November 2022 Do trails and recreation impact wildlife? MRG supported projects and co-authored a number of papers this year that examined the relationship of hiking trails, human activity, and wildlife distribution and behavior. The first noteworthy study on this topic was WTP researcher Charlotte Klurfield’s (formerly from Ossining HS) study on hiking and wildlife patterns […]
Category Archives: Stewardship & Land Management
“Two For The Trails” Grant Supports MRG
Athletic Brewing Co. created their Two For The Trails grants program to make an impact. They donate 2% of all sales to protecting and restoring trails worldwide. Mianus River Gorge is proud to be one of the recipients again this year. Thank you to Two For The Trails for supporting our project building the new […]
Improving the health and buffering ability of the post-agricultural forest in Mianus River Gorge
The NYS DEC and Westchester Community Foundation each awarded a grant to Mianus River Gorge to help improve the health and buffering ability of the younger, post-agricultural forest that surrounds the Mianus River Gorge old-growth forest. Mianus River Gorge Preserve (MRGP) is a linear preserve and past agricultural activities came very close to the core […]
Controlling and monitoring forest pests and mitigating their impacts on forest health
Most people are aware of the Chestnut Blight and Dutch Elm Disease of the early 20th century. These invasive fungi forever altered the ecology of eastern forests and the aesthetic of American streets. Introduced pests and pathogens continue to affect our forests, from beech scale and oak wilt to Asian jumping worms and spotted lanternfly. […]
Invasive Aquatic Plant Removal
Last summer, the Lower Hudson Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management sent a team to survey aquatic invasive species in the Mianus River. This summer, thanks to a grant from the Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s Outdoor Fund, we have identified and are removing invasive Water Chestnut from the river. MRG staff and a cadre […]
New Pond Trail Now Open
Director of Land Management Budd Veverka and Preserve Steward Jean-Luc Plante worked super hard to create the nearly 1-mile loop trail, the Pond Trail, in Mianus River Gorge Preserve. Thanks to a number of volunteer groups and our summer interns, the trail, also known as the Yellow Trail, is now accessible from the existing Blue […]
Meet our Summer Interns
Mianus River Gorge is delighted to welcome a new group of summer interns who will help with an array of projects and initiatives. At the same time, through a variety of research and land management projects, interns are trained in the skills they will need to pursue a successful career in the environmental sciences. Mianus […]
The Pros and Cons of Trail-Building
MRG’s primary mission is to protect, manage, and restore land and waterways within the Mianus River watershed. The organization’s mission also includes conducting scientific research to better understand and protect the plants, animals, and ecosystems that exist on our land and throughout the region at large. By necessity, protection, stewardship, and scientific research must sometimes […]
Controlling and monitoring forest pests and mitigating their impacts on forest health
Most people are aware of the Chestnut Blight and Dutch Elm Disease of the early 20th century. These invasive fungi forever altered the ecology of eastern forests and the aesthetic of American streets. Introduced pests and pathogens continue to affect our forests, from beech scale and oak wilt to Asian jumping worms and spotted lanternfly. […]
MRG Scientists Share Their Knowledge
Our science staff and many of our students participated in three scientific and stewardship-related conferences since our last update. Director of Land Management, Budd Veverka was invited to and attended the New York State Invasive Species Summit in Albany (November 16-17, 2021) where he was involved in a number of collaborative discussions on managing invasive […]