Sojourn on the historic Delaware

POND EDDY — Participants in the 8th Annual Delaware River Sojourn will launch their canoes from Pond Eddy and paddle to Matamoras, PA on Saturday, June 1, to kick off an eight-day journey down this “Revolutionary River.”

Reserve by May 17 as spaces are limited.

All ages are welcome to sign up for one or more days of the journey, which will touch the four states of the Delaware River Basin. Sojourners paddle an average of 12 miles per day, with scheduled program stops. Canoes and kayaks are available to rent or people may bring their own. Camping, shuttles, most meals, insurance and a souvenir T-shirt are included with registration.

Sojourn festivities get underway on May 31 with an invitational kick-off reception at Grey Towers National Historic Landmark in Milford, PA.

Many special events are planned throughout the Sojourn. Details and registration forms are available online through the Delaware River Basin Commission’s web site at www.drbc.net or by calling the Delaware River Greenway Partnership at 908/996-0230 for a brochure. Fees are based on the number of participation days and boat rental needs. In general, one day on the sojourn is $67, including canoe rental, for adults and $43 for children age 12 and under. Registrations postmarked after May 17 will be assessed a $20 late fee.

For information on the sojourn, contact day coordinators Sandra Schultz at NPS, 570/729-8251, sandra_schultz@nps.gov, or Laurie Ramie at UDC, 845/252-3022, udcramie@ezaccess.net.

Water Gap lecture series

REGION — Delaware Water Gap and the Friends of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area will present the second in a series of summer lectures this Friday, May 17. Archeologist John Kraft will give a lecture entitled “Lenape” at 7:00 p.m. at the park’s Bushkill Visitor Center on Route 209.

Kraft, who is well known for his extensive research on the Lenape, the Native American people sometimes called the Delaware, and for his work designing the Lenape Village at Waterloo Historical Site, will give a slide-illustrated presentation that will introduce the audience to the prehistoric Delaware Valley and will focus on what archeological research has told us about Lenape culture.

The lecture series will continue with monthly presentations on a variety of natural and cultural history topics. Upcoming are:

• “Snake Tales and Turtle Trails,” by Dr. John Behler, herpetologist from the Bronx Zoo.
• “Marie Zimmermann: Faithful to Nature,” a short play by actress Jeanne Austin.
• “Gardening with Nature Plants,” by Sue Tantsits, horticulturist at the Pool Wildlife Sanctuary.
• “How to Spot Owls,” by authors Pat and Clay Sutton.

The Friends are dedicated to supporting historic, scientific, educational, recreational and natural resource management activities in the park and to raising funds for special park projects. There will be no admission fee.

For more information call 570-5887044. To learn how you can join the Friends, call 570/588-2451.

‘This Land is My Land’

A forest workshop for today’s landowner

ACRA — A group of forestry, environmental, state and county associations are hosting a Weekend Forest Owner Workshop at Lange’s Grove Side Resort, on Friday, May 31 through Sunday, June 2.

Topics covered will include conservation easements, alternative crops, forest tax laws, estate planning, recreation management, wildlife management, forest health issues and forest thinning. Trees will be marked for removal, cut down and the thinned plots will be observed afterwards.

Speakers and presenters include forestry and natural resource specialists from the NY Forest Owners’ Association, NY State Department of Environmental Conservation, Cornell Cooperative Extension, USDA Forest Service, Columbia, Land Conservancy, Catskill Center for Conservation and Dcvelopment, Watershed Forestry Program and the Catskill Forest Association.

The workshop fee is $40 and includes two breaks, lunch on Saturday and a field guide. Bring your spouse for an additional $20.

For more information call Mike Greason between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at 518/943-9230 or email at greasom@francomm.com.

Walk on the wild(flower) side

By MARY ELLEN SNIVELY

If you have never walked in deep woods on a glorious day in May, you owe it to yourself to join Kathie Shelly’s Wildflower Walk on May 26 at the Florence Shelly Preserve.

Kathie will help you find the single white flower of bloodroot, whose underground stem oozes red juice when broken. Native Americans “bled” the stem when making war paint. You may happen upon Solomon’s seal with a cluster of whitish flowers dangling demurely under a gracefully arched stem. You will surely recognize Jack-in-the-pulpit. Jack preaches from under a curved hood that makes this plant easy to Identify. Historically, dried, aged roots were used for bronchitis, rheumatism and snakebites

Many other wildflowers at the preserve (bluets, May apple, starflower, partridgeberry, violet, etc.), show themselves at their best in May; then hurriedly prepare for their essential goal—to produce seeds for reproduction. Kathie, whose mother founded the preserve, will be glad to answer your questions about how the preserve was established under the protective custody of the Nature Conservancy. This will be a leisurely walk. Participants are urged to wear waterproof boots or shoes.

For further information call 570/879-4244.

Spring birds

By BARBARA YEAMAN

MILANVILLE — Summer visitors from the south arrive daily. Decked out in breeding plumage these birds are never more colorful than now.

At 7:00 a.m. on May 18, Peter Wulfhorst, one of this region’s best teachers at identifying the sights and sounds of birds, will lead a two-hour walk to look for these beautiful avian visitors. Yellow warblers and Baltimore orioles often nest here. We may even see a bald eagle fishing.

This early morning walk will begin at the Delaware Highlands Conservancy’s Butterfly Barn nature center. The walk will proceed through a meadow along the Delaware River and up a wooded road into a forested hillside. This route will take us through several very different habitats.

There is no charge for this program and the public is invited. However, the walk is not appropriate for small children.

Bring binoculars and comfortable walking clothing. Snacks will be served in the barn after the walk.

For more information call 570/729-7053.

Kids fish free

REGION — Join National Park Service Ranger Mike Linde for a day of free fishing and instruction at Watergate Picnic Area within Delaware Water Gap National, Recreation Area on Saturday, June 1 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. All equipment will be provided, or bring your own. No license is required.

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, encompasses 70,000 acres of ridges, forests, lakes and rivers on both sides of the Delaware River in the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The Delaware River is the only reemaining undammed river in the eastern United States. For further information, check the park’s web site at www.nps.gov/dewa.

Watergate Picnic Area is located along Old Mine Road in the New Jersey side of the recreation area. For more information, call 908/496-4458.