Ed Wesely

Naturalist Ed Wesely has been one of the longest-term associates of The River Reporter, starting in 1983. He writes, “Like many TRR collaborators in the early 1980s, I served as a newspaper handyman: writing, proof-reading, layout, carrying the flats to Port Jervis (it was printed at the Tri-State Gazette), delivering it to all newsstands, and taking pictures.”

His name showed up on the masthead as “contributing editor” in the mid-1980s, and he continued in various capacities into the 2000s, most recently as the writer of our “River Talk” column (which still survives on our back page, though with different writers.).

Ed wrote several columns for us over the years, as well as writing news and feature articles and providing river data for Soundings and its earlier incarnations. In the 1980s, his column was called “Going Out.” We reprint a copy here; as you will see, it includes information that was apparently back by popular demand from the year before.

Ed’s work always reflects a deep knowledge and love of his natural subject matter combined with meticulous observation and a gem-like precision of expression. He no longer lives full-time in the area, but you can see more of his work on his website, www.butterflybarn.org. He also does a weekly natural history photo and caption for the Delaware Highland Conservancy’s Facebook page.