|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
What's New at the New York and Long Island Field Offices?News Archives: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
You are viewing this page on
5/12/08 New Survey Protocols for Karner Blue Butterflies and Frosted Elfins (Endangered species)
Survey Protocols for Karner Blue Butterflies and Frosted Elfins (pdf) Please note: the Service is aware that these protocols are being released during the frosted elfin flight period and just prior to the first flight for Karner blue butterflies. Please contact the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and/or Service for any modifications to the survey requirements for 2008.
5/12/08 Three NYFO Poster Presentations displayed this week (Environmental contaminants, Endangered species):
Two posters regarding the Hudson River NRDA were presented at FWS' 11th Annual National Environmental Contaminants Training in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, held May 12-15, 2008: “Hudson River NRDA – Avian Injury Assessment,” and "Hudson River NRDA – Peer Review and Information Quality.”
An additional poster is being presented as well, entitled "What's killing bats in the Northeastern United States: White-nose Syndrome and the potential role of environmental contaminants".
5/1/08 Whitenose Syndrome Powerpoint Briefing (Endangered Species):
Available here in powerpoint format (5 MB download)
4/21/08 Oswegatchie Relicensing Underway (Fish & Wildlife Conservation):
The New York Field Office reviewed the PAD
for the Oswegatchie River Project. Key issues will be fish
protection and downstream passage for a variety of species,
upstream passage for American eel, flows in bypassed reaches,
and impoundment fluctuations. Several pertinent studies have
been requested.4/7/08 Phoneix Project Update (Fish & Wildlife Conservation):
The New York Field Office and the Regional Engineer
discussed eel passage plans with Algonquin Power
for the Phoenix Project on the Oswego River.
Algonquin will be employing an eel trap and manually
transferring any eels that are captured. Due to
low eel populations and several dams
downstream, the run of eels is expected to be
relatively small.
4/2/08 Federal Advisory Committee Presentation on Wind Power (Fish & Wildlife Conservation):
Please see this new presentation on the wind power page!
4/1/08 LIFO, Corps, and NYSDEC Protect Important Endangered Species Habitat (Endangered Species):
The Long Island Field Office (LIFO), in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), protected breeding habitat for the Federally- and New York State-listed piping plover and State-listed least tern in the Corps’ Westhampton Interim Project Area. This is a yearly effort undertaken as part of the Service’s, Corps’, and NYSDEC’s obligations under a Federal Court Consent Decree. In 2007, 21 pairs of piping plovers bred at this site, which spans 1.5 miles. Management is a particularly complex issue at this site due to the Consent Decree, the Corps’ Project, public and private land ownership patterns, and the extreme coastal redevelopment which has taken place here, with over 100 homes fronting endangered species’ habitat.
3/18/08 Hudson River Trustees Release Draft Study Plan for 2008 Avian Injury Study (Environmental Contaminants):
The Hudson River Natural Resource Trustees have released a Draft Study Plan for an Avian Injury Study for 2008 for public review and comment. This study is part of the Hudson River Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) being conducted by the Hudson River Natural Resource Trustees – New York State, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Department of the Interior . For a copy of the Draft Study Plan please click here. The Trustees are interested in receiving feedback from the public on this Draft Study Plan, and are thus issuing this Draft Study Plan for public review and comment, in accordance with the Hudson River NRDA Plan. Comments should be submitted by April 19, 2008. Please provide any comments you may have to the contact and address listed in the pdf file: Avian Injury Study Year 3 Trustees Draft
3/11/08 Latest Information on White Nose Syndrome in Bats (Endangered Species):
2/27/08 Love Canal Restoration Property Acquisition (Federal Projects):
Thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other natural resource trustees, the Buffalo Chapter of the National Audubon Society acquired another property at the North Tonawanda Nature Preserve. Using natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) funds from the Love Canal NRDA settlement, they purchased the 3.2‑acre DeAngelis property, a forested wetland threatened by development. This urban nature preserve now includes about 40 acres of forested wetland that will remain a haven for wildlife and a site for connecting people with nature.
2/19/08 Connecting People with Nature Series - Bald Eagle Recovery Exhibit:
This is the third display that NYFO has completed for Lime Hollow, the first being the Rachel Carson Centennial display; the second being the Indiana bat exhibit which will be displayed in the Regional Office the week of March 24th. Two more collaborative exhibits are planned for 2008.
NYFO delivered the bald eagle display to Lime Hollow Center for Environment and Culture on February 14, 2008. The exhibit is entitled, “Bald Eagles on the Road to Recovery” and celebrates not only the Federal delisting of the bald eagle, but the exemplary work by New York State biologists (Mike Allen and Peter Nye) who have spent many years working to increase bald eagle populations in New York from 1 breeding pair in 1979 to approximately 110 in 2007!
2/5/08 Cayuga Creek Restoration (Federal Projects):
The New York Field Office has been working with the City of Niagara Falls, State of New York, Buffalo/Niagara Riverkeeper, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Niagara County Soil and Water Conservation District, Tuscarora Nation, Buffalo State College, and others to develop restoration projects on Cayuga Creek. This creek was contaminated by chemicals from the Love Canal Superfund Site and $220,000 in settlement funds from the responsible parties is to be used for one or more restoration projects. The restoration planning group met to discuss potential projects on January 18, 2008.
1/31/08 Bat Die-off Prompts Investigation (Endangered Species):
For information on " white nose syndrome" please visit the following websites:
USFWS Northeast Region Website
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
1/31/08 PCB's in Hudson River Bats (Environmental Contaminants):
The work of the Hudson River Natural Resource Trustees assessing PCB levels in bats was featured in an article published in the Schenectady Daily Gazette on January 30, 2008. The Trustees had released a Work Summary/Data Report and a Fact Sheet for that investigation in December 2007. The article is entitled, “Bats show elevated levels of PCBs - Study seeks to assess damage done to natural resources from chemicals” (pdf)
1/28/08 Public Outreach Project Celebrates Bald Eagle Recovery in New York (Endangered Species):
Biologist Sandie Doran is working with high school seniors from a Cayuga County Environmental Science Class and Mike Allen, a wildlife biologist from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), on a bald eagle educational outreach project that will be displayed at the Lime Hollow Nature Center from February‑April. NYFO staff are building the display framework, offering their own personal artwork and making posters for the display. The display includes a less than life‑sized nest placed on top of a piece of plywood painted with a landscape view from the nest. The students’ next project is to paint the lateral view from the nest on a 4 x 8 ft canvas, make a paper mache life‑size eagle to show the wingspan, and provide educational information for the display.
1/17/08 Cayuga County winter restoration (Partners for Fish & Wildlife):
Partners Biologist Gian Dodici wrapped up restoration work on a 30‑acre wetland project on private lands in Cayuga County, New York. The restored palustrine emergent wetland habitat will benefit migratory birds, reptiles, and amphibians, as well as Federally‑ and State‑listed threatened and endangered species. The project site had been adversely impacted through past farming activities which have involved ditching in an attempt to drain tillable lands.
1/7/08 Fish Enhancement, Mitigation and Research Fund Update:
Please see our FEMRF page.
12/19/07 PCB's Found in Hudson River Bats (Environmental Contaminants):
The Hudson River Natural Resource Trustees have released a "Work Summary and Data Report" for a study of PCBs in Hudson River bats conducted in 2001 and 2002 as part of the Hudson River NRDA. The results of the investigation show that these bats have been exposed to PCBs. The Work Summary and Data Report can be found at: http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/restorationplans/HudsonRiver/HudsonRiver.cfm.
12/13/07 Children's Indiana Bat Activity Book for Teachers (Endangered Species):
The web page for the activity book is available here: Indiana Bat, Kids, and Caves - Oh My! (8 MB pdf)
The Bloomington Field Office contracted with the Mesker Park Zoo to produce the guide.
12/7/07 St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project's Habitat Improvement Projects (Federal Projects):
The NYFO participated in the annual Technical Advisory Council meeting (held via webcast due to winter storms) for the St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project’s Habitat Improvement Projects. Highlights of this year’s work were presented by the Power Authority. Osprey are using one of the three nesting towers erected. Common tern nesting continues to increase, with a steady rise in the three-year mean for both total nests and hatching success. Next year will be a key indicator, since the first chicks fledged with the habitat improvements will be 3 years old and should be returning to nest. Common loon nesting structures, however, have not shown any use. Lake sturgeon spawning beds and a walleye spawning area in Brandy Brook have been constructed and will be monitored for use in 2008. Work is also continuing on several water control structures for major wetland complexes. The Blandings turtle habitat improvements are showing promise, as are the improvements for grassland birds at Whitehouse Point and on Ogden Island. 11/26/07 Reviewing the Crescent Project on Mohawk River (Federal Projects):
The New York Field Office reviewed the Schedule of Services proposed by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) for testing the effectiveness of the juvenile blueback herring deterrent system at the Crescent Project on the Mohawk River. The study will be done next summer using hydroacoustics. The NYPA employs a sound barrier to divert the herring to a bypass facility. Adult herring will be tagged and tested in 2009.
News Archives: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
