![Exploring eco-science at the Cary Institute](https://millertonnews.com/media-library/the-cary-institutes-headquarters-the-tozer-ecosystem-science-building-at-dawn.jpg?id=51909006&width=1200&height=851)
The Cary Institute’s headquarters, the Tozer Ecosystem Science Building, at dawn.
Courtesy Cary Institute of Ecosystem studies/Photo by Seamus Payne
The Cary Institute’s headquarters, the Tozer Ecosystem Science Building, at dawn.
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies is well known in Millbrook and the area surrounding it for its 2,000 acres of nature walks, trails, ferns and plants as well as its many forums and presentations.
Over the past few years, the institute was completely renovated. There are new buildings clad in copper; a courtyard; and progressing nicely, a field of native pollinating plants.
What is most important about Cary, however, is what we don’t see: the work that goes on in labs, in fields and streams, not just in this area but across the world. President Joshua Ginsberg is justly proud that Cary is a force behind much of the research concerning important ecological issues of the day and how that research can impact local, state, federal and international laws and decisions.
It is difficult to prioritize Cary’s research and contributions to science and the environment; all of the projects are important.
Cary was founded in 1983 by Gene Likens, the co-discoverer of acid rain in North America. His research and experiments on precipitation and chemistry in streamwater, carried on in the 1960s at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, became the foundation in shaping environmental legislation. He was an advisor to governors in New York, New Hampshire and Connecticut as well as advisor to a U.S. president and the author of 26 books and more than 600 scientific papers, and was awarded the National Medal of Science by President George W. Bush in 2001
His research strongly influenced the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, which greatly expanded federal control of toxic air pollutants. To this day, Cary is known for having the longest running continuous data set on acid rain.
Invasive insects
Cary was instrumental in taking the initiative on researching invasive forest pests that come into the U.S. by various means. The late Cary scientist Gary Lovett perceived the problem of invasive species early on; New York state had the more new invasive pests in their forests than any other — 62 types were discovered in the state. These pests, such as the Asian long-horned beetle, discovered in 1996 in Brooklyn, the hemlock woolly adelgid, the emerald ash borer and others, come in through international trade, in lumber and packaging and in live trees and plants.
Scientists sought to strengthen laws regarding the problem, and brought attention to it in highlighting the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018. Yet the problem persists; just recently in this area, there was a huge problem with the spongy moth and the spotted lanternfly.
Lovett was concerned that not enough was being done and a set of science-based policies were developed, and recommendations made, to block the importation of insects and diseases brought in through international trade systems. Cary scientists, along with others, continues to work with legislators and through partnership to implement Tree-SMART Trade legislation.
A petition was started April 8, 2022, to ask Congress to do something about it. With Lovett and Cary Institute spearheading the petition, it was delivered with over 1,700 signatures to the House and Senate agricultural committees, requesting action be taken in the form of a congressional hearing on these invasive forest pests. On April 4, 2023, a bill was introduced to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry for action by the Senate.
Foliage fans
Cary scientists understand the importance of trees in ecology. They are studying the impact of forest fires on our ecological system. They conduct research in the U.S. and around the world.
When rain forests below the equator are burned or plundered, we lose all the potential medicines and other undiscovered treasures that they’re hiding.
Trees produce shade, which cools temperatures, and they release water vapor through their leaves. This also helps cool the air. This has an effect on energy costs for the consumer. With three carefully placed trees, a homeowner can save $100-$250 yearly on energy costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Trees absorb carbon dioxide, releasing the oxygen back into the air and storing the carbon. This helps in reducing the effects of climate change. A mature tree can absorb 48 pounds of carbon dioxide and will provide oxygen in its place.
Animals also benefit from trees, as a source of both shelter and food. Trees produce fruits and nuts, as well as some spices, which we use daily, and provide lumber for building.
Water protection
Water is an element we can’t live without. Emma Rosi, recently retired from Cary, studied how failing wastewater infrastructure plays a part in polluting streams and creating antibiotic-resistant “superbugs.” Rosi’s research showed how prescription and illicit drugs that invade our waterways impact freshwater quality and the aquatic life it should support.
After earning her master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Georgia, Rosi took on a leading role in the area of freshwater science and researching how emerging contaminants shape these systems. She has served on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Science Advisory Board.
Disease prediction
Joining the Cary Institute in 2014, Barbara Han got her doctorate in zoology from Oregon State University. Her research involves ecology, global health and computing, all of which she uses to predict outbreaks of new zoonotic diseases, the ones that jump from animals to humans. Of the many cases reported each year — over 1 billion — most can be attributed to zoonotic pathogens.
Han has partnered with collaborators at IBM and NASA on predicting global disease and has also helped the U.S. government and the World Health Organization to apply this specialized research to disease prevention.
Lyme prevention
Richard Ostfeld and Cary Institute partnered with Bard College, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the New York State Department of Health and the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health on The Tick Project, a five-year study that began in 2016 to find out if neighborhood-based prevention would have an effect on the amount of cases of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases were contracted.
Simple methods believed to be safe for the environment were used on both humans and pets. Twenty-four neighborhoods were chosen to participate, each consisting of 6 to 10 blocks. They used bait boxes to catch rodents and MET52 insecticide spray. The number of ticks in the yards with bait boxes was reduced to about half the usual number, while the spray had no effect on the number of ticks found. Neither method had an effect on people’s incidences with ticks, but pets’ diseases from tick-borne infection was lower by about 50% in yards using either the traps or the spray.
Cary is a nonprofit. Its website at caryinstitute.org includes forums, scientific papers, biographies and notes on its scientists as well as a place to donate.
Maxon Mills in Wassaic hosted a majority of the events of the local Upstate Art Weekend events in the community.
WASSAIC — Art enthusiasts from all over the country flocked to the Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley to participate in Upstate Art Weekend, which ran from July 18 to July 21.
The event, which “celebrates the cultural vibrancy of Upstate New York”, included 145 different locations where visitors could enjoy and interact with art.
On Saturday, July 20, The Wassaic Project hosted numerous community events. Will Hutnick, the director of artistic programming, said “We’ve been a part of it since the beginning, this is the fifth year of UPAW.”
Most of the action was based at Maxon Mills, the seven-floor grain mill located in the heart of Wassaic. On exhibit was work from 30 artists, 18 of whom were past residents of The Wassaic Project. “Artists can come and do a residency here, meaning they live and work with one another for a couple months at a time,” Hutnick stated.
The first floor held work by Petra Szilagyi, who uses dirt and linseed oil to construct images of paranormal concepts, most of which include bats. They reflected that a recent trip to a fifth sense competition in Vietnam was the influence behind the exhibit.
Across the floor was Tiffany Smith’s interactive installation which incorporated plants and wicker chairs, all of which were objects associated with her Carribean upbringing. “The room being filled with plants is symbolic of hurricane prep which often included bringing the plants from outside into the house,” Smith said.
As visitors made their way up the narrow wooden stairs, music could be heard from behind the walls. The echoing music was Daniel Shieh’s installation, entitled Mother’s Anthem, which played a recording of the American Anthem in 30 languages. The languages ranged from Spanish and Italian to Navajo and Bengali.
Each floor was filled with artwork of all mediums, including painting, fibers, collage and photography. Rachel Bussières, who switched her concentration after watching the 2017 solar eclipse, uses varying light sources to produce lumen prints. During the wildfires, she recounted that she “made a new exposure each day to capture the changing air quality”.
Luciana Abait also incorporates the natural world into her pieces, instead using maps. An environmental activist originally from Argentina, Abait’s work highlights “environmental fragility, specifically the impacts it has on immigrants.” Her installation that is currently on display at Maxon Mills, takes the form of a mountain range built solely from maps of the US and Argentina.
Throughout the day, visitors could “Arm Wrestle 4 A Popsicle”. Winners had the choice of 3 playfully flavored trout-inspired popsicles - Nightcrawler, Power Bait, and Salmon Roe. Artist Katie Peck, who spent the day in costume as a rainbow trout, encouraged guests to step up and try their hand at an arm wrestle.
Shibori Indigo dyeing, group meditation, and dance workshops were open for community members of all ages as well.
While the daytime activities fostered appreciation of fixed art, a dance party until midnight at The Lantern Inn offered guests a space for performative art.
When describing the environment of The Wassaic Project, Smith emphasized, “It’s all community, it’s all love.”
A serene scene during the Garden Tour in Amenia.
AMENIA — The much-anticipated annual Amenia Garden Tour drew a steady stream of visitors to admire five local gardens on Saturday, July 13, each one demonstrative of what a green thumb can do. An added advantage was the sense of community as neighbors and friends met along the way.
Each garden selected for the tour presented a different garden vibe. Phantom’s Rock, the garden of Wendy Goidel, offered a rocky terrain and a deep rock pool offering peaceful seclusion and anytime swims. Goidel graciously welcomed visitors and answered questions about the breathtaking setting.
Amenia Finance Director Charlie Miller welcomed visitors to his Bog Hollow Road garden in Wassaic, a manicured expansive yard with well-placed garden beds framing a far-reaching view. He said he plans carefully each winter for the next spring’s improvement.
The organic, environmentally responsible Maitri Farm was next, a lesson in coordinating agriculture with natural balance. The farm stand and a walk among the greenhouses brought visitors together.
Near the center of Amenia was the garden of Polly Pitts-Garvin, offering a chance to visit a robust vegetable garden with raised beds to be envious of and a remarkable absence of any insects or usual vegetable garden problems.
At Chez Cheese, the vast garden acreage surrounding the 1850s historic home of Joan Feeney and Bruce Phillips in Millerton, visitors could begin at refreshment stations where walking tour maps of the 15-acre property were available. There were streams and ponds with docks, and a dozen bridges arranged around the landscape. In the 19th-century, the property had been the home of the Wilson Cheese Factory, inspiring the name of the estate.
The Amenia Garden Tour was supported this year by Paley’s Garden Center in Sharon.
Gary Dodson working a tricky pool on the Schoharie Creek, hoping to lure something other than a rock bass from the depths.
PRATTSVILLE, N.Y. — The Schoharie Creek, a fabled Catskill trout stream, has suffered mightily in recent decades.
Between pressure from human development around the busy and popular Hunter Mountain ski area, serious flooding, and the fact that the stream’s east-west configuration means it gets the maximum amount of sunlight, the cool water required for trout habitat is simply not as available as in the old days.
This is not a new phenomenon. It does seem to be getting worse, though.
Gary Dodson and I convened where the creek makes its final run into the Schoharie reservoir, part of the New York City water supply system, on a semi-broiling Thursday afternoon, July 11.
The goal was simple. Catch smallmouth bass, which abound in the lower section of the river.
This was hot stuff — as in an 80-degree water temperature.
The air temperature was actually slightly less at 77.
After negotiating the intensely slippery rocks, festooned with treacherous algae, the first major pool presented several difficulties, with a back eddy competing with a main flow and several large trees draped about the whole thing.
I hit on the simplest strategy, which was to flip a weighted attractor fly called a Tequilley into the start of the eddy so it would proceed slowly but steadily into the maelstrom, sinking all the while.
This worked. A proper adult smallmouth, with bronze coloring and vertical stripes, took the thing.
The point-and-shoot camera finally died, however, and I was not going to try to fumble my phone out for a nice but routine fish photo.
Why not?
Because I guarantee the fish would have made a sudden, last-moment bolt for freedom, causing me to drop the device into the drink.
Gary moved downstream while I continued trying to annoy the residents of the pool, succeeding a couple of times with different colored Wooly Buggers.
Then we all got bored and I moved off, where Gary was catching rock bass and cussing them out for not being something else. I have to admit, they are not the most compelling critters. Something about the red eyes.
This latest trip was dominated by extremely tedious and distasteful Harry Homeowner activities, but on both Wednesday and
Thursday mornings I prowled Woodland Valley Creek. By “morning” I mean “dawn,” because that was when the water temps were down to a barely acceptable 64.
I made the acquaintance of several stocked browns and of a handful of their wild cousins. The wild fish are smaller and nimbler.
The successful ploy was an Adams wet fly, size 16, drifted behind something big, like a Parachute Adams or Stimulator.