by Tom Ellis Albany County legislator Doug “Bullhorn” Bullock has proposed legislation that would ban the use of take-out polystyrene (Styrofoam) food and beverage containers from chain restaurants and eateries in the county. The proposed bill, called the Food Service Waste Reduction Act, has numerous co-sponsors and may be voted on Tuesday, November 12. A poorly attended public hearing in late … Ban Styrofoam in Albany County
Historical Map of Albany, NY Historical Map of Albany, NY by John Wolcott Printed July, 1996 Return to Historical Note ÿÿ
A Brief Historical Note on the Six Mile Waterworks (Rensselaer Lake) A Brief Historical Note on the Six Mile Waterworks (Rensselaer Lake) by John Wolcott Printed July, 1996 Return to Historical Note ÿÿ
Butterfly Station is a community center for ecological restoration that it is staffed by students. Students lead guided tours, raise and maintain the gardens and butterfly populations. Students manage the interactive museum and gift shop. Butterfly Station is open to the public. Visitors come to see the many species of native butterflies flying inside and … Butterfly Station
ALBANY — Tucked in among suburban sprawl at the border of Albany, Colonie and Guilderland, 3,000 acres of pine barrens are becoming a kind of avian rest stop for an increasing number of birds that need a very special kind of landscape — one that’s disappearing elsewhere in New York. The Albany Pine Bush Preserve is … Proclamation Calling on Congress to Fund Urgently Needed Services in Albany County and Throughout the United States by Reducing Military Spending
by Sandy Sheridan In a continuing effort to preserve Karner Blue Butterfly habitat, Save the Pine Bush petitioned the Appellate Court to overrule the Albany Planning Board’s approval of another senior housing project’s construction within the Pine Bush. The plan to build Avila Independent Senior Housing Campus was given the go-ahead by the Albany Planning … SPB Files Appeal – – An Appeal Against the Avila Approval
by Lynne Jackson Schnecksville, PA: The Trexler Game Preserve in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania was the site of a four-day butterfly festival the last weekend in September. Save the Pine Bush was invited to participate by Mary Beth Leeson, the Marketing Manger of the game preserve. The main event of the festival was the daily releases of … Odyssey to a Butterfly Festival
Even Environmentalists Have a Sense of Humor Even Environmentalists Have a Sense of Humor A sense of humor is essential to surviving the rigors of being an activist and fighting one of the oldest political machines in the U.S. Have you ever heard of the Ladies Against Women? I understand the group was formed to … Even Environmentalists Have a Sense of Humor
Location Is Everything – Kunstler Offers Solutions Location Is Everything Kunstler Offers Solutions By Daniel Van Riper We are living in "the national automobile slum. That is the human ecology of the United States." Thus spoke novelist and reformer of architecture James Howard Kunstler, who returned to speak at the May 13, 1998 Save the … Location Is Everything – Kunstler Offers Solutions
by Hugh Johnson A group called Extinction Rebellion (XR) was founded in London England in 2018. They non violently protested in the city blocking major bridges which ultimately forced it to declare a Climate Crisis and rapidly reduce a carbon footprint. A local chapter held a meeting that I attended Sunday January 26th at the … Please Help the state of New York to Declare a Climate Crisis
by John Wolcott This will be but the latest of several Overview Hikes SPB has sponsored over the years, to points around the rim of the Albany Inner Lowland Basin. We will view the Pine Bush from various points in and near Thacher Park. The hike is free and the public is cordially invited Most … Storm Over the Mountains
By Grace Nichols ALBANY: Save the Pine Bush research revealed that the City of Albany has been in violation of its own Pesticide Ordiance, not only at the Landfill, but also citywide, including public sites such as the Corning Preserve, the Washington Park Lakehouse, the Senior Center, the Visitor’s Center and City Hall. We … Pesticide Reductions Won at Albany Common Council
by Lynne Jackson ALBANY, NY: Ward Stone, NYS Wildlife Pathologist, ate lasagna with Save the Pine Bush at the First Presbyterian Church this past March and spoke about changes in the environment over the past few years. He noted that in the past 30 years, there is some good news. We have shut-down the source … Ward Stone Speaks about the Most Important Environmental Problems of Our Time
More on the West Nile Virus More on the West Nile Virus To follow up on Ward Stone’s talk at the September Save the Pine Bush Dinner, according to the Albany Times-Union, the disease has spread to 12 states and the District of Columbia, from New York and New England and as far south as … More on the West Nile Virus
More on the West Nile Virus Arbor Hill Environmental Justice Asks for a Cleaner Patroon Creek Patroon Creek, from Lake Rensselaer in the Pine Bush through the Tivoli Preserve and Arbor Hill to the Hudson River, once was one of the state’s most polluted streams. Now The Arbor Hill Environmental Justice Corporation has filed a … More on the West Nile Virus
Ward Stone and the West Nile Virus Ward Stone and the West Nile Virus Albany, NY &emdash; Ward Stone, State Wildlife Pathologist, spoke at the August SPB lasagna dinner at the First Presbyterian Church. He began by describing the virus’ one-year journey from Westchester to the Capital District. In July, 1999, crows seemed to be … Ward Stone and the West Nile Virus
Zero Cut – End the Logging on our National Forests Zero Cut – End the Logging on our National Forests By Jesse Strock The National Forests encompass over 200 million acres of public lands across the country. These lands, which were set aside for the public, are not simply used for recreation and tourism, but … Zero Cut – End the Logging on our National Forests
1st Annual Pine Bush Walk-a-Thon a Sucess! 1st Annual Pine Bush Walk-a-Thon a Sucess! Save the Pine Bush’s First Annual Walk-A-Thon was a wild success! The weather was perfect for a 10K stroll through the Pine Bush, cool, not too hot, with sunshine. Many hikers could not believe that hike organizer Tim Kostoroski found 10K … 1st Annual Pine Bush Walk-a-Thon a Sucess!
Democracy Survives – Just Barely Once Again Democracy Survives Just Barely Once Again By Daniel Van Riper The solidly right-wing Democratic Party, demoralized and mostly ignored by large corporations, managed with the help of the voters to overcome and shake the extreme right-wing Republican Party this past November 3rd. Only their vast ocean of … Democracy Survives – Just Barely Once Again
Meat Will Kill You…Just More Good News Letters To SPB You write in your Feb/Mar ’97 newsletter that "once upon a time the City Record could be purchased at Coulson’s News and other places, now it is subscription only." For the record, the Albany City Record is still sold at Coulson’s and, therefore, not available … Meat Will Kill You…Just More Good News
Remember The Elections? Be Thankful We Still Have Them Remember The Elections? Be Thankful We Still Have Them By Daniel Van Riper It’s been 3 months since the November elections, time enough to assess the damage . . . and look forward to more! Here’s a quick roundup, and boy is it partisan: Bond Act … Remember The Elections? Be Thankful We Still Have Them
Camera Study of Pine Bush Meat-eaters Camera Study of Pine Bush Meat-eaters According to Dina Cappiello, writing in the Albany Times-Union, November 8, 2000, Roland Kays, a mammalogist with the State Museum, has set up his motion-sensitive camera at 14 different sites in the Pine Bush Preserve and has caught coyotes, a raccoon family, gray … Camera Study of Pine Bush Meat-eaters
SPB Files Most Unpopular Suit Yet – Sues the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission SPB Files Most Unpopular Suit Yet Sues the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission by Lynne Jackson In October, Save the Pine Bush filed its most controversial and unpopular suit yet against the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission to over-turn its fire … SPB Files Most Unpopular Suit Yet – Sues the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission
Best of Metroland Best of Metroland The following category appeared in the Metroland “Best Of” issue in July: BEST PERSON TO LEAD THE WORLD OUT OF DARKNESS ONE VEGETARIAN LASAGNA DINNER AT A TIME Rezsin Adams You’ll find her selling world crafts at Peace Offerings (the gift shop of the Social Justice Center), organizing … Best of Metroland
Jack McEneny, NYS Assemblyman, was Save the Pine BushÕs special guest at the July dinner. One of his jobs is to sponsor privileged resolutions of the Assembly. He had never read a special resolution before, but tonight, he was going to read one that the Assembly passed on June 20, 2001 to honor John Wolcott. … John Wolcott, Honored by the New York State Assembly, Wants to see More Preservation
Teacher Wins Toyota Tapestry Grant Teacher Wins Toyota Tapestry Grant To carry out a classroom project to restore the endangered Karner Blue Butterfly, Seventh Grade science teacher, Alan Fiero, was awarded a $7600 Toyota Tapestry Grant. One of only 40 grants given in the country, the grant is from a pool of $400,000 used to … Teacher Wins Toyota Tapestry Grant
Pushing and Pulling West: Pending Extensions of the Boundaries of the Pine Bush Preserve Pushing and Pulling West: Pending Extensions of the Boundaries of the Pine Bush Preserve By John Wolcott A Little Background When I first started mulling over the notion of a Pine Bush Preserve in 1971, it was with the thought … Pushing and Pulling West: Pending Extensions of the Boundaries of the Pine Bush Preserve
GUILDERLAND: Traditional Builders is proposing to construct 46 houses on a 106 acre lot in the western Pine Bush. 5This proposed site is on Lydius Street, adjacent to and west of the Dicaprio Farm (The Dicaprio Farm was acquired by the Town of Guilderland and made into soccer fields). The houses will be built on … Proposed Housing Development in Guilderland Woodsfield Estate
ALBANY, NY: Albany County Legislator Merton Simpson spoke about “Fighting Environmental Racial Injustice” at the October 16, 2019 SPB dinner. He began saying, “I see one of my environmental heroes–Ward Stone–here.” [Ward is the legendary and now retired wildlife pathologist (1969-2010) of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.] Merton said, “We live in perilous times, … Merton Simpson — Fighting Environmental Racial Injustice
by Dominick Calsolaro The Ezra Prentice Homes, an Albany Housing Authority project consisting of 179 units, is located in Albany’s South End, at the southern end of South Pearl Street (Route 32). The area where Ezra Prentice is situated is a designated environmental justice community. The residents of Ezra Prentice, Old South Pearl Street, … Environmental Injustice at Ezra Prentice Apartments and Community Health Study
by Grace Nichols ALBANY: Using the Freedom of Information Act, both Save the Pine Bush and Brian Nearing of the Times Union requested data that has been collected about the number of Karner Blue populations. We were astounded at what we found. The numbers of butterflies counted have plummeted in recent years, dipping below … Bringing Back Sustainable Karner Blue Populations
Waste Reduction and Recycling: Neil Seldman, PhD. Director of Waste to Wealth Initiative at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (Washington, DC). Public Presentation and Workshop on Recycling and Waste Management in the Capitol Region Albany Public Library, Washington Avenue Branch: 161 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12210 Presentation: How the Capital District can Transition from Landfills … Waste Reduction and Recycling: Neil Seldman, PhD
ALBANY, NY — Mayor Jennings’ new landfill proposal is just as bad as his last proposal, only his new proposal may mean the end of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve. Mayor Jennings proposes to take 10 acres from the forever wild Albany Pine Bush Preserve and turn it into the landfill. “Land dedicated to the … Waste-to-Energy One Solution to the Garbage Issue
Save the Pine Bush Loses First Round on Landfill Save the Pine Bush Loses First Round on Landfill Clean Water takes a Dive to Garbage Albany, NY – Save the Pine Bush lost its challenge to the expansion of the Albany City Landfill in the Pine Bush in Supreme Court in October. The Judge ruled … Save the Pine Bush Loses First Round on Landfill
GUILDERLAND, NY: On Christmas Eve, Pyramid Crossgates submitted the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for their project, “Rapp Road Residential /Western Avenue Mixed Use Redevelopment Projects.” When first brought before the Town of Guilderland Planning Board in late 2018, the project consisted of building 222-unit apartment complex on Rapp Road. The project has morphed into … Pyramid Submits the Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Protests Links to Photos of Protests Since January of 2000, I have felt that as a Citizen of the United States of America, that it is my duty and obligation to peacefully protest economic and war policies that I believe to be wrong. It is not that I like going to these protests, but I … Protests
Willow Street Again Our Friends Visit FORCE Is Here To Stay By Daniel Van Riper Carl Letson and Donald Csaposs of Guilderland, two of the principle organizers of Friends Organized to Resist Crossgates Expansion (FORCE) spoke to the January Save the Pine Bush vegetarian lasagna dinner at 1st Presbyterian Church in Albany, and neither … Willow Street Again
Victory In Colonie SPB Stops GEIS Victory In Colonie SPB Stops GEIS By Daniel Van Riper Late breaking news as we go to press: Save the Pine Bush attorney Lew Oliver said we had a really good case. As usual, he was right. In a major victory for Save the Pine Bush, State Supreme Court … Victory In Colonie SPB Stops GEIS
Town of Colonie Will It or Won’t It Destroy Its Pine Bush? Town of Colonie Will It or Won’t It Destroy Its Pine Bush? by Lynne Jackson The Town of Colonie approved its Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement (FGEIS) for the Lisha Kill – Kings Road Area on June 8 and June 16. This FGEIS … Town of Colonie Will It or Won’t It Destroy Its Pine Bush?
Willow Street Again Willow Street Again SPB Sues over Sewers Built in the Preserve DEC Caves in to Developer by Lynne Jackson Ten months after filing a ground-breaking suit that forced a developer to remove water lines from the Preserve along Willow Street in Guilderland, Save the Pine Bush has filed a second suit … Willow Street Again
Gotta Watch’em Like Hawks – Can’t Trust Nobody Gotta Watch’em Like Hawks Can’t Trust Nobody By Daniel W. Van Riper Y Is This Happening One of the selling points for the ongoing YMCA project that is destroying eight acres of Pine Bush off Western Avenue in Guilderland was that it would cost the taxpayers … Gotta Watch’em Like Hawks – Can’t Trust Nobody
Draft Environmental Impact Statement DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT for Avila House Independent Senior Campus Lead Agency: City of Albany Planning Board 21 Lodge Street, Albany, New York 12207 Contact: Nicholas Dilello (518) 434-2532 ext. 28 Project Sponsor: First Colun1bia, LLC 26 Century Hill Drive Latham, New York 12110-2128, (518) 213-1000 Report … Draft Environmental Impact Statement
SCHENECTADY — The Woodlawn Preserve is getting closer and closer to full protection. After years of negotiations, the City Council finally adopted a management plan for the preserve last week. The plan will help keep the remnants of Pine Bush ecology that remain in the badly deteriorated preserve, and lays out the steps to restore the flora … Schenectady Pine Bush sees Preservation boost
Proposals for Paving the Pine Bush Come Fast and Furiously Proposals for Paving the Pine Bush Come Fast and Furiously Guilderland, Albany consider destroying Full Protection Areas Guilderland, Feeney and Ford: Town of Guilderland Planning Board officials heard a preliminary proposal to destroy 103 acres of Pine Bush by allowing 30 plush, expensive houses to … Proposals for Paving the Pine Bush Come Fast and Furiously
by Lynne Jackson ALBANY: Democratic candidate for Albany County District Attorney David Soares spoke at the August Save the Pine Bush dinner at the First Presbyterian Church. Paul Clyne, the incumbent District Attorney who is also running, was invited by did not attend. SPB invited Mr. Soares because in order to save our wild places, … David Soares – Candidate for Albany County District Attorney
ALBANY: Roland Kays, PhD., Curator of Mammals of the New York State Museum, spoke at the May Save the Pine Bush vegetarian/vegan lasagna dinner at the First Presbyterian Church about coyotes and fishers. He began with a photo of the snout from one of the last wolves captured in the northeast. Dr. Kays remarked on … New York State’s Most Successful Predators – Coyotes & Fishers
Anti-War Protest, September 24, 2005 Anti-War Protest, September 24, 2005 With two companions, Kathy and Alice, I went to Washington for the historic anti-war march on Saturday, September 24, 2005. Oraganizers of the protest believe over 300,000 people decended on Washington, DC to express our opposition to the Iraq war and our solidarity with the … Anti-War Protest, September 24, 2005
A Brief Historical Note on the Six Mile Waterworks (Rensselaer Lake) A Brief Historical Note on the Six Mile Waterworks (Rensselaer Lake) by John Wolcott The section of the Pine Bush where the proposed aquatic park would be located is a remaining portion of an early conservation area. This was one of the first tracts, … A Brief Historical Note on the Six Mile Waterworks (Rensselaer Lake)