Upcoming Events

Spring 2009 is here and we are here after a long cold winter of inactivity.  Upcoming events include the Allegany Adventure Run on May 9th, ASP Geobash IV the 15th thru the 17th, the Allegany Nature Pilgrimage, May 29, 30, & 31, and the Raccoon Rally, June 27th & 28th.  More information is available online at the organizers’ websites:

For the Allegany Adventure Run and the Raccoon Rally www.heartrateup.com

For ASP Geobash IV  www.aspgeobash.com and www.geocaching.com

For the Allegany Nature Pilgrimage  www.allegany-nature-pilgrimage.org

Questions of the Week

Attend the programs designated with a double ?? to find the answers

Do you know your trees?

What’s at the end of your hook?

Is this the highest point in the park?

What is a snot otter?

What died here a long time ago?

Where is the racetrack?

Where am I?

How do I find out where to go for the answers?  Pick up an Activity Schedule at the rental desk, or click this link for the full weekly schedule.  july-19-2008-week-5

A Busy Week Expected at A.S.P.

The weeks before and after July 4th are prime vacation time.  So far it has been a little cool, and many people have gone to nature programs instead of the beach.  Here is a pdf version of this week’s schedule july-5-2008-week-3. Some highlights of the week are as follows:

Monday–The weekly Nature Center Series will focus on Pfieffer Nature Center in nearby Portville, N.Y.  The rustic lodge and old-growth forests attract many visitors. A Pfieffer naturalist will talk about some of the lesser known features of this fabulous place.

Tuesday–The Environmental Series Movie will be Planet Earth.  You can catch it at 9:00 p.m. at Quaker Amphitheater.

Wednesday–Allegany State Park Naturalist, Kim Dean will talk about porcupines and fishers for this week’s Wildlife Series program. Kim’s talk will be held at Quaker Amphitheater beginning at 1:00 p.m.

Thursday–Butterflies are flying at Allegany State Park. Join Adele Wellman and Abbie Briggs to catch and identify a few of them. Meet them at 1:00 p.m. on France Brook Road, at the second bridge.

Friday–Heidi Tschopp, a volunteer wildlife rehabber and one-day-a-week park naturalist, will talk about ospreys.  Have you seen those big nests?  The young ospreys will fledge soon.  Join Heidi by the osprey platform near Cain Hollow.

Saturday–Abbie Briggs will take you hunting for ferns and mushrooms.  Join her at the Osgood trail parking area.  The naturalists were talking about a big beautiful fungus they found in that area this week.

Sunday–have you stopped in at the Old Quaker Store Museum?  There are a few new things to see, and a chat with Mercy or Virginia is always interesting.

Summer 2008 has arrived.

June 22nd was the summer solstice, the longest day of the year.  It is also the day the sun sets furthest to the northwest.  This week begins the regularly scheduled summer nature walks at Allegany State Park.  Programming takes place throughout the day and evening, six days a week.  Here is a pdf version of this week’s recreation schedule. june-21-2008

Where did Spring go?

Park naturalists at Allegany had such a busy spring, with school groups and special events, that no weekend walks were scheduled.  So, what were they doing?  Well there was maple sugaring again this year in March.  The Cattaraugus County Envirothon was held at the park in April, the week after Earth Day.  Girl’s Day fell on May 10th, ASP Geobash III, on May 17th, and the Allegany Nature Pilgrimage on May 30th.  School programs included the Cuba-Rushford Ecology Camp and Conservation Field days in May and Great Outdoor Days on June 6th and 7th.  There were a few school day trips as well.   Our naturalist supervisor of 30 years says spring was never so hectic.  And now–summer’s here!