News
February 4, 2016School Vacation Week Programs: Winter Survival in the Pine Bush
The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission will be offering programs at the Discovery Center during the upcoming school break February 15-19. “If you’re looking to learning something new about animals and enjoy some time outside come to one of these exceptional programs,” said Sara Poggi-Decker Education Program Manager. “The theme for the week is Winter Survival in the Pine Bush.”
Winter can seem very desolate but there are actually many animals that survive in the Pine Bush through cold temperatures, wind, rain and snow. Mammals, birds, insects, reptiles and amphibians all have strategies that help them survive the winter. “Each program includes a unique opportunity to learn about the globally rare, nationally significant, and locally distinct Albany Pine Bush while looking more closely at how animals survive in the Pine Bush in winter,” said Education Program Director Erin Kinal. Program highlights include Birds on Tuesday February 16 and Reptiles and Amphibians on Thursday February 18. These programs are for ages 6 and up and each program will include an outdoor winter survival challenge.
Programs are $3 per person/$5 per family. Pre-registration is required for all programs. The Discovery Center is located at 195 New Karner Road in Albany. For more information and to sign up for any of these programs, please visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org and click on “Events Calendar” at the top of the page or call 518.456.0655.
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 habitat provides homes for many plants and animals and contains 55 New York State-designated wildlife Species of Greatest Conservation Need, including the federally endangered Karner blue butterfly. The Preserve is a National Natural Landmark, 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 Preserve 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 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., weekends and most holidays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more information, visit www.AlbanyPineBush.org or call 518.456.0655.
