Environment & Nature

Ellen Pikitch as a delegate for Monaco at the United Nations in April.

By Daniel Dunaief

To borrow from the show Hamilton, Ellen Pikitch was in the room where it happens.

The Endowed Professor of Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University, Pikitch traveled to the United Nations on the east side of Manhattan last month to serve as a delegate for Monaco during the Preparatory Commission for the High Seas Treaty, which is also known as Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction.

The meeting, the first of several gatherings scheduled after the passage of the historic High Seas Treaty that is designed to protect 30 percent of the oceans by 2030, started to create a framework of rules and procedures.

Pikitch, who has advanced, developed and implemented Marine Protected Areas globally, was pleased with the early progress.

“I came away feeling optimistic that we are going to have a functional High Seas Treaty within a couple of years,” said Pikitch. “These details are being hashed out before the treaty comes into force.”

Indeed, 60 nations need to ratify the treaty for it to come into force.

At this point, 20 of the 194 countries that are member state of the United Nations have ratified the treaty. Each country has its own procedures for providing national support for an effort designed to protect biodiversity and natural resources.

Numerous representatives and members of environmental organizations are encouraging leaders of countries to ratify the treaty before the United Nations Oceans conference in Nice from June 9th to June 13th.

Award winning actress and activist Jane Fonda gave a speech at the meeting, urging countries to take the next steps.

“This isn’t just about protecting the oceans. It’s about protecting ourselves,” said Fonda. “Please, please, when you go back to your capitals in the next few days, remind your ministers of what we’re working toward. Remind them that we have a chance this year to change the future.”

Getting 60 ratifications this year is going to be “another monumental achievement,” Fonda continued. “We know it isn’t easy, but we also know that without the level of urgency… the target of protecting 30 percent of the world’s oceans will slip out of our grasp.”

Pikitch expects that the first 60 countries will be the hardest and that, once those agree, others will likely want to join to make sure they are part of the decision making. The treaty will form a framework or benefit sharing from biodiversity discovered as well as the resource use and extraction at these high seas sites.

“New discoveries from the high seas are too important for countries to ignore,” Pikitch said.

The members who ratify the treaty will work on a framework for designating protected areas on the high seas.

Pikitch shared Fonda’s sense of urgency in advancing the treaty and protecting the oceans.

“There is no time to waste,” Pikitch said. In the Stony Brook Professor’s opinion, the hardest part of the work has already occurred, with the long-awaited signing of the treaty. Still, she said it “can’t take another 20 years for the High Seas Treaty to come into effect.”

Monaco connection

Pikitch has had a connection with the small nation of Monaco, which borders on the southeastern coast of France and borders on the Mediterranean Sea, for over a decade.

Isabelle Picco, the Permanent Representative to the United Nations for Monaco, asked Pikitch to serve as one of the two delegates at the preparatory commission last month.

Pikitch is “thrilled” to be working with Monaco and hopes to contribute in a meaningful way to the discussion and planning for the nuts and bolts of the treaty.

Other meetings are scheduled for August and for early next year.

Most provisions at the United Nations require unanimous agreement, which, in part, is why the treaty itself took over 20 years. Any country could have held up the process of agreeing to the treaty.

To approve of a marine protected area, the group would only need a 2/3 vote, not a complete consensus. That, Pikitch hopes, would make it more likely to create a greater number of these protected places.

Scientific committee

The meeting involved discussions over how the treaty would work. Once the treaty has come into force, a scientific committee will advise the secretariat. The group addressed numerous issues related to this committee, such as the number of its members, a general framework for how members would be selected, the composition of the committee in terms of geographic representation, how often the committee would meet and whether the committee could set up working groups for topics that might arise.

Representatives of many countries expressed support for the notion that the scientific committee would make decisions based on their expertise, rather than as representatives of their government. This approach could make science the driving force behind the recommendations, rather than politics, enabling participants to use their judgement rather than echo a political party line for the party in power from their country.

Several participants also endorsed the idea that at least one indigenous scientist should be on this committee.

Pikitch, who has also served at the UN as a representative for the country of Palau, was pleased that the meeting had considerable agreement.

“There was a spirit of cooperation and a willingness to move forward with something important,” she said. By participating in a timely and meaningful way in this process, [the countries involved] are behaving as though they are convinced a high seas treaty will come into force” before too long.

Ultimately, Pikitch expects that the agreement will be a living, breathing treaty, which will give it the flexibility to respond to fluid situations.

As Fonda suggested, the treaty is about “recognizing that the fate of humanity is inextricably linked to the health of the natural world.” She thanked the group for “giving me hope.”

By Sabrina Artusa 

While the Lawrence Aviation Industries site in Port Jefferson Station is clean and cleared from the superfund registry, the atmosphere around the prospective rail yard is murkier than ever. 

The MTA has yet to secure the 40 acres allocated to the rail yard, which would be crucial to electrifying the Port Jefferson line. As the June 30 deadline approaches, local officials and environmental leaders met at the site on June 2 to urge the MTA to sign and for Governor Kathy Hochul to apply further pressure. Brookhaven bought 40 acres to preserve as open space and the county bought the other 40 acres to use as a solar farm. 

“This is a community grafted and supported plan that elected officials from all levels of government have worked very hard on for 15 years now,” said Adrienne Esposito of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “And we are in the last few days to make it successful and get the job done.” 

The Setauket–Port Jefferson Station Greenway will have to be rerouted in order for the MTA to proceed with the rail yard. Since the DOT owns that land, they have to sign an agreement with the MTA and work out an easement between them. 

Romaine said the DOT is hesitating in giving the MTA the go-ahead. “Let’s not pass this up because the DOT is blocking this,” Romaine said. “Let’s everybody row in the same direction…let’s electrify this line.” 

Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay is pushing legislation to advance an easement agreement between the DOT and MTA. 

The bill, currently being reviewed by committee, ensures the DOT will not be prevented from rerouting the Greenway. Further, it states that if the DOT intends to expand Route 25A, as they originally intended,  the easement would not impede that move as a bridge could connect the Greenway instead.

“The DOT is authorized and directed to work with the MTA and other interested particles and/or owners of real property surrounding the Greenway to negotiate and execute the…easement within six months after the effective date of this act,” the bill reads. 

After the event at the Lawrence Aviation Site, Kassay said the DOT reached out to her with suggested amendments. 

“New York State has lofty green energy goals, lofty goals for decarbonization and I can not do enough to press upon them how vital this opportunity is to make more green the MTA,” said Kassay, who has been pushing for assistance at the state level. “This is not an opportunity we can lose.” 

 An updated, electrified line is something residents from Port Jefferson to Smithtown can benefit from: fewer breakdowns, cleaner air and a smoother ride. The train can be used by Stony Brook University students and can provide redevelopment opportunities.

“In order to build housing, and to put that housing where it makes sense for rail service, this could only help. For the economic development that is needed, this could only help,” said Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico.  

The Suffolk County Landbank is selling the land to the MTA for $10. Sarah Lansdale, the Suffolk County commissioner of economic development and planning, said the MTA cut off communication with the landbank last September. 

Further,  she said that the landbank submitted two FOIL requests asking for records specifying any plans of potential development for the area. The DOT declined possessing such records.

“The Department has no plans or designs for the reconstruction of NY25A from its current location to the property that was acquired where a section of the Setauket–Port Jefferson Greenway trail exits near Sheep Pasture Road and where Suffolk County and the LIRR are proposing to create a rail yard,” a March 24 letter from Department of Transportation Deputy Counsel Norman W. Kee to Suffolk County reads. 

After not receiving the requested records, Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning submitted an appeal.

The June 30 deadline is about a year from the first deadline in 2024. Two extensions later, if the MTA and DOT do not reach an agreement and the MTA does not purchase the property, the project cannot move forward. 

“We are going to show her how it’s done,” Esposito said as she held up red tape for Romaine to cut. 

By Sabrina Artusa

Nine months after 9 inches of rain blew out the Stony Brook Mill Pond dam, rupturing Harbor Road and draining the Mill Pond, residents organized in front of the cracked asphalt and marshy hollow to urge reconstruction. 

Politicians from the Town of Brookhaven and Head of the Harbor as well as members of Ward Melville Heritage Organization were present at the two-hour rally on May 31 and fielded questions of ownership, Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement and a potential timeline. 

The lack of progress is due to ownership disputes, with both Brookhaven officials and Ward Melville Heritage Organization President Gloria Rocchio stating they don’t own the road. 

Beth Zweig, a Head of the Harbor resident who helped organize the rally, said, “I noticed nothing was happening and… really just wanted to get an update on where things were.” After communicating with other residents and Head of the Harbor Mayor Mike Utevsky, Zweig learned of the “bureaucratic roadblock.”

“The residents are not happy and we won’t accept a stalemate,” Zweig said. “If it is a stalemate we aren’t going to make any progress.” 

Originally, the TOB thought it did own the road and began setting aside funds, said Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D, Stony Brook), before a title report produced by the town’s attorney proved the town does not own the road. An easement agreement signed by Rocchio corraborates the report and was presented at the rally. The 2007 contract allowed the Paul Simons Foundation permission to build a paved walkway on Harbor Road.

Rocchio is working with her own attorneys and says her organization is not responsible for the road. She said the organization doesn’t own roads, except for Mill Creek Road. 

“There is no real danger of an outlay of money and not getting that money back; we have been reassured by the state of New York that reimbursement will be made,” TOB Supervisor Dan Panico (R) said. He continued, noting federal trends with funding. “Right now we are guaranteed 75% reimbursement. In the future, we may be looking at zero.” 

He went on to say that, as the ecosystem begins to rebound, the argument against replacing the dam and letting the area grow may gain momentum. 

Many residents, particularly those from Head of the Harbor who lost their main passageway to their residences, are concerned about access to emergency services. 

“It is an ecological disaster. It is a medical crisis waiting to happen because there are so little ulterior roads to service the villages,” said Mickey Conlon. 

“All it’s going to take is one person to die because an ambulance can’t get in and something is going to happen,” said Tom Postillo, who frequently visited Mill Pond. 

“This is the village center, not only for residents, but for tourists who bring a great deal of business,” said another resident.

Head of the Harbor Mayor Michael Utevsky said that the entities have been in a lock for months and that at “every meeting it seemed there is something about to happen” but a solution never came to fruition.

Some residents felt that a go-around must exist and hoped the entities could work together. Kornreich and Panico said it was impossible for the town to expend taxpayer money on private property. 

“I am paying an enormous amount of taxes to Brookhaven, to Suffolk County, to New York,” said Laura Sclafani, a Stony Brook resident. “Why aren’t they paying?”

Sclafani said she is grateful for how the organization preserved the land. “They keep [the village center] great. I don’t want them bankrupt,” she said. 

“We need the owner to do this. We would love to do this. If there is a title report that says the town owns it, give it to me today and I will sign it tomorrow, so we can make a straight-faced application to FEMA before they go out of business,” Kornreich said. 

“I think today was very productive, we got to know each other more,” Rocchio said. “I think the myths have been eliminated.” 

David Ansel, vice president for the Center for Water Protection, presenting the report’s results at a press conference on May 20. Photo by Sabrina Artusa

By Sabrina Artusa

On May 20, Save the Sound, an environmental organization that analyzes the water quality of the Long Island Sound, compiled data revealing updated scores of beaches along Long Island’s coastline. The biennial report focuses on beach water quality, bacteria levels and swimming safety. 

The report was launched at a conference at Centerport Beach, with Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth (R) and Cornell Cooperative representatives present as Save the Sound Vice President of the Center for Water Protection David Ansel presented the grades, challenges and solutions for the Long Island Sound water quality. 

Using data collected by the departments of health that conduct the beach monitoring,  the beach report department of health, the beach report revealed an increase in wet weather that led to a decline in water quality. Consistently, samples collected within 48 hours of a quarter-inch or more of rainfall revealed diminished water quality. Indeed, there was an overall increase in samples that failed to meet state standards for bacteria concentration (including beaches in Connecticut). 

The grades, ranging from an F to an A+, are determined based on the presence of enterococcus bacteria. Swimmers can become sick if they swim in waters with unsafe concentrations of this fecal indicator bacteria. A failing sample contains 104 colony forming units per 100 ml. 

New York City and other areas surrounding the part of the Long Island Sound known as “the narrows” continue to receive low grades as the water is less often flushed out as opposed to beaches in eastern Suffolk County. 

Samples taken after precipitation contained higher levels of the bacteria suggest that pollutants are getting washed into the water. Ansel said “green infrastructure” can help. Paved areas do not allow for storm water absorption, instead leading runoff, and all the pollutants like oil and debris it picks up on the way, to run straight to the water. 

“We have seen high incidents of wet weather in the last number of years and we believe it is having a negative effect on the scores for the beaches. In our last beach report 78% of the beaches received As and Bs. In this year’s report 72% of the beaches are receiving As and Bs,” Ansel said, adding that we are coming off the wettest two-year stretch with 44 inches of rain. 

Animal waste is a big contributor to the presence of the bacteria in the water. Cleaning garbage, maintaining sewers and planting native plants can help minimize fecal-bacteria contamination. 

Ansel is active in advocating for solutions that would improve the Sound. The same day of the conference, he traveled to Albany to testify that more data is needed regarding algal blooms in saline water. 

“We are hopeful that there will be a conversion of Rikers Island to a water treatment facility that would have a materially positive impact on the Western Narrows of New York City and New York Sound.”

Smyth said the town began harvesting sugar kelp in 2022 and implemented a program for spawning oysters, which help filter the water. Huntington even supplies other municipalities with oysters shell stock to grow. 

“The sugar kelp is native to Long Island and requires little to no effort to grow in Long Island’s bays and harbors. The benefit is it improves water quality by removing harmful nitrogen which causes algae blooms,” Smyth said. 

Deputy Supervisor John McCarron said they harvest the kelp and grind it to a powder, which is then used as fertilizer. 

Although the town has only been harvesting sugar kelp for three years, McCarron said he has noticed  positive growth with marine wildlife diversity, with various species of fish dwelling by the kelp. The presence of wildlife seemed like a good sign. “This means it is doing something to clean up the area,” he said. 

High scoring beaches include Port Jefferson beach and Cedar Beach West, which had an A- and A+ respectively. 

A Fish Crow. Photo from Wikimedia

By John L. Turner

John Turner

Walking out of the returnable bottle vestibule at the local supermarket, I looked up to see a swirl of black forms, circling and swooping over the parking lot. I quickly counted eighteen crows and wondered what they were doing and what species was involved? A dozen landed on the building parapet, sitting in even spaced intervals about three feet apart and began vocalizing — I got the answer to the second question as their deeply nasal caw gave them away — I was watching a flock of Fish Crows, or as a flock of crows is also called “A Murder of Crows,” right here in a suburban parking lot.    

Fish Crows, which breed here, are a member of the Corvid family (or Corvidae) which has three other representatives of this fascinating bird family on Long Island — Blue Jay, American Crow and the Common Raven, a relative newcomer to the island’s avifauna. (The Raven is also the largest songbird in the world, an interesting factoid you can impress people with at cocktail parties). There are twenty-three corvid species in North America  with other representatives of the family including magpies,  nutcrackers, and scrub jays.   

A blue jay. Pixabay photo

As for the answer to the first question about their collective behavior, each and every bird was doing something important since such rapid communication was taking place between crows. The perched birds called repeatedly, almost incessantly, projecting their head forward to emphasize the call, so much so I thought they might tumble from the building edge! A few more joined the scene flying north from the nearby home improvement store and they proceeded to land on the parking light poles of the supermarket, cawing as they flew in.       

I watched for at least ten minutes as they called back and forth and I felt simultaneously amused and frustrated in not being able to enter their world and understand what the fuss was all about.  The spring mating season would soon be here with the birds pairing up to raise the next generation of fish crows. Was this the crow equivalent of a farewell party? Whatever the reason, it was a pleasure to watch a group of animals socializing in such an animated way. It brought a smile to my face. 

Another supermarket customer came out and once he passed the entrance overhang looked up, presumably drawn by my upward gaze and the raucous calling. He formed his arms as if he were firing a rifle and raised them in the direction of the birds. My smile immediately disappeared as his attitude and intent was clear. I said something to him that I cannot repeat in this family newspaper and his reaction, so immediate and spontaneous as to reveal his true attitude, darkened my mood for much of the day.  

In fact, his attitude of hostility toward crows is an all too common one. Based on New York State hunting regulations, promulgated by the Department of Environmental Conservation, you can kill as many crows as you want, each and every day, during a six month hunting season running from September 1st to March 31st. All this despite the fact that virtually no one hunts crows to eat them — they are shot for “sport.” The state agency, created to “conserve the environment,” one that you support with hard earned tax dollars, is in support of suffering and a wanton waste of life.  

While some have a negative view of crows,  a more positive view is developing, fostered by a recognition they are remarkably smart birds, a fact borne out by experiment and observation. 

The results of a recently published trial relating to “geometric regularity” bears this out. In this study, researchers rewarded crows if they correctly identified a shape which is different from a group of other displayed shapes — like four stars and a crescent. If a crow pecked at the crescent it would be given a treat, a delicious mealworm! The crows’ abilities were tested when it came to shapes that were different but in more subtle ways such as a square and another quadrilateral figure with which the angles and lines varied little. The subtlety  didn’t matter as the birds pecked the correct symbol and got the mealworm. 

We know from ample experiments and observations that crows are one of the few bird groups that use tools. In one famous set of experiments, crows had to know to drop rocks into a tube of water to raise the water level enough to reach a floating treat. They did this well and when confronted with two tubes, one containing water and the other sand, knew not to bother with the sand filled tube.  

In another experiment crows knew to insert one tube into another to gain enough length to reach food. The use of compound tools, as displayed by crows, has only been seen in Great Apes. 

To round out the intelligent capabilities of crows, they are known to recognize and distinguish human faces, being able to remember them for many years. What’s the reason for such intellectual prowess? Well, part of it has to do with the fact that corvids have large brains in comparison to their bodies. But the main reason has to do with the high density of neurons corvid brains possess and the overall complicated structure of the corvid brain. 

This time of year crows and other corvids have paired up to breed and raise a new generation. They will stay paired for the next couple of months but as summer wanes and the cooler weather arrives you’ll notice a change in their behavior. The pair bonds dissolve and the crows, ever gregarious and social, will spend the winter in flocks which can number in the hundreds, during which time individual crows observe the behavior of other crows learning:  What do they eat? In what direction and how far do they fly from their overnight winter roost to find feed? How do they detect and avoid predators?  This social aspect of crows also helps to explain their overall adaptability and intelligence, traits that if my fellow shopper knew, might result in him replacing his knee jerk aggressive gesture with a sense of admiration. 

A resident of Setauket, author John L. Turner is a naturalist, conservation co-chair of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, and Conservation Policy Advocate for the Seatuck Environmental Association.

Pixabay photo
A Column Promoting a More Earth-Friendly Lifestyle

By John L. Turner

John Turner

Over the past several weeks and continuing now in a diminished fashion, hundreds of millions of birds have been migrating north to their breeding grounds to raise the next generation. Colorful songbirds like warblers, tanagers, thrushes, grosbeaks, vireos, and many other groups are winging their way through the night to reach their desired destinations, using, remarkably, the celestial constellations and the Earth’s magnetic fields to orient themselves and stay on course until they arrive at their breeding grounds.    

On their travels these birds face a gauntlet of challenges so the question is: would you like to take a simple step to help ensure they successfully complete their remarkable journeys? Shut off unneeded interior lights or pull down blinds to prevent the light from bleeding outward. Also, and more importantly, turn off exterior lights. A number of studies have documented that lighting confuses and disorients birds just as it does to moths, drawing them into unfriendly environments like developed areas where feral and free roaming pet cats and glass windows are abundant. By reducing the amount of ambient light we can help migrating birds safely reach their nesting sites. Plus, you’ll save a little in energy costs.

A resident of Setauket, author John L. Turner is a naturalist, conservation co-chair of the Four Harbors Audubon Society, and Conservation Policy Advocate for the Seatuck Environmental Association.

 

Photo by Pete Linforth/Pixabay

By Nancy Marr

Since the mid-20th century, when mass production of plastics began, they have infiltrated our lives. Their production and incineration release significant greenhouse gases, which contributes to climate change. The fact that plastics resist natural decay makes it difficult  to recycle them. Nearly all the plastic ever produced still exists in one form or another, and it is estimated that its production is expected to triple by 2060. 

Because they are inexpensive to produce and can be lightweight, the single-use plastics are useful as trash bags, utensils, and household items, and are used by the food and healthcare industries for hygiene, durability and cost effectiveness.

Plastics also pose risks to human health. Recent studies have found microplastics in almost every part of the human body, including breast milk, the placenta, testicles, hearts,  livers and kidneys. Although the full effects are still under research, the presence of plastic in our bodies raises serious concerns. Plastics also contain chemicals like bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthalates, which can leach into food and beverages. These disrupt hormones and are linked to health issues such as infertility, obesity, and cancer. Microplastics, formed when larger plastics degrade, are now found in seafood and even drinking water.  

A key issue is not how much plastic waste is produced, but how much of it is mismanaged — improperly disposed of, often ending up in nature. Many developing nations lack the infrastructure to properly collect, sort, or recycle plastic, resulting in widespread dumping into the environment. Nigeria (87.5%), India (68.6%), and Indonesia (43.8%) have some of the highest rates of mismanaged waste, while wealthier countries such as the U.S.(5.1%) and the U.K. (6%) perform better, though not ideally. 

The United States produces more than any other nation, over 42 million metric tons of plastic waste, largely impacting communities of color and low income communities. New York State produces 6.8 million tons of packaging waste each year. Most of this packaging is sent to landfills, burned in incinerators, or littered in our streets, parks and beaches. Far too much finds its way into our rivers, lakes, and the Atlantic Ocean.   

There were hopes that a United Nations global plastics treaty would be finalized by the end of 2024. However, due to resistance, especially from oil-producing companies, it did not happen. Talks are set to continue, but progress will depend on local action.

Since 2020, at least 5 states (California, Montana, Oregon, Minnesota and Maine) have enacted Extended Producer Responsibility legislation to make plastics producers responsible for curbing plastic pollution and paying municipalities for their share of managing the waste. In response, plastics producers have worked to improve their recycling efforts. 

As reported in Resource Recycling, Nicole Portley, program leader for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, pointed out “It’s important for producers to remember that the EPR came about as a compromise between industry and anti-plastic advocates, who wanted regulations like product bans.”

In New York State, Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick and Senator Peter Harckham (S1462) have introduced The Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act. The bill requires big companies to cut their plastic packaging by 30% over the next twelve years, bans 14 highly toxic chemicals including PFAS, formaldehyde, mercury, lead, vinyl chloride, and bisphenols that are used in packaging, and requires the companies responsible for dealing with the packaging waste to pay the municipalities dealing with it. 

A question has been raised about the cost to consumers from the introduction of EPR requirements. Satyajit Bose, Columbia School of Professional Studies, estimates that there would be no more than a maximum increase of $4 per household in monthly grocery costs, while plastic manufacturers claim $40 to $60 more per month. The bills are currently in committee; they will amend the Environmental Conservation Law, passed by the New York State Legislature in 2014, which included Article 27, Plastic Bag Reduction, Reuse and Recycling.

This bill is urgently needed. Long Island is responsible for 1.6 million tons per year of which 205,000 tons go to landfills off Long Island, and 1.4 million tons are sent to waste-to-energy facilities, resulting in 400,000 tons of ash that must be landfilled. The one wise choice everyone agrees with is to reduce our waste stream. This bill does just that. 

We need to press the Assembly and Senate and Governor Hochul to sign this bill this year in June to reduce the impact of plastic waste on our communities. 

Nancy Marr is Vice-President of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County, a nonprofit nonpartisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. For more information, call 631-862-6860.

On Sunday, May 18, Legislator Rebecca Sanin hosted an Earth Day Celebration at West Hills County Park, bringing together residents, local organizations, and community partners for a day of environmental education, family fun, and sustainability-focused engagement. The event featured a wide range of community sponsors, partners, and vendors, including: Silver Edge Construction, Confident Minds Psychotherapy and Coaching, County Line Hardware, Harbor Paint, Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site, West Hills Neighbors, DDR Farm, Say Cheese Pizza Café, and PSEG.

In addition, the event welcomed a series of organizations that provided educational materials and interactive experiences, including: Long Island Clean Energy Hub, Toxic/Nature Studios, Art League of Long Island, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Decor by Don, PuroClean of Huntington, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County – Marine Department, and the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMSEAS). Additional appreciation is extended to the Commack Library and Elwood Library for providing lawn games, and for contributing to a fun and engaging atmosphere for families throughout the day.

“It is truly an inspiration to watch our community gather in support of our home planet,” said Legislator Sanin. “Our earth is the most precious that gift we have, and it is up to all of us to advocate for, respect, and celebrate that gift.”

Now in its second year, Legislator Sanin’s Earth Day Celebration continues to bring the community together in support of local environmental efforts. The event highlighted the role of youth in shaping a sustainable future through the Earth Day Poetry Contest, where student participants expressed their environmental values through powerful creative writing. Legislator Sanin extends her congratulations to winners Abigail Kaloo and Kenji Flores of Walt Whitman High School, and Aleuris Lantigua of Brentwood High School for the creativity and care demonstrated in their poetry submissions.

The event showed a shared commitment to environmental change and the importance of making everyday Earth Day through continued advocacy, education, and sustainable choices.

 

A participant at last year's tournament. Photo by Carol Tokosh

The Friends of Caleb Smith Preserve will hold its annual Catch and Release Junior Angler Fishing Tournament at Caleb Smith State Park Preserve, 581 W. Jericho Turnpike, Smithtown, on Saturday,  June 14. The event is rain or shine.

The tournament will be divided into two groups: ages 5 through 8 from 9:45 to 11:15 a.m. and ages 9 to 12 from 1 to 3 p.m. Sign-in begins 30 minutes before each start time. Trophies will be awarded in three categories at each session.

Those interested in participating in the tournament must register by Thursday, June 12, and adults must accompany anglers under the age of 10. The entry fee is $20 and includes bait, hooks and bobbers, junior angler tee shirts, refreshments, and goody bags for all participants. A limited number of fishing rods are available if required. An $8 NYS Parks parking fee will be in effect. 

For more information or to register, call the Caleb Smith State Preserve office at 631-265-1054, Tuesday through Sunday.

Two Ptilothrix chiracahua resting in their host plant, Kallstroemia grandiflora, the Arizona poppy. Chihuahua desert, southern Arizona. The water will be used to soften the rocky ground to allow the bee to dig her burrow. Photo from Clay Bolt

May 20 is World Bee Day, an opportunity to celebrate not only the beloved honey bee, but North America’s 4,000 species of native bees, many of which are busy right now.

“Throughout spring and summer, these insects dutifully pollinate crops and wildflowers, playing a vital role in fostering healthy ecosystems,” says Clay Bolt, manager of Pollinator Conservation and Great Plains communications, World Wildlife Fund.

According to Bolt, native bee species are beautifully varied in their appearance, behaviors, feeding habits and habitats.

They can be striped, metallic, fuzzy, thin and rotund, in a spectrum of colors. The world’s smallest species—the Euphorb mini-fairy bee—is only found in southern deserts. At 2 millimeters, it is about as long as a U.S. nickel is thick.

Different bee species fly at different times—early morning, daytime or night. Many emerge seasonally in spring or summer, while others remain hidden underground for years awaiting summer monsoons. Bees inhabit diverse environments, from cold mountain peaks to beaches. Generalist species visit many flower types, while specialists pollinate only specific flowers. And unlike bumble bees and other hive-dwelling bee species, such as honey bees and stingless bees, over 70% of the world’s bee species are in fact solitary, hardworking moms who quietly nest in overlooked places like decomposing logs and alongside garden paths.

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “what is a bee?” you might be surprised to learn that they are vegetarian wasps. However, unlike their wasp relatives, which often feed their young protein in the form of paralyzed insects and the hamburger they might steal from your picnic table, most bees provide their offspring with protein made from pollen mixed with nectar. The mother bee compacts these materials into a pellet and places it within her nest cavity, lays a single egg atop the mixture, then seals the chamber where the young bee will develop entirely without maternal assistance.

How can you help bees?

Sadly, bees face threats to their survival, but there are steps you can take to help protect them.

Bees need healthy, pesticide-free foods throughout their lives. This is one of the greatest gifts you can offer these pollinators, especially because parks and gardens often grow flowers that only bloom during peak summer. By planting a variety of plants that flower from early spring through autumn, the number of native bees and other pollinators visiting your garden will increase exponentially.

“Through small acts of kindness, you can transform the lives of these remarkable creatures, while filling your heart with profound hope and wonder as you witness their delicate yet ongoing care of our shared world,” says Bolt.

World Bee Day also kicks off World Wildlife Fund’s new “Stories of Hope and Wonder,” an ongoing series that connects people to the wonder of nature and offers hope for a future benefiting both people and wildlife. Each month, “Stories of Hope and Wonder” will feature a different species overcoming some of nature’s toughest obstacles to ensure its survival. To access these stories, visit www.worldwildlife.org/hopeandwonder.

Bees are industrious creatures that are essential to vital food systems and healthy ecosystems. While bees are at risk, individuals can make all the difference in their own backyards this World Bee Day and beyond.

— StatePoint