Meetings, Field Trips
& Events
All General Meetings and Field trips are open to the public and free of charge.
General meetings are held at 7:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month, September through May, at the
Harlem Road Community Center, 4225 Harlem Road, one block south of Main Street in Snyder (except November and April meetings).
Please, all field trip attendees, remember to let the trip leader know you are coming!! Mishaps have occasionally happened when plans were changed at the last minute. Guests are always welcome!
Please note: Meetings are listed first, then field trips and other events.
Due to Covid considerations we will be meeting in the auditorium where there is more space.
Past programs are listed in Events Past and on the calendar.
Meetings
GENERAL MEETINGS General meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month, September through May.
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
"Humans and Hemlocks: Environmental and Cultural Responses to the Mid-Holocene 'Hemlock Apocalypse'."
Our speaker will be Dr. Albert Fulton, Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Anthropology at U.B. He will discuss the near-extinction of the Eastern Hemlock around 5400 years ago, its potential causes, and its profound impact on the natural environment and on humans. Among his many activities, Dr. Fulton runs the Pollen Analysis Laboratory at U.B.
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
"Butterflies as Botanists."
Steven Daniel, noted naturalist/botanist from Rochester, will present a program on plants and their pollinators. Steve has taught at Monroe County Community College, led natural history tours at locations from Costa Rica to south Florida and Death Valley, and led Allegany Pilgrimage field trips. Note that this will be our April dinner meeting. Registration forms have been emailed to members.
Tuesday, May 14, 2024:
"Presenting the Perplexing Pawpaw: Did water, animals or humans transport pawpaw to WNY?"
Steve Tulowiecki, botanist and Associate Professor in the Geography Dept at SUNY-Geneseo will be our speaker.
Field Trips – 2024
It is hoped that the coronavirus threat will allow the field trips listed below to take place. Please remember to let the trip leader know you are coming. Mishaps have occasionally happened when plans were changed at the last minute. Guests are always welcome. Field trip chair is Joanne Schlegel.
Saturday, April 27, 2024, 10:00 a.m.
We will celebrate spring by returning to a place with abundant spring wildflowers. Directions: Follow Rte. 78 to the north edge of Lockport, turn right on, Slayton Settlement Rd. 1/2 mile to large parking lot on right. Leader: Joanne Schlegel, 716-835-6042.
Saturday, May 4, 2024, 10:00 a.m.
Directions: Rte 62 south to North Collins, left on School Road (Rte. 493), about 1 mile to parking lot on left. Leader: Josh Konovitz, jjkonovitz@gmail.com. Bring lunch. If anyone from northtowns wants to carpool, call Joanne Schlegel 716-835-6042.
Friday, May 10, 2024, 10:00 a.m.
Return trip to Lake Ontario, at the request of Nick Dinardo from New York State Parks. Nick noticed Toxicodendron rydbergii (Rydberg's Poison Ivy) on our plant list from last year's field trip, and has asked us to retrace our steps and show him this NYS rare plant. In return, he promises to lead us to the flowering dogwood trees we couldn't locate last year. Meet in the parking lot at the main park entrance. Leader: Joanne Schlegel, 716-835-6042. If anyone wants to carpool, please call Joanne.
Sunday, May 19, 2024, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Livingston County south of Mount Morris. It is a 922 acre site, traversed by the Genesee Valley Greenway Trail and containing parts of the gorges of both Keshequa and Two Mile creeks. A moderate hike. This will be a joint trip with the New York Flora Assn, leader Richard Cook. Participants must register through the NYFA website: https://nyflora.org/ Contact Ed Fuchs if you have any questions: edfuchs.nfbs@gmail.com
Saturday, May 25, 2024, 9:30 a.m.
We will visit a mature woodland along the upper waters of Eighteen Mile Creek. There is a nice variety of tree & shrub species and springtime wildflowers. This is an easy walk, and we expect to finish before lunch. Afterwards you may choose to join us for eats at a nice local cafe about a 1-minute drive from the park. Meet at the park & ride lot on Rte 20A at the Rte. 219 exit. Please call leader Michael Siuta, 716-822-2544, if you plan to participate.
Saturday - Sunday, September 14 - 15. SAVE THE DATE!!!
Eastern shore of Lake Ontario
We now have a confirmed date for our annual extended field trip. We will spend the weekend exploring the with our guide, Steve Daniel.
Steve would like to spend one day on an alvar--either Chaumont Barrens Preserve or a privately owned alvar. We will spend the other day exploring the Lake Ontario dunes and Black Pond Wildlife Management Area.