Environmental Monitoring and Management Alliance / EMMA

12/18/2025

Winter is a time of quiet beauty in the forest, and there is still so much to see. Join Stewardship Coordinator Abby on January 24 from 1-3 PM, for a winter hike where you will learn about our winter flora and how to identify it in the snow-covered landscape. Register now before the event is full! https://www.huyckpreserve.org/events.html

12/13/2025

12/13/2025

12/13/2025

While on your commute, have you noticed more animals crossing roads?

Crepuscular and nocturnal animals such as deer, opossums, and raccoons are more active at dusk and after dark, which means that with the start of fall and winter, humans commute times coincide with when these animals are most active.

🌅 Crepuscular – active at dawn and dusk
🌙 Nocturnal – active at night

Why did the deer freeze while crossing the road?
Instinct! Deer are a prey animal, if they sense danger, they freeze to not draw attention to themselves.
While this instinct works well for other potential threats, it can pose a real danger when it is your car.

🦌 Give wildlife a break
Roads make humans’ lives easier but cut through habitats, making wildlife’s more difficult.

🚗➡️🐾 When driving be sure to slow down, watch for movement and remember that wildlife doesn’t know how to look both ways.

(Thanks to Animal Care Supervisor Lisa Kelly for the text and photo of the Cliffdale buck!)

12/11/2025

12/11/2025

We are now accepting applications for our 2026 Huyck Research Grants. Grants are open to graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, or senior researchers interested in studying the natural systems of the Preserve and can help fund new or existing projects. Applications will be accepted until February 20, 2026. Click here to find out more information and apply: https://www.huyckpreserve.org/huyck-research-grants.html

12/09/2025

12/09/2025

We are excited to share the news of the permanent preservation of 73 acres of expansive contiguous forestland abutting the Appalachian Trail in the Town of Beekman. The conserved property safeguards rich woodlands that rank highly for their ability to provide a thriving habitat for wildlife and native species while contributing to the vital production of life-giving clean air. It also adds to a critical mass of more than 2,300 acres of federal and state-protected forests, providing important connectivity for animals. The landowner’s commitment to land conservation exemplifies the many ways in which protecting our crucial forested lands benefits our communities and ensures the future of sensitive ecosystems. By choosing to protect this land, he has augmented the beauty of our local landscape and taken a crucial step toward securing indispensable resources such as clean water and fresh air for future generations. His decision to protect his land through conservation will have a lasting impact and profoundly improve the ecological health of our region for wildlife and people forever.

The protection of this property was made possible in part by funding from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s Forest Conservation Easement Land Trust Grants, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's Wild East Action Fund, and Scenic Hudson.

12/09/2025

12/06/2025

❄️ The Science of Snow (Families, 6+) ❄️
Saturday, December 6 • 10:00 am

How do snowflakes sparkle? How does blubber keep wildlife warm? Join Environmental Educator Caroline Erb to explore the science behind winter wonders—and take a short walk through the winter woods to see these mysteries in action. 🌨️🌲

Please dress for the weather!

M $10/family • NM $15/family
Limited to six families • Ages 6+
(Max 5 family members per group)

🔗 Register at https://www.teatown.org/events/the-science-of-snow-families-6/