Walk on the Wild Side of Flowers
Tuesday August 2, 2016, 10:00am- 11:00am
Come walk with us to explore the summer flowers of the Albany Pine Bush. We plan to hike approximately one-half mile. All ages.
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: $3 per person/$5 per family/Children under 5 yrs free. Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Detecting Bats in the Pine Bush
Wednesday August 3, 2016, 7:30pm- 9:00pm
Are bats really blind? Come learn the answer to this question and more! We will start inside at the Discovery Center with a short presentation. Then we will caravan to a different trailhead for a twilight hike. Participants must provide their own transportation. We will use technology to help us detect any of the five species of bats that live in the Preserve. We plan to spend about 45 minutes outside listening for bats. Ages 10+.
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: $3 per person/$5 per family. Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Friday Walk and Talk
Friday August 5, 2016, 12:00pm- 1:00pm
Take a break from your day and join us for a 1.2 mile hike at Kings Highway Barrens. We will meet at the Kings Highway Barrens trailhead (#9). Adults only. Free!
Location: Kings Highway Barrens
Fee: Free! Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Bird Banding Observation
Saturday August 6, 2016, 8:00am- 10:00am
Come along on an early morning adventure to observe some of the amazing birds here and see our science team in action as they capture and band birds! They are working together to learn more about birds that breed here in the Pine Bush. We will be caravanning to another part of the preserve. Please meet at the Discovery Center. Participants must provide their own transportation. We will be walking off trail, so please dress in light colored pants, long socks to tuck pants into, and sturdy walking shoes. Ages 6+. Free!
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: Free! Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Terrific Turtles
Sunday August 7, 2016, 1:00pm- 3:00pm
Have you ever seen a turtle in the Pine Bush? They’re here! In this program, we will learn what kinds of turtles live in the Pine Bush, where they live, and how they survive. We will start our program indoors with a live turtle presentation and continue outside for a hike into turtle habitat. We will caravan to another trailhead where we will be hiking approximately one-half mile. Participants must provide their own transportation. All ages.
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: $3 per person/$5 per family/Children under 5 yrs free. Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Neighborhood Walk – Blueberry Hill West
Monday August 8, 2016, 10:00am- 12:00pm
Calling all neighbors, join us for a guided walk in the Pine Bush Preserve. We will meet at the Blueberry Hill West trailhead (#5). We plan to walk 1.4 miles. Ages 8+. Free!
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: Free! Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Pine Bush Pups: Slither like a Snake
Tuesday August 9, 2016, 10:00am- 11:00am
Wednesday August 10, 2016, 10:00am- 11: 00am
Did you know that snakes live in the Albany Pine Bush Preserve? Learn what kinds of snakes live here, what they eat and how they survive in this environment. Enjoy a short walk to observe snake habitat and construct a coiled snake. Register children, not adults. Ages 2-6.
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: $3 per child/$5 per family. Registration required. Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Amazing Ants
Sunday August 14, 2016, 2:00pm- 3:30pm
Ants live on nearly all of Earth’s land masses, where they busily shape our ecosystems, yet they are often outside the reach of our attention. Come join us for a very short hike (approximately one-quarter mile) where we will look for some of the 53 different species of ants that call the Pine Bush home and learn about their peculiar and fascinating habits. Ages 6+.
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: $3 per person/$5 per family. Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Meet the Ants
Tuesday August 16, 2016, 6:00pm- 7:30pm
The Albany Pine Bush is home to more than 53 ant species, some of which we know very little about. In this program, we will visit a site where an uncommon (for this region) ant species is known to reside and discuss what we know and don’t know about local ant ecology. We will then take a short hike (approximately one mile) to observe other ant species in the area. Participants will gather at the Discovery Center and then caravan to the Blueberry Hill West trailhead (#5). Participants must provide their own transportation and are encouraged to bring hand lenses if they have them. Ages 15+.
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: $3 per person/$5 per family. Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Science Lecture Series – Lessons from the Adirondacks: Studying Vernal Pool Amphibians in an Intact Wetland Landscape
Thursday August 18, 2016, 7:00pm- 8:00pm
Wetlands represent some of the most threatened ecosystems in the United States. While wetland loss and degradation continues in the present day, the roots of these changes can be traced back to the arrival of European settlers on the continent and the subsequent expansion of agriculture. This long history of loss and alteration presents a challenge for those seeking to conserve and restore wetlands, like those found in the globally rare Albany Pine Bush Preserve. Specifically, our understanding of the functioning of wetland systems and the biodiversity that relies upon them is often built upon research conducted in systems that are already highly modified. Dr. David Patrick will explain how the Adirondack Park provides an ideal opportunity to assess how wetland biodiversity functions across a largely intact wetland landscape and how we can use this information as a baseline to inform restoration efforts. Ages 15+. Free!
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: Free! Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
The Buzz of the Pine Bush Bees
Friday August 19, 2016, 1:00pm- 2:30pm
Did you know that the Albany Pine Bush Preserve is home to over 100 species of native bees and wasps? Join us in this program for an indoor introduction to these native beauties and then examine them on the trail during a 0.9 mile hike. Learn how much we owe these insects and how you can help native pollinators in your own backyard! All ages.
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: $3 per person/$5 per family/Children under 5 yrs free. Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Hug a Tree
Saturday August 20, 2016, 11:00 am- 12:00pm
Calling all kids!! Would you know what to do if you were outside playing or hiking and became lost? If you’re not sure, this program is for you. Hug a Tree was developed to teach children a few of the most basic and vital survival principles. It was specifically designed for children between the ages of 6 and 12. We will start with an indoor presentation and demonstrations followed by an outside presentation (including a rescue dog!). There will be a guided hike following the program. Please sign up separately if you would like to attend the hike. Ages 6+. Free!
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: Free! Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Discover the Pine Bush following Hug a Tree
Saturday August 20, 2016, 12:00 pm- 1:00pm
If you participated in the Hug a Tree program join us afterwards for this guided hike. An extraordinary journey into the Albany Pine Bush, the best remaining example in the world of an inland pine barrens. Our experts will guide you along this 0.9 mile hike over rolling sand dunes where you will discover Pine Bush natural history, seasonal surprises and transformations. Registration in the Hug a Tree program does not guarantee registration in the hike, please register separately. Ages 6+. Free!
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: Free! Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Discover the Pine Bush
Sunday August 21, 2016, 1:00pm- 2:00pm
An extraordinary journey into the Albany Pine Bush, the best remaining example in the world of an inland pine barrens. Our experts will guide you along this 0.9 mile hike over rolling sand dunes where you will discover Pine Bush natural history, seasonal surprises and transformations. All ages. Free!
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: Free! Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Citizen Science: Drop-In Nighthawk Watch
Wednesday August 24, 2016, 5:30pm- 7:30pm
With a 2-foot wingspan and a habit of feeding in the air near the ground, Common Nighthawks are easy to spot. Dozens to hundreds of the birds are seen each evening before sunset during migration as they feed over the Preserve. A New York State designated Species of Greatest Conservation Need, the Common Nighthawk is neither common (outside of migration) nor a hawk, and is experiencing declines throughout many parts of its breeding range including New York. We invite you to join us in the Discovery Center parking lot to count common nighthawks flying over Albany Pine Bush Preserve as they continue on their over 6,000-mile southward migration. Feel free to come any time between 5:30pm and 7:30pm and stay as long as you like. Ages 10+. Free!
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: Free! Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Neighborhood Walk – DiCaprio Park
Friday August 26, 2016, 10:30am- 11:30am
Calling all neighbors, join us for a guided walk located at the DiCaprio soccer fields. We will hike approximately two miles over rolling and steep topography stopping along the way to explore the diversity of species that live in this region of the Preserve. We will meet at the DiCaprio Park trailhead (#11). Ages 8+. Free!
Location: DiCaprio Park trailhead (#11)
Fee: Free! Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Wildflower Stroll
Saturday August 27, 2016, 10:30am- 12:00pm
The Albany Pine Bush Preserve is home to a diversity of wildflowers. Join us for a summer stroll where we’ll stop to identify and observe some of the beautiful wildflowers of summer. We will walk approximately one mile. Ages 10+.
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: $3 per person/$5 per family. Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Antlions: Ferocious Creatures in the Sand
Sunday August 28, 2016, 1:00pm- 2:30pm
Discover the amazing world of antlions; a unique insect in the Pine Bush. We will walk approximately one mile to explore antlion pits and investigate antlion larvae up close. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore an interesting detail of the Albany Pine Bush Preserve. All ages.
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: $3 per person/$5 per family. Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Pine Bush Pups: Incredible Insects
Tuesday August 30, 2016, 10:00am- 11:00am
Wednesday August 31, 2016, 10:00am- 11:00am
Creepy, crawly. squishy, smally. Insects abound in the Pine Bush. Through hands on exploration, a short hike and craft we will learn the ins and outs of these incredible insects. Register children, not adults. Ages 2-6.
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: $3 per child/$5 per family. Registration required. Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Friday Walk and Talk
Friday September 2, 2016, 12:00pm- 1:00pm
Take a break from your day and join us for a one-hour hike along the trails of the Madison Avenue Pinelands. We will meet at the Madison Avenue Pinelands trailhead (#7). Adults only. Free!
Location: Madison Avenue Pinelands trailhead (#7)
Fee: Free! Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Neighborhood Walk – DiCaprio Park
Saturday September 3, 2016, 10:30am- 11:30am
Calling all neighbors, join us for a guided walk located at the DiCaprio soccer fields. We will hike approximately one mile over rolling and steep topography stopping along the way to explore the diversity of species that live in this region of the Preserve. We will meet at the DiCaprio Park trailhead (#11). This is a Hudson River Valley Ramble event. Ages 8+. Free!
Location: DiCaprio Park trailhead (#11)
Fee: Free! Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Discover the Pine Bush
Sunday September 4, 2016, 1:00pm- 2:30pm
An extraordinary journey into the Albany Pine Bush, the best remaining example in the world of an inland pine barrens. Our experts will guide you along this 0.9 mile hike over rolling sand dunes where you will discover Pine Bush natural history, seasonal surprises and transformations. This is a Hudson River Valley Ramble event. All ages. Free!
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: Free! Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Pine Bush GPS Adventure
Monday September 5, 2016, 10:30am- 12:00pm
Search for hidden objects using a handheld Global Positioning System (GPS) unit that will help you navigate the trails. Learn which buttons do what, how to locate your position on Earth, and how to find your way back to places you’ve been! GPS units are provided. Ages 8+.
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: $3 per person/$5 per family. Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Restoration Hike
Sunday September 11, 2016, 1:00pm- 2:30pm
Come witness the transformation of the Pine Bush. Through habitat management, the Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission is restoring the Pine Bush to an open pine barrens. One of only 20 left in the world! Join us for a hike along the trails and learn how the Commission is bringing this globally rare ecosystem back. We will be meeting at the Madison Avenue Pinelands trailhead (#7) and hiking approximately one mile over rolling sand dunes. This is a Hudson River Valley Ramble event. Ages 8+. Free!
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: Free! Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Science Lecture Series – Making Tracks: The Archeology of the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad, America’s Pioneering Railroad
Thursday September 15, 2016, 7:00pm- 8:00pm
One of America’s oldest passenger railroads once steamed through the Pine Bush. Approximately 1,000 feet of the original bed and grade of the railroad used from 1832-1844 still remains and is protected by the City of Albany via an archeological easement. The easement which lies across from the University of Albany and the interchange of I-90 and I-87 is considered prime commercial real estate. Under pressure from developers several years ago, the city permitted a small section of the grade to be removed allowing for an access road to a hotel. To mitigate the impacts, archeologists from Hartgen Archeological Associates, Inc. conducted an investigation, from which numerous details concerning the early engineering and construction of the railroad were unearthed. Matthew Kirk, Principal Investigator will discuss the history of the rail line through the Pine Bush, the archeology of the original grade, and the current state of railroad remnants. Ages 15+. Free!
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: Free! Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Full Moon Hike
Friday September 16, 2016, 6:30pm- 8:00pm
Enjoy the Pine Bush at night with an hour long hike under the full moon. We will meet at the Discovery Center and then caravan to the Kings Highway Barrens trailhead (#9) to walk 1.2 miles over rolling topography stopping intermittently for night vision and sound observations. Participants must provide their own transportation. Adults only.
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: $3 per person/$5 per family. Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Birds Take Flight
Saturday September 17, 2016, 7:30am- 9:00am
It’s that time of year when birds are on the move. Come along on an early morning adventure to observe some of the amazing birds here and see our science team in action as they capture and band birds! They are working together to learn more about birds migrating through the Pine Bush. There will be a short inside presentation followed by an outside observation period, and then back indoors for hands-on activities. Indoor portion will occur rain or shine. This is a Hudson River Valley Ramble event. All ages.
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: $3 per person/$5 per family/Children under 5 yrs free. Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Fantastic Fungi
Sunday September 18, 2016, 1:00pm- 2:30pm
What would the Pine Bush be without fungi? These amazing organisms work silently all around us, making our ecosystems function. They break down dead material, help plants get the nutrients they need, and feed a wide array of creatures. Come learn about Pine Bush fungi and hunt for their fruiting bodies along the trails. We will be hiking approximately one mile. This is a Hudson River Valley Ramble event. Ages 10+.
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: $3 per person/$5 per family. Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Autumn Equinox: A Season of Change
Thursday September 22, 2016, 6:30pm- 8:00pm
Equinox comes from the Latin words for “equal night.” As autumn begins, the temperatures drop and daylight wanes further. Join us for a 0.9 mile hike to learn about the effects of this yearly change on the unique ecology of the Pine Bush. All ages
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: $3 per person/$5 per family/Children under 5 yrs free. Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
Brilliant and Bristly Buckmoths
Saturday September 24, 2016, 1:00pm- 2:30pm
Sunday September 25, 2016, 1:00pm- 2:30pm
Join us for a 0.9 mile walk to discover the amazing world of buckmoths. The inland barrens buckmoth is a large beautiful moth with bold black and white wings that flies for only a brief window of time during daylight in the early fall. A species of special concern in New York State, the buckmoth is uniquely dependent on the scrub oak that thrives in this sandy fire-dependent ecosystem. This is a Hudson River Valley Ramble event. Ages 6+.
Location: Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center, 195 New Karner Road, Albany, NY
Fee: $3 per person/$5 per family. Registration required.
Please sign up by calling 518-456-0655 or visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE PINE BUSH:
The 3,200+ – acre Albany Pine Bush Preserve (APBP), located in New York’s Capital District, protects one of the best remaining inland pitch-pine scrub oak barrens in the world. This extraordinary fire-dependent ecosystem provides habitat for many plants and animals and supports 69 New York State-designated wildlife Species of Greatest Conservation Need, including the endangered Karner blue butterfly. The APBP is a National Natural Landmark, Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area Site, a New York State Unique Area, Bird Conservation Area and a National Audubon Society Important Bird Area. Characterized by rolling sand dunes and miles of trails, the APBP offers visitors many recreational opportunities including hiking, bird watching, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, mountain biking, hunting, fishing and canoeing. The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission is a public-private partnership created by the NYS Legislature in 1988 to protect and manage the APBP and provide the public with educational and recreational opportunities.
As the gateway to the Pine Bush, the Discovery Center is a state-of-the-art “green” certified interpretive center where visitors come to understand why the Pine Bush is rare and special. A visit to this unique destination is an exciting exploration where learning comes naturally through interactive exhibits, an outdoor Discovery Trail, and numerous programs on the ecology, natural history, cultural history and management of the Pine Bush. Admission to the Discovery Center is free (there is a small fee for programs). The Center is open daily weekdays 9am-4pm, weekends and most holidays 10am-4pm. For more information, visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org or call 518-456-0655.