A jewel of the Catskills: The Neversink Unique Area
The Neversink Unique Area, otherwise known as the Neversink Gorge, is a 5,466-acre tract of land encompassing the Neversink River Gorge and surrounding upland forest in the towns of Thompson and Forestburgh in Sullivan County, NY.
Administered by the New York State Department of Envrionmental Conservation (NYSDEC), this designated Unique Area first came into being in 1981, when the first 2,805-acre tract of land was acquired. Read more
Email this pageOn the path of history; Touring along the D&H Canal
Whether you’re looking for scenic beauty, or perhaps you want to learn more about how our region was developed in times gone by, why not take a weekend and follow the trail of the old Delaware and Hudson (D&H) Canal? You’ll be exploring the remnants of our country’s early industrial and transportation history—the story of how, early in the 19th century, two clever entrepreneurs, the Wurts brothers, were able to bring Pennsylvania’s black gold—anthracite coal—to New York City. Read more
Loving the Lackwaxen; Tribute to a tributary
Voted River of the Year in 2010 by the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Lackawaxen River is known far and wide as a spectacular freestone mountain fishery. The Lackawaxen was made famous by the well-known western novelist Zane Grey. Grey spent much of his time out west, but it was in the village of Lackawaxen, where the Delaware and Lackawaxen Rivers converge, that he spent his recreational time. It was here that he penned the famous “Lord of Lackawaxen Creek,” written for the May 1909 issue of Outing magazine. Read more
Managing the Lackawaxen River; For electricity and recreation
As my kayak hits the Lackawaxen and Delaware Rivers each spring, I am reminded of nature’s beauty and why I love living in this region of northeast Pennsylvania. Each time my boat passes a bald eagle nest or a screeching great blue heron, I appreciate the opportunity to recreate in such peaceful waters. Read more
History converges at Ten Mile River; Remembering an ‘army’ that planted trees
There is a very good chance that, if you live in the Upper Delaware River region, you have conservation in your bones. We love the seasonal changes, the outdoors and the open spaces, and we realize what a treasure Mother Nature has given us. Read more
If I can build a raised bed garden plot, you can, too!
If I’d known how easy it is to build a raised bed garden plot, I’d have done it years ago instead of having a patchwork, haphazard home kitchen garden.
So, you may ask: Why not just turn over the soil in my backyard? Well, we tried that one, and here’s the thing… Read more
Not your great-great-grandfather’s river; How times have changed
We think of the Delaware and its tributaries as the locale of some of the very best trout fishing in the east, but the area and its angling would be unrecognizable to its earliest anglers. Even though the region remains relatively unpopulated, the river has been transformed by a series of man-made events. And although the angling is now perhaps better than it has been in many years (the 2012 trout season, because of an unusually mild and dry winter, will be remembered as legendary), it is far different from what it had been before settlement by Europeans. Read more
Healthy waters, healthy fish; Biodiversity is the key
Freshwater makes up about 2.5% of the water on the Earth. This water is recycled through the hydrologic cycle and is the same water that our ancestors used when the dinosaurs roamed the earth. Our bodies are 98% water. All life is intricately connected and dependent on this finite amount of freshwater.
Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within and between species and of ecosystems. Read more
(Not so) secret spots; Finding a favorite spot
The idea and possession of a “secret spot” has been an integral part of the fisherman’s lore since the first hook was tossed in the water. All anglers have at one time found themselves in a special place, devoid of other humans but plentiful with their finned quarry. Read more
Reading the Upper Delaware River; Fish where the Fish are
The beginning fly fisherman can sometimes become overwhelmed with all the information available on the sport from casting, to entomology, to how to read a stream. All of these elements can be broken down into simple and easy-to-learn parts that will make your days on the water enjoyable and productive. Read more
