News
December 19, 2017School Vacation Week Programs at the Albany Pine Bush
The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission will be offering several different programs at the Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center during the upcoming school break, December 26-30, 2017. “Topics include film-making for ages 10-17, winter birds and the signs animals leave behind,” said Education Program Manager, Sara Poggi-Decker.
Start the week off with our ninth annual Cookie Burner Stroll on Tuesday, December 26. This 2.6-mile hike is for ages eight and older and is an opportunity to enjoy some fresh air and get some exercise. Then, join us on Wednesday December 27 as we kick off our Karner Kids Film Festival by showing short films to inspire your own creations. The film festival will take place in the summer of 2018, and will be an opportunity for kids ages 10-17 to submit short films about the Pine Bush Preserve. Films could feature wildlife, plants, history, personal experiences, or other Pine Bush-inspired themes! Thursday and Friday, December 28 and 29 will feature workshops designed to help youth create their own Pine Bush films. “John Dorflinger of the Saratoga Film Academy will lead the film workshops focusing on the basics of making a documentary, techniques for animation, Apps for stop motion animation, equipment suggestions and more,” explained Poggi-Decker. This week’s programming also includes Scoop on Poop, Winter Birds and Fox Trot. Visit our website to see the full calendar of events: www.AlbanyPineBush.org/events
The Karner Kids Film Festival Kick Off and Film Workshops are free but all other programs this week are $3 per person/$5 per family /Children under 5 yrs free and 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/events or call 518-456-0655.
The 3,300+ – 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 75 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.
