Living the Green Life

Recreate Green and “Love Our New York Lands”

It is July and summer is here. Time to “Get Offline and Get Outside.” From camping, to hiking, to fishing and more – New York offers a wide range of outdoor adventure. But before you pack for camp, load your backpack for the trail, or grab that rod and reel –we have provided a few tips to help you “Love Our New York Lands” and recreate in a “green” sustainable way. Let us get started:

Together we can make sure all are able to enjoy New York’s outdoor offerings when we “Love Our New York Lands.”

Did you know that?

• By the 1880s, less than 25% of New York State was forested, and the remaining uncut forests in the Catskills and Adirondacks were being logged fast. In 1885, New York created the Forest Preserve Act to protect state owned lands in the Catskills and Adirondacks from further exploitation. This act was strengthened in 1894 by an amendment to the New York State Constitution.
• The Forest Preserve began with 681,000 acres in the Adirondacks and 34,000 acres in the Catskills. Today there are more than 2.6 million acres in the Adirondacks and more than 300,000 acres in the Catskills, held as forever wild lands for New Yorkers today and the future. The New York Forest Preserve is the largest state-designated wilderness in the country and the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi.
• n 1970, on the first Earth Day, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) was established. This new agency joined the mission of the old Conservation Department with the missions of State environmental quality bureaus in the Department of Health. The Modern Department now manages a variety of programs to protect our air, land and water resources, and the Department's public lands and private forest landowner programs contribute mightily to this effort. The State continues to acquire lands through its Open Space Conservation Plan.

Be a Friend of the Environment

The buzz about bees - looking to plant flowers. Why not create a pollinator garden? Pollinators help our environment, and they can use our help as well - and one way to do that is through growing pollinator-friendly plants. And keep an eye out as National Pollinator Week is celebrated in June. Remember, it is not just bees - butterflies, certain birds and more comprise the pollinator community.

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) Notification - HABs season begins in May. Learn how to identify HABs and how they should be avoided by people and pets. DEC provides a page where you report HABs you spot and notify us accordingly.

Tag sales tactics - spring is here and that means tag sales—commonly referred to as “yard sales.” Have items you are looking to get rid of - which still may be useful to others? Then consider having a yard sale. Also, if you have friends and neighbors who are also looking to sell - consider a multi-family or community wide sale as those typically bring in more shoppers. In need of items yourself? Before buying new things, look to see if you can find those items at a yard sale. If you conduct a sale and have items left over—remember to donate them to a local charity or thrift store instead of discarding the items in the trash. Learn how to reuse more and repurpose wherever possible. Another plus - having a yard sale can bring in some money, and shopping at yard sales can result in financial savings. Either way, reusing helps our environment.

Campfire Moments and Memories - looking to pitch a tent and enjoy camping in the great outdoors this spring/summer? Remember to "Love Our NY Lands" and follow the principles of "Leave No Trace"—and help keep our campgrounds clean. Carry out what you bring and enjoy New York’s outdoor offerings.