Here at Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, we protect the land that protects the water. Even though we are nestled on Chautauqua Lake, as a land trust, the lake is not our number one focus. There are so many ponds, creeks, streams, rivers, and even the headwaters of the Mississippi River in our ...

When I arrive to work at the Nature Center each morning, one of the first things I do is check on the hundreds of other ladies in the building. They are usually already working by the time I get there. Some are cleaning while others build, work security, or gather and prepare food. There are ...

As the summer sun wanes and the cool, crisp nights of fall encroach, we all start thinking about pumpkins, cider, and beautiful fall foliage. But before you put those shovels and gardening gloves away and fall into pumpkin spice lattes, don’t forget that September is one of the best times of ...

The end of August is one of those liminal spaces where we seem to exist in two different seasons. According to the calendar, it will be summer for a few more weeks, and the daytime is still often warm and sunny enough to continue beach days and summer activities. However, the nights are ...

Summertime is wonderful in Chautauqua County! Residents and visitors to our area are well aware of the recreational opportunities that our lakes offer. Lake Erie, Chautauqua, Findley, Bear, and the Cassadaga Lakes each receive their share of boaters, fisher(wo)men, swimmers, and paddlers, and ...

I love children’s picture books. They are simple, yet often powerful, stories capture my imagination and each illustrated page is a work of art. As a kid, one of my favorites was “Miss Rumphius,” written and illustrated by Barbara Cooney. It is a story of Alice Rumphius, who lived ...