyte harvesting and altered watershed land-uses are among the many significant changes to affect the ecology of Honeoye Lake. Dr. Bruce Gillman, Professor in the Department of Environmental Conservation and Horticulture at Finger Lakes Community College, will present an informative slide program documenting recent trends in water quality, lake communities and human impacts. His limnological research has been conducted on the western Finger Lakes, especially Canandaigua Lake and Honeoye Lake. Free and open to the public.

April 16, 10am -3pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Seven Lakes Girl Scout Council
Studio 2B Environmental Conference
Girls grade 6-9: Come to an inspiring day at the beautiful Finger Lakes Institute and learn more about the environment and what you can do to make a difference! Meet and learn from college students and other local experts in a variety of environmental fields. Please bring a bag lunch and drink. Girls do not need to be a registered Girl Scout to attend. Cost is $ 7 per person, $6 per person for groups of five or more (adults must accompany a group) If you register with a friend, receive $1 off each for you and your friend. This event is organized to satisfy requirements within the Parks Matter Focus book.

March

March 29, 6:30 pm Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Students, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Finger Lakes Institute Spring 2005 Student Research Presentations
• Invasive Aquatic Plants of the Finger Lakes, Marissa Madej (’07)
• In Pursuit of Sustainability: Forest Management by Private Landowners in the Seneca Lake Watershed, Meredith Trainor (’05)
• A Handful of Information: The Finger Lakes Institute Clearinghouse Management, Caitlin Rogers (’05)
• Water Quality Monitoring in the Finger Lakes, Laura Evans (’06)
Throughout each academic semester the FLI has intern and independent study students conducting research on the Finger Lakes region. Topics of research pertain to the Institute's four core initiatives: educational outreach, research, community outreach and public service, and economic development. Five William Smith College students will present research on Finger Lakes invasive species, forest management, scientific research, and Finger Lakes Institute Clearinghouse. These presentations are a record of the student’s progress and will be finalized with a concluding full report in May.

March 16, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Dr. Paul Eberts, Cornell University
Examination of Finger Lakes Region Socioeconomic Trends
Dr. Paul Eberts has uncovered several major trends for the Finger Lakes region, specifically Ontario, Seneca, Yates, and Schuyler counties, on employment, economic, family and health issues. Eberts, co-author of "New York Socioeconomic Trends: 1950-2000," is the former director of graduate studies for the Field of Community and Rural Development, and former director of the Community and Rural Development Institute. His research focuses primarily on local politics and economics and their effects on local development and life-quality. Eberts will discuss these and other trends as well as give insight on ways other counties have resolved these issues in a presentation. The study was done in conjunction with the New York State Legislature’s Commission on Rural Resources.

Fall 2004

December

December 8, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Stephen Klemann, Appleton Disposal
Jim Snyder, FCR A Division of Casella Waste Management
Bob Rose, City of Geneva Marsh Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant
Following the Finger Lakes Wastestream from Home to Lake
View PPT Presentation
Three speakers, representing each facet of solid and liquid waste disposal, will explain the process of trash collection, recycling, and landfill leachate transportation and treatment. Representatives from the Ontario County Landfill, managed by Casella Waste Systems, Inc.; Appleton Disposal Service, a local waste collection and transfer company; and the City of Geneva Marsh Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant will discuss some practical considerations and guidelines for solid waste disposal and wastewater treatment. Participants will receive practical information and learn how to determine the proper way to dispose of waste and recyclable material. Discussions will help participants identify where the wastestream leads after household trash leaves the curbside and how solid waste ultimately affects the water quality of the Finger Lakes.

November

November 18-19
Gary Ferguson, Author
Visiting Scholar

November 17, 6:30 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Students, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Finger Lakes Institute Fall 2004 Student Research Presentations
• Water Supply in the Finger Lakes Region, Sarah Evans ’04
• Economic Impact of Wineries in the Finger Lakes Region, Jeff Sousa ’05
• Science On Seneca Plankton Unit Development, Eric Pasho ’05
• Developing In-House Educational Programs for the Finger Lakes Institute, Kate Kana ’05
Throughout each academic semester the FLI has intern and independent study students conducting research on the Finger Lakes region. Topics of research pertain to the Institute's four core initiatives: educational outreach, research, community outreach and public service, and economic development. These presentations are a record of the student’s progress and will be finalized with a concluding full report in January.

October

Finger Lakes Institute Dedication Week October 18-22, 2004

The Finger Lakes Institute celebrated its Dedication Week October 18-22, 2004. In honor of the successful completion of the FLI facility and the start of programing, the Finger Lakes Institute hosted a series of educational lectures pertaining to the scientific study of the eleven Finger Lakes. Guest speakers included the Finger Lakes Institute staff and faculty and students from Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Participants learned about the 21st century challenges facing the Finger Lakes region. Below are links to the Microsoft Power Point presentations given throughout the week.

Monday October 18

• 11:30 am Marion Balyszak, FLI Interim Director, "Introducing the Finger Lakes Institute to Hobart and William Smith Colleges and the Communities of the Finger Lakes Region"
• 5 pm Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator, "Finger Lakes Institute Community Outreach Service Programs"

Tuesday, October 19

• 12 pm Anne Wibiralski, HWS Professor of Geoscience, "Ecology of the Finger Lakes Course Planning and other Happenings in the Geoscience Department"
• TBA John Halfman, HWS Professor of Geoscience, "Hydrogeochemical and Ecological Consequences of Zebra and Quagga Mussels for Seneca Lake"

Wednesday, October 20

• 12 pm Marion Balyszak, FLI Interim Director, "21st Century Challenges: Reasons to Protect the Finger Lakes"
• 5:30 pm Sarah Meyer, FLI Community Outreach Coordinator, "The Finger Lakes Institute as a Green Facility"

Thursday, October 21

• 9 am Neil Laird, HWS Professor of Geoscience, "Understanding Lake-Effect Snow in the Finger Lakes and Great Lakes Regions"
• 10:30 am Eric Primrose, FLI Educational Outreach Coordinator, "Geology of the Finger Lakes"
• 1 pm John Halfman, HWS Professor of Geoscience, "Hog farms, Salt, and other Impacts on the Finger Lakes"

Friday, October 22

• 11:30 am Members of Campus Greens, "Student Efforts Made to Make the HWS Campus Greener"
• 1 pm Eric Primrose, FLI Educational Outreach Coordinator, "Finger Lakes Institute Science on Seneca and Other Educational Outreach Programs"
• 4 pm Jim Ryan, HWS Professor of Biology, "The Future of Water Quality in the Finger Lakes"
  

October 9, 10 am, Guyanoga Creek, Rt. 54A
Sarah Meyer, Finger Lakes Institute
Guyanoga Creek Water Quality Monitoring
View PPT Presentation
The Finger Lakes Institute will honor World Water Monitoring Day by hosting a water quality monitoring event to help local citizens gain first-hand experience in assessing the health of their local watershed. Citizens’ monitoring activities will contribute water quality data that will help characterize watershed conditions and trends, establish baseline water quality knowledge and build environmental awareness. The day’s efforts will be relatively easy and fun to carry out. Monitors will be instructed on how to perform and submit data from four key tests: dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity/clarity and temperature. Participants will learn how macro invertebrates (aquatic bugs), nitrogen and phosphorus content, and speed of the water flow impacts water quality in lakes, streams, and wetlands.

September

Sept. 26, 10 am, Naples Creek, Rt. 21
Sarah Meyer, Finger Lakes Institute
Naples Creek Water Quality Monitoring
View PPT Presentation
The Finger Lakes Institute will honor World Water Monitoring Day by hosting a water quality monitoring event to help local citizens gain first-hand experience in assessing the health of their local watershed. Citizens’ monitoring activities will contribute water quality data that will help characterize watershed conditions and trends, establish baseline water quality knowledge and build environmental awareness. The day’s efforts will be relatively easy and fun to carry out. Monitors will be instructed on how to perform and submit data from four key tests: dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity/clarity and temperature. Participants will learn how macro invertebrates (aquatic bugs), nitrogen and phosphorus content, and speed of the water flow impacts water quality in lakes, streams, and wetlands.

September 18, 10 am Seneca Lake State Park Shelter 4
International Coastal Cleanup
Seneca Lake Shore Clean up
View PPT Presentation
As part of the annual observance of the International Coastal Cleanup, the Finger Lakes Institute is sponsoring a community coastal cleanup event at Seneca Lake State Park. All pre-registered participants in this cleanup will be provided with bags and data sheets to record the specific types and quantities of lake debris found. The data collected will be used to better identify sources of lake debris and find solutions for preventing it.

August

August 31, 7 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Conference Room
Marion Balyszak, Finger Lakes Institute and Seneca Lakes Pure Waters Association
Edith Davey, Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association and Ontario County SWCD
Home-A-Syst: How Does Your Home Rate for Environmental Risk
The Finger Lakes Institute and Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association will co-host a Home-A-Syst educational workshop. Home-A-Syst is a nation-wide pollution prevention, and risk assessment program that is supported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The program will provide an overview of how homeowners and renters can assess household environmental risk in order to protect health and the environment. Participants will receive practical information pertaining to drinking water, septic systems, landscaping, fuel storage and household hazardous waste.

August 26, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Jim Balyszak and Rick Ayers, Yates County SWCD
Gail Mortimer, NYSDEC Avon
Constructing and Managing a Healthy Pond
Two speakers from the Yates County Soil and Water Conservation District and one speaker from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Bureau of Pesticide Management Avon Office will discuss some practical considerations and guidelines for pond construction and vegetation and fish management. Participants will receive practical information and learn how to determine the proper design and construction of a pond so that it meets certain needs –swimming, fishing, drainage, agriculture, etc. Discussions will help participants identify aquatic plant problems and recommend solutions— plus answer any and all of the other pond management questions and concerns one may have.