Wildlife Tech Class of 2018Carmel High SchoolMentor: Chris Nagy (MRG) Project: Wetland functional assessment in the Mianus River Watershed Project Status: Completed Project Description: There is extensive evidence that natural wetlands contribute to ecosystem biodiversity and natural improvement of water quality which can impact the drinking water of a watershed (Beam, 2004; Alho, 2005). Specifically, the health […]
Wildlife Tech Class of 2018High School for Environmental StudiesMentor: Chris Nagy (MRG) Project: Using count (N-mixture) models to model habitat and socioeconomic factors as predictors of coyote site use in NYC Project Status: Completed Project Description: Coyotes have now colonized several parks in the borough of the Bronx, the only mainland portion of NYC, and are poised […]
Wildlife Tech Class of 2019Hackley SchoolMentor: Chris Nagy (MRG) Project: Distribution and risk of chytrid fungus outbreak in MRG’s amphibian community Project Status: Ongoing Project Description: Will Cranier (Hackley School) was mentored by Zach Gajewski, a Ph.D. student from Virginia Tech and a recipient of our Research Assistantship Program grant. Zach and Will are studying the distribution […]
Wildlife Tech Class of 2019Ardsley High SchoolMentor: Chris Nagy (MRG) Project: Impacts of deer on red oak seedlings in a managed forest Project Status: Ongoing Project Description: Josh Amir (Ardsley High School) monitored red oak seedlings for two years, and, combined with data from 2015 and 2016, estimated survival rates for young trees in our forest. Josh […]
Wildlife Tech Class of 2019Brunswick SchoolMentor: Budd Veverka (MRG) Project: Exurban/Suburban Black Bear Occurrence and Activity in Westchester County (NY), Putnam County (NY), and Fairfield County (CT). Project Status: Complete Project Description: Will Maynard worked on our black bear study, and compared where we photographed bears and where people reported seeing bears to predictions of bear distribution […]
Wildlife Tech Class of 2018Blind Brook High SchoolMentor: Chris Nagy (MRG) Project: Activity patterns of mammals in Bronx, NY Parks vs. Mianus River Gorge Preserve, Bedford, NY Project Status: Completed Project Description: Urban environments can alter the behavior of animals in a myriad of ways. In this study, the effects that urban environments have on the temporal […]
Wildlife Tech Class of 2017Fox Lane High SchoolMentor: Chris Nagy (MRG) Project: Impacts of Deer Overpopulation on Red Oak Regeneration at Mianus River Gorge Project Status: Completed Project Description: White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) overpopulation is a problem throughout the north-east USA. The browsing pressures from super-abundant deer impede forest regeneration and growth in saplings. To measure the […]
Wildlife Tech Class of 2017Carmel High SchoolMentor: Chris Nagy (MRG) Project: Distribution of Fishers, Coyotes, Bobcats and Foxes in Westchester County Project Status: Ongoing Project Description: Martes pennant (Fisher), Canis latrans (Coyote), Lynx rufus (Bobcat) and Vulpes vulpes (Red Fox) are predators native to the Westchester County area. After numerous Coyote sightings and Fisher sightings in southern […]
Wildlife Tech Class of 2016Ardsley High SchoolMentor: Emily Stephan (SUNY ESF) Project: Incorporating spatially explicit soil infiltration rates into i-Tree watershed models Project Status: Completed Project Description: Nitrate pollution is an increasing problem in urban watersheds such as the Mianus River Gorge due to an increase in industry and urban sprawl. Denitrifying bacteria in the nitrogen cycle […]
Wildlife Tech Class of 2016Ursuline AcademyMentor: Chris Nagy (MRG) Project: Wildflower regeneration in post-agricultural forests and potential for restoration Project Status: Completed Project Description: Many factors have inhibited the growth of wildflowers in forests in the Northeastern United States. Limiting factors include overabundant white-tailed deer population and altered or disturbed soil conditions in these post-agricultural forests. As […]