Blanding's Turtle Visits Middleburgh

A turtle normally native to the Finger Lakes region and the border with Canada was a visitor to the Schoharie Creek today. The little guy was seen on Main Street and was transported to the future site of the Tim Murphy monument on the Schoharie Creek by a wellwisher.

Photo credit: USGS

Ash Tree Inventory August 20th

The Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP) is planning an ash tree inventory event in Middleburgh on August 16th to counter the spread of invasive Emerald ash borer beetle, which has appeared in Upstate counties.

The following comes from CRISP:

We have prioritized 15 communities in the Catskill region based on their proximity to Ruby, NY, the epicenter of our local EAB infestation. The Village of Middleburgh is on top of our priority list and we plan on inventorying this community on Saturday August 20th from 10 AM to 12:30 PM with the involvement of community volunteers.

Volunteers are encouraged to attend the training workshop prior to the inventory at the Middleburgh Library on Tuesday, August 16th, from 6:30pm to 8pm to learn how to identify ash trees, how to identify EAB signs and how to use a GPS unit. On the day of the inventory the volunteers will walk along public streets and record data on location and condition of ash trees. The data will then be used to help the Village of Middleburgh plan and prepare for the arrival of the EAB infestation.

To learn more about the project or to get involved e-mail Elizabeth D’Auria at edauria@catskillcenter.org or visit www.catskillinvasives.com