PathwaysOfficial Publication of the New York State Outdoor Education Association Winter 2012

w w w . n y s o e a . o r g 6 0 7 . 5 9 1 . 6 4 2 2 Cover Photograph by Malcom Gatherer

Chateaugay Lake in the Adirondacks

2 3 Pathways Winter 2012Pathways Winter 2012

Additionally, healthier people use less medication, and this can reduce the amount of medicine and the harmful chemicals in medicine, such as phthalates, in their bodies, and in turn, in the water supply. Also, many efforts to be green can also save a lot of money. Using natural cleansers such as lemon juice, baking soda, and vinegar instead of some of the store-bought cleansers and air fresheners can save you money and keep you, your family, and your ecosystem healthier. And a healthier, happier, more confident you may just land that dream job or love of your life... So may 2012 be the Year of Making Connections. And may this year be our best year yet.

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InvItatIon for artIcles and news.The Pathways team is always eager to hear from members and publish the articles that they have authored or news or event announcements that they would like to share with fellow members. We invite you to send your submission for our next issue. Simply send us the text with any supporting material -- pictures, newspaper clippings, and more. We can receive it in any of the ways listed below.advertIsIng In PathwaysPathways welcomes advertisements which will be of interest to the membership of NYSOEA. If you have a product, service, equipment, resource, program, etc. that you would like to share with our membership via an advertisement, we can receive it through any of the following ways.

Email: pathways@nysoea.orgFax: (607) 753-5982

Materials should be typed. Please include a short biographical section about the author of the article. References cited in the article should be listed at the end of the article, APA style.

(ISSN 1077-5100) Pathways is published four times a year by the New York State Outdoor Education Association and is emailed to NYSOEA members. Opinions expressed by contributors are theirs solely and not necessarily those of the Editorial Board of Pathways or of NYSOEA. Advertisements included in Pathways should not be interpreted as endorsement of the product(s) by NYSOEA.

Mail: Darleen M. LieberRef: Pathways Advertisement / ArticleE-334 Park Center, SUNY Cortland RPLS Dept.PO Box 2000 Cortland, NY 13045

nysoea executIve BoardPresident Mary Lynne Malone

President-Elect Tim Stanley

VP Administration John Garesch

VP Communication Nirmal Merchant

VP Human Resources Tim Stanley

VP Program Rebecca Houser

Secretary Meaghan Boice-Green

Treasurer Elizabeth Van Acker

Office Darleen Lieber

regIonal dIrectorsEastern - Amanda Ackers & Natalie RiderMetro - Jessica KratzNorthern - Gary Griz CaudleWestern - Lauren MakeyenkoCentral - Benette Whitmore, Ph.D

2012 natIonal conference commIttee chaIrsMary MillerEric PowersJolene Thompson

PathwaysJessica Kratz (Editor)Richard Parisio (Poetry Editor)Frank Knight (Member)Matt Fraher (Layout)Nicole Gatherer (Teacher)Jonathan Duda (Marketing Manager)Snapper Petta (Member)

a note from the PresIdentWinter has come. I hope you celebrate by participating in the Good Old Fashioned Outdoor Educators Weekend, otherwise known as Winter Weekend at Ashokan. This networking informal event allows us to share, compare, and to generally have a good time outside. As the winter progresses, it is so much easier to stay inside. Daylight is minimal, more clothing is required! This

winter, take the opportunity to get outside. Take the kids, nieces and nephews, or grandkids. Make a date with someone and go skiing, hiking, skating, tubing, or another fun outdoor activity.As a new year unfolds, think about how you might want to increase your participa-tion in the organization. As most of you know, walking through the snow first takes a bit more effort, but once you create a path, its not so bad at all. There are a core group of members who have very willingly carved that path in the snow, so the question is: are you willing to be on a committee or join the board? Would you like to write for Pathways? Would you like to order merchandise for the NYSOEA Store? Do you know someone deserving of an award or scholarship? Are you will-ing to present a workshop at one of the conference? Consider this my personal invitation to you to get involved.Stay warm and dont forget you can always update member information, donate, or just keep updated at www.nysoea.org.

As December comes to a close, we are bombarded with messages of New Year, New You. The bright lights of the holiday season blur into flickering messages about tax preparation, weight loss, career changes, relationships, etc. Sometimes this January jolt makes the joy of the season seem like a distant memory, but

that need not be so. For some reason, the rhythm of our lives is dictated by an artificial compartmentalization and fragmentation. Since middle school, when Math was 3rd period and Language Arts was 6th period and prime time network television conditioned us to think that situations can be resolved neatly in 30 minute episodes, life has taken on this oddly subdivided dimension. As we all know, life isnt really that simple, though sometimes we wish it were. But on the flip side, there are many benefits to the interconnectedness and continuities of life. In outdoor education, we take advantage of teachable moments and interdisciplinary learning. Math and English are not separated by class periods, but rather, integrated by thematic assignments where students graph data about what they found then write about their experiences. But in our own lives, we are far less likely to embrace and take advantage of the connections, though we are certainly equipped to do so. For instance, if we were to make and embrace the connections in our daily adult lives we can truly keep to multiple New Years Resolutions at one time. As finance expert Suze Orman says, A healthier you means a wealthier you. Hence, if a person resolves to become healthier and lose weight by walking more, preparing healthier foods at home, and eating more fresh fruits and vegetables from a local farmers market, they may also end up reducing their entertainment costs and medical costs, leading to more savings.

Photo by: Frank Knight - Where in NYS is this?

edItors corner: year of makIng connectIonsJessica Kratz

4 5 Pathways Winter 2012Pathways Winter 2012

Every year we come together to see old friends and colleagues and meet new ones. We catch up, pass on old and new ideas, and share our excitement and visions for the future. In between the note taking and presenting, we do a special kind of learning where we stop to recognize the contributions of people who have dedicated much of themselves to environmental education. That time is the awards banquet, held this past fall at the 43th annual conference at the Villa Roma resort in Callicoon. This year the Level 7,000 Epic Teachers Award (also known as the Outdoor Educator Award) was earned by the quintessential extroverted outdoor educator, Carl Heitmuller. Carl is an outstanding educator, and hes the one who reminds you that it is REALLY all about the students, and while you are with students, NOTHING else that might be on your mind is important. He reminds you that connecting children with nature means first connecting with them, and he is the guy who takes us back to basics with a workshop to remind us that a little customer service goes a LONG way toward the mission of getting students to embrace nature. When you talk to Jessica Kratz you notice that she

is clearly a person who believes in giving back, and has a natural habit of acting on that belief. Her willingness to jump right in and work makes you want to do the same. Among the myriad helpful tasks and services she has provided, she has served as an NYSOEA board member,

Pathways editor, Communications Committee member, and an amazing auction items solicitor for the Buffalo conference, which yielded a record profit! As a result of her savvy it is likely that we will also hold on-line auctions in the future. Jessica is this years Service Award recipient. In her own words, one thing tends to lead to another, and you definitely get out more than you put in, so thats how this thing works...

mentoring, reaching out, paying it forward. She will tell you that she started helping NYSOEA little by little, and she has already given back a lot. Both of our Art & Literary Award recipients this

year are pioneers in the environmental education movement. Linda Moriarty has taught arts and media arts in the beacon city school district for 11 years, and for the past 6 of those years has coordinated the environmental education program that she was instrumental in creating. As Education Coordinator Susan Hereth showed us, Lindas art

learnIng from the Best:

nysoeas 2011 award recIPIentsShannon Morley, Staff Naturalist, Helmer Nature Center

classes incorporate outdoor nature journaling and artistic creations with film, digital photography, drawing, water colors and pastels. Because of her efforts to integrate environmental education with the public school curriculum, Lindas students develop a keen sense of observation in nature, and the artwork they create is powerful and inspirational. In her acceptance speech Linda reminded us that environmental education integration is within reach, perseverance pays off, and nature touches the soul as much as it teaches the mind. Samuel B. Ross Jr., Ph.D., is the Founder of Green Chimneys school on 750 acres of land in Brewster, NY. Green Chimneys is a year-round school that serves 200 students with behavioral, social, and emotional learning challenges. As nominator Jessica Kratz informed us, the Green Chimneys education has included integrated apprenticeships, poetry and whole student learning since the 1960s. Ross book The Extraordinary Spirit of Green Chimneys: Connecting Children and Animals to Create Hope is an invaluable memoir and institutional history of the struggles, successes, and transitions of a trailblazing school. Ross shares his lifelong work and the stories of students and staff in this inspirational volume. Though unable to attend the conference, he graciously accepted his award by sending a great video that included his school, its pumpkin patch and its students playing in the background. Samuel Ross reminds us to always persevere and keep growing. The recipient of the Harlan Gold Metcalf Award (also known as the Lifetime Achievement Award for Being Awesome) makes us see all of the great things a person can do in a lifetime of work. So what do you learn from someone who is always genuine, has a contagious laugh, and LOVES the people and the nature of our world? Pretty much everything, as evidenced by the crowd of people who left their seats to lead us all in a song and dance Skin-a-ma-rinki-dinki-dink (pictured bottom left). Snapper Petta will remind you to always be yourself, and share your joy. This years recipient of the Leadership Award is the person who convinces you that you can be successful at things that you would otherwise never dream of attempting. Former president of NYSOEA -- the leader who inspires others to lead -- MaryAnna Russo is always there to help if you need her, but only when you ask. She then stands back and says See? I knew you could do it! MaryAnna reminds us of our role as leaders, and the importance of instilling confidence in learners. Looking around the room, we notice the family members who came to honor the dedication that their loved ones have given to their work. As colleagues and friends we gather, and we see where we have been, where we will go, and that are part of something much bigger. We are reminded of what is possible, of why we do what we do, and we are inspired to do more. What better way to learn from each other than to award our peers for the work they have done, look at what they have accomplished, and be proud. Congratulations to the award recipients.

continued from page 4

Januarys owlStudy the sad eye of this hollow elm,bark gone, trunk weathered rainygrey. Look at its hole look backat you, its cinnamon colored pupila screech owls head. Whistlehis quavering call, the lonesomewhinny of a mare whose foals gone missing. But this owl holesa focusfor the quiet marsh, its raftof seasonal gains and losses.The sleeping owl with tuftsthat are not ears invitesyour silence. He does not stirbut in his dream the tracks of mice stitch up the clean whitesheet of winter. With his needletalons the dreaming owl by moonlighttears the black thread out, his hookbeak finds the small furredheart beneath that coverlet.Whistle again. He hardly squints. For allis as it should be. For eachdeath a feathers placed upon the scale.From its fob of silencewinter hangs a watchfulness.A fierce heart clarified by hungerticks through the sleep of days. - Richard Parisio

naturallyPoetIc

photo courtesy of public-domain-photos.com

6 7 Pathways Winter 2012Pathways Winter 2012

my reach: a hudson rIver memoIrBy Susan Fox Rogers

hardcover: 240 pages PuBlIsher: Cornell University Press, 2011 IsBn-10: 0801450071 IsBn-13: 978-0801450075$21.00Available as a hardcover from independent bookstores throughout New York and from amazon.comAlso available as a Kindle eBook and Google eBookwww.susanfoxrogers.com

Review by Jessica R. Kratz

In My Reach: A Hudson River Memoir, Rogers brings into focus all that she sees and experiences through kayaking the river she loves. While a thorough account of the natural and man-made history of the places where she paddled would have been a sufficiently interesting read, Rogers ventures into deeper and into more tumultuous territory, tackling deeply emotional and metaphysical matters that speak to a much broader audience. The reader is immediately immersed in an on-water adventure. The front cover features a photograph of the author along the Hudson on a clear day, surrounded by the river and looking towards the Catskills in the distance. The inside covers feature maps of the Upper and Lower Navigable Hudson River, helping to highlight place names and ground the story in regional context. The text, rich in details about the physical and emotional landscape, moves along at a brisk, steady way, like paddle strokes. Rogers has been blessed with a geographical pedigree that has shaped other great writer naturalists. Having spent childhood summers in the Indiana Dunes that shaped Edwin Way Teale and a decade of mid-life in the Hudson Valley region of John Burroughs, Rogers has an enormous sense of place and an incredible skill, if not a sense of duty, for conveying the stories of the natural and built environment. From the etymology of place names to the history of factories to the environmental triumph at Storm King, Rogers offers us a very rich explanation of the places along the river, for which an index will be a welcome addition in future editions. Though Rogers laments that she was born too late in history to be the R

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The challenge that comes with writing a regularly scheduled column is at times nothing terribly exciting or important happens between deadlines. After almost six years of essays, natures cycles continue to go round on their continuum. In essence this means the usual topics have been covered; sometimes more often than a reader should have to endure. But, even with no major changes occurring, theres always something different, unique or eye opening that grabs the attention of one who searches it out; or is lucky enough to have it fall into his lap. That is what makes up this current installment of observations Its been two years since I last hiked into Pecoy Notch. This area of the Catskills is relatively high in elevation; approximately 2500 feet. Yet nestled below the saddle between Sugarloaf and Twin mountains is a beaver pond. The first time I hiked here it appeared to me that the pond was in the process of filling in, succeeding to the next phase of its life. Consider my surprise then when I discovered the old dam had been rebuilt this fall. The structure now stands solidly at head level as I leapt over the stream that trickles out of it. With no poplar or aspen in the area the current residents turned to beech and yellow birch to create their barrier; one that is fully two feet higher than the last time I was there. Once again the area teems with signs of life from this renewed activity. Again, nothing truly important happened, but My grandsons came to our home the week prior to Thanksgiving. The day care center the boys attend was scheduled to be closed that week so we volunteered to handle the task. The Monday of that week was both sunny and fair, with a clear cloudless night predicted. Knowing that I got our wood fired hot tub up and running so we could take in the evenings

entertainment; winters constellations. David, the older of the two, jumped right in that night but his brother James was a bit reluctant. When I assured him hed be supported he allowed my wife to pass him to me. As the warmth of the water caressed his body his tenseness relaxed, allowing him to settle in. Almost immediately he craned back his head and said, Grandpa, starssee stars! For the next half hour I dont believe you could have found four happier people in all of Otsego county. The heavens were ablaze and we were captivated by the celestial show. On Thanksgiving morning when we arrived at their house I had a bit of a surprise when my daughter asked James about his trip. The first words out of his mouth? Grandpas hot tub, see stars! Again, nothing truly important happened, but This years Lake George tactical event was the warmest on record yet I felt chills nonetheless. We spent the better part of one afternoon pursuing a unit of British rangers. Along with my Abenaki friends I had climbed to an upper area on the eastern side of the lake. At the top of the ridge we came to a waterfall cascading to a trail below. Having one person in our group who was moving slowly, we deliberated over our route while descending. At one point I turned around to see what progress we were making when the hair on the back of my neck stood up. Before me was a scene out of the film, Last of the Mohicans. Predicated on the battles and fighting that historically took place in this area, there is a point in the movie where the Huron are pursuing the main characters downriver. As I looked behind me what I was witnessing mirrored that celluloid image. More importantly, I could see our re-enactment in its historical context. I was lucky enough to experience what all people in the hobby hope for; the opportunity to pass through the curtain of time. For one brief moment I had been transported back to the 18th century. Again, nothing truly important happened, but Now, is there a lesson to be learned from these myriad short lived experiences? I hope you feel there is. And, if we can continue to agree, I hope you take from this that we are all more fortunate for these many short opportunities. For it is within these many fleeting, unconnected moments in our life that we grow richer as people. And what a blessing that truly is. Until next time, may all your rambles lead you to new and exciting places.

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photo by Malcolm Gatherer - Chateaugay Lake through trees in the Adirondacks

first to explore anything along the river, she succeeds in making her section of the Hudson, just as Annie Dillards Tinker Creek, a place that seems new and full of fresh discoveries, regardless of how familiar you are with it. While both Dillard and Rogers ponder their subjects broadly and deeply, turning nature observations of familiar flora and fauna into deeper questions about life, Rogers introspection offers nature writing a truly 21st century twist. By deeply evaluating her life choices and circumstances in mid-life and in the wake of the passing of her parents, Rogers honest vulnerability and insight transcends nature writing. The exploration of bereavement through a journey in My Reach is similar to the journey after divorce and depression in Eat, Pray, Love. While some of what Rogers explores, such as the indifference of the river and the brutality of the duck mating process may seem gruesome, her overall journey is uplifting and there is a sense that she is truly paddling towards light. My Reach: A Hudson River Memoir is a rich, moving, versatile read. Whether you are looking for a river adventure, a moving memoir, or a unique primary source text for a college class, Rogers book is an excellent choice. Editors Note: It was a pleasure meeting Susan Fox Rogers at the inaugural NYSOEA Authors Corner at our last conference in Callicoon. This years Authors Corner at our conference in Long Island will feature a larger number of authors and book titles and offer a great opportunity for dialogue between authors and outdoor educators. More information about Authors Corner will appear in the upcoming weeks on nysoea.org

8 Pathways Winter 2012 9 of 12Pathways Winter 2012

submitted by Nichole Gatherer

Author: Linda Oehler-Marx Grade: 12th Grade Subjects: Social Studies, Science, Math, English/Language Arts

Lesson from www.teachingthehudsonvalley.orgThis lesson, the fourth in the unit, can be taught independently or as part of a sequence. Students read about Rachel Carsons Silent Spring and how it affected the use of DDT and helped launch the American environmental movement. Students also learn about the pros and cons of DDT use. Essential Question(s)

What was Rachel Carsons impact on the environmental movement? Why?

How can we engage more people in the natural world?

Is there another side to the DDT debate?

Concept Understanding(s) Students will understand the ethical philosophy Rachel Carson used to frame her drive to ban DDT. Students will also address the ambiguity of some environmental questions, resulting from different ethical priorities. Vocabulary

Chlorinated hydrocarbons

Environmentalism

Subversive

Suggested Time Frame(s) One 45-minute class period.

By Ann Ezelius and the 2012 NYSOEA Conference Committee

The New York State Outdoor Education Association (NYSOEA) 44th Annual Conference will be held Thursday to Sunday, October 18-21, at Long Islands very own, Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in Upton, NY, with hotel accommodations at Crowne Plaza, in Holtsville. Getting to BNL is easy: travel by air, train, boat, or car. Check out http://www.bnl.gov/maps/ for directions. Pre-conference activities are being planned for Thursday, October 18. Also, there will be optional early bird activities to choose from before conference activities begin each day at 9am. Evening activities will be held at Crowne Plaza, including an Oktoberfest dinner on Thursday night, entertainment on Friday evening, and a banquet style dinner followed by a live auction on Saturday evening. Enjoy featured speakers, workshops, field trips, exhibitors, auctions, raffles, authors & artists corner, STEM expo, and much more! The conference will conclude after Sunday mornings activities, on and off campus. Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), a multi-program national laboratory operated by Brookhaven Science Association. for the U.S. Department of Energy, has a staff of approximately 3,000 scientists, engineers, technicians and support staff. With its 5,000+ acres of woods, grassy fields, and an on campus pond, BNL makes the perfect backdrop for the NYSOEA conference, as STEM, Science Technology Engineering and Math, plays a large role in this years theme: Outdoor Education has

always been green, and an effective way to teach STEM. Join us for this unique opportunity to hear from three accomplished and inspiring speakers. Fridays keynote speaker will be Jaimie Cloud founder of President of the Cloud Institute for Sustainability Education. Saturday will feature Patti Wood, co-founder & Executive Director of Grassroots Environmental Education, and Carl Safina, world renowned scientific writer and founder of the Blue Ocean Institute. Visit the NYSOEA website for more information on each speaker.

Please plan to be a part of this conference! Set up an exhibit table Offer a STEM or green theme workshop for your colleagues* Display your talents at the Authors and Artists Corner Feature your program at Friday evenings STEM EXPO Donate items to our Auctions and Raffle

* Workshop Proposal forms are available on the NYSOEA website, click here to visit the page: conference workshop form and submit it within the next two weeks. More information will be posted about all opportunities to participate.

As usual, we are designing this conference to meet the needs of teachers, administrators, outdoor educators,

scout leaders, summer camp staff, home-schoolers, college students, and nature lovers. Please spread the word!

For more information on this years conference, visit www.nysoea.org and check back regularly for CONFERENCE UPDATES. Like NYSOEA on Facebook, too. To reach all three chairs - Eric Powers, Mary Miller, and Jolene Thompson - use the email address: conferencecommittee@nysoea.org.

Narrative For homework, prior to class, students read the articles listed below and/or excerpts from Silent Spring:

Summary of Silent Spring, adapted from Silent Spring Revisited

Rachel Carsons Silent Spring: A Brief History of Ecology as a Subversive Subject by Gary Kroll, Plattsburgh State University

Rachel Carsons Environmental Ethics by Philip Cafaro, Colorado State University

The resource section lists sources for these articles. In class students review Silent Spring and its impact on legislation. Some of the readings are a bit challenging for students, and it is helpful to point out important passages and points made. As a follow up, students write a response to a quote from Cafaros article. They may also read and respond to The Revival of a Notorious Solution to a Notorious Scourge. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/05/opinion/05thu4.html

Visit nysoea.org for writing assignments related to this lesson plan

2012 conference uPdate

photo courtesy of http://alulatrips.com/

sIlent sPrIng: Pre-vIsIt

Outdoor Education has ALWAYS been "Green" ...and an effective way to teach STEM*!

NYS Outdoor Education Association Annual Conference

*science, technology, engineering, and math

Contact Information: www.nysoea.org Mary Miller oct16mgm@optonline.net (516) 241-7048

Eric Powers yc2n@me.com (631) 241-0088

Jolene Thompson jmthomps@gw.dec.state.ny.us (518) 421-8549

Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton Crowne Plaza Hotel, Holtsville

10 11 Pathways Winter 2012Pathways Winter 2012

Down on the Rhino Ranch, Dehorning Now CriticalBy Martin LeggettSubmitted by Nichole Gatherer

September 22nd was World Rhino Day, a day created by the WWF to raise awareness of the poaching of Rhinos as well as to expel the myth of the Rhino horns medical powers. Unfortunately the Rhino population has decreased dramatically and the poaching of its horn is hurting their recovery. Many Asian cultures use the Rhino horn in traditional medical practices which has made it a hot commodity. So what should be done to help the Rhinos?

Traditional conservation calls for land reserves or public trusts where Rhinos are watched over and can be protected. It also encourages strict regulations and laws to prevent illegal trade. But are these traditional methods enough?

Chishakewe is a Rhino ranch in Zimbabwe where they are trying a radical form of conservation. If you cant beat them. join them. They are safely removing Rhino horns and taking extreme precautions to make sure none are hurt in the process. The hope is to keep poachers away by removing what they are poaching. Is this radical form of conservation the answer and will it help in the long run?

controversy corner:tradItIonal vs. radIcal conservatIonIsts

To read the September 2011 article in full and give your opinion on the authors ideas which we may edit and print, please visit www.nysoea.org. We are trying to initiate reader discussion on environmental issues so please also consider submitting debatable issues that you would enjoy seeing discussed.

You can also click on this link to view the article.

Martin Leggett is a freelance environmental writer for The Earth Times.

Photo courtesy of Malcom Gatherer - Ashokan

Photo galleryThank you to our wonderful photographers for your submissions. Please keep them coming!

Frank Knight - Where in NYS is this scene?

Frank Knight - Where in NYS is this scene?

Stream down Lyon Mountain in Adirondacks- Malcom Gatherer

Ashokan Winter Weekend Hike - Malcom Gatherer

Ashokan - Malcom Gatherer

Non-ProfitU.S. Postage

P A I DCortland, NYPermit No. 14

New York State Outdoor Education Associationc/o Department of Recreation, Parks and Leisure StudiesP.O. Box 2000SUNY CortlandCortland, New York 13045

NYSOEA is a professional organization that promotes interdisciplinary life-long learning in, for, and about the outdoors

and seeks to inspire appreciation of the environment by all people.

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