Tomorrow, it will be the first day of winter, the season whose frigid gales blow us into the new year. Whether your 2024 has dragged on and on, or whether you still wake up thinking it’s March, now is a good time to stop, rest up, and reflect on the year gone by. We did something like that last year at around this time, and it seems only right to do it again.

Of course, when it comes to preserving land and water here in Suffolk County, the biggest occurrence was the passage of the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act. We already did a whole blog post reflecting on that momentous piece of legislation, which you can check out here (insert link). Still, it’s worth reiterating that we at the LIPBS were but one of many groups advocating for this act, and it’s very rewarding that the work of so many paid off.

Rewinding to the first half of the year, the LIPBS once again brought its Middle School Kids Go To College program to the Patchogue-Medford school district. Sixty students were taught all about the water quality issues plaguing Long Island and they created projects showcasing inventive solutions to these problems. In addition to bringing them to Stony Brook University for a lecture from Dr. Christopher Gobler and Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge for their awards ceremony, we also brought the students to Fish Thicket Preserve for a mid-semester hike, a first for the program! If you’re looking to find out more about this year’s program, we check out our June blog post recapping it (insert link here). And if you’d like us to bring this program to your school district, check out our page about the program here (insert link) and email info@pinebarrens.org. We’re really proud of the expansion of the program this past year, and we’re hoping to bring this program to even more students across Long Island.

As has been the case for the last two years, our chief focus this year was in advocating for the purchase of “The Best of the Rest” parcels, and we’re pleased to say that there has been progress made on a few. The county’s purchase of the 65 acre parcel adjacent to the DEC property in Calverton is about to close, and (insert info about the 111 when we learn). Negotiations are also going smoothly regarding the Shoreham property, and we’re optimistic about that property finally being preserved in the coming year. If that happens, we will see 850 acres permanently preserved, which will represent roughly a quarter of all of the 3,800 acres we consider “The Best of the Rest.” Slow and steady wins the race, as they say, and though it’s been years in the making, we’re confident we’ll win this race!

All in all, 2024 proved to be a good year for the LIPBS. We’ve made some progress on The Best of the Rest, we’ve tried new and exciting things with our Middle School Kids program, and we attended several fairs at Stony Brook University, Cold Spring Harbor Hatchery, Brookhaven National Lab, and more, spreading the good word about the Pine Barrens. There’s always more work to do, though, and come 2025 we’ll be ready to face all the challenges that come with fighting for a healthier, happier, more naturally beautiful Long Island.

By Travis Cutter, Long Island Pine Barrens Society

The end of election season is always a welcome thing. No more incessant political ads, no more shrieking talking heads, no more anxiety over what the outcome of any given race may or may not be. But this year, here in Suffolk County, we have a very great reason to feel good about this past election, as the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act was passed. As part of a larger coalition – which included other groups like The Nature Conservancy and Group for the East End, among many others – we at the Long Island Pine Barrens Society worked hard to raise awareness of the ballot proposition, and urged our followers (including you – yes, you!) to vote YES. And when the dust settled, we woke up on November 6^th to see that the measure had passed with about 72% support! While we’re not about to tell you that the passage of this lone ballot proposition means that Long Island’s very own Eden has been restored, or that the fight to protect its land and water has ended, we will say that this was a tremendous, crucial step in the right direction.

As a brief aside, if you want to get a sense for why this act is so important, and what problems it’s aiming to solve, check out last month’s blog! This month, though, it’s time to look forward, to get a sense of what’s to come, and when it’s coming.

If you’ve only been affording a passing glance to news about the Water Quality Restoration Act, you might see certain news sources referring to it more broadly (and with an agonizingly negative slant) as a “tax.” While this is true in the strictest sense of the word, it vastly overstates the cost of this incredible piece of legislation. The tax that has been approved is a whopping eighth of a percent on sales tax. Not income tax, not property tax. Sales tax. One eighth of a percent. That’s an eighth of a penny per dollar spent. Hardly a noticeable hit to the wallet. And if you’re really pinching those pennies, then it’s an encouragement not to spend as much on frivolous purchases (an encouragement which we all could use now and then, right?). The tax will go into effect in March of 2025, thus beginning the collection for the fund.

The fund won’t be accessible until 2026, at which point the county can begin upgrading its wastewater infrastructure, and the next phase in the work to improve Long Island’s water quality begins. We’ll surely keep everyone posted regarding the progress of this initiative as we move through the next two years and beyond. The estimate now is that this sales tax – one eighth of one penny – will provide future funding for these wastewater infrastructure projects. In addition, this approved proposition will result in the continuing support of the Drinking Water Protection Program through 2060. This program has been the source of land acquisition for over 30 years. Personally speaking, I struggle to envision next Thursday, let alone 35 years from now, and so it’s no small comfort to think that one single vote, one small ballot proposition, will hold the line for Long Island’s water quality for that great a time. But, of course, it is still just one proposition, just one act.

To paraphrase Jane Goodall, the work to preserve planet Earth – its natural beauty, its diverse array of critters, the health and well-being of its populace – is one great, big puzzle. It’s such a big puzzle, in fact, that all any of us can do is work on filling in our own little piece. And when one piece is filled, there’s always – always – another piece that needs filling. The passage of the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act marks the filling in of a very large piece of Suffolk County’s puzzle, but there’s always more to do, and we at the LIPBS hope you’ll stick with us as we continue the work.

By Travis Cutter, Long Island Pine Barrens Society

Here at the Long Island Pine Barrens Society, we talk a lot about water quality. And why shouldn’t we? We are human after all. Other than the air we breathe, water is the most important resource we need not just to survive but thrive. And we are limited to a sole-source aquifer as our source for water. We drink it, of course, and we clean our bodies and our cars and our homes, but we also have a slowly recovering fishing economy, a diverse array of wildlife, and engage in countless acts of recreation such as boating, swimming, and more. A healthy Long Island requires clean water, and unfortunately our water isn’t as clean as it could be.

Chief among the contaminants that seep into Long Island’s waters is nitrogenous waste. When a body of water becomes oversaturated with nutrients like nitrogen, this is a process called eutrophication. Eutrophication, in turn, can trigger the appearance of vast harmful algal blooms (HAB), which can cause mass die-offs of fish, and can contaminate filter feeders (i.e. shellfish like clams, scallops, and mussels) with toxins. Thus, not only is the local economy severely impacted, but human health is, too. Eating contaminated shellfish can result in serious illnesses, and even death if the toxin produced by the algae is severe enough. When HAB events occur, it necessitates the closure of beaches, cutting off one of the best avenues for recreation. No aspect of human life is thus unaffected by nitrogen pollution.

An influx of nitrogen into the ecosystem can happen in a few different ways. It can be caused by runoff from developed land that uses a lot of fertilizer, as many fertilizers tend to contain a lot of nitrogen. Residential areas, golf courses, and farms can thus all contribute to nitrogenous runoff. Even more severely, perhaps (since it is so widespread) is the fact that untreated sewage contains nitrogen and, thanks to old, outdated infrastructure, much of this can leach into the surrounding environment. Thus, the most straightforward approach Suffolk County can take to improving the quality of its water (and thus, the quality of its citizens) is to improve the quality of its sewage systems and septic tanks.

Per the County itself, around three-quarters of Suffolk residents rely on outdated cesspools and septic systems, which thus discharge roughly 40 pounds of nitrogen per year per system. These old systems were never designed to remove nitrogen, but today there are systems that are designed to do just that. These are called Innovative and Alternative Onsite Water Treatment System (I/A OWTS if you want something catchy) which, as the name suggests, use new methods of water treatment at the site of contamination – i.e., your home. While there are a handful of different kinds of I/A OWTS out there, the main idea is consistent across them all. One of nature’s most important biological cycles is the nitrogen cycle, wherein nitrogen is phase changed. Thus, by using certain strains of bacteria which convert the nitrogenous waste into a gaseous form, the nitrogen is released harmlessly into the atmosphere. So, the I/A systems reduce the burden on Long Island’s aquifer, rivers and bays to contain all that nitrogen, thus improving Suffolk County’s water quality and the quality of life for its residents.

Besides these new-fangled septic systems, Suffolk County also needs to expand the coverage of its sewer system. Where septic tanks treat water in or near residences, accounting for only a handful of citizens per system, the sewage treatment plants handle the wastewater of whole communities. Treatment on this grander scale opens up another avenue to reduce nitrogen pollution: water reuse. While sewage treatment plants do a fair job of living up to their name, the wastewater they treat still retains enough nitrogen to cause problems if the water is discharged into the ecosystem. By using this water at places that need a lot of water which doesn’t necessarily have to be potable – such as golf courses and farms – the nitrogen in the water can be used by the plants and stay out of Long Island’s waterways. Expanded sewer systems will provide a greater amount of reusable water that will keep more nitrogen out of the ecosystem.

While these I/A systems and sewers sure sound like exactly what Suffolk County needs, there’s one question remaining: how are we to pay for this? Modern septic tanks and sewage systems don’t grow on trees, after all. Well, on Suffolk County ballots this year, we can vote Yes on Proposition 2, aka the Suffolk County Water Quality Restoration Act. This measure, if passed, will introduce an eighth of a penny increase on sales tax, the proceeds of which will go to just this purpose. While that might not seem like a huge increase in tax (because it’s not) the cumulative result of this tax will allow the county to improve and replace its outdated wastewater infrastructure. So, if you want to do your part in improving our county’s water supply, vote YES on Proposition 2.

By Travis Cutter, Long Island Pine Barrens Society

We’re just a little over a month away from the Long Island Pine Barrens Society’s biggest annual event: the gala! At the gala, we’ll celebrate the LIPBS’s 47^th anniversary, raise awareness about what we’ve done this past year, and put a period at the end of this year’s sentence, so we can get ready to get back to work next year. But if you’ve never seen our gala before, where do you start? How do you participate? What’s in it for you? Those are the kinds of questions we’ll answer in this month’s blog post.

The Gala

Odds are, if you’re reading this blog, you passed by the home page of our website, and so have seen the Save the Date card for this year’s gala. In case you haven’t, though, the 47^th gala will be held on Thursday, October 24^th, at 7 pm. As it has been since 2020, the gala this year is a virtual event. So, at the specified date and time, the gala will premiere on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. If you don’t want to mark this off on your calendar (but why wouldn’t you?), then be sure to pop into all our social media platforms over the next month, as we’ll be sure to remind you!

Watching the gala is only part of the experience, though! If you want to support the LIPBS financially, you can participate in the gala with one of a handful of donations. There are different tiers which will secure one, two, or as many as ten party boxes for you and your friends! These boxes are filled with all sorts of goodies, most of which are sourced from local, Long Island-based businesses. If you’ve gotten a party box in past years, don’t expect to get all the same stuff this year. We’ve changed things up, and we’re really excited about some of the inclusions we’ve made.

Speaking of local businesses: if you have one, we want to hear about it! Each year, we publish a journal coinciding with our gala. In addition to discussing the work of the past year, the gala is the place for us to highlight our relationship with all sorts of local businesses! We print quarter, half, full, and cover page advertisements, the proceeds of which all go to supporting the Society! If you’re interested in advertising your business in our journal, follow the link here. Or, if you want to participate or contribute to the gala, click either here or here.

The Silent Auction

After the great gala event, the LIPBS will begin its silent auction! This is another way for you to support the Society, while also nabbing some really cool things! While we of course don’t want to spoil anything, there will be a wide range of available items, from sports memorabilia, to tickets to different events and experiences – there’s something for everyone at the LIPBS silent auction!

What Happens After

While the annual gala is our grandest, most significant yearly event, the fight to protect the Pine Barrens neither starts nor ends there. Each day is just another step towards our goal of preserving “The Best of the Rest” and ensuring that Long Island’s drinking water supply remains pure for generations to come. Whether you’re an honored contributor, a participant, an advertiser, a bidder, or a viewer, we’re excited and grateful for your interest in the Long Island Pine Barrens Society and our gala, and we hope you’ll stick with us for years to come.

By Travis Cutter, Long Island Pine Barrens Society

August is National Water Quality Month! Chances are, if you’re an avid peruser of this website and reader of this blog, then you’re well aware that we at the Long Island Pine Barrens Society are all in on water quality. And why shouldn’t we be? Think about all the times you use tap water throughout the day. You wet your toothbrush in the morning and night; you use it to cook, and rinse your dishes after you’ve finished eating; you take a shower each day (we hope you do, anyway), all totaling to an average of 50 gallons used per person each day¹ – that’s a lot of water! Possibly too much, but that’s a discussion for another day. The point is, we all depend on water for numerous daily tasks – to say nothing of the fact that we drink it! So, water quality is an important issue. But what does it have to do with preserving the Pine Barrens? Well, there are a few ways to look at this.

• The Rivers

Long Island possesses two major rivers: the Carmans, which runs north to south and flows into the Great South Bay, and the Peconic, which runs west to east and is the beginning of our island’s iconic fork shape. Both rivers interact with the Pine Barrens, with the Peconic piercing the easternmost edge of the ecosystem and the Carmans cutting right through the heart of it. Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge, one of the most famous and beloved Pine Barrens parks, is situated entirely around the southern Carmans River. Long Island’s rivers represent its diverse ecosystems, and so any contamination of them would have wide reaching ecological and economic consequences. Nitrogenous fertilizers, for example, can trigger the appearance of harmful algal blooms. These lead to the widespread contamination of shellfish like clams, oysters, and mussels, as being filter feeders, these primarily consume algae. When harmful algal blooms occur, it leads to the contamination of filter feeders, rendering them inedible, thus causing the fishing industry to crash. Shinnecock Bay, for example, could not sustain a fishing industry for many years due to highly contaminated water, and only recently has the fishing industry been allowed to resume thanks to restoration efforts.

Several Best of the Rest properties are focused on preserving properties situated around both the Carmans and Peconic rivers, some of which have already been protected. The more that untouched land surrounds the rivers, the less likely it is that they will become contaminated, as the preserved land serves as a buffer between the water and human development. Were the full initiative preserved, the health of Long Island’s rivers, and by extension, the rest of its environment, would be more thoroughly safeguarded.

• The Aquifer

Have you ever sat around, stared at your faucet for far longer than anyone ought to, and wondered, “where does all that water come from?” Well, even if you haven’t, it’s an interesting question to ask. The answer changes depending on where in the world you live, but here in Suffolk County the answer is: the ground! The water that comes out of all our faucets is pumped up from a freshwater aquifer system (often referred to simply as “the aquifer”) that lies beneath the surface of our island, with different aquifers sourcing the water for the eastern and western parts of Suffolk County². A vast stretch of the aquifer is specifically located beneath the Pine Barrens, and the natural purity of that landscape ensures that the aquifer itself remains pure.

But why is the water so pure? Well, it’s simple. The Pine Barrens get their name because of their “barren” soil. By this it is meant that the soil is rocky and aerated – very poor material for agriculture, which is why the area was never deforested. As water seeps into this barren soil and travels down to the aquifer, the porous soil acts as a filter, catching the particulate matter contained in the water. Thus, the water that settles in the aquifer is remarkably pure.

All of this is to say that if there is an increased amount of any given contaminant on the surface – such as from illegal dumping, or from runoff caused by nearby human developments – then that excess contamination is absorbed by precipitation as it is absorbed into the soil. The more heavily contaminated a given drop of water is, the more contaminants there are to be filtered out as the water seeps into the soil. If the same amount of contaminants are filtered out, but there’s more per drop of water, then more contaminants will enter the aquifer, contaminating it. While the Suffolk County Water Authority tests and filters the water further before selling it to consumers, that process costs money, and so an increasingly contaminated aquifer will result in higher and higher water bills. By preserving more of the Pine Barrens, and specifically by filling in many of the gaps in the existing preserve, a buffer is again created – this time between human development and the underground aquifer. This buffer will stave off potential contamination, keeping the aquifer pure and water bills low.

One of the core goals of The Best of the Rest initiative is to protect and preserve Long Island’s water quality. Herein, we’ve given just a brief explanation as to how the initiative accomplishes this. The more land that is protected, the greater the buffer that exists between the Pine Barrens core (and the aquifer that resides beneath it), and developed areas. The relationship between the aquifer and surface water is too complex a topic for the scope of this blog post, but the truth is that they are all one massive system. This system is what contributes to both Long Island’s vibrant, diverse ecology and our pure, clean drinking water. No matter what aspect of Island life you care most about, there is every reason to advocate for clean water and, by extension, the complete preservation of the Pine Barrens.

If you’d like to support The Best of the Rest initiative, please consider donating to the Long Island Pine Barrens Society: https://www.pinebarrens.org/contribute/

Sources:

1. https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/water/water-quantity/water-use-conservation
2. https://www.scwa.com/faq/

By Travis Cutter, Long Island Pine Barrens Society

If you’ve paid any attention to the Long Island Pine Barrens Society these past two years, you’re sure to have heard of “The Best of the Rest” initiative. This campaign seeks to complete the promise of the 1993 Pine Barrens Protection Act by preserving another 3,800 acres of land. If you’re curious as to the status of the campaign, head on over to this page on our website. While preserving untouched land for its own sake is all well and good, today we’re going to highlight some of the animals which can be found in these “The Best of the Rest” properties, and why preserving their habitat is crucial for their wellbeing.

Monarch Butterflies

Monarch Butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are a beloved insect, and for good reason. Their beautiful coloration sets them head and shoulders (proverbially speaking) above the rest of the insect world. Although on a global scale the species is faring well, the migratory populations (such as New York’s) are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), meaning they’re the most at-risk species we’ll be discussing today. Of course, the main source of these butterflies’ decline is the decline of suitable sources of nutrition. Wildflowers like milkweed (which you can, and should, plant in your own backyard) are crucial for this. Another such flower is known as Butterfly Weed, and is prominently found in the Rocky Point area we are seeking to protect. Nineteen (19) of the 60 acres that are included in “The Best of the Rest” plan are currently eyed by the DEC, but if all 60 acres are preserved it would go a long way in preserving this vital resource for monarch butterflies, creating a safe harbor for them on Long Island.

Grasshopper Sparrow

While the IUCN lists the Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) as one of Least Concern, it is a species with a range covering most of the continental United States and stretches south into Mexico. Thus, there are numerous subspecies and populations, many of which, taken on their own, are threatened. Here in New York, the species is listed as one of Special Concern, as the local population has declined considerably in recent years. As the name suggests, this species of sparrow is fondest of grassland habitats, and specifically can be found on the EPCAL property. This extensive grassland is owned by the Town of Riverhead; it is as of yet entirely unpreserved. Along with the Shoreham forest and the Rose-Breslin properties, this is one of the chief areas of interest for The Best of the Rest” initiative.

Eastern Meadowlark

Sticking with the EPCAL property, another beautiful bird species that can be found there is the Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna). Throughout the year, this bird’s range can extend from Canada to Mexico, and from Texas to the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Yet, it is listed as a Near Threatened species by the IUCN, due to population decline caused by loss of habitat. The DEC specifically highlights Long Island as a location where development is impacting the population. As the name suggests, meadowlarks prefer wide open grasslands, much like the grasshopper sparrows, and so the preservation of the EPCAL property is crucial in maintaining one of Long Island’s quintessential ecosystems, and the creatures that inhabit it.

This was just a brief glimpse of some of the animals whose conservation status would be improved should the entirety of “The Best of the Rest” properties be preserved. If you’re not already, consider following the Long Island Pine Barrens Society’s Facebook and Instagram accounts where, in the coming weeks, we’ll be discussing these species, and many more that “The Best of the Rest” initiative seeks to protect.

By Travis Cutter, Long Island Pine Barrens Society

For over a decade, the Long Island Pine Barrens Society has provided Long Island’s middle school students the opportunity to be scientists, thanks to sponsorship from the National Grid Foundation. Each year, this program allows dozens of students to learn more about Long Island’s water, how to preserve it, and how to think like scientists to solve problems.

It all starts in the classroom. At the start of the year, students spend time learning about Long Island’s water, what threats face it, and what can be done to preserve it. Then, the training wheels are removed, and the students are let loose to think about a problem facing Long Island’s water, and how they’d best solve it. Students are tasked with doing research, writing papers, and preparing poster presentations summing up their work, which are presented to Long Island Pine Barrens Society staff at each school’s “Water Day.” This year, three classes of Patchogue-Medford middle school students – from Oregon, Saxton, and South Ocean Middle Schools – presented their work. Topics ranged from microbeads and other harmful plastics, to nitrate pollutions and the “dead zones” that appear in the Long Island Sound, to problems found in the home, such as the efficacy of water filters.

While last year featured the program’s return to an in-person experience in the wake of the pandemic, this year featured a never-before-implemented addition to the program: a hike! Over three dozen students were given a guided hike through Fish Thicket Preserve – a Town of Brookhaven park which was preserved only thanks to the advocacy of Pat-Med students of yesteryear – where LIPBS board members John Turner and Bob McGrath taught about the local Pine Barrens ecosystem, and the history of the preserve. By the day’s end, the students were more engaged than ever before with the environment, and that alone is the mark of a successful program.

A month after the three Water Days and the hike through Fish Thicket Preserve, all the students traveled to Stony Brook University, where they were treated to a lecture by Dr. Christopher Gobler, the premier expert on Long Island’s water quality. For forty minutes, Dr. Gobler provided students with a college-level presentation, talking in detail about the various contaminants that threaten our water, as well as what solutions are being worked on to improve things. Then, the students once again presented their work to LIPBS staff as well as members of the Center for Clean Water Technology.

Finally, the program wrapped up on June 8^th, at Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge. There, students were presented with certificates recognizing their efforts, and the students who worked on the projects deemed the best by the LIPBS were presented with certificates from Deputy County Executive Jennifer Juengst and Alice Painter, Chief of Staff to Assemblyman Joe DeStefano. (Plaques provided by the National Grid Foundation recognizing these winning students’ achievement were delivered subsequently). Students were again given time to present their work to the LIPBS, government representatives, and of course their families. After affording guests the time to talk to the students about their work, board member Bob McGrath led a hike through Wertheim, where he expounded on the effect the Carmans River watershed has on the ecosystem, the quirky nature of the White-breasted Nuthatch, and, of course, ticks (who made sure to attend the hike!).

The Middle School Kids Go To College program is perhaps a prime example of what the Long Island Pine Barrens Society is all about. In fostering a love of Long Island’s natural beauty in our youth, we engender a new generation of preservers who will continue the good fight in conserving what makes our Island so special to begin with. In pushing students to their academic limits, we prepare them to rise to the challenge of understanding and protecting the Pine Barrens. And in honoring their achievements, we celebrate the fact that progress is made not by the movement of governments or corporations, but instead by the hard work of individuals.

This year, the Middle School Kids Go To College program was better than ever, and here’s to many more years of reaching ever greater heights!

By Travis Cutter, Long Island Pine Barrens Society

If you’ve been following the Long Island Pine Barrens Society’s social media accounts (facebook.com/PineBarrensSociety and @lipinebarrens on Instagram) then you’ve probably seen at least one of our recent posts detailing the status of our “The Best of the Rest” initiative. This initiative’s goal is the preservation of another 3,800 acres of Pine Barrens land, to complete the preservation project begun in 1993 with the passage of the Pine Barrens Protection Act. Odds are, if you’re reading this blog, you’re already on board with this idea. But believe it or not, there are people who might not be on the same page. This blog is thus going to answer, as succinctly as possible, the simple question, “why is land preservation necessary?”

I’ll skip the sappy, sentimental stuff about nature having inherent value – I believe it does, and I’m sure most folks reading this do, too, but it’s a position that veers firmly into the realm of moral philosophy. That feels too esoteric and too grand in scope for this blog post, but perhaps it’s something we’ll return to in the future. Instead, I want to focus on some of the practical, tangible facts that illustrate the benefits that land preservation has both for the wildlife that lives in said land, and the humans who live around it.

First, habitat fragmentation can pose a serious risk to many of Long Island’s terrestrial and semi-aquatic animals. A perfect example of this is the Eastern Mud Turtle, a semi-aquatic reptile which largely resides in bodies of water. If its present habitat dries up, though, the mud turtle will move on foot to a new body of water. Odds are, you’ve seen turtles try to cross a road before, and hopefully you’ve done the right thing and escorted the critter to the where it’s going. But, if there was no development at all, imagine how much easier it would be for the turtles to get where they were going. Thus, preserving as much land as possible ensures the existence of as much continuous habitat as possible, allowing for animals to more easily travel from place to place and deal only with the risks naturally posed to them – and not the horror of an 18-wheeler speeding at them at 60 mph.

An Eastern Mud Turtle in its natural habitat.

Now, let’s talk about something that benefits not just the critters, but also every Long Islander: water. If you didn’t know, water is necessary to life, and here on Long Island, we have remarkably clean, safe water (relative to much of the rest of the country). Why is that? The Pine Barrens of course! While one half of the “Pine Barrens” name comes from the sort of tree that dominates the region, the other half comes from the fact that the soil throughout is remarkably nutrient poor. It is for this reason that the Pine Barrens were left untouched by early settlers, as the land was absolutely useless for farming. And yet, this barren, rocky soil has another purpose: it acts as a natural filter. Thus, when water (such as from rain) seeps into the Pine Barrens soil, it trickles down into the ground, and as it does, much of the particulate matter contained within is filtered out by the soil. Beneath the Pine Barrens lies a vast aquifer, which is where we source our drinking water from. Since the aquifer lies underground, the more pollutants that reside on the surface, the more likely it is that contaminants can seep down into it. If too much land in and around the Pine Barrens is developed, then there’s that much more land that is subjected to constant pollution. Thus, the more land that’s preserved, the more the aquifer is protected, and our drinking water supply will remain all the purer.

A diagram of Long Island’s aquifers.

This is merely a taste of the benefits that land preservation provides. From the point of view of the humblest turtles, to the big picture perspective of human infrastructure, there’s all the reason in the world to preserve as much land as possible. A healthier Long Island means happier, healthier Long Islanders, after all!

As the weather gets warmer, few things are more alluring than hunkering down in the shade of a pitch pine and reading a good book. If that sentiment is true for you, then perhaps you’d be interested in some off-kilter book recommendations. The selection of books below seeks to be a collection of tales that look at the natural world from different perspectives than you might be used to, and will hopefully give you a newfound appreciation and respect for our wondrous planet.

Recommendation #1: The Histories by Herodotus

Hear me out on this. I’m sure that the first question that popped into your head was “Why a history book recommendation from an environmental nonprofit? Let alone the first ever history book…” Well, that’s just it: despite the title, Herodotus’s classic isn’t just a history book. In writing about the conflict between the ancient Greeks and Persians, Herodotus set the stage by describing in exhaustive detail all the civilizations that he knew about. Thus, the first half of the book reads more like a travelogue, with intricate details provided about the history, culture, and, yes, the environment of the places discussed. From the lush floodplains of the Nile to the barren steppes of the Caucuses, Herodotus paints a vivid (albeit, often embellished) portrait of a world so far removed from our own, yet very akin to it in many ways. If nothing else, Herodotus is a master of empathy, and we could all use a bit more of that in this day and age.

  A mountain peak in Ushguli, Georgia. Photo courtesy of Wiley Wilkins, via Unsplash.

Recommendation #2: Butcher’s Crossing by John Williams

This book is perhaps the greatest argument in favor of the “humans should leave nature alone” case ever written. A rebuke of Emersonian transcendentalism, Butcher’s Crossing tells the story of a young man who drops out of Harvard so that he can travel out west to find God. He signs himself up as part of a buffalo hunting crew, and from then on, the book is a never-ending barrage of trauma and hardship, all of it ultimately caused by human greed and the need to assert dominance over the natural world. This book is many things: a western; a critique of human expansionism; a portrait of both the transcendent beauty and the awe-inspiring destructive power inherent in the natural world. It’s a book that ultimately forces self-reflection, and a newfound respect for the world beyond the walls. Be warned, though! This book is not for the squeamish. Guts and gore aplenty, so be wary.

Buffalo. Photo Courtesy of Romain De Moor via Unsplash.

Recommendation #3: Eye of the Albatross by Carl Safina

Odds are, if you’re a dedicated enough conservationist that you read this blog, you’ve heard of Carl Safina. A year ago, in fact, Board Secretary Nina Leonhardt recommended one of his recent releases, Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel, but for this list it only seems appropriate to recommend Carl’s debut work. Eye of the Albatross gives the reader a new perspective, in the most literal sense possible, by following the life of an albatross over the course of a breeding cycle. The life of an albatross, it turns out, is filled with just as many trials and tribulations as the life of a human being. After reading this book, you’ll never look at a bird – or, hopefully, any animal – the same way again.

An albatross. Photo courtesy of Nareeta Martin via Unsplash.

Hopefully at least one of these recommendations suits your fancy this spring! With the world around you reviving after the cold, dreary winter, there’s no better time than to give yourself a new outlook on life, and books are a great way to do that.

By Travis Cutter, Long Island Pine Barrens Society

Cover Image courtesy of USGS via Unsplash.

For many, birds are the highlight of their time in the Pine Barrens. Yet, even after years of casual birding, it can be difficult to distinguish certain species from one another. That is, of course, if you don’t know what traits to look for.  Here, I’ll present for your viewing pleasure some of the more confounding common birds, and how I’ve learned to tell them apart after four years of birding.

Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers

Let’s start with a deceptively simple one. At a glance, the Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers look like they’re the same species, especially at a distance. While the animal’s overall size is usually a good clue as to what species you’re looking at, there are times when this just won’t cut it. The smallest Hairy and the largest Downy could easily appear to be one another! When you’re unsure, the easiest solution is to look at the size of the bird’s beak, and more specifically its size in relation to the animal’s head. If the beak is much smaller than the bird’s head, it’s a Downy. If the beak is as long as or longer than the bird’s head, it’s a Hairy!

Left: A Downy Woodpecker. Right: A Hairy Woodpecker. Photo Credits: Joshua J. Cotten (via Unsplash) and Daniel D’Auria

Yellow and Pine Warblers

Did you know that many of the most common warblers you’ll see around Long Island all belong to the same genus. Yellow, Pine, and Yellow-rumped warblers, among others, all belong to the genus Setophaga. For reference, when we talk about dinosaurs, we generally only refer to an animal’s genus, as distinguishing between species is often too difficult! This holds true with modernity’s warblers, which often possess similar, if not identical, silhouettes. However, with decent lighting, most of the more common species are simple enough to distinguish from one another thanks to their varied plumage patterns. Even with the often-extreme sexual dimorphism present in many warblers, the males and females of a given species are often distinct from any other species you’ll find in a similar habitat (though the drabber females will likely require a closer look to properly identify). However, Yellow and Pine Warblers are an exception to this: they’re both predominantly yellow in coloration and possess darker wings and streaks on their bellies. Ultimately, there are three key features you can use to distinguish the birds. First, are their wings. While Yellow Warblers’ wings are generally darker in coloration than the rest of their body, they’re not the pure gray that Pine Warblers possess. Furthermore, Pine Warbler wings feature distinct white wing bars. Second, the streaks on Yellow Warbler bellies are much clearer and more pronounced than those of the Pine Warblers, which are often smudgy. Finally, Pine Warblers have black eye-lines that, while fainter in color, connect their eyes and their beaks.

Left: A Yellow Warbler. Right: A Pine Warbler. Photo Credits: Patrice Bouchard (via Unsplash) and Fritz Myer

Sparrows

Unlike warblers, which generally each possess distinct coloration or plumage patterns, most sparrows you’ll find on your hikes will be shades of brown, will have some sort of eye line, and will likely have streaks on their bellies. Dark-eyed Juncos and Eastern Towhees are an exception to this, but often you’ll have to rely on traits other than plumage to determine what you’re looking at. Size is useful for identifying Fox Sparrows (large) and Chipping Sparrows (small) but in isolation it can be challenging to place what you’re looking at in perspective with other sparrows you’ve seen. Thus, size is most useful when multiple species are present at the same time.

Habitat is also a clue – you’re unlikely to see a Swamp Sparrow in the heart of the Pine Barrens, after all! When it comes down to it, the most similar sparrows in terms of plumage, habitat, and size are the Song Sparrow and the White-throated Sparrow. Although the latter’s name might suggest a simple way to distinguish the two, this isn’t always the case. Juvenile White-throated Sparrows possess less distinct white throats, to say nothing of natural differences in pigmentation. Not every bird you’ll see out in the field looks like the picture-perfect specimen in your field guide or on the Merlin app. Thus, the most important thing to remember is that Song Sparrows possess very clear and distinct streaks on their belly, and often feature a single, most prominent streak on their centers. Additionally, White-throated sparrows migrate away from the Island during the warmer months, so if it’s the middle of July, you’re not likely to see them.

Left: A Song Sparrow. Right: A White-Throated Sparrow. Photo Credits: Matthew Schwartz and Joshua J. Cotten (both via Unsplash)

Hopefully this brief guide will help you to identify birds and enjoy this incredibly exciting and enriching hobby. From your own backyard to the Shoreham Forest, you can find birds of all shapes and sizes across Long Island, if only you choose to look for them. Happy Birding!

By Travis Cutter, Long Island Pine Barrens Society