Provided photos: Geri Hens, a Master Beekeeper and environmental educator, will kick off the “Master Your Garden” series with a presentation on pollinators, focusing on native insects and other animals vital to the local ecosystem.

Press Release, Orleans County Master Gardeners

KNOWLESVILLE – Master Gardeners in Orleans County have finalized the lineup for their monthly “Master Your Garden” class series.

Like most organizations, Master Gardeners had to adapt and alter their typical event schedule the last two years due to the pandemic. Last year they launched their “Master Your Garden” series for the first time ever – a monthly class on the first Saturday of each month featuring various gardening topics and taught by Master Gardener volunteers or Extension staff.

Natural dyes are the focus of the April 2 class.

The series turned out to be a success as many public participants were looking for in-person learning opportunities to support existing garden hobbies or explore new gardening niches.   Master Gardeners decided to return to this style of programming for the 2022 event year and have developed a robust lineup of new topics.

“I really like this new format of offering classes for the public,” said Master Gardener Brenda Radzinski who taught a class on Roses in last year’s MYG lineup and will lead “Natural Easter Egg Dyes” in April this year. “I think the Master Your Gardener series is a more diverse style of educational outreach. It gives us the opportunity to offer a wider range of topics to those interested.”

The first class of the 2022 series will be on “Pollinators” on Feb. 5 at 10 a.m. in the Trolley Building at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds. The class will feature honeybees and their native counterparts, as well as other pollinators that are vital to the life cycle of most flowering plants.

Master Gardener Chairperson Erica Joan Wanecski will open the program with an introductory presentation on “Mutualism – Partnerships in Nature,” discussing how different animals, insects and plants have evolved together in mutually beneficial relationships.

The headline presentation on “Pollinators” will be taught by Geri Hens, a Master Beekeeper, tenured environmental educator, and owner of Hens Honeybee Farm in Niagara County.

Master Gardener Jena Buckwell will lead two presentations in this year’s MYG lineup – Meet Your Mulch, and IPM for Snails and Slugs.

Initially approached to do a presentation specifically on Honeybees, Hens wanted to make sure the native pollinators that often go unnoticed received their share of attention and appreciation. Her presentation will be an in-depth conversation about the roles of insects and their habitats, the threats facing our local ecosystems, and things homeowners can do to mitigate those threats.

Hens brings decades of experience working with pollinators of all kinds, and she is backed not only by her formal credentialed training in beekeeping and environmental education but also her personal reflections from over thirty years of observing the ever-changing environment and its impacts.

The rest of the class series will feature topics such as vermicomposting (composting with worms), selecting the best mulch for your garden, local watershed protection, native plants and more!

For the full class schedule, see the Orleans County CCE website.  All classes are donation-based, community members can pay what they are able, with proceeds going to support other educational projects put together by the Master Gardeners like the returning Seed Bank project, a new Vegetable Variety Trial Garden, and tabling materials at local events.

“Our Master Gardener Volunteers are such an experienced bunch of gardeners with really varied areas of interest,” said Katie Oakes, coordinator of the Master Gardener program and Horticulture Educator at Orleans County CCE.  “They aren’t afraid to try new things, and when they have successes are so willing to share their knowledge with the public.  This MYG class series is the perfect outlet to extend those skills and experiences to our community members.”

For more information on this or any other Master Gardener event, contact Katie Oakes, at 585-798-4265 ext. 125 or by email at klo54@cornell.edu.

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

File photo by Tom Rivers: This angler tries to catch a big salmon in the Oak Orchard River.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced a new pilot program to improve public access along Western New York’s Lake Ontario tributaries receiving water from the Erie Canal in Monroe, Orleans, and Niagara counties.

Through the Reimagine the Canals initiative, the New York Power Authority (NYPA), Canal Corporation, and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), have entered into a partnership to implement the “Access and Conservation Easement” program has been created to provide one-time payments to waterfront property owners to secure public fishing access and other conservation rights.

The eligible properties are along north flowing Lake Ontario tributaries which are currently and proposed to become part of the Reimagine the Canals Fall Fishing Program.

“Fishing during the fall season is a cornerstone of recreation in Western New York, and I am delighted to announce the expansion of our efforts to maintain optimal conditions and improve opportunities for anglers,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “Through the Reimagine the Canals initiative, this partnership between the state and local landowners in key fishing areas will connect community and conservation along the Lake Ontario tributaries and will provide New Yorkers with additional areas to cast a line while increasing tourism and bolstering local businesses.”

A Request for Expressions of Interest is being developed and will be issued to allow landowners in the designated areas to provide property and contact information to be considered for inclusion in the Program.

The ACE program will be piloted on several waterfront properties in Monroe, Orleans and Niagara counties selected through the RFEI and will follow a transparent process by which an easement price will be determined, with an option for landowners to opt-out at any point prior to reaching an agreement.

The easements will provide public fishing access and convey to the rights to maintain easement areas to improve water quality, enhance habitat, and reduce erosion. Easements or rights-of-way will reside with DEC ensuring public access and water quality improvements into the future.

NYPA Interim President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said, “As part of our Reimagine the Canals Fall Fishing Program, we are proud to create the ACE program in partnership with our colleagues at DEC. Conservation efforts are crucial for our State’s environmental protection, and we look forward to the numerous benefits this program will provide communities and anglers who take advantage of New York’s world-class fishing destinations.”

This map from the State Canal Corp. shows where the state uses canal water to supplement local tributaries and boost fishing opportunities for the fall salmon runs.

New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “For two seasons now the Canal Corporation has been increasing regulated water releases from the storied Erie Canal to improve spawning conditions and enhance angling opportunities in Western New York. These efforts are another example of how our Canal system connects our past with the present and the ACE program is a perfect complement to our Fall Fishing Program by providing anglers more and better access.”

DEC Commissioner Basil Segos said, “Developed with our partners at the New York Power Authority and Canal Corporation, the Reimagine the Canals Access and Conservation Easement program is a creative approach to enhancing public access to quality fishing experiences in Western New York, drawing anglers from across the state to experience the region’s world-class angling opportunities while protecting water quality and the environment at each site. DEC is pleased to collaborate on the Reimagine the Canals Fall Fishing initiative, which is bolstering fall fishing opportunities and local economies across Western New York.”

Based on an analysis of current and future public access needs, NYPA estimates investing up to $1.25 million over ten years into the ACE program. This program will expand New York’s Fall Fishing Program, which releases water, when appropriate, over an extended period to increase the flows in Lake Ontario tributaries throughout the fall and extends the draining of the Erie Canal to create optimal fishing opportunities and a longer season for anglers.

For more information on New York State’s Fall Fishing Program, visit the Canal Corporation’s website.

Press Release, New York Sea Grant

Water, wind, waves, and time, even the gentle lapping of Lake Erie or Lake Ontario, erodes the Great Lakes shoreline.

To mitigate the impact of shoreline erosion, New York Sea Grant (NYSG) Great Lakes Coastal Processes and Hazards Specialist Roy L. Widrig is inviting waterfront property owners to participate in online workshops on Dec. 7 and Dec. 9.

The 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. workshop on Dec. 7 will focus on the Western Lake Ontario shoreline areas of Niagara and Orleans counties.

The action and impact of Lake Erie on properties in Erie and Chautauqua counties will be featured in the Dec. 9 workshop from 1 pm to 4 pm. To register for either or both workshops, click here or contact 315-312-3042 or SGOswego@cornell.edu for assistance.

“The processes of erosion and accretion along Lakes Erie and Ontario share some similarities, but vast differences in the physical makeup of their shorelines, and the differences in approaching management options must be considered when planning a project,” says Widrig, author of the “Erosion Management for New York’s Great Lakes Shorelines Guide.”

In each workshop, Widrig will cover ways to address such issues as planning for lake level variations, designing and maintaining seawalls or rock rip-rap, water pooling in yards or basements, and general coastal processes. Participants will learn how they can freely access his expertise through the New York Sea Grant “Virtual Shoreline Visit” tool.

Locally-based New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New York State Department of State and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers personnel will discuss the permitting process for shoreline projects and answer questions as part of each workshop.

Workshop participants will see before and after photos of properties where options to achieve better drainage, bluff stabilization, and use nature-based features or traditional structures have been applied to manage erosion. Widrig will also share tips as the author of “Working with Nature: A Guide to Native Plants for New York’s Great Lakes Shorelines.”

New York Sea Grant, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2021-2022. It maintains Great Lakes offices in Oswego, Newark and Buffalo. For more information on Great Lakes coastal processes and erosion, click here.

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

File photo by Tom Rivers: The Oak Orchard River is one of several tributaries that will have its water levels boosted to improve the local fall fishery.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the New York State Canal Corporation is again increasing regulated water releases from the Erie Canal into Lake Ontario tributaries in Western New York this fall to extend fishing opportunities and enhance world-class fishing destinations.

Now in its second year, the pilot program through the New York Power Authority’s Reimagine the Canals initiative is improving spawning conditions and enhancing angling opportunities in Monroe, Orleans, and Niagara counties – an effort that helps to increase tourism and bolster local businesses.

“Western New York already offers some of the best fishing in the nation, and the Reimagine the Canals initiative is helping to enhance this reputation,” Governor Hochul said. “The fall fishing program is a fantastic and strategic use the Erie Canal to make tributaries even better for anglers – from the most-experienced to someone casting a line for the first time. With these unique fishing opportunities, upstate New York is attracting an even wider breadth of visitor from both near and far, giving a significant boost to local and state economies.”

Now through mid-December, the New York State Canal Corporation is increasing regulated water releases from the Erie Canal into Monroe, Orleans, and Niagara County’s premier streams – Oak Orchard Creek, Sandy Creek and newly added in 2021, Eighteenmile Creek. In early November and again in early December, all Lake Ontario tributaries – including Oak Orchard, Sandy, Eighteenmile, Johnson, and Salmon Creeks – will see higher flows.

These elevated flows will entice more brown trout, steelhead, and Atlantic and Pacific salmon to run up these streams, by improving conditions for the fish and providing expanded opportunities for anglers.

As part of a continued enhancement of Western New York’s fishing opportunities, the Canal Corporation has also launched a website that provides anglers with information about when and where the increased water releases will take place. The landing page (click here) includes a calendar of water releases, provides links to public fishing locations, and additional resources and background for casual and serious anglers alike.

NYPA President and CEO Gil C. Quiniones said, “The success of our fall fishing program last year proved that the Erie Canal continues to be a lifeline of economic stimulation across Upstate and Western New York. NYPA is proud to usher in the second year of this program, and we look forward to continuing to build on the innovative ways in which the Canal system contributes to the economic success of New York’s economy.”

New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “As the close of the Canal navigation season nears, it is a pleasure to ring in the fall fishing season in a way that benefits both anglers and tourists, as well as Western New York’s canalside businesses and communities. By increasing the flow of water into key tributaries, anglers will once again be able to enjoy a longer fishing season and an even better fishing opportunity.”