Events

As part of the mission of FLI, workshops will help to advance, coordinate, and disseminate scientific understanding about the Finger Lakes environment and provide interdisciplinary training for the next generation of environmental researchers, educators, and policy makers.

Ongoing Events

Calling All Cellular Phones!
The Finger Lakes Institute encourages Finger Lakes residents to safely recycle their cellular phones and accessories. Recycling and properly disposing of electronic waste reduces the amount of persistent toxic chemicals that may compose landfill leachate, which has the potential of contaminating soil and drinking water via the leachate treatment process. Donate your cell phone to the Finger Lakes Institute and it will be recycled by Eco-Cell, a program that encourages organizations to collect all used cell phones and accessories, including batteries. Eco-Cell will pay the Finger Lakes Institute up to $12 for each working cell phone. Generated funds will directly benefit the FLI’s mission to promote environmental research and education of the Finger Lakes and surrounding environments. Acceptable drop off items include: cellular phones, batteries, accessories, PDAs, blackberries, pagers, and chargers.

Summer 2009

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.

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.

Fall 2009

October

October 3, 10:00 am, Seneca Lake State Park Pavilion 3 (near the Park Office)
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 13, Hobart and William Smith Colleges' Vandervort Room
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. Space is available for oral presentations and posters. Potential themes include but are not limited to: Surface and Groundwater Sampling/Monitoring; Analytical Techniques; Watershed Management; Non-point Source Pollution Prevention; Best Management Practices; and Public Participation/Education. For more information call Kristy LaManche at (315) 673-7148 or Ed Bugliosi at (607) 266-0217.
Please submit an abstract of your project by electronic mail to klamanche@twcny.rr.com by May 1, 2009. Please include the following information:
1. Title
2. Author(s)
3. Agency
4. Address
5. Email, Phone
6. Presentation Format (Oral or Poster)
7. Abstract (not to exceed 250 words)

November

November 14, Hobart and William Smith Colleges Vandervort Room (campus map)
5th Annual Finger Lakes Research Conference
The 1st Annual Finger Lakes Research Conference for students, faculty and other scientists was held Saturday, October 8, 2005 at the Finger Lakes Institute, located on the campus of Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York. The conference highlighted Finger Lakes scientific research, and provided opportunities to meet others interested in environmental science and scholarship, particularly as they apply to problems related to the Finger Lakes of western and central New York State. Both 15-minute oral presentations and afternoon poster displays were scheduled during the day-long conference. Presentations were either: 1) results of ongoing or completed research, or 2) research plans and proposals. Obtain conference forms, announcements and detailed information about the 5th Annual Finger Lakes Research Conference agenda and plans at http://fli.hws.edu/conference.asp
Our goal for this annual conference is to highlight all aspects of Finger Lakes research.
Potential Themes include but are not limited to:

• Wetland/Forest Ecosystem Studies;
• Limnology
• Fisheries, Trophic Interactions;
• Ecosystem Modeling;
• Watershed/Lake Interactions;
• Geolimnology, Sedimentology & Paleoclimatology;
• Meteorology, Physical Limnology & Atmosphere/Lake Interactions;
• Groundwater/Surface Water Hydrogeochemistry & Interactions;
• Exotic Species Introductions & Ecological Impacts;
• Environmental Chemistry & Toxicology;
• Environmental Engineering & Modeling; and
• All Environmental/Natural Sciences.

Important dates for the 2009 Finger Lakes Research Conference include:
Conference Registration Due November 6
Announcement of Agenda October 23
Notification of Accepted Abstracts October 16
Abstracts Due October 5

November 18, Time TBA, Albright Auditorium
Lecture and Panel Discussion with Frances Moore Lappe
Frances Moore Lappe, founder of the Small Planet Institute and author of Diet for a Small Planet
Sponsored by the Finger Lakes Institute, Cornell University, and others
Frances Moore Lappe is a democracy advocate and world food and hunger expert who has authored or co-authored 16 books. She is the co-founder of three organizations, including Food First: The Institute for Food and Development Policy and, more recently, the Small Planet Institute, which she leads with her daughter Anna Lappe. In 1987 she received the Right Livelihood Award (a.k.a, the "Alternative Nobel"). Her first book, Diet for a Small Planet, has sold three million copies and is considered "the blueprint for eating with a small carbon footprint since long before the term was coined" [JM Hirsch, Associated Press].
Her most recent book is Getting a Grip: Clarity, Creativity, and Courage in a World Gone Mad, awarded the Nautilus Gold/"Best in Small Press" award. In June 2008, that book and Diet for a Small Planet were designated as must-reads for the next U.S. president (by Barbara Kingsolver and Michael Pollan, respectively) in The New York Times Sunday Review of Books. Other recent books include Hope's Edge, written with Anna Lappe, about democratic social movements worldwide, as well as You Have the Power and Democracy's Edge.
Lappe has received 17 honorary doctorates from distinguished institutions including The University of Michigan and was a visiting scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2000-2001. She received the 2008 James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year Award for her lifelong impact on the way people all over the world think about food, nutrition, and agriculture.
See the JBF's video introduction to Frances and her work here.
In 2008, Gourmet Magazine named Lappe among 25 people (including Thomas Jefferson, Upton Sinclair, and Julia Child), whose work has changed the way America eats. The same year, Diet for a Small Planet was selected as one of 75 Books by Women Whose Words Have Changed the World by members of the Women's National Book Association in observance of its 75th anniversary. Articles by or about Frances have appeared in O: The Oprah Magazine, Harper's, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Nation, People, and more. She has most recently been featured in The Boston Globe, AARP: The Magazine, Sojourners, The Progressive, and on WSJ.com, The Huffington Post, The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's The National, NPR, and the BBC.
Together, Lappe and her daughter Anna Lappe lead the Cambridge-based Small Planet Institute, a collaborative network for research and popular education to bring democracy to life. With her daughter, she is also co-founder of the Small Planet Fund, channeling resources to democratic social movements worldwide. More details about this specific event will come as the date approaches. This event is free and open to the public. Learn more about Frances Moore Lappe at www.smallplanet.org.