by Hugh Johnson ALBANY, NY: At our February Save the Pine Bush dinner, two speakers, Keith Schue and Ward Stone, spoke about how toxic pollutants continue to impact the Sheridan Hollow neighborhood in Albany and how it might get even worse. Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) had planned to install …

Dear Common Councilmembers: Thank you for again hearing our concerns about the need for good ecological and scientific review of the Pine Bush Mitigation/Restoration plan. There are many problems with the plan. Save the Pine Bush has presented many concerns to this body regarding the ecological impacts and financial waste involved in this mitigation plan. …

Recycling occurs in nature every day. For example, leaves that have fallen to the ground decompose and turn into compost, a nutrient-rich soil which helps plants to grow healthily and strong In addition, the organic material serves as food for bacteria and fungi which serves as food for earthworms which serves as food for beetles …

by Tim Truscott   On November 18 and 19, I attended the annual conference of the New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling at the Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown. The association, also known as NYSAR3, states its mission is “To provide statewide leadership on waste reduction, reuse and recycling issues and practices to …

by Tom Ellis Throwing food waste into landfills creates greenhouse gases, which significantly contribute to global warming and takes up space in Albany’s Rapp Road landfill. Since Albany’s landfill was built in protected Pine Bush habitat, this is an especial problem. If you live in the City of Albany, you can reduce greenhouse gases and …

Tuesday, June 14, 7:00 PM Town of Colonie Operations Center, Public Operations Center, 347 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham, New York 12110 Everyone who is concerned about Pine Bush preservation should come to this important hearing. In 2005, after dozens of public meetings, the Town of Colonie created a Pine Bush overlay as part of the …

It has come to my attention that Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis may have arrived in our beloved Pine Bush. These diseases are borne by ticks. Until the early 1990s, there were no ticks in the Pine Bush. Now, the Pine Bush seems overrun by these disease carrying insects. What are these diseases? Below is information from …

In May, Albany passed a measure to protect pollinators, written by Grace Nichols and championed by Doug Bullock, Lynne Lekakis, Bill Reinhardt and others. This September, Activist Iris Bloom and Ulster County Legislator Kathleen Nolan won a similar measure in Ulster County. Insect conservation has become a cause supported by bipartisan forces to conserve our …

by Chris Kielb Rensselaer residents and others are continuing their work fighting the tractor trailer truck traffic passing through residential neighborhoods to and from the Dunn Construction and Demolition landfill. Members of the group Stop Trucks Assaulting Rensselaer (STAR) recently met for a second time with the executive committee of the Hudson-Mohawk chapter of the …

When I walked into the Labs on the hill above Five Rivers Nature Preserve for the first time, the natural history displays held me in awe. At the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, where I spent a lot of my happiest childhood hours, there was always glass between you and the artifacts of life. …