MEMORANDUM - Albany Pine Bush Preserve

MEMORANDUM
COMMISSION MEMBERS
Gene J. Kelly
Regional Director
NYS Department of
Environmental
Conservation
Rose Harvey
Commissioner
NYS Office of Parks,
Recreation and
Historic Preservation
Anthony M. Wilkinson
Deputy Director
Eastern NY Chapter
The Nature Conservancy
Hon. Jerry Jennings
Mayor
City of Albany
Hon. Paula A. Mahan
Supervisor
Town of Colonie
TO:
FROM:
CC:
DATE:
RE:
Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission
Albany Pine Bush Technical Committee and Partners
Christopher A. Hawver, Executive Director
Gene Kelly, NYSDEC Region 4, Chair
June 11, 2012
June 21, 2012 Commission Meeting #91 @ the Discovery Center
Attached is the agenda for the Thursday, June 21, 2012, 9:30 am meeting of the Albany
Pine Bush Preserve Commission. The meeting will be in the Pine Barrens Room of the
Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center.
If you have any questions regarding the proposed agenda, please contact Margie Stein at our
office (456-0655 x1215), or myself (456-0655 x1218). We thank you for your continued
support of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve and look forward to seeing you.
Aaron Mair
Citizen Representative
Distribution:
Commission
Gene J. Kelly, Esq. (NYSDEC)
Commissioner Rose Harvey (NYSOPRHP)
Anthony M. Wilkinson (TNC)
Hon. Jerry Jennings (City of Albany)
Hon. Kenneth Runion (Guilderland)
Hon. Paula A. Mahan (Colonie)
Hon. Daniel P. McCoy (Albany County)
Harvey J. Alexander, PhD. (Citizen member)
John Brust (Citizen member)
Aaron Mair (Citizen member)
Steven K. Rice, PhD. (Citizen member)
Steven Rice, Ph.D.
Citizen Representative
Additional:
Larry Eckhaus, Esq. (NYSDEC-OGC)
Alane Ball Chinian (NYSOPRHP representative)
Tom Lyons (NYSOPRHP)
Karl Parker (NYSDEC)
Bill Bruce (City of Albany representative)
Brad Fischer, Esq. (Albany County representative)
Lisa Anthony (APBPC Finance & Operations)
E-packet:
Loretta Simon, Esq. (NYSOAG)
Hon. Ken Runion
Supervisor
Town of Guilderland
Hon. Daniel P. McCoy
County Executive
County of Albany
Harvey Jay Alexander, Ph.D.
Citizen Representative
John Brust
Citizen Representative
Christopher A. Hawver
Executive Director
Emailed Agenda:
Michael Yevoli
Ken Hamm, Esq.
Rich Ostrov, Esq.
Bill Clarke
Doug Melnick
Technical Committee
Richard Georgeson (NYSDEC)
Karen Terbush (NYSOPRHP)
Mark King (TNC)
Brad Glass (City of Albany)
Donald Csaposs (Guilderland)
Mike Lyons (Colonie)
Mark Fitzsimmons (Albany County)
Paul Russell
Shauna Desantis, Esq.
John Sipos, Esq.
Jan Weston
Nancy Amo
Matt Lindeman
Peter Innes
Joseph LaCivita
Doug Haller
Andy Marcuccio
Frank Farrucci
195 NEW KARNER ROAD, SUITE 1  ALBANY, NEW YORK 12205  PHONE 518.456.0655  FAX 518.456.8198
WWW.ALBANYPINEBUSH.ORG
F 100% Recycled Paper
ALBANY PINE BUSH PRESERVE COMMISSION
MEETING #91
THURSDAY, June 21, 2012, 9:30 am
Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center Pine Barrens Room
9:30
1) Introductions – Gene Kelly, Chair
2) Consider minutes of March 14, 2012 meeting
9:35
3) Comments from the public
9:45
4) Reports:
a) Commission Chair – Gene Kelly
b) Commission Members
c) Executive Director – Chris Hawver
d) Technical Committee – Neil Gifford
e) Discovery Center – Jeff Folmer
f) Financial report – Lisa Anthony
10:15
5) Presentation and Discussion Topics:
a) FY 2011/12 Audit – Wojeski & Company CPAs
10:45
6) Action Items:
a) Consider updated FY 2012/13 Budget
b) Consider updated Policies & Procedures
c) Consider updated Purchasing and Procurement Guidelines
d) Consider updated Capitalization Policy
e) Consider Public Authority compliance materials:
 Assessment of Internal Controls
 Prompt Policy Statement
 Prompt Policy Report for FY 2011/12
 Annual Report financial summary
11:15
7) Executive Session
11:30
8) Other Business and Adjourn:
a) Future meetings at the Discovery Center:
 September 20, 2012, 9:30 am
 December 20, 2012, 9:30 am
 March 21, 2013, 9:30 am
TO:
Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission (APBPC)
APBPC Technical Committee
FROM: Christopher Hawver, Executive Director;
Margaret Stein, Office Manager
DATE: June 12, 2012
RE:
June 2012 Pine Bush Update
Since the March meeting, Commission staff, partners, interns and volunteers have continued progress
toward a number of exciting Pine Bush projects. Here are highlights from this spring:
Discovery Center
Building and Grounds – Various improvements have been made to the building and grounds.
Especially notable is the completion of the new Discovery Center entrance sign/sculpture designed by
Taylor Studios and Envision Architects complete with LED display and accompanying box garden, as
well as cleanup, painting, and more on the grounds.
Outreach –To broaden awareness of the Discovery Center and its programs, public outreach efforts
have been increased and include two new trade show displays – a large 8’ x 8’ display, plus a smaller
version. Both high-profile displays were designed to provide maximum exposure and to engage the
public at outreach events, as well as to reflect the superior quality of exhibits and programs. Discovery
Center staff participated in a number of successful events at which the displays were featured
including: Rensselaer County Chamber Annual Dinner, Tulip Festival, several L.L. Bean in-store
events, and Capital District Flower and Garden Show, among others. Also organized: First Day of
Spring “Meet and Greet” with the new Discovery Center Director, Annual Lupine Fest (with recordbreaking attendance, see below), Farnsworth Middle School Pine Bush Project Silent Auction cosponsored by Friends of the Pine Bush (over 230 attendees).
Numerous print and broadcast media have featured the Discovery Center including: WNYT TV
Channel 13 The Forum which featured Discovery Center Director Jeffrey Folmer (along with
Environmental Educator Sara Poggi and Box Turtle), Radio Disney, The Albany Convention and
Visitor’s Bureau which featured Jeff in a Member of the Month online video, The Cat 104.9, WAMC,
The Saint 88.3. Jeff was also invited to be one of five Community Ambassadors with the Guilderland
Chamber of Commerce at a forum presented by Global Foundries on the “Tech Valley Connection for
Education and Jobs.” We also participated in a two-day online conference on Museums and Mobile
with over 1,000 attendees representing institutions from around the world including the Smithsonian,
Museum of Modern Art, The British Museum, The UK National Gallery, etc. Workshops to improve
the Discovery Center’s social media profile were also attended.
Fire Management
Americorps – To support conservation projects the Commission is currently sponsoring an eight
person, eight week team of volunteers from the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps
National Service Program (www.americorps.gov); the team is specialized in wildland fire management.
Prescribed Fire Technician, Tyler Briggs, has been coordinating the teams’ activities and thus far they
have helped with an impressive list of projects including the preparation of approximately 500 acres of
burn units. The Americorps team has also assisted with projects at the Finger Lakes National Forest
and the Saratoga National Park, and along with Tyler supported NYSDEC Forest Rangers in
suppressing two wildfires in the state.
$100,000 Forest Fire Hazard Mitigation Grant awarded - An application to the USDA Forest
Service for the Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry grants program was successfully funded.
The award will support prescribed fire and the mechanical reduction of wildland fuels in several parts
of the Preserve, and the production of educational programming and materials. Commission staff
especially appreciates the NYSDEC Division of Forest Protection’s support of the application.
Training – Fire Management staff conducted wildland fire training at seven volunteer fire departments
this spring to nearly 200 firefighters. Staff also assisted NYSDEC in hosting the federally required
annual wildland fire training refresher class, which was attended by more than 70 firefighters.
Stewardship
Trail network changes – Implementation of the trail system changes proposed in the Commission’s
2010 Management Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement continue. A brand new trail
network has been initiated that will, when completed, connect the Madison Avenue Pinelands trailhead
with the Hunger Kill Barrens trailhead. This will be the first “through trail” in the Preserve and will
allow trail users to transition between three different trailheads (the Great Dune trails and Madison
Avenue trails are already connected) entirely via the trails system.
Boundary Work – Stewardship staff continue to mark and update Preserve boundaries. The ongoing
project to replace old wooden boundary posts in various states of disrepair with new metal posts
continues. At present, about half of all Preserve lands for which surveys have been conducted are
marked with the more durable metal posts.
New Seasonal Stewardship Staff Hired – Please welcome two new seasonal Stewardship staff to the
Commission! Alyssa Epstein and Zach (Goodie) Goodrich began their tenure in early April, and will
be here through November. They are well qualified individuals selected from a wide pool of
applicants and we are excited to get a lot accomplished this field season with their help!
Restoration Planting Complete – This April we completed 35 acres of habitat restoration planting.
We planted two sites, one that was a former invasive black locust forest, and another that was formerly
dominated by white pine trees. Restoration planting is the last phase of a multi-year procedure to
remove invasive and undesirable plants and replace them with native pine barrens species.
Additionally, with the help of volunteers on Earth Day, 250 pitch pine seedlings and 100 prairie willow
seedlings were planted at several restoration sites.
Additional Preserve Boundary Encroachments Addressed – Over the past several months, in
conjunction with boundary posting work, several new encroachments onto Preserve lands were
discovered and are being addressed with help from NYSDEC. Additionally, NYSDEC Rangers
recently issued three tickets to Preserve neighbors who, despite being given ample opportunity, refused
to comply with Preserve rules and regulations. More than 150 Preserve encroachments have been
resolved over the past four years.
Conservation Science
New Conservation Science Technicians – We have welcomed Ashley Gorr, Lilly Schelling and
Shelby Delgado to the Science team this summer. Ashley arrives after recent work on the Cape Cod
National Seashore working with Piping Plovers and Diamondback Terrapins while Lilly recently
completed work as a field research assistant at SUNY Plattsburgh. Shelby is here from SUNY-ESF; an
undergraduate student, she earned an internship here through her hard work and dedication to the
biological sciences. All three have dived in head first, sampling Karners and following Prairie
Warblers with great success!
Karner Blue Butterfly – Karner blue butterflies began flying two weeks earlier than our earliest
record this year. Conservation Biologist Steve Campbell, Field Ecologist Amanda Dillon and
Conservation Science Technicians Ashley and Lilly began distance sampling in early May and, so far,
Karners have been observed at all of the 16 searched sites. Thanks to the help of volunteer Marcia
Arland, they have also been observed at additional sites throughout the Preserve including areas where
captive raised animals were released in 2011.
Whip-poor-will – For the first time in four years, a male Whip-poor-will was heard singing in the
Preserve. On Wednesday April 25, Dillon heard a Whip-poor-will calling and then proceeded to call
back and forth with the animal for several minutes. Another bird was also heard a few weeks later
singing in the Blueberry Hill area of the Preserve. While conducting spadefoot toad surveys, volunteers
Mark Fitzsimmons and Al Breisch heard and saw a male Whip-poor-will, a happy reward for a night
survey.
Camera Trapping – Dillon, with the assistance of SUNY-Albany Graduate Students Paul Gallery and
Lisa Pipino, have been placing wildlife cameras at randomly chosen sites throughout the Preserve to
observe large mammal distribution abundance and movement. The cameras have captured at least 10
species of mammals including coyote, red and grey fox, and fisher. In addition, cameras have captured
movements of many resident white-tailed deer including one 12 ½ year-old doe originally tagged and
radio-collared in the Preserve by NYSDEC Wildlife Biologist Karl Parker in 2002 when she was 2½.
Bird Abundance – Steve, Dillon, and Ashley, along with Conservation Director Neil Gifford, have
begun 2012 breeding season bird point count sampling. There are 57 permanent sampling locations
(previously sampled in 2005 & 2010) distributed in the pitch pine-scrub oak barrens and forested
communities of the Preserve; counts at these points will be used to examine distribution, abundance
and bird community composition. The point count data from this year will be combined with data from
previous years to examine how birds are responding to the restoration of pitch pine - scrub oak barrens
(PBSOB). Although data collection for 2012 is still in progress, we have observed > 50 species
including three Species of Greatest Conservation Need that are typically associated with PPSOB
vegetation: prairie warbler, brown thrasher, and blue-winged warbler.
Prairie Warbler – 2012 marks the fourth year of a long-term investigation of breeding-season prairie
warbler ecology in the Preserve. Earlier Commission research led by Neil, in collaboration with
Jeremy Kirchman, Ph.D. from the New York State Museum demonstrated that the population of this
regionally-declining bird is exceptionally high in the Preserve and that prairie warblers are the single
best avian indicator of high quality pitch pine – scrub oak barrens habitat. Since 2009, 104 individual
birds have been banded. To help track the bird’s movements in thick scrub oak, Jennifer Bishop, Ph.D.
of Union College and one of her students are working with Commission staff to fit several prairie
warblers with radio transmitters.
Frost Ecology – The Preserve’s amazing plant and animal diversity can be directly attributed to the
extensive sand dune foundation and the diversity of habitat it creates. Throughout April, May and
early June frost repeatedly kills back scrub oak and many other plants in the low valleys between the
dunes – even when nightly temperatures beyond the Preserve are well above freezing. These “frost
pockets” are one of the least understood ecological features in the Preserve but are likely second only
to wildland fire as environmental processes driving plant and animal community dynamics. Dillon has
installed remote electronic data-recorders across several dunes in the Preserve as part of a long-term
investigation. By understanding the influence of these frost pockets on rare species we will begin to
understand how climate change may affect these relationships and Preserve management.
City of Albany Wildlife Habitat Restoration Project - The City of Albany continues to implement
the Albany Rapp Road Landfill Ecosystem Mitigation, Restoration & Enhancement Plan, in
accordance with state and federal permits associated with the expansion of the Rapp Road Sanitary
Landfill. The City’s aggressive project – only one part of the mitigation program approved by state
and federal regulators - will restore and/or enhance more than 200 acres, approximately half of which
will occur on dedicated Preserve lands. The 2012 phase of the habitat restoration project includes the
restoration of more than 80 acres of habitat along Rapp Road.
The City’s consultants communicate project details with Commission and NYSDEC staff weekly.
Details and reports regarding the restoration plan can be found at:
http://www.albanyny.org/Government/Departments/GeneralServices/TrashRecycling/landfill.aspx.
Education
Exploration Station Investigations – Our newest Exploration Station, Restoration of the Albany Pine
Bush, will be installed during the summer of 2012. Please call the Discovery Center for Exploration
Station hours.
Environmental Education Interns - The Albany Pine Bush education program has once again grown
a little larger with the help of two college Environmental Education Interns, Jenna Larkin and
Elizabeth Moran. Both students will be volunteering full time for six weeks of the summer. The
Interns will be gaining valuable experience in the field of environmental education by participating in a
myriad of projects including leading education programs, interpretive writing projects, care for
education animals and program preparation. We are excited to be working with them and sincerely
appreciate their high level of contribution to the Preserve.
Pine Bush Pups – The summer is here and so is the start of another series of Pine Bush Pups programs
at the Discovery Center! The education staff is planning a six week summer series of programs for
children ages 2-5 years including topics such as “Bees if you please!” and “Exploring the Pine Bush on
the Wings of a Dragonfly.”
Spring and Summer programs – The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission offered an exciting
and varied roster of spring public programs. We explored the Pine Bush by the light of the full moon
on the Full Moon Hike, listened for the sounds of spring peepers and other calling frogs on the Jeepers,
Creepers, Hear Those Peepers hike and we discovered the world of spiders with guest lecturer, Dr.
Linden Higgens of the University of Vermont. Don’t miss our summer public program line-up with
programs including “Bees if you please”, “Batty for Bats” and “Insect Extravaganza.”
Lupine Fest 2012 - The annual Lupine Festival held on May 19 was a huge success with over 640
visitors attending the day’s events. Live raptors, guided hikes, bird banding, live music and Mr.
Twisty were just a few of the exciting and fun programs offered throughout the day. We are already
looking forward to planning the next annual Lupine Fest for 2013.
Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission
Statement of Financial Activities
April 30, 2012
YEAR-TO-DATE
REVENUE
Budget
Actual
2012-2013 BUDGET
% Budget
Dues & Contributions
$
200 $
591
296%
$
50,000
Government Grants & Contracts
$
150,000 $
136,354
91%
$
2,100,000
Mitigation Fees
$
-
$
-
$
450,000
Investment Income
$
-
$
-
$
65,862
Lease Revenue
$
13,050 $
13,200
101%
$
159,210
Other Revenue
$
1,500 $
2,025
135%
$
17,250
$
164,750 $
152,170
92%
$
2,842,322
Personnel & Fringe
$
113,542 $
113,495
100%
$
1,429,096
Travel & Training
$
2,780 $
474
17%
$
32,760
Contractual
$
3,413 $
2,528
74%
$
719,138
Communications
$
4,441 $
3,332
75%
$
71,100
Occupancy
$
4,614 $
3,421
74%
$
118,318
Supplies & Equipment
$
22,261 $
11,736
53%
$
180,703
Other Expenses
$
3,568 $
2,868
80%
$
288,338
TOTAL EXPENSES
$
154,619 $
137,854
89%
$
2,839,453
NET SURPLUS (DEFICIT)
$
10,131 $
14,316
$
2,869
TOTAL REVENUE
EXPENSES
Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission
Statement of Net Assets
April 30, 2012
FY 2013
ASSETS
Cash & Cash Equivalents
Conservation & Land Reserves
Grants Receivable
Accounts Receivable
Inventory
Prepaid Expenses
Investments
Capital Assets, net of
accumulated depreciation
TOTAL ASSETS
LIABILITIES
Accounts Payable & Accrued Expenses
Deferred Revenue
TOTAL LIABILITIES
NET ASSETS
Invested in Capital Assets, net of debt
Reserved
Unreserved
TOTAL NET ASSETS
FY 2012
$
741,126 $
626,460
126,243
86,219
10,708
3,255,449
4,670,580
874,232
626,460
86,676
10,708
39,149
3,240,821
4,670,580
$
9,516,785 $
9,548,626
$
52,304 $
52,304 $
102,978
10,111
113,089
4,670,580 $
36,969
4,756,932
9,464,481 $
4,670,580
36,969
4,727,988
9,435,537
$
$
$
Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission
Investment Summary
April 30, 2012
Reserve Fund
Beginning Balance
Deposits
Withdrawals
Expenses
Income
Unrealized Gains/Losses
Ending Balance
Annualized Rate
Discovery Center Endowment
Beginning Balance
Deposits
Withdrawals
Expenses
Income
Unrealized Gains/Losses
Ending Balance
Annualized Rate
Endowment
Beginning Balance
Deposits
Withdrawals
Expenses
Income
Unrealized Gains/Losses
Ending Balance
Annualized Rate
841,366.21
2,203.09
12,036.00
855,605.30
1.69%
77,993.91
59.56
(73.41)
77,980.06
-0.02%
2,321,461.06
4,264.92
(3,862.43)
2,321,863.55
0.02%