Explore Wilber Park’s different habitats and learn about the common plant and animal species that call Otsego County home with the Otsego County Conservation Association. In this guided exploration, participants will visit stream, woods and fields and learn about the different types of plants and animals found there. All participants will receive a journal to…
***UPDATE: THIS PROGRAM IS FULL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST!***Butternut Creek is one of Otsego County's most scenic waterways. Join OCCA and the Butternut Valley Alliance for a relaxing and informative morning paddling down the creek through forests and valleys. The four+ mile paddle starts at the Bailey Road bridge in Morris and ends at…
OCCA kicks off Invasive Species Awareness Week with a water chestnut pull in the Stump Lot portion of Goodyear Lake. OCCA and the Goodyear Lake Association have been partnering for a decade on removing the highly invasive water chestnut (Trapa natans) by hand. Come enjoy the results on a leisurely paddle, and we’ll pull any…
Come on a leisurely walk around the SUNY Oneonta College Camp with Dr. Jeffrey Heilveil, Chair of the Biology Department at SUNY Oneonta and resident entomologist, and catch, observe and learn about many of the late summer insects that reside in Otsego County. Insects are fascinating creatures: some are vital to the foods we eat…
Help in the fight against invasive species and enjoy a pleasant day on the water! Join OCCA and the Goodyear Lake Association as we paddle around in the "Stump Lot," the northernmost portion of Goodyear Lake in pursuit of water chestnut, an aquatic invasive plant. You may reserve a space in an OCCA canoe by…
Modern, updated technologies such as ground source heat pumps, air source heat pumps, and pellet stoves and boilers can reduce heating and cooling costs, reduce emission of greenhouse gases, and can reduce the release of dangerous volatile organic compounds and particulate matter. This program will introduce you to the technologies available, the environmental and economic…
Join Otsego County Conservation Association board member Patricia Riddell Kent and Steve Kent, who donated the land for the state park, on this early evening walk around the northern portion of Robert V. Riddell State Park. Visit historic structures, walk through fields, forests, and along Schenevus Creek, and learn about the interesting history of the…
Complete Streets are for everyone. They are designed to enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Complete Streets make it easy to cross the street, walk to shops, and bicycle to work. The Otsego Regional Cycling Advocates (ORCA) would like you to join them…
Street trees provide far more than pretty scenery. Join OCCA Program Director, Jeff O’Handley on a pleasant stroll around Cooperstown and learn how we benefit from our trees. The walk also includes some basics of tree anatomy and identification, and will highlight how the Village is looking to protect this important resource. This walk is…
Help pick up litter along a two-mile section of NY State Route 80 in Springfield. Safety vests and helmets, gloves, bags will be provided. Meet at OCCA’s office at 7207 State Route 80, Springfield.
Did you know Otsego County owns over 3,600 acres of forest property? Join Joe Sweeney, Forest Technician with the Otsego County Soil & Water Conservation District on a walk through the John W. Chase Memorial Forest in Middlefield and learn about sustainable forest management, best management practices, forest pests, invasive species, and multi-use land management.…
OCCA Executive Director Leslie Orzetti leads this walk along Willow Brook from Doubleday Field to Otsego Lake in Cooperstown. The walk will talk about trees as a vital part of the stream ecosystem, their benefits, and programs that help restore riparian buffer ecosystems. Other stops on the walk include Lakefront Park and ending at Council…
Need something to do with the kids on Columbus Day? Join OCCA at Mohican Farm and explore the world of trees. We’ll search the property and learn how to tell different kinds from each other, understand the role trees play in our world, and have fun! Meet at OCCA’s office at Mohican Farm, 7207 State…
New York State Forester Nathan Funk will lead an informative walk through Basswood Pond State Forest. He will talk about the forest’s history, planned forestry actions, and recreational opportunities at the forest. Program is free. Meet at the Basswood Pond State Forest parking area on Conservation Road, Burlington Flats. Free
***DUE TO IMPENDING POOR WEATHER, THIS EVENT IS CANCELED*** Sorry, for the inconvenience. Unfortunately, no alternate dates are available at this time. We'll be doing a snowshoe walk in early 2019, and a Mud Lake hike in spring, 2019. Join OCCA and Steve Kent for an invigorating walk to Mud Lake in Robert V.…
Start out the new year at Betty and Wilber State Park. Meet at the Sunset Pavilion and then enjoy a lovely walk through the woods. Warm beverages and granola bars served courtesy of the park. Fleece headbands will also be given away. More information, call 607/547-8662
Free event at Gilbert Lake State Park features snowshoeing, hiking, cross-country skiing, sledding, campfires, kids' activities, winter camping demos, and winter fun.  More info
Strap on the snowshoes and hit the trails at the Clark Sports Center. Look for signs of animal life in the snow-covered woods and enjoy some fresh air with Jeff O'Handley of OCCA and Jim Diliberto of the Clark Sports Center. Open to all ages and all skill levels. You must provide your own snowshoes.…
Because of the weather, the fly tying class has been cancelled. The Otsego Land Trust may reschedule it.
Forget the sales–celebrate our nation’s history with a walk in Robert V. Riddell State Park with Trish and Steve Kent! The Kents donated the land for the park in 2005 and will share some of the property’s interesting history on an invigorating snowshoe hike on the park’s northern–and more forgiving–side. Bring your own snowshoes, water,…
New York State parks will hold a free Ice Fishing Clinic from 9 am to 3 pm at Glimmerglass State Park. Anglers can expect to catch yellow perch and chain pickerel. Sunfish, black crappier, rock bass, black bass, walleye, and lake trout are also present in Otsego Lake. https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7733.html
Want to have some winter fun? Join OCCA at Robert V. Riddell State Park for a kid-friendly scavenger hunt looking for signs of life in the cold. Meet at 10am at the main parking lot of Robert V. Riddell State Park, Route 28, just north if I-88 Exit 17. Dress for the weather. Free. Sign…
Not an outdoor activity, but something anyone who enjoys the outdoors should attend! Otsego County Conservation Association and Mohican Farm start off their 2019 Be Informed Lecture Series by repeating this popular talk from last year. Lyme disease is a serious public health threat spread by the bite of the black-legged (deer) tick, (Ixodes scapularis).…
Otsego Land Trust will be hosting John Rogers, co-founder of the NYS Bluebird Society on Wednesday, March 20th at 6:30 pm in the Community Room at the Clark Sports Center. Join him as he discusses the life history of the Eastern Bluebird. This presentation is for all who love and appreciate the great outdoors. Please…
Lyme disease is a serious public health threat spread by the bite of the black-legged (deer) tick, (Ixodes scapularis). Dr. Carmen Greenwood, Associate Professor at SUNY Cobleskill, will discuss the biology and ecology of ticks. Following this, Otsego County Communicable Disease Coordinator, Theresa Oellrich, RN, will discuss the specifics of Lyme disease, including its health impacts,…
Earth Festival is an environmentally focused, interactive event featuring exhibits, workshops, vendors, food and entertainment, all with a fun, earth-friendly twist. The first Earth Festival was held in 2006 as an event for the environmental community to work together to provide a showcase event to help keep Otsego County citizens informed about environmental activities that are…
Join OCCA for a special kid-friendly program. Do you know what it takes to survive in the wilderness? We’ll cover the basic needs of human survival and learn how to build shelter, find water, and stay alive until help arrives. Dress for weather. Meet at 10am at Mohican Farm, 7207 State Route 80, Cooperstown.
Join the Otsego Land Trust and Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society for a Woodcock Walk at Parslow Road Conservation Area. DOAS Member and local environmental educator Chris DeCesare will lead the walk to observe the spring mating ritual of the woodcock.The walk will begin at 7:00 PM in the parking lot with a short introduction to the…
Commemorate Earth Day with Otsego 2000 and the League of Women Voters with a free screening of the award winning film "A Plastic Ocean". Over 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into the oceans EVERY YEAR! This film documents the deadly effects this is having on marine wildlife. The film will be at 7:00…
Join OCCA for this invigorating, 4.5 mile hike to Mud Lake, a unique sphagnum bog in Robert V. Riddell State Park, led by Steve Kent. Along the way, view deep woods and a thirty-foot waterfall, and be entertained with tales of the Riddell family, who owned the property for five generations. In 2005, Steve and…
