MANAGE YOUR PROPERTY FOR WILDLIFE - New York Workshop

Learn more about managing your property to benefit New England Cottontail and other young forest species by attending a Columbia Land Conservancy workshop on Saturday, June 29. The workshop will cover habitat requirements, ongoing studies, and strategies for how you can create or enhance habitat, funding opportunities, and a field visit.

The New England Cottontail is being considered for full protection under the Endangered Species Act. Once common throughout New England, this rabbit’s historic range has been reduced by over 80% – primarily due to habitat loss. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service are working in partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to help conservation minded landowners develop plans to improve the young forest habitat for New England Cottontail, as well as other species such as songbirds, turkeys, grouse, and woodcock.

At the workshop, experts from Audubon New York, the Natural Resource Conservation Service, Cornell University, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Wild Turkey Federation will present.

The event begins at 8:30 am at the Stanford Free Library, 14 Creamery Road in Standfordville, NY. The field visit is at the nearby Buttercup Farm Audubon Sanctuary, active managed to optimize wildlife habitat.

Admission is $10 and includes educational materials, lunch, and refreshments. To register, go to www.clctrust.org/nec or contact Heidi Bock at 518-392-5252, ext. 207.

Schedule
8:30 am Welcome and Sign-In (Refreshments)
9:00 am Introduction to young forest habitats
9:10 am NEC Regional Initiative
9:30 am Habitat management: attitudes, barriers and motivations
9:50 am Break
10:00 am Funding opportunities
10:30 am Audubon and young forest management
11:00 am Lunch — provided
11:30 am Field trip to Buttercup Farm Audubon Sanctuary – State Route 82 Stanfordville, NY 12581

Contact:
Heidi K. Bock
Conservation Easement Stewardship Manager
Columbia Land Conservancy, Inc.
PO Box 299, 49 Main Street
Chatham, NY 12037
tel. 518.392.5252 ext. 207
fax 518.392.3099
www.clctrust.org

This workshop has been approved for 4 hours (1 year) of PA SFI® Continuing Education (C.E.) credit. Individuals seeking C.E. credit must submit a completed Non-SFI Course C.E. credit form (this form may not be available at the training so you will need to print it out beforehand), a course agenda or certificate of completion, and a $20 administrative fee (Check made payable to “PA SFI SIC”) to the PA SFI office. Continuing Education credit can only extend your PA SFI Training Card expiration date by a maximum of 3-years from the current calendar year. Please refer to the PA SFI Training Policy for a complete description of the program requirements.