Just four months into 2026 and staff have already been busy answering invitations to speak to the community. Director of Research and Education, Chris Nagy, was invited to speak about our NYC coyote research at the Explorer’s Club in Manhattan in January, co-presenting with David Lei and Jacqueline Emery, nature photographers and writers who have been following the two coyotes in Central Park. David and Jackie showed several photos and videos of the pair taken over the last year, and Chris spoke about our ongoing study of coyotes across all of NYC.
In February, Chris co-presented the results of our LTA-supported tick study from last summer with his collaborators, Nichar Gregory and Peter Daszak of Nature.Health.Global at the Katonah Library, which was followed by a discussion and workshop with the audience to help develop priorities to direct the next phase of research.
In March, Chris ran two discussion at the 2026 Lower Hudson Stewardship Conference, an open forum for land managers and conservation professionals to learn about the impacts that highly abundant deer have on forests, and options for managing them.
“What’s in My Backyard? Managing Your Garden in a Time of Change,” sponsored by Boscobel House and Gardens and the Hudson Highlands Land Trust, explored how climate change is reshaping home gardening. Speaking at the symposium, Budd Veverka shared insights on large mammals, birds, and bats, and offered practical strategies participants can apply in their own spaces to support climate resilience through mindful gardening practices.
The Bedford Conservation Board hosted a screening of The Nature of Nature: Biodiversity in the Hudson Valley at the Katonah Village Library. Budd participated in the post-film expert panel, discussing local conservation efforts such as wildlife corridors, amphibian migration, and biodiversity monitoring, and engaging the community in understanding Bedford’s ecological landscape.
At a program hosted by the North Salem Open Land Foundation, Budd presented “Living with Black Bears: Peaceful Coexistence in Our Region,” providing practical, actionable guidance on black bear ecology and how residents can reduce conflicts while supporting healthy wildlife populations.