Conservation Groups New York

Hike with Dr. Kirk! 3-4 miles

**Saturday, August 29 4-7pm** Free expert-led hike in South Mountain Reservation. Hike about 2-3 hours covering 3-4 miles at a modest pace over rocky trails with one long climb from the Rahway River up South Mountain. Focus on ecology and hydrology, led by Dr. Kirk Barrett, President of the Rahway Watershed Association and expert on local watershed issues. Good balance required. Children welcome. No dogs. Sponsered by South Mountain Conservancy and the Rahway River Watershed Association. Meet at Clipper Pavilion (Not by McLoone's) on Cherry Lane in West Orange. [Advance registration required via rahwayriver.org/calendar.html ](https://rahwayriver.org/calendar.html)Email president@rahwayriver.org with questions. Leader: Dr. Kirk Barrett, President of the Rahway River Watershed Association (RRWA) and expert on local watershed issues. Meet at: The gazebo by the dog park along Crest Drive in Maplewood. \*\*\* In registering for this or any other South Mountain Conservancy (SMC) programs in 2026 online, I hereby release and agree to hold the SMC, its volunteers, staff and Board of Trustees, harmless from and waive on behalf of myself, my heirs, and any personal representatives any and all causes of action, claims, demands, damages, costs, expenses and compensation for damage or loss to myself and/or property that may be caused by any act, or failure to act, in this SMC activity, or that may otherwise arise in any way in connection with any other SMC activity. I understand that this release discharges the SMC from any liability or claim that I, my heirs, or any personal representatives, may have against the SMC with respect to any bodily injury, illness, death, medical treatment, or property damage that may arise from, or in connection to, any SMC program. This liability waiver and release extends to the SMC along with Essex County and its staff and any other affiliated organization or SMC partner. I also understand that by signing below I approve the possible use of photos of me at this SMC event on social media or in promotional materials. **BY REGISTERING FOR THIS HIKE I attest I am in good health and attest that I: Am not experiencing any symptoms of illness such as cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell.** **Am following all CDC recommended guidelines, above, and limiting my exposure to the novel coronavirus/COVID-19.** \# Arrival\, Weather\, & Cancellations Please come to the starting point 10 minutes ahead of time so the hike can start promptly. Times are our best estimates; they can vary depending on conditions, and the size and pace of a group. If you have any questions, call the leader. **Temperatures above 90 degrees and steady rain cancels, but intermittent drizzle does not. You will *not* be notified.** **Bring water. Wear hiking boots, preferably waterproof with good soles and traction devices and bring poles (optional).** Dogs are not allowed on hikes unless specified. These hikes are publicized first to SMC members and then advertised to the public one week before a hike. There is a limit of 25 participants, so pre-registration is required at least two days before a hike to sign the liability waiver online and allow lists to be sent to hike leaders. If you have registered and then find you cannot attend, please cancel your order online. **Repeated no shows without prior cancellation will result in removal from list.** **To become a current member visit [[https://www.somocon.org/membership/](https://www.somocon.org/membership/)]([https://www.somocon.org/membership/](https://www.somocon.org/membership/)).**

Shirley Chisholm State Park Shore Clean Up & Hike with NYS Parks & AMC

**[>> REGISTER HERE <<](https://activities.outdoors.org/s/oc-activity/a5UVX000001BhkD2AS/act00022030) for this FREE event!** **🌿 Get Outside for New York Climate Week: Hike, Restore & Connect at Shirley Chisholm State Park** Join the **Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC)** and **New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation** for an inspiring afternoon outdoors as we celebrate New York Climate Week—right here in one of New York City’s most unique and scenic state parks. This special event is all about **connecting with nature, caring for our parks, and building community**. Whether you’re brand new to hiking or a seasoned outdoor lover, you’re welcome here—no experience needed. Appropriate for everyone ages 5 years old and up. Together with Park educators, we’ll explore the beauty of Shirley Chisholm State Park through a **guided naturalist walk**, roll up our sleeves for a **hands-on shoreline cleanup**, and spend time **connecting** with fellow New Yorkers who care about the outdoors. Along the way, you’ll learn about the park’s ecology, history of its transformation from landfill to park, discover ways to steward these shared spaces, and leave having made a real impact. 🌞 **What to expect:** * 12:00-12:30pm Welcome & Interpretive Naturalist Share * 12:30-1:30pm Shoreline Clean Up * 1:30-1:45pm Break * 1:45-3:00pm Trail Walk & Community 🌞 **What to bring:** * Sun hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, water, snacks 🌞 **What to wear:** * Sturdy shoes, weather appropriate clothing, long pants, and sun protective clothing 🌞 **Where to meet:** * Meet Time: 11:45am * Meeting Place: Fountain Avenue Entrance Patio, located behind the parking lot behind the Blue trailer with the butterfly on it 🌞 **How to get there:** * Take the A or C subway to Euclid Station and take the Q8 bus towards Spring Creek Gateway Mall via 101 Avenue or walk 20 minutes to the Fountain Avenue Entrance. Bike racks are available; bring a lock. * Driving Instructions: [Fountain Avenue Entrance](https://www.google.com/maps?q=40.65460044,-73.86011178) [Learn more about Shirley Chisholm State Park - NYS Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation](https://parks.ny.gov/visit/state-parks/shirley-chisholm-state-park) [Learn more about the Appalachian Mountain Club](https://www.outdoors.org/) AMC Health Advisory: Covid and other respiratory illnesses are circulating in our communities. Do not participate in this activity if you, or someone who you have recently been in contact with, is either infected or symptomatic.

Whale Watching Cruise from NYC

Shirley Chisholm State Park Shore Clean Up & Hike with NYS Parks and AMC

**[>> REGISTER HERE <<](https://activities.outdoors.org/s/oc-activity/a5UVX000001BhkD2AS/act00022030) for this FREE event!** **🌿 Get Outside for New York Climate Week: Hike, Restore & Connect at Shirley Chisholm State Park** Join the **Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC)** and **New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation** for an inspiring afternoon outdoors as we celebrate New York Climate Week—right here in one of New York City’s most unique and scenic state parks. This special event is all about **connecting with nature, caring for our parks, and building community**. Whether you’re brand new to hiking or a seasoned outdoor lover, you’re welcome here—no experience needed. Appropriate for everyone ages 5 years old and up. Together with Park educators, we’ll explore the beauty of Shirley Chisholm State Park through a **guided naturalist walk**, roll up our sleeves for a **hands-on shoreline cleanup**, and spend time **connecting** with fellow New Yorkers who care about the outdoors. Along the way, you’ll learn about the park’s ecology, history of its transformation from landfill to park, discover ways to steward these shared spaces, and leave having made a real impact. 🌞 **What to expect:** * 12:00-12:30pm Welcome & Interpretive Naturalist Share * 12:30-1:30pm Shoreline Clean Up * 1:30-1:45pm Break * 1:45-3:00pm Trail Walk & Community 🌞 **What to bring:** * Sun hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, water, snacks 🌞 **What to wear:** * Sturdy shoes, weather appropriate clothing, long pants, and sun protective clothing 🌞 **Where to meet:** * Meet Time: 11:45am * Meeting Place: Fountain Avenue Entrance Patio, located behind the parking lot behind the Blue trailer with the butterfly on it 🌞 **How to get there:** * Take the A or C subway to Euclid Station and take the Q8 bus towards Spring Creek Gateway Mall via 101 Avenue or walk 20 minutes to the Fountain Avenue Entrance. Bike racks are available; bring a lock. * Driving Instructions: [Fountain Avenue Entrance](https://www.google.com/maps?q=40.65460044,-73.86011178) [Learn more about Shirley Chisholm State Park - NYS Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation](https://parks.ny.gov/visit/state-parks/shirley-chisholm-state-park) [Learn more about the Appalachian Mountain Club](https://www.outdoors.org/) AMC Health Advisory: Covid and other respiratory illnesses are circulating in our communities. Do not participate in this activity if you, or someone who you have recently been in contact with, is either infected or symptomatic. AMC Leaders: Eileen Yin & Dale Henderson

Forest Regeneration Volunteer Workday

Forest Regeneration activities focus on the areas in and around the fenced 14-acre Forest and Wildflower Preserve located near the Dog Park on Bear Lane in the Reservation. On workdays, we focus on removing invasive plants like knotweed, garlic mustard and mugwort. Ages 12 to 15 are welcome with a parent or guardian present. Ages 15 and above require a signature by a parent or guardian on a [liability waiver](https://1drv.ms/b/c/d5fb9d3835660a78/IQCJO4IIj6GnQ6N4RuNC981xAYL2kFajs9_RL8f8V7NkhaM?e=5bd5oi); teenagers cannot just be dropped off. Please arrive 5 to 10 minutes early so we can hike into the Wildflower Preserve at 9 am sharp. Please dress appropriately! There is some poison ivy on trails and in work areas. Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirt, closed-toe shoes or rain boots, bug spray, and layer as needed. We supply tools. If you have gloves, bring them or you can borrow a pair from us. Bring your own water. You can download a copy of our [liability waiver](https://1drv.ms/b/c/d5fb9d3835660a78/IQCJO4IIj6GnQ6N4RuNC981xAYL2kFajs9_RL8f8V7NkhaM?e=5bd5oi) to print, sign and bring to the event. We occasionally use photos of events in promotional materials and social media. By attending the event, I consent to photos of me being used in promotional materials or on social media. For information, contact program co-coordinators Rich Rockwell and Tom Pollard at forestregen@[somocon.org](http://somocon.org/) To see what's blooming in the Wildflower Preserve, check out our [Wildflower Preserve](https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/south-mountain-conservancy-wildflower-preserve) project on iNaturalist. We also have [South Mountain Reservation](https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/south-mountain-reservation) project there, that captures observations from the entire reservation. **Meet at the tool sheds at the Dog Park at 12 Bear Lane, Maplewood NJ** **GPS:** 40.739791, -74.289181

Central Park Bird, Butterfly & Bug Walk

Birds, Butterflies and Bugs! Enjoy your summer with a nature walk with naturalist/photographer Debbie Becker in Central Park. We will meet on 66th and 5th Avenue and explore Dene Slope, Hallet Nature Preserve and look for herons on the pond. We hope to see some beautiful butterflies, migrating birds and cool insects! Please register for this event by sending $15/per person: Venmo @Deb-becker-8 or Paypal editconsul@aol.com

General Meeting

If you receive suspicious messages from anyone in this group, please report them to Meetup and notify the organizer. Thank you! \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* FYI: Just to give you an idea, because there's no need to RSVP, there are usually between two and ten people at this meetup. PLEASE NOTE: We sometimes need to move to a new location at the last minute if our room at the restaurant is unavailable. If you can't find us, our secondary location is STARBUCKS, 10 Metro Blvd, Clifton, NJ 07014 https://maps.app.goo.gl/UzsiXKQJBGXTdcZ47 \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* There is NO NEED TO RSVP. Just show up. This meeting is for getting to know people and discussing strategies to deal with the mass psychosis happening around us. We want to build a community that will act as a support system as we battle the Zombie Apocalypse. It won't last forever, but we still have to survive it. If there is a topic you want to talk about just bring it up. We will talk all together unless the group gets large, then we generally split up and bounce around between discussions. Please purchase something to support our host - just coffee, a roll, a pastry, or bread. The restaurant opens at noon, so sometimes a few of us will remain for lunch. When purchasing, we try to use cash whenever possible. Please don't bring outside food or drink. We can sometimes head to other locations, so try to come on time just in case!

Who pays for the cloud?

Welcome to “**Skeptic Dinners**,” a series of events facilitated by Prof. [Massimo Pigliucci](https://figsinwintertime.substack.com/), a philosopher and biologist at the City College of New York. The idea is similar to that of the [Ancient Greek symposia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symposium): let’s get a small number of like-minded people together over drinks and food and discuss interesting subjects! *** What are the pros and cons of having a data center in your town? Does it drive up land prices? How should we think of the environmental and social costs associated with data centers? Who should pay them? Suggested readings: [Who pays for the cloud](https://www.carbon-direct.com/insights/who-pays-for-the-cloud-the-hidden-costs-of-rising-data-center-demand)? The hidden costs of rising data center demand (Carbon Direct) [Buying Land for Data Center Development](https://www.datacenterrealestate.com/news/real-estate-trends-buying-land-for-data-center-development-in-2025) in 2025 (Data Center Real Estate) \*\*\* **Location:** a private apartment in mid-town Manhattan (west side), the exact address will be communicated to members who rsvp for the event. **Food:** we will order pizza, feel free to bring wine to share.

Learn how Cash flows with Casflow 101 & learn how to think like an investor

The game of Cashflow 101 simulates real-life financial management and features realistic Real Estate investing scenarios designed to show you how these types of transactions work in real life and helps you learn how to effectively utilize them in various investing strategies. It also stimulates your mind to think in different ways than you had before about money and wealth. As you play, your investing style starts to come out. Are you aggressive with the strategies or more conservative? We shall find out. All without the pressures of using your own money.

Meet for a Spiritual Beach Clean up (Biking) Field Trip

Come join me at the Mickenly Public Library for a Beach Clean up talk. We will 1\. Hear a little share about beach clean up experiences and why it is important to care the environment around us\, bring an item you have at home and talk about its story\. 2\. We have a little table to have easy\, middle and high level of questions connected to plastic pollutions/trash\. If you answered it well\. You may receive a **free gift**. (First try first get). You will learn little more about sustainable lifestyle and action you can take. 3\. We will organize/plan a bike trip to do a beach clean up on 08/23/2026, Sunday,field trip. Where and when we will meet, what to bring, and what are going to do with the materials we picked up, an art show host in the library on Sept? In this clean up event we will: 1\. Before we start\, we will have a trash talk\. For example\, we will understand trashing the earth is a problem\, and learn tips to reduce trash in your daily life\. 2\. As we picking it up\, we can sort\, we can store some materials to make art\, we can take picture\, share your awareness\. 3\. Lastly\, after we bring the materials to recycling location\. We will find a location do a earth breathing movements have a forest bath with tea you bring on your own\, and we will debrief in pop corn style talk about what you pick up and what you left behind\. For example\, through doing more than 10 times trash pick up\, I pick up kindness\, gentle and left ignorance behind\. A little background about Antterly. \* has 13 years of guiding Stress Relief Yoga classes. \*got BA in Sustainable Architectural Design \* Interested in talking, sharing Sustainable lifestyle and practicing for more than 13 years.

Mt. Whitney - day trip

Central Park, George Delacorte and a visit to the Zoo

Join us for a leisurely stroll through Central Park as we explore the legacy of publisher and philanthropist George T. Delacorte, whose generosity helped shape some of the park's most beloved landmarks. ** This walk is limited to 20 with priority given to our hike leaders. We'll begin at the Delacorte Theater, home of free Shakespeare in the Park, then visit the whimsical Alice in Wonderland statue before stopping at the Delacorte Clock outside the Central Park Zoo. Thanks to a gift of complimentary zoo tickets from the Wildlife Conservation Society, our group will enjoy free entry to the zoo, where we'll visit with sea lions, gentoo penguins, snow leopards, and more. Meet: NE corner of Central Park West and 81st Street. You'll find us on the benches just inside the park entrance (across from the Diana Ross Playground). Bring: water and lunch/snack. We'll stop for a short break on our way to the zoo. Leader: Pam Cress, 917-597-2664, pactoday@gmail.com