Established as a Reforestation Area by New York State in the 1930s, Basswood Pond State Forest in Burlington is a multi-use forest that includes logging, hiking, fishing, and cross-country skiing. OCCA Program Director Jeff O’Handley leads this easy, 2-mile walk along the blue trail. The hike includes pine plantations, mixed deciduous forests, beaver ponds and…
Otsego Lakes Festival is a day to celebrate the beauty and importance of Otsego County’s lakes. A program of the Otsego County Water Quality Coordinating Committee, this year, event will take place at Glimmerglass State Park and is being run in conjunction with the Clark Sports Center’s “Race the Lake Marathon.” Visit our Lakes Festival…
Volunteer Day: Trailblazing at Texas School House State Forest, Mt. Vision, NY 13810 On Saturday, July 1, 2017 from 9:00 AM -- 1:00 PM the Town of New Lisbon in cooperation with the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will sponsor a Volunteer Day. Our plan is to clear about two miles of recreational…
Kick of 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 water…
Blast away the summer doldrums with a special program in Gilbert Lake State Park. Watch for more details soon!
Come on a leisurely walk around the 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 and flowers…
Join OCCA Executive Director Leslie Orzetti and Program Director Jeff O’Handley on an easy paddle along the west shore of Canadarago Lake. The tour will focus on aquatic ecology, habitats, invasive species, and fun! The paddle is part of Canadarago Lake Improvement Association’s annual picnic, a free event celebrating Canadarago Lake featuring music, food, exhibits,…
Free learn-to-swim programs are being offered at Gilbert Lake State Park and Glimmerglass State Park. Contact the specific park directly to register your child today! Gilbert Lake: (607) 432-2114 Glimmerglass: (607) 547-8662
The Schoharie River Center is offering a five-day Lake Ecology Studies Adventure Program on Otsego Lake for youth ages 13-17. Each day you will hike, swim, paddle, sail or bike to a variety of freshwater ecosystems within the Otsego Lake watershed including sailing on Otsego Lake aboard a 24 foot sail boat, paddling on the…
Join 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 land. Meet at 6 p.m. at…
Be Informed Lecture Series OCCA Executive Director Leslie Orzetti takes you “up the creek” at Mohican Farm. Dr. Orzetti will cover topics in stream ecology and give attendees a hands-on experience collecting water quality and critter samples from the creek, and will also introduce the brand new Citizen Science Water Quality Monitoring Program and provide…
NYFOA's Southern Tier Chapter (SOT) will host a woods walk at the 1,250 acre Texas Schoolhouse State Forest. The forest is located in a spectacularly beautiful part of Otsego County, between Oneonta and Cooperstown. The forest features a large beaver pond, great heron nests, streams, rolling hills, old stone walls, and much more. The DEC…
Climb up and over South Hill in Robert V. Riddell State Park with Patricia Riddell Kent and Steve Kent, donors of the park. This 3.5-hour, 4.5-mile hike traverses woods rich in beauty and history, makes a stop at a spectacular, 30-foot waterfall, swings by Mud Lake, a bog at the top of the hill, and…
Join Steve Kent on a snowshoe hike or walk to Mud Lake in Robert V. Riddell State Park. Climb South Hill, view a scenic ravine and waterfall, and visit Mud Lake, a sphagnum bog at the top of the hill, and return to the starting point on Gersoni Road. Along the way, Steve will share…
The Otsego Regional Cycling Advocates (ORCA) is hosting a bicycling skills class for youth, ages 7 years and up. The class will be on Saturday April 21st, 9am – 1pm and will be offered at the Milford Central School, 42W Main Street in Milford, NY as part of the 14th annual Earth Festival. The class…
Come help Otsego Land Trust with our spring cleanup!! Pick up branches, rake leaves, mulch trails and clean gardens this Sunday from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm. Tools, guidance and refreshments will be provided
The Otsego Regional Cycling Advocates (ORCA) is hosting a bicycling skills class for youth, ages 7 years and up. The class will be on Friday May 11th, 3pm – 7pm and will be offered at the Clark Sports Center, 124 County Highway 52, Cooperstown, NY. The class will follow the “Bicycling Skills 123” curriculum established…
The early bird may get the worm, but the early birder gets the birds! Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society Co-President Becky Gretton leads an early birding walk at Mohican Farm in Springfield. The farm provides a mix of habitats, including grasslands, woodlands, cultivated fields, and lake shore. Bring binoculars and a field guide; we’ll provide the coffee…
Come help Otsego Land Trust with the spring cleanup of Fetterley Forest on Saturday May 12th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Become a true trailblazer as we carve a new trail through the forest! Tools, guidance, and refreshments will be provided.
Take a 2-mile walk on the lower loop in Basswood Pond State Forest in Burlington Flats with Otsego County Conservation Association. The forest includes pine and spruce plantations, mixed hardwoods, a beaver pond and wetlands. Enjoy late spring wildflowers and look for signs of the forest’s abundant wildlife. Meet at 9 am at the main…
Help keep a 2-mile section of Route 80 in Cooperstown/Springfield looking good! Afterward, enjoy a complimentary coffee and a muffin at Sunflower Cafe in Springfield! Meet at OCCA, 7207 State Highway 80, Cooperstown, at 8am. Wear sturdy shoes and long pants. Gloves, bags, and equipment provided. Ages 12 and up only.
Water chestnut (Trapa natans) is a highly invasive plant that damages aquatic ecosystems, can cause injury, and has infested a number of water bodies in Otsego County. Join OCCA as we control water chestnut in Silver Lake, New Berlin. We'll take to the water in canoes and pull plants by hand from 10am to…
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…
