July is here. In Chautauqua Lake, aquatic plants are growing abundantly, and algae is beginning to bloom. This lake is fed water and soils from a basin made of glacial soils with plenty of phosphorus, a primary nutrient fertilizing plants and algae which make this lake naturally productive with ...

Many of the summer insects we see do not suddenly appear as the fully formed adult versions we are likely to casually encounter. These insects, along with many amphibians and a few other animals have life cycles that require us to look in an entirely different direction to find their younger ...

Per an insistent recommendation from a wonderful friend, I have finally started reading the book, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer – a story about indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the teachings of plants. Her teachings and writings are powerful and purposeful. I have ...

It was peaceful out in the middle of the pond. The wind rustled the cattails, creating a rippling rush of sound that whooshed in from the distance and faded off behind me. The occasional loud monkey-like call of a nesting Common Gallinule echoed out of the deep grass. Geese honked in the ...

School is almost out, and summer is finally here! We all know how busy summer can get, and the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy has some awesome events happening that we don’t want you to miss. Before those calendars get all tied up, add these dates and come on out and join us as we get ...

If I were to focus solely on temperature and weather, it would seem that summer has jumped the line and cut spring a little short. It is just plain hot outside and, as of the beginning of June, I am still waiting on rain, even though it seems to have no plans of appearing anytime soon. I ...