Kent Conservation Advisory Committee

04/23/2026

It’s Earth Day 🌎
If we are being realistic and honest - which really is the least we can do - it’s very likely warmer today than anytime in the last 120,000 years. And, the global warming rate the past century - and especially the last 30 years - is “exponentially” faster than when we emerge out of ice ages - the fastest natural warming rate we know.
The visual below shows the last 2000 years - notice the red spike at the end - yeah, it’s happening quick!!
So, to show your support for your home 🌎
You can choose global, national, regional, or local here:
showyourstripes.info
Thanks to Ed Hawkins for these vital visuals!

04/22/2026

Do you have plans yet for Saturday? Join a team to help clean up our beautiful town!

If you need a location to be a part of the team, join our CAC team at the White Pond parking lot on White Pond Road this Saturday at 9:00AM.

04/02/2026

The book "The Devil's Element: Phosphorus and a World out of Balance" by Dan Egan is a great, history/story/documentary book about the 15th element in our periodic table of elements, sometimes known as the "devil's element", because in its pure elemental form, phosphorus is downright dangerous. In the form traditionally found in nature and used in agriculture, including fertilizing lawns, phosphate provides life and in overuse becomes the reason we see algae blooms in our water bodies.

This is a good book written by a self-described non-scientist / author who has an interest in what is happening to our waters and who wrote a good storyline describing the history of how phosphorus was discovered, why phosphorus is crucial to all living cells, uses of this element, mining and economics, and the problems with overuse, both economically and environmentally.

This is a good read for anyone interested in our local natural environment, particularly water bodies. Those who live on local lakes or have an interest in our lakes and water bodies, this is a great introduction for interested persons and non-scientists and scientists alike to understanding why we are seeing problems with algae blooms locally and globally.

Local methods we have at helping our local lakes and water bodies start with how we work with phosphorus, right within our own yard and home. Reducing use of fertilizers on lawns and addressing septic systems which may not be functioning correctly are important areas to address.

The Devil's Element: Phosphorus and a World Out of Balance The New York Times best-selling author on the source of great bounty―and now great peril―all over the world.Phosphorus has played a critical role in some of the most lethal substances on earth: firebombs, rat poison, nerve gas. But it’...

03/27/2026

Do you know a college student or recent high school or college graduate who is looking for an outdoor experience for this summer? Tell them about the Student Conservation Association.

The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is currently looking for crew members and a crew leader to join the 2026 Adirondack Corps for a season of high-impact conservation work. Both crew members and leaders will have the opportunity to live, work, and camp in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York.

Check out the comments below for details. ⬇

03/27/2026

Are you seeing fish along the shores of local lakes and ponds around the area here in Putnam and Dutchess counties? This is actually pretty normal for this time of year, especially after the hard winter we just came through.

This post by the NYS DEC tells us more.

Fret not, our Fishy Friends- while seeing dead fish along the edges of lakes and ponds can be cause for concern, fish die-offs are typical to see during this time of year. Dense snow on top of thick layers of ice dramatically limits sunlight from reaching aquatic plants, reducing the plants’ ability to produce enough oxygen needed for fish to survive. In addition, this time of year brings added stress to fish as numerous species begin to spawn, and the sudden changes in water temperature creates thermal shock leading to weakened immune systems and other strains on their body.

Die-offs seen in the spring, and even in the late summer, are usually a natural seasonal occurrence and will resolve on their own as conditions stabilize, without significant impacts to the fishery. If there’s reason to suspect a fish kill is by non-natural causes, please let us know at [email protected].

03/20/2026

*** REMINDER ***

New York State Burn Ban in effect March 16 - May 14, 2026

https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/air-quality/open-burning

03/17/2026

Tick-borne diseases are on the rise in the northeastern US, with many ticks carrying more than one pathogen. Most commonly found together were Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, and Babesia microti, a parasite that causes a malaria-like disease known as babesiosis.

03/16/2026

https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/water/drinking/privatewellspilot/

02/28/2026

What a Winter! Hopefully you are all enjoying the incredible snow! A little backcountry skiing in this amazing snow is a wonderful way to get out to see what other animal tracks are coming and going. Today's tracks included coyote and a fresh set of otter tracks!

A word about skiing and conservation.

We just came off the Winter Olympics 2026 and you may or may not have noticed a 'thing' that happened. This Olympics joined the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) and other ski and snowboard organizations to formally and officially ban the use of ski waxes containing PFAS, also known popularly in the ski world as 'fluoro' wax. In fact, three skiers were banned from competing in the 2026 Milan Olympics just a couple of weeks ago because their skis or snowboards tested positive for fluoro wax.

PFAS chemicals, also known as 'forever chemicals', are readily absorbed into our bodies and remain in the environment literally forever. The same principles of fluoro waxes that make them incredible ski waxes, where fluoro waxes are hydrophobic (meaning they repel water), also makes them almost impossible to break down. Fluoro waxes are not biodegradable and while skiing bits of the fluoro (PFAS) wax is constantly shed to the environment, leaving little bits of PFAS chemicals all throughout the environment along the trail. Studies have show that skiers who regularly use fluoro wax tend to have higher concentrations of PFAS in their body, for which there is no remedy.

While fluoro waxes for all types of ski environments, from nordic and cross country, to alpine and downhill, have existed and been used by many for over 30 years, the use of fluoro waxes has now been banned in all ski competitions globally, including now the Olympics.

Please consider your ski wax. There are now many non-fluoro ski waxes available on the market. Before you purchase a ski wax, understand if it contains 'fluoro' or not. Most waxes that are fluoro-free will clearly state that.

Help protect our natural resources and natural environment. Help protect the otter, beaver, mink, coyote, bear and other animals that live all around the areas we also like to ski. Protect yourself and your loved ones who live with you. Make that decision to NOT use fluoro based ski wax. Look for non-fluoro ski wax for your next ski outing, whether that be at the ski slopes or out in the backcountry on your touring skis.

12/20/2025

We are live at our star party here at Huestis Park! We have Andromeda!