Photo Credit: Betsey Crawford
Program Presenters: Drawdown East End’s Reducing Food Waste Team; Sherry Thirlby, Mary Morgan, Mark Haubner, and Krae Van Sickle
This second Friday night in the SOFO Drawdown East End (DDEE) series will focus on Drawdown’s unlikely third most effective solution to reversing global warming, Reducing Food Waste.
The session will focus on tips, tools, and practices we can all use in our daily lives to reduce food waste by planning smart, shopping smart, storing smart, and creating culinary masterpieces with what’s left uneaten! All of which will result in the Drawdown of carbon emissions, reversing global warming, and saving money for you!
Learn the power of what is in your refrigerator, what other communities are doing and the great apps that are making the impossible possible.
Another not to be missed Drawdown East End program: Friday, December 6
This is a free program.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Club Leader: Miles Todaro, South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) Environmental Educator
Birding is a great way to make new friends, learn about the environment, and get outside…so join our Young Birders Club! The Club meets from 10 am to noon on the third Saturday of every month and is open to anyone ages 8–18 who is interested in learning about birds. We concentrate on birding in local areas, since Long Island has many great habitats that are home to a wide variety of species. The Club’s leader is SOFO Environmental Educator Miles Todaro. The two Club advisors, both avid birders, are Frank Quevedo, the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) Executive Director, and Barbara Blaisdell, educator and experienced birder. Please bring binoculars if you have them (we have a few pairs to lend) and a field guide to birds of the eastern United States. If you don’t have a field guide, we’ll have one here for you to use. This is a free program.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Program Presenter: Xylia Serafy, South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) Environmental Educator
Vernal Pools are temporary ponds commonly found in our Long Island forest habitats. Rainwater fills the pond in the fall, winter and spring, and evaporation in summer can dry up the pool. Though the water in these pools is only present for a short time, animals like salamanders, wood frogs, and water insects depend on these special habitats for their survival. Meet some of these hidden woodland creatures; the endangered Eastern Tiger Salamander, Spotted Salamander, and the cryptic Wood Frog and learn about their habitat needs and environmental concerns.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Photo Credit: USFWS
Program Presenter: Samantha Hoff, Wildlife Technician for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation working in the field of bat conservation for the past five years, and Ph.D. student at the University at Albany. Her research involves studying northern long-eared bat populations across coastal communities in the northeast, including Long Island, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket.
Formerly a common species, northern long-eared bats are now rarely encountered on the landscape throughout much of their range, due to devastating population declines resulting from white-nose syndrome. Since the arrival of this invasive fungal disease in 2006, northern long-eared bats have experienced rapid extirpation from hibernation sites, leading to a federal listing of Threatened in 2015. Despite this trend, recent evidence shows populations off the coast of the northeastern US are persisting despite exposure to the disease. Ongoing research investigating the mechanisms allowing these populations to persist includes tracking bats to find hibernation sites, studying winter activity patterns and the availability of prey, and testing for prevalence of the disease. Whichever factors may be contributing to survival, it is clear that Long Island is an important place for bat conservation. This is a FREE program.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Co-leaders: April Nill-Boitano & Lisa-Jae Eggert, Empire State Lyme Disease Association
These gatherings will provide the following—support, education, resources, hope, referrals, advocacy, and science. The meetings are intended for those suffering from tick-borne diseases, their families, and their friends, as well as those who are simply interested in finding out more about tick-borne diseases. Interested participants should check the schedule at www.tickwise.org or contact info@tickwise.org prior to each meeting for changes, guest speakers,special programs or updates. Meetings are FREE and open to the public. All are welcome!
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Program Leader: Frank Quevedo, South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) Executive Director
Let’s venture by boat into the remote areas of Shinnecock Bay onboard Stony Brook University/Southampton’s 45-ft. research vessel, Peconic, and marvel at the wealth of the migratory birds, waterfowl, and seals that inhabit the region at this time of year. We’ll cruise along areas of the saltmarsh and sand flats not visible by land and hopefully witness the activities of a variety of wildlife. Bring binoculars, spotting scope, and a light snack. There is a fee of $25 for members and $35 for non-members for this program. The program is for adults, but children age 10 and older may attend. Reservations necessary.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Program Leader: Xylia Serafy, South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) Environmental Educator
As the fall season changes to winter, the temperature drops. Will birds migrate to somewhere warmer? Or will they adapt? Some foods that birds favor become scarce in winter, so we can help them by making bird feeders and filling them with just the right food. Placing our bird feeders outdoors, and watching who comes to feast, is a wonderful way to learn about the birds that spend their winters here. Join Xylia for a bird walk through Vineyard Field to see which birds are here in the winter, and finish off this fun adventure by making a bird feeder to bring home! Please bring your own recycled 2 liter soda bottle that will be transformed into an upcycled bird feeder.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
Program Leader: Melanie Meade, South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) Education & Outreach Coordinator
Scientists study clouds from space using powerful instruments like satellites to collect information about cloud formations, dust particles, and severe weather patterns. We can observe clouds too, just by looking up at the sky. When we investigate how clouds form and what their shapes tell us, we are doing cloud research like a scientist. We will experiment with making a cloud too!
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.
10am–2pm
Free Admission—Nature Crafts, Live Native Animals, Face Painting
& Much, Much, More
2pm – 3pm
Live Animal Show— “Frog and Toad” with Jungle Bob
SOFO Members—Adults & Teens: $10, Children Ages 2–12: $5
Non-Members—Adults & Teens: $15, Children Ages 2–12: $10
Program Leader: Miles Todaro, South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) Environmental Educator
Located just west of Montauk, Hither Woods Preserve is one of Long Island’s hidden gems. Its acres and acres of forest, lined with pristine beaches, make it a fantastic refuge for all sorts of plants and animals. It’s also home to fascinating historic sites that give great insight into the history of the South Fork. Come hiking with us through this fantastic Long Island preserve.
Advanced reservations are required for all events. For more information, reservations, and directions to meeting places, please call: (631) 537-9735.