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Guest Speaker SP’s Maria Trabka FOK Meeting March 5, Working with Saratoga Plan There will be lots of things talk about and decide (over some snacks) at FoK’s annual meeting at 7:00p.m. Monday, March 5th in the Putnam Room of the State Park Administration Building in Saratoga State Park (19 Roosevelt Drive off the Avenue of Pines). Featured will be a talk by Maria Trabka, executive director of Saratoga Plan, whose career in conservation has spanned three decades. This long advocacy history shows it has been good for her too because photo at right was taken after a snowshoeing trip up Spruce Mountain. Maria will lead a discussion on how SP and FoK can work together to meet our mission of conserving and preserving the Kayaderosseras Creek. Her background also includes working with l3 Youth Conservation Groups when the AmeriCorps was initiated, ten years in a land stewardship, conservation planning and land protection roles in the Hudson Valley and Delaware Bayshores for the Nature Conservancy and as an advocate for farm protection in Washington and Rennselaer County for the Agriculture Stewardship Program. Maria has a B S in Biology from the University of Albany and a certificate in Native Landscape Design from the Institute for Ecosystems Studies in Millbrook. She and her husband David live in Cambridge. They have one daughter and three grandchildren. A discussion on how to improve FoK programs as well as develop new ones will also be held. And, of course, our annual election of officers is scheduled. As you know there are term limits. So the nominating committee has asked the following (who agreed) to run for President (John Battenfield), Administrative Services (Larry Woolbright), Education/Outreach, (Margaret Mowgy) and Conservation, (no recommendation so far). Obviously, nominations from the floor are encouraged. If the weather is prohibitive for driving, the meeting will be held March l2, same time and place. FoK Invites Everyone to Creek Cleanup Followed by Free Food Fest Please join the Friends of the Kayaderosseras at Kelley Park for two fun-filled mornings, Saturday November 5th and 12th to clean up the creek. Following the cleanup at 12:30pm FoK will host a free outdoor grill fest of hot food and cool beverages for volunteers. Volunteers are asked to meet at 9:00a.m. at Kelley Park in Ballston Spa at which time Fall Cleanup Chairman John Battenfield will arm people with trash bags and offer everyone their choice of the area they would like to clean up. Last fall 36 volunteers cleared the creek of a ton of trash along with 14 tires. Volunteers should wear gloves as well as sturdy shoes. There are facilities at the park for cooking, tables for eating and rest rooms. A rain date for either Saturday is set for Saturday, November 19th. Over the past five years, FoK volunteers have pulled nearly 2,500 tires out of the creek area at their fall and spring cleanup weekends. The good news, reports Battenfield, is that many people have gotten the message of the need to keep the creek clean and healthy and the number of tires thrown in have been greatly reduced. Still, there is a lot of trash, particularly plastic and metal which can be recycled, that needs to be cleared out of the creek area.
Meet the Creek at Kelley Park The Friends of the Kayaderosseras invite you to come and “Meet the Creek” at Kelley Park in Ballston Spa. The annual family-oriented event takes place on Saturday, July 16, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Activities for adults and children include demonstrations, exhibits, a guided hike, supervised water fun, a scavenger hunt, a cookout and a campfire, all designed to promote protection of the creek and appropriate recreation choices. The event is free. Throughout the event, those attending will be able to renew or join the organization, find out about the stewardship program, and view exhibits of the Friends’ activities. Weather permitting, a kayak trip from Kelley Park to Gray’s Crossing is planned, with shuttle service arranged. Short talks include the history of the Kayaderosseras area and plant identification. A nature scavenger hunt for children takes place between 4:30 and 5:30. From 4:00 to 5:30, children will be allowed to wade or swim in the creek, under supervision by Friends’ leaders. At 6:00 Friends’ members will grill hot dogs and hamburgers near the firepit at the creek’s edge on the Romano Nature Trail. A variety of salads will be available, with ice cream to complete the meal. The campfire provides the opportunity for enjoying S’mores and roasted marshmallows to cap the evening. FoK Invites Everyone to Creek Cleanup Followed by Free Food Fest, May 7 & 14 Please join the Friends of the Kayaderosseras for fun-filled mornings starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 7 and May 14 to clean up the creek and ending at 12:30 noon with an outdoor grill free fest of hot food and cool beverages at Kelley Park. Everyone meets at 9 a.m. at Kelley Park in Ballston Spa at which time Spring Cleanup Chairwoman Karen Totino arms people with trash bags and offers everyone their choice of the area they would like to clean up. Karen plans on targeting the public access areas this year which will include the Burl Trail and Gray's Crossing Canoe Launch areas as well as Kelley Park itself. A special highlight of the morning will be the planting of a tree at Kelley Park in memory of Bill Burnham as well as several birch trees donated by the Ballston Spa Garden Club. As part of a revegetation project, Mike Tower will be introducing plant material financed by FoK's budget for Kelley Park improvements. In case of rain May 7 or May 14, a rain date is set for May 21. Last fall 36 volunteers showed up for the annual Fall Cleanup which also ended with an outdoor cookout celebration of clearing the creek of a ton of trash along with 14 tires. Over the past five years, FoK volunteers have pulled nearly 2500 tires out of the creek area at their fall and spring cleanup weekends. The good news is that many people have gotten the message of the need to keep the creek clean and healthy and the number of tires thrown in have been greatly reduced. Still, there is a lot of trash, particularly plastic and metal which can be recycled that needs to be cleared out of the creek area. On Saturday, July 16, the sixth annual Friends of the Kayaderosseras "Meet the Creek" will be held. So mark your calendar for that day devoted entirely to learning how to keep the creek healthy through on-hand exhibits as well as fun environmental games for the kids.
Is Didymo Threat to Creek?
Skidmore’s Dr. Cathy Gibson News, coming events, elections, food and socializing are set for the annual meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, March 7 in the Gideon Putnam Room of the State Park Administration Building in Saratoga State Park (l9 Roosevelt Drive off the Avenue of Pines). Headlining it all will be a talk by Dr. Cathy Gibson, a professor of Environmental Studies at Skidmore College. She discovered that the nuisance alga species (Didymosphenia geminata) or what many call rock snot had found its way into the Kayaderosseras Creek. Dr. Gibson was there with students last spring to sample insect health and stream habitats. They found significant amounts of bloom that covered 90% of rocks in that area which became several centimeters thick. Cathy will discuss what is known so far about the ecology of Didymo, drawing on work from U.S. and New Zealand scientists as well as describe recent work examining environmental controls and how to properly decontaminant gear. Cathy holds a MS and PhD degree from the University of Georgia and a BS. in Biology from Duke University. She grew up in Columbia, MD and as she put it “spent most of my time playing in streams, visiting the Chesapeake Bay and swimming. I knew I wanted to study aquatic systems early on and still enjoy floating ‘boats’ down streams.” And we have a feeling that Dr. Gibson, shown at right with her five-year-old son, Sam, has been teaching him the joys of playing in and appreciating streams. VOLUNTEERS TO CLEAN UP THE BANKS OF THE CREEK And yes, there is a free lunch! On the first two Saturdays in November 2010, Friends of the Kayaderosseras members and community volunteers will meet in Kelley Park, Ballston Spa, to begin cleaning up portions of the Kayaderosseras Creek’s banks. According to project leader John Battenfield, this is the ideal time to spot debris along the creek when most of the leaves have fallen and the groundcover has died back. In previous cleanup days, workers have gathered discarded items such as old water heaters, plastic containers of all types, and hundreds of tires. Although there seems to be fewer new items, a few people still toss trash over the side of the bank without thinking how their actions might affect the water, fish or wildlife. Evidence shows that even a few of the anglers who fish for the stream’s trout leave behind beverage bottles and cans, fishing line and styrofoam bait boxes. The Friends organization has been working not only to clean up the mess, but also to get the word out that this is not the way to treat our valuable resources. The Friends are coordinating with local municipalities to pick up the bags of trash accumulated during the work sessions. The Town of Milton and the Village of Ballston Spa have been very cooperative, according to Battenfield. Adults and supervised older children are invited to take part on Saturday, November 6 and 13, with the 20th as a rain date. Volunteers will be asked to sign a liability waiver and to wear sturdy boots, weather-appropriate clothing and work gloves. All work will be done on land; no one is expected to enter the water. After gathering in Kelley Park at 9:00 a.m., volunteers will be organized into teams, provided with heavy-duty trash bags and sent out to pick up debris in nearby areas. Team leaders will have cell phones. At 12:30 the groups will reconvene at Kelley Park for a cookout in thanks for their efforts. For more information or for answers to questions, check the Friends’ website at htpp://kayaderosseras.org or contact John Battenfield at jbtrout@nycap.rr.com or by phone at 885-5089. 10/11/2010
Join us at our Dunking Booth at the Saratoga County
Fair Meet the Creek at Kelley Park
Saturday, July 17, 2010 The Friends of the Kayaderosseras will hold their 5th annual Meet the Creek event on Saturday July 17 from 1 to 4 pm at Kelley Park in Ballston Spa. "We are pleased to be returning to Kelley Park," says Friends' president Larry Woolbright, "to introduce some new features and to revisit our favorite sites." The event is an opportunity for members, families and friends of all ages to explore the Romano Nature Trail and to visit displays and demonstrations that increase understanding of the Kayaderosseras Creek and its natural features. Those attending can learn about the new J-hooks, those curved stone structures installed in the creek last Fall to improve trout habitat by using the water flow to create pools. Experienced anglers will demonstrate flycasting techniques, and naturalist Jacqueline Donnely will lead a walk at 2 pm to focus on summer plants and wild flowers. At 3:00, Peter Brooks will share ideas about the benefits of returning part of the mowed field to a natural habitat. Other stations along the Nature Trail will include water quality testing, stormwater runoff and Clean Creek Stewardship. This last program is a new Friends' project to promote awareness and action to prevent pollution and conserve water. Using a 12-page workbook, participants earn points towards a certificate. A one-page version for children will be introduced at the event. Certificates will be provided for children whose actions qualify. The organization will serve hamburgers, hotdogs and soda throughout the event. This event is conducted in cooperation with Children and Nature Saratoga, part of a national movement to promote health and fun through "come out and play" outdoor activities. The Kayaderosseras Creek and its tributaries drain 189 square miles of central Saratoga County, through seven towns and the City of Saratoga Springs, forming the main tributary to Saratoga Lake. It is part of the Upper Hudson River drainage basin. Clean Up Dates Saturday, May 1, 2010 Saturday, May 8, 2010 Rain date: May 15, 2010 Where: Kelley Park parking lot When: 9:00am What to bring: sturdy footwear and gloves Participants will break up into groups to clean access points along the creek. Join us for cookout lunch back at Kelly Park around noon.
Questions: Follow Friends of the Kayaderosseras on Facebook! Battle Leads War on Trash in Creek
to Earn Getting youth more involved in keeping the Kayaderosseras Creek healthy is a goal that FoK met big time this fall thanks to Vice President Blue Neils who led the FoK advisory team working with the Boy Scouts Association. It began with a request by Matt Battle who was going after his Eagle Scout certification and decided that his best community service project would be to lead a group to clean up Kayaderosseras Creek. He submitted a comprehensive three page plan, and the results from his Friday, October 2, 2009 Stormwater Kayaderosseras Cleanup speaks for itself: An amazing 2,500 pounds of litter was collected. Most incredible –even though FoK cleared 53 tires our of this Burl Trail area in 2008 following a 2007 removal of l30 tires -- Matt Battle and his eagle-eye Scouts pulled another 89 tires out of the creek. Matt and his team battled to rid the creek of eyesores and garbage; especially for aquatic wildlife vulnerable to toxics. “It was harder work than anyone expected,” said FoK VP Blue Neils, who noted that after the scout team led by Matt piled up the tires and debris, it was the Saratoga Spa State Park officials who hauled away the tires and debris and recycled them in some cases. Woolbright Named President of Friends of Kayaderosseras Larry Woolbright, professor of Biology and Environmental Studies at Siena College, has been elected President of the Friends of the Kayaderosseras to replace Ruth Dibelius who has served in this capacity since the organization was formed in 2004. At the recent board meeting, Ruth, who decided not to complete her term this year because of other commitments, was elated when the board heartily endorsed Larry as President for his deep commitment to the mission, goals and guidelines of the Friends of the Kayaderosseras. Ruth noted Larry was an important part of the creation and early shaping of the organization and expressed her pleasure in seeing him return to a leadership role. She declared, “Larry is well qualified to lead the organization during this time of rapid growth and I will be honored to work with him in a supportive role.” Larry has extensive experience consulting on environmental planning and community open space design. He has also conducted a variety of research projects including a National Science Foundation funded study of the population ecology of tropical frogs. In thanking Ruth for her tremendous efforts in starting and leading the Friends of the Kayaderosseras and the wonderful legacy she had gives us all, Larry said, “I believe that FoK’s efforts to conserve the creek represent important work that brings together many people with varied interests for the benefit of the whole community, and I am pleased and honored to help further that mission.” The organization is best
known for its major cleanups of the creek, which involves an annual
summer “Wading for Tires” event that has resulted in more than 500
tires being pulled out of the creek bed, along with metal and heavy
plastic waste. The Friends of the Kayaderosseras organization also
conducts two major fall cleanups along the banks. In just the past two years, a total of 1,111 tires have been pulled out of the banks along Factory Village and Kelley Park for recycling, and this is just the “tip of the tireberg” according to scouts planning this fall’s cleanup. FoK also creates and maintains nature trails along the creek such as the Burl Trail along Northline Road and Kelley Park in Ballston Spa. FoK volunteers are now working on trail development in the new Town of Milton Boice Family Park off Rock City Falls Road. Other events include an annual Meet the Creek event that provides hands-on displays showing how to keep the creek healthy, as well as informative talks, activities for children, and refreshments. Displays such as the watershed exhibit are requested for use at the Saratoga County Fair and the Saratoga Environmental Exposition. Canoe and kayak trips by the Recreational Access Committee include an early spring trip to assure the creek is free of debris from winter storms. In addition to cleanups, FoK offers a variety of programs to keep the creek healthy. A conservation committee is dedicated to promoting the need for vegetative buffers along the creek to reduce pollutants getting into the creek. Educational programs explain how storm water runoff and soil disturbance can affect water quality. Other programs include invasive plant removal, water quality testing, and efforts to protect aquatic life as well as animals depending on the creek for survival. Conservation / Water Quality Local land use decisions are the most important
factor in determining protection for the creek. Let your local
town board or planning committee know that the Kayaderosseras
matters to you. To learn more, check out the following websites: A Homeowner's Guide
to Clean Water Center for Watershed
Protection National Assoc. of
Conservation Districts |
Saratoga
Plan's Maria Trabka 
