Get Out and Enjoy Nature on World Photography Day  World Photography Day is August 19th, but any day is a great time to take photos! Watching or photographing wildlife is a great way to connect with nature and spend time outdoors. You can even find things to photograph in your own backyard or local park.
Here are some wildlife watching guidelines and photography tips: - Use a long-range lens to avoid getting too close to wildlife.
- Stay on existing roads, trails, or pathways to avoid trampling vegetation.
- Avoid flushing or disturbing wildlife when watching or photographing them, and never purposely chase wildlife!
- Keep quiet, move slowly, and be patient. Let animals come to you.
- Visit wildlife refuges, watchable wildlife sites, and other public natural areas.
- Photograph small things and get down to the subject's level.
- Have fun with camera filters and settings.
Photo of bald eagles by Bill Combs, Jr.
Deer Management Permits are Available  Deer Management Permits (DMPs) are available at all license-issuing outlets, by phone, or online through Oct. 1. DMPs are used to manage the deer herd and are issued through an instant random selection process at the point of sale. The chances of obtaining a DMP remain the same throughout the application period; hunters need not rush to apply. The 2021 chances of selection for a DMP in each Wildlife Management Unit are available online, through license-issuing agents, or by calling the DMP Hotline at 1-866-472-4332.
Detailed information on Deer Management Permits and this fall's Deer Season Forecast is available on DEC's website. Photo by Katelynd Hill
Watch For and Report Giant Hogweed  Giant hogweed plants have flowered and set seed across many parts of the state, making it a good time to spot this harmful invasive when you are outdoors. Giant hogweed is a large plant from Eurasia with sap that can cause painful burns and scarring.
Adult giant hogweed plants tend to be 7-14 feet tall with umbrella-shaped clusters of white flowers (in mid-June to mid-July) up to 2.5 feet wide. In early July the white flowerheads turn to green seed heads, which turn brown in August. The stem is green with purple splotches and coarse white hairs, and leaves are large (up to 5 feet across), incised, and deeply lobed. You can find more identification tips, including a table of lookalikes, on our website. If you think you have found giant hogweed, do not touch it. From a safe distance, take photos of the plant's stem, leaves, flower, seeds, and the whole plant. Then report your sighting to DEC by emailing us photos or calling (845) 256-3111. DEC staff will help you confirm if it is giant hogweed and work with landowners on how to control it if the landowner is interested. DEC recently hosted a Facebook Live about giant hogweed identification. Due to DEC's past control efforts, giant hogweed has now been removed from 55 percent (1,476 sites) of known sites! For more information on invasive species to watch out for in your area, visit our #OnesToWatch page. Photo: Adult giant hogweed plants are very tall and have flower clusters that turn to brown seed heads in August.
DEC Celebrates the Conservationist's 75th Anniversary  DEC's wildly popular magazine, the Conservationist, turns 75 this year! The first issue of the magazine was published in August of 1946 and had some familiar themes, including an article about a new law called the Forest Practice Standards Act, articles promoting the many recreational opportunities found at Cranberry Lake in St. Lawrence County, and the challenges faced by the Conservation Department (DEC's predecessor) in constructing fire towers in the Adirondack and Catskill backcountry.
That first issue of the Conservationist generated more than 9,000 reader letters, swamping the mailroom with subscription requests, suggestions, and questions. In addition to the bread-and-butter natural resource articles of its early days (e.g., hunting, fishing, forestry), the magazine grew to include more articles about environmental quality (e.g., air, water, and land pollution control) as the nation's environmental consciousness grew after the first Earth Day in 1970. That was also the day the Conservation Department became the Department of Environmental Conservation. Throughout our 75-year history, the Conservationist has sought to entertain and educate, and to motivate people to make a positive difference in our world. To reference a concept that has been used to describe the cumulative impacts of water pollution runoff: while each of us may not think our individual actions make a difference, taken together, our voices and actions are magnified, and our collective efforts can bring about important environmental change for our local communities, which often benefits our state and nation, and our future. To encourage new subscribers and in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the magazine, DEC is offering a special $2 subscription rate for both in-person and online subscribers, including gift subscriptions, to the Conservationist during the upcoming Great New York State Fair, August 20 - September 6, 2021. This special rate will be limited to 7,500 online and in-person subscribers. To start receiving the Conservationist at home and in your email box, subscribe today by visiting DEC's website or calling 1-800-678-6399. |
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