New York State Conservationist Magazine

06/04/2026

Calling all photographers, the second annual Conservationist Photography Contest is open!

Conservationist magazine features stunning photography alongside in-depth articles about protecting New York State’s environment. Plus, we’ve got the inside scoop on where to hike, paddle, fish, view wildlife and more!

Help inspire our readers by submitting your best photos highlighting New York State in three categories: wildlife, landscapes, and outdoor recreation. Winners will be featured in the December/January calendar issue—our most popular issue!

Email submissions to [email protected] by September 8, 2026.
For more information including official contest rules, visit on.ny.gov/photo-contest.

📷 Janice Prichett

06/03/2026

Among the most social of tern species, black terns nest in loose colonies usually consisting of a few dozen pairs. Along with a couple of Old World tern species, they are referred to as marsh terns, due to the fact that they primarily nest far inland in freshwater marshes at the edges of lakes. They overwinter along tropical coastlines.

📷 Aaron Winters

05/29/2026

Join DEC Educator Chris Bowser on Saturday, May 30 for a Facebook Live post about fish seining at Lemon Creek Park on Staten Island at 12 PM.

This family-friendly event is part of a series of free public programs as part of the World Fish Migration Day. The Lemon Creek event is from 11 AM to 1 PM. See you on the water!

05/27/2026

Looking for a snazzy flash of red to brighten up your yard and attract pollinators? Consider planting cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), a native perennial wildflower that blooms in summer and early fall.

Cardinal flower:
🌼 Has two petals on the top and three at the bottom that grow in a tall cluster
🦋 Attracts hummingbirds, its main pollinator, as well as butterflies and bees
🌱 Typically grows 2-4 feet tall
💧 Prefers wet areas with rich soil near streams, marshy spots, or ponds
👩‍🌾 Is a garden favorite and has been planted since colonial times
❤ Has been over picked in some wild places- if you see it growing, please leave it there

📷: Katja Schulz, Flickr

Check out our comments for more information about cardinal flower ⬇

05/22/2026

05/21/2026

Happy ! There’s no better time to slow down, get outside, and enjoy the simple pleasure of a great magazine. Stay connected to what's happening in New York's great outdoors with a subscription to Conservationist.

To celebrate the power of storytelling on National Magazine Day, we’re offering a special deal on 3-year subscriptions for just $25—that’s less than $10 per year! For an even sweeter deal, be one of the first 25 NEW subscribers and receive a bag of swag to use on your next adventure! Don’t miss this limited-time offer, sign up today: bit.ly/4nG8yLR

05/20/2026

Here are a group of newly hatched spiderlings of the cross spider, a medium-sized orb weaver. Females lay an oblong fuzzy cocoon-looking egg sac. After hatching, the spiderlings will walk to a high spot in the terrain where they pay out a little bit of silken dragline until it catches the wind. They then release their grip on the ground or vegetation and go aerial in a behavior called ballooning, to land in a new place, make a web, and begin to feed.

📷 Mariana Rhoades

05/19/2026

05/13/2026

The Hooded Merganser is one of a handful of waterfowl species in North American that nests in tree cavities. When these are not available, they will often readily use nest boxes, as long as they are the right size and in the right location. The ducklings jump from the nest to the forest floor when they are one day old!

📷 Aaron Winters