The exhibit, Function or Form: Utilitarian Art, will be on display in the Erpf Gallery December 3, 2016 through January 21, 2017. It features beautiful functional items by 17 local artists. An Artist’s Reception will be held on Saturday, December 3, from 2-4 PM, at the Erpf Center in Arkville.

Two new staff members, Julia Solomon and Lisa Wachtel, have joined the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development in the Center’s new Tannersville office. Working closely with Kali Bird, Associate Director of the Catskill Center, Julia Solomon has joined as Real Estate Project Manager and Lisa Wachtel as Real Estate Closing Manager. Both will work on the Catskill Center’s Streamside Acquisition Program (SAP), a new initiative developed in partnership with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.

The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development is proud to receive a unique charitable contribution from Moe Lemire, an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker who dedicated his hike to raise funds for the Catskill Center, while raising awareness about the Catskills. Moe Lemire recently completed the entirety of his thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail and will give a presentation at REI’s SoHo store in New York City on October 27th at 7 pm. Moe Lemire’s talk is entitled, “Storm’s Appalachian Trail Journey: 168 days and 2189.1 miles later, relive an Appalachian Trail journey with Moe Lemire, aka Storm, who just finished his thru-hike from Maine to Georgia”. It’s common for thru-hikers to take a name while on their hike, Moe adopted the moniker “Storm”.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will hold a public meeting to provide information and gather public input for the development of unit management plans (UMP) for the Colgate Lake wild forest unit (1,500 acres) and the Windham Blackhead Range wilderness unit (18,000 acres). The two units are located in the Greene County towns of Windham, Jewett, Cairo, Catskill and Hunter.

Work on slope repairs at a series of locations along Route 23A between Haines Falls and Palenville is scheduled to start onMonday, September 19.  This work will take place during the remainder of the current construction season and continue through the 2017 construction season.

 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Planning Board of the Town of Hunter has received an application from NYS Mesonet / The Research Foundation of SUNY. The applicant is requesting a 100’Mesonet weather station at the terminus of Gillespie Road, Haines Falls; tax id# 182.00-3-27, the lands of NYC DEP.  The Town Planning Board has authorized Pyramid Network Services LLC to conduct a balloon test to assess the visual impact of the proposed tower on the community.   

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced the start of early bear hunting seasons in New York State.

"Early black bear hunting seasons are an important tool for managers to control and maintain healthy bear populations," said Commissioner Seggos. "Bears are feeding heavily this time of year, gorging on wild nuts and berries and corn in the field if they can find it. Hunters can increase the odds of finding a bear by keying in on concentrated natural food sources."