Naked Eye Astronomy
2025-01-24 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Mohican Farm, 7193 State Highway 80, Springfield, NY, 13326, United States
Join OCCA for a night of star gazing!
The skies of winter provide us with spectacular stars and constellations to view. At no other time of the year are there so many bright stars (stars with apparent magnitude less than 1) in the sky. Additionally planets Saturn & Venus may be visible on the western horizon and mighty Jupiter and Mars will be visible as well. We plan a tour of some well known constellations and stars and discuss the myths and stories for which many are named. Then we will attempt to locate the most distant object the human eye can see without the aid of telescopes. The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is located 2.5 million light years from Earth, and it ought to be in prime viewing position for us on this evening.
No need to bring binoculars or telescopes, this is “Naked Eye Astronomy”. Do bring a comfortable lawn chair, warm clothes maybe even a blanket and gloves.

We will meet inside the workshop at Mohican Farm at 7:00 for a brief overview of what we hope to see. Please if you have any questions write them down so we can discuss. I have found that your Astronomy question is likely one which many other folks have as well. We then head outside and let our eyes acclimate for a glorious evening of star gazing.
After the program, which should last 45min. – an hour, we will return inside for hot chocolate.
Stars are best viewed on a cloudless night. If the sky is overcast, we will reschedule for Saturday, January 25.
Sign up in advance with OCCA

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Survey Training
2025-01-25 09:00 - 12:00 | Clark Sports Center, 124 Co Rd 52, Cooperstown, NY, 13326, United States
Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) is a pest insect that is attacking and killing eastern hemlock trees throughout the east coast. In this workshop, you will learn about the importance of hemlocks, the natural history of HWA, and how to search for and report findings of hemlock woolly adelgid, and then participate in an actual survey of hemlock trees on the Clark Sports Center grounds. This will be an indoor/outdoor program, so dress appropriately.
Please sign up at occainfo.org

Hike with ADK: Catella and Neahwa Parks
2025-01-28 09:45 - 11:30 | Neahwa Park, Bertus Lauren Drive, Oneonta, NY, 13820, United States
Join the Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club for a guided hike. Open to the public and free. Schedules hikes may change, check https://susqadk.org/outing-schedule/ for latest updates.
Hikes begin at 10 am, with sign-in and announcements beginning at 9:45 am.

Smullens 5K/10K Race
2025-02-01 11:00 - 13:00 | Cooper Park/National Baseball Hall of Fame, 25 Main Street, Cooperstown,, NY, 13326, United States
Come out and race the oldest, continuously held race in Otsego County! The 52nd annual race will be held on Saturday, February 1, 2025. The race starts at 11:00am. Day of race check-in and registration will take place from 10:00–10:30am in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Library foyer in Cooperstown.
Register today

Walk the Planets at Compton Bridge
2025-02-01 13:30 - 15:00 | Compton Bridge Conservation Area, 184 County Highway 11C, Cooperstown, NY, 13326, United States
Journey with OCCA from the sun to Pluto and back in a little over an hour! Bill Ralston guides us on a thousand-yard walk which models our solar system at a scale that is both relatable and awe-inspiring. Common objects such as bowling balls, peppercorns, and walnuts represent the sun and planets—our feet are the rockets that will get us there.
Meet at the Otsego Land Trust’s Compton Bridge Conservation Area, 184 County Highway 11C, Cooperstown. Our walk will be along the railroad tracks. Dress to be outside.
Register with OCCA

Geocaching Adventure in Cooperstown
2025-02-02 10:00 - 11:30 | Pioneer Park, Cooperstown, 80 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY, 13326, United States
As part of the Cooperstown Winter Carnvial, the Clark Sports Center is offering a Geocache Adventure starting in Pioneer Park (on the corner of Main Street and Pioneer Street in Cooperstown).

Gather up at Pioneer Park for a family-friendly adventure! Whether you’re a grown-up or a kid (Group of children must have an adult w/them), this event is absolutely free and filled with fun. Dive into the world of high-tech treasure hunting with GPS devices – it’s like a global scavenger hunt! We’ll be hitting the pavement, so come prepared for some outdoor excitement. Don’t worry if you don’t have your GPS device; the Clark Sports Center has got you covered with units to share. Get ready for a thrilling journey of discovery and maybe even a few surprises along the way!

Winter Walk in Cooperstown
2025-02-02 13:00 - 14:00 | Village Hall, Cooperstown, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY, 13326, United States
Part of the Cooperstown Winter Carnival, all welcome!
Winter Walk from OCCA: On this short stroll around the village, we will discover that nature is beautiful and interesting in winter too. On this slow-paced walk, we will be looking at whatever natural curiosities intrigue the group, from birds to trees. Participants are encouraged to dress warmly in layers. We will meet at the Village Library, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown .

Info Meeting for Mountain Bike Team Grades 6-12
2025-02-02 15:00 - 16:00 | Woodland Cycles, 24 South Main Street, Milford, NY, 13807, United States
Students in grades 6-12 are invited to find out about the Otsego Composite Mountain Bike Team, which is looking for new members. Learn some new skills and meet some cool people. Beginners welcome.
For more information please call of text Marielle 607/282-0013

Hike with ADK: Riddell State Park
2025-02-04 09:45 - 12:00, 2025-02-18 09:45 - 12:00 | Robert V. Riddell State Park, NY-28, just north of I-88 Exit 17, Davenport, New York, 13750
Join the Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club for a guided hike. Open to the public and free. Schedules hikes may change, check https://susqadk.org/outing-schedule/ for latest updates. The ADK website also lists phone numbers of trip leaders.
Hikes begin at 10 am, with sign-in and announcements beginning at 9:45 am.

Hike with ADK: Fortin Park
2025-02-11 09:45 - 12:00 | Fortin Park, 101 Youngs Road, Oneonta, NY, 13861, United States

Homeschool Nature Day: Gilbert Lake State Park
2025-02-11 13:00 - 15:00 | Gilbert Lake State Park, 18 CCC Rd, Laurens, NY, 13796, United States
Join OCCA for a winter walk around Gilbert Lake State Park! This interactive experience will take us around the lake loop, where we will listen for birds, look for animal tracks, and learn about nature. Please dress appropriately for the weather. We will meet in the parking lot near the Briggs Pavilion.
Sign up at occainfo.org

Great Backyard Bird Count
2025-02-14 - 2025-02-17 | NY
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is a free, fun, and easy event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of bird populations. Count birds in your backyard, local park or wherever you spot a bird and submit your observations online. Participants are asked to count birds for as little as 15 minutes (or as long as they wish) on one or more days of the four-day event and report their sightings online at birdcount.org. Anyone can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, from beginning bird watchers to experts, and you can participate from your backyard, or anywhere in the world.
Each checklist submitted during the GBBC helps researchers at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society learn more about how birds are doing, and how to protect them and the environment we share. Last year, more than 140,000 participants submitted their bird observations online, creating the largest instantaneous snapshot of global bird populations ever recorded.

Register to Participate at www.birdcount.org

Ice Fishing Clinic at Glimmerglass State Park
2025-02-19 09:00 - 15:00 | Glimmerglass State Park, 1527 County Highway 31, Cooperstown, NY, 13326, United States
Learn the basics of ice fishing at Glimmerglass State Park. Limited to 150 people. Please call the park to register 607/547-8662.

Snowshoe Walk: Riddell State Park
2025-02-22 09:00 - 12:00 | Robert V. Riddell State Park, NY-28, just north of I-88 Exit 17, Davenport, New York, 13750
Enjoy an easy-going snowshoe walk along the 1.4 mile Tree Identification trail in Robert V. Riddell State Park, where we’ll see streams, fields and forests. Meet at the parking area on NY-28. Sign up at occainfo.org

Hike with ADK: Wilber Park
2025-02-25 09:45 - 12:00 | Wilber Park, Albert Morris Drive, Oneonta, New York, 13820

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Survey: Texas Schoolhouse State Forest
2025-03-01 09:30 - 11:00 | Texas School House State Forest, Jones Road, New Lisbon, New York
Help us find out if the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid is in Texas Schoolhouse State Forest! We’ll show you what to look for, how to look for it, and then we’ll search along the trail for it. Dress for the weather. Park at the trailhead on Jones Road. Please sign up at occainfo.org

Hike with ADK: Arnold Lake State Forest
2025-03-04 09:45 - 12:00 | Arnold Lake State Forest, 767 County Road 46, Hartwick, NY, 13820, United States

Hike with ADK at the Rogers Environmental Center
2025-03-11 09:45 - 12:00 | Rogers Environmental Education Center, 2721 State Highway 80, Sherburne, New York, 13460
All are welcome to join in guided weekly hikes with the Susquehanna Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club. Meet at 9:45 am. Contact hike leader with any questions, for details, please see https://susqadk.org/outing-schedule/

Homeschool Nature Day with OCCA
2025-03-11 13:00 - 15:00 | Oneonta Susquehanna Greenway trail (Silas Lane), Silas Lane, Oneonta, NY, 13820, United States
Join OCCA for a wintery walk along the Silas Lane Loop section of the Greenway Trail in Oneonta. We will ramble along the Susquehanna and look for signs of early spring (we hope). While walking we will listen for birds, learn how to identify trees in the winter and look for tracks in the snow. Dress warmly and make sure you are wearing appropriate footwear.
From I-88, take Exit 13. Turn towards the mountains rather than the city, then take a right onto Silas Lane, you will pass the wastewater treatment plant. We will meet at end of Silas Lane, by the School Bus Garage by the soccer fields.
Please sign up at occainfo.org

OCCA Lecture: How to Love a Forest with Ethan Tapper
2025-03-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Fenimore Art Museum, 5798 State Hwy 80, Cooperstown, NY, United States
What does it mean to love a forest? In this talk, Ethan Tapper, a forester, author and content creator from Vermont, will draw from his work as a forester and his bestselling book — How to Love a Forest: The Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing World — to discuss what it means to care for forests and other ecosystems at this moment in time. How do we respond to the harmful legacies of the past? How do we use our species’ incredible power to heal rather than to harm? How do we reach towards a better future? In a time in which many believe that “protecting” ecosystems means protecting them from ourselves, Ethan argues that humans must take action to help ecosystems heal and to move into a more abundant future. Ethan’s message is at once compassionate and pragmatic, clear-eyed and hopeful, sobering and inspiring – a powerful new idea for how we can build a world that works for all of its ecosystems and all of its people.

The Be Informed Lecture Series is brought to you in partnership between Mohican Farm and OCCA. This program will take place at the Fenimore Art Museum’s auditorium on Thursday, March 13 at 7 pm.
Please register at occainfo.org

Get the Kids Out: Brookwood Point
2025-03-14 13:00 - 15:00 | Brookwood Point, 6000 State Route 80, Cooperstown, NY, 13326
Get the Kids Outside! St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, so let’s take the kids on an adventure to find as many shades of green as we can while exploring Brookwood Point. During this short hike, we’ll watch winter fade away and look for signs of spring. Make sure to dress for the weather.

Please sign up at occainfo.org

Lantern-Light Full Moon Hike at Gilbert Lake
2025-03-14 14:00 - 20:00 | Gilbert Lake State Park, 18 CCC Rd, Laurens, NY, 13796, United States
Join Gilbert Lake State Park for a full moon celebration!This event will go from 2pm-8pm so you can enjoy the day AND hike around the lake after-hours by lantern-light and by the light of the March full moon.Bring your sleds, snowshoes and skis if we have snow!We will have hot tea/coffee/cocoa, and goodies to warm you up before or after your hike of course!The fires will be going in the Briggs all day so come on down!
Bring items to donate to our local food bank, non-perishable or perishable, and enter to win a Gilbert Lake goodie basket. All items welcome, especially personal-care items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, bar soap, deodorant, feminine hygiene products etc. We collected ~460lbs at the First Day Hike event this year! We can’t wait to see how much we collect this time around.

Hike with ADK on the Susquehanna Greenway
2025-03-18 09:45 - 12:00 | Oneonta Susquehanna Greenway trail (Silas Lane), Silas Lane, Oneonta, NY, 13820, United States

Hike with ADK at Hunt's Pond
2025-03-25 09:45 - 12:00 | Hunt’s Pond State Forest, Hunts Pond Road, South New Berlin, New York

Rink Roll Up at Badger Park
2025-04-06 14:00 - 15:00 | Badger Park, Beaver Street, Cooperstown, NY, 13326
Badger Park in Cooperstown offers free ice skating, and even has skates people can borrow for free. This community resource needs volunteer help. Please consider volunteering with the Cooperstown Friends of the Parks to roll up the rink liner and store it for next winter.

Homeschool Nature Day at Gilbert Lake State Park
2025-04-08 13:00 - 15:00 | Gilbert Lake State Park, 18 CCC Rd, Laurens, NY, 13796, United States
Join OCCA’s Assistant Director, Shelby MacLeish, for a leisurely walk around Gilbert Lake. We will observe the transition from winter to spring and look for signs of the new season. Please dress appropriately for the weather.

Please sign up at occainfo.org

Postponed! OCCA Lecture: Japanese Knotweed
2025-04-09 19:00 - 20:30 | Clark Sports Center, 124 Co Rd 52, Cooperstown, NY, 13326, United States
This event is postponed due to speaker illness.
Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) is a common invasive riparian plant seen in the Catskills. It can shade out other streamside plants and establish monocultures, lower water quality, and even damage infrastructure. Management of this plant can be tricky, but it is doable! Join CRISP Terrestrial Invasive Species Manager Dan Snider-Nerp to learn about current best management practices for Japanese knotweed and its closest relatives, as well as experimental management methods, and the future of sustainable management for this species in the Catskills.”
This program will take place in the Community Room of the Clark Sports Center at 7 pm on Wednesday, April 9. Please sign up at occainfo.org

Trout Unlimited Meeting on Fishing Access
2025-04-14 19:00 - 20:00 | Heritage at the Plains at Parish Homestead, 163 Heritage Circle, Oneonta, NY, 13820, United States
The monthly meeting of the Dave Brandt local Trout Unlimited Chapter will be held Monday, April 14th, 2025, at The Plains Senior Living Center at 163 Heritage Place in Oneonta in the 3rd Floor Meeting Room. The meeting will start at 7:00 pm and is open to the public. If you are a fisherman or fisherwoman you don’t want to miss this meeting.

The speaker will be Joshua Choquette, Environmental Program Specialist 1 (Fisheries Access) in the Division of Fish and Wildlife, Region 4.
Josh will be giving a PowerPoint presentation on Fishing Access. Josh works to procure and maintain public access to our local Region 4 streams.
If you fish or want to fish our local streams, Josh’s presentation should give you needed information and new ideas for access to local waters.
This information is vital to all local stream fishermen.

Woodcock Courtship Dance at Parslow Road
2025-04-14 19:00 - 20:30 | Parslow Road Conservation Area, 127 Parslow Road, Oaksville, NY, 13337, United States
Join Otsego Land Trust and Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society for our annual Woodcock Walk at the Parslow Road Conservation Area. DOAS locals Sandy Bright and Charlie Scheim will lead a walk to observe the spring courtship ritual of the woodcock.
Please sign up at https://otsegolandtrust.org/events/woodcock-courtship-dance
The woodcock usually spends its time hidden on the forest floor probing for earthworms in moist soil, but on spring evenings males perform a dance in scrub fields to attract potential mates. This wonderful display occurs in three parts: the strut, the launch skyward, and the spiral back to earth accompanied by buzzy calls and twittering wing sounds.
