The Latest on Central Hudson’s Coal Tar Cleanup

Long before a national network of pipelines brought natural gas to the Hudson Valley, gas for lighting, heating and cooking was manufactured at plants up and down the river. Coal or other petroleum products were heated to produce a gas...

Woolly Adelgids Threaten Eastern Hemlock Trees

For generations, the canopies provided by the Eastern hemlock trees have been integral to the Empire State’s forest ecosystems. Although more plentiful in the Adirondacks, the Catskills and Hudson Valley area also host the needled evergreen — the Eastern hemlock...

Mid-Pandemic, Get Outside for Winter Fun

Cold weather is no reason for human hibernation. The science is clear that being outside is better than indoors when it comes to COVID-19 risk, so just pretend you’re Scandinavian, as the New York Times has suggested, and adopt a...
The back of a hiker in a bright red coat. To their left is yellow fall foliage.

Hiking & Hunting 101

Crisp temperatures and clear air make this prime time for a hike or walk in the Hudson Valley. But with hunting season also in full swing, it’s critical to take some extra precautions before and during your ramble. Scenic Hudson...
Pumpkin Patch at Dubois Farms

How To Have Fall Fun Mid-Pandemic

Fall in the Hudson Valley seems like a nothing-can-stop-the-show classic, with apples that ripen and leaves that change come what may. But how about those beloved fall traditions, including taking hayrack rides and downing cider doughnuts — during the pandemic,...
House Cat

Make Your Cat an Eco-Asset

A new motion-activated camera at Scenic Hudson’s Juniper Flats Preserve in Ulster County captured the image of a killer cat caught red-handed with a bird between its jaws. The photo drove home a sobering and little-known fact: domestic felines can...
Spotted Lanternfly

Watch Out for Spotted Lanternflies

The spotted lanternfly is one beautiful bug. With its wings outspread, an adult resembles an abstract painting, sporting geometric splotches of red, yellow, black and white. Unfortunately, it’s also a very destructive bug — which has led to an all-out...
Recycling

Time to Update the Bottle Bill

Half. That’s the percentage of glass containers manufactured in the United States that ends up in landfills every year. Despite the fact that glass is 100 percent recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without loss of purity, 53.1 percent of...
Apple Bitter Rot

New Fungi on N.Y. Apples

Hudson Valley apple orchards have a growing new worry on their hands. Scientists have identified a pair of fungal pathogens not previously known in the region that cause the disease dubbed “bitter rot” — which, as the name suggests, causes...