About 40 members of the Friends gathered in mid-October to elect a new board member, thank an award winner and hear about Friends of Reinstein Woods’ accomplishments in 2013-2014.

The Peter Losi Memorial award was presented to Joan Scott for outstanding service to Friends of Reinstein Woods. Joan has been a behind the scenes volunteer for the last six years, assembling and editing Friends of Reinstein’s e- newsletter.  In past years she has also sent email reminders about special events like the fall festival and put together photo books that were raffled off as door prizes at Friends’ events or used to market Reinstein Woods’ programs to new teachers and administrators.

President Mike Gettings also thanked Joe Rembold, who completed a term on the board of directors. Joe has chaired the Marketing Committee since its inception and guided the process of developing a new logo, position statement (slogan) and website for the organization. Joe put in countless hours behind the scenes helping the Friends’ board communicate better online, securing a grant from the National Environmental Education Foundation to help them complete a marketing plan, and working on integrating credit card sales into the new website. Joe works for Delaware North Company and lives in Kenmore with his wife and new baby daughter.  Although Joe will no longer be on the board of directors, he will be continuing to help the marketing committee, and we hope to see him and his new daughter in the woods soon!

Stefanie Ecker was elected to a three year term with the board of directors. Stefanie works for Ingram Micro, Inc. and previously worked for Hospice Buffalo. Stefanie jumped right into volunteering for the Friends early this year, acting as chairperson for this year’s Nature’s Gathering event.  We are glad to have her continuing her leadership by officially joining the board of directors.

Committee chairs shared our successes in fundraising, member events, and finance. Most importantly, meeting attendees heard about the programs that the Friends supported this year, including:

• transporting 25 kids from urban, underserved areas to DEC’s Camp Rushford environmental education camp
•  the growing Kids in the Woods summer day camp program
• stewardship of Reinstein Woods, including the Garlic Mustard Challenge, Earth Day in May, and Trail Tuesdays
• workshops for teachers, including the successful “Schoolyard Habitat Institute” held over the summer
• Great Lakes education of teachers and students, in partnership with Buffalo Urban Outdoor Education (BUOE)
• an expanded Day in the Life of the Buffalo River program
• the successful launch of Family Nature Clubs, in partnership with the Buffalo Zoo.

We look forward to continuing our success in sharing nature’s harmony in 2015!

HOURS:
Monday – Friday 9 am – 4:30 pm
Saturday 1 pm – 4:30 pm
Some Sundays: 1 pm – 4:30 pm Jan. 4 – Feb. 1, March 1 & 8
CLOSED on State  Holidays

NEW THIS YEAR: For parents looking to enjoy snowshoeing with a very young child, we have infant/toddler sleds available to rent for $5.

Cost:
$5 per pair, $2 for Friends of Reinstein members (not a member? Join now!)
Credit cards accepted for sales of $10 or more
Cash only on Sundays

During the Education Center business hours, Friends of Reinstein Woods, in partnership with DEC, rents snowshoes and cross-country skis to use at Reinstein Woods. We have a large selection of snowshoes (fitting small children to large adults). We have a decent selection of adult cross-country skis and a limited number of skis for youth. Rentals are made on a first-come, first-serve basis.

A minimum of 6″ of snow on the ground is required in order to use the snowshoes and skis, and we reserve the right to refuse rentals during inappropriate or dangerous trail conditions.  One renter from each party must be at least 16 years old and leave their driver’s license or non-driver photo ID at the reception desk. Friends of Reinstein members must show their membership card to receive the discount.

 

Join us at Nature’s Gathering and enjoy a sampling of regional wines, artisan cheese, and hors d’oeuvres at this nature-themed art sale. Representatives from regional wineries will pour you samples of wine as you enjoy the artwork of Western New York Artisans. You will be able to purchase your favorite wines and artwork to take home. D’Avolio Olive Oils and the Village Sweet Shoppe will also be serving gourmet treats. Tickets are $17 in advance and $20 at the door. This event is sponsored by Friends of Reinstein Nature Preserve, Inc. Proceeds benefit educational programs at Reinstein Woods. Event will be held at the Knights of Columbus at 2735 Union Rd in Cheektowaga. Call Reinstein Woods (716) 683-5959 for more information.

On October 2 and 3, local Western New York schools participated in the second annual “A Day in the Life of the Buffalo River” event. More than 150 students in grades 4-12 monitored river conditions at seven sites. Data was taken from the river headwaters in North Java to near the mouth of the river on Lake Erie. Sixty-nine percent of students came from schools with underserved populations or locations in Environmental Justice communities. This event was coordinated by DEC’s Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve in partnership with the Friends of Reinstein Woods.

With the help of DEC environmental educators and volunteers, students took data on the river to discover how their site fit into the larger river ecosystem. Many sites also had a partner from a local environmental organization, who acted as a “river expert” and shared their knowledge with the students. Students calculated current speed, measured water and air temperature, observed aquatic life, and investigated water chemistry and weather conditions. Data results from all sites will be shared on the Web so students can compare their data with other participants.

Engaging students in hands-on scientific discovery is the main goal of this program. For more information and links to past data collected for this event, check out the A Day in the Life of the Buffalo River website, courtesy of SUNY Buffalo State.

The Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) awarded the “Nature Play Begins at Your Zoo & Aquarium” grants to 30 institutions around the country. The grants are supported through a special gift from the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. The Nature Play grants provide financial, logistical, and creative support for zoos and aquariums seeking to increase or enhance family-centered nature experiences in their communities.

The Zoo will use the grant to start three family nature clubs in Western New York and to build a natural playground in the Zoo’s Delta Sonic Heritage Farm exhibit.

The Buffalo Zoo will partner with Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve and Environmental Education Center to create a series of family nature play workshops to be held at various locations during the fall of 2014. The partnership will also establish the first family nature clubs in the Western New York region.

The grant will also provide funds for improving an existing nature play area at Reinstein Woods and the construction of a similar area at the Buffalo Zoo.

Families interested in participating in the workshops or getting involved in the family nature clubs can find information and a registration form for each of three workshops:

Buffalo Zoo, October 11

Reinstein Woods, October 25

Aquarium of Niagara, November 1

The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF), founded in 1995, is a key pillar in Disney’s efforts to protect the planet and help kids develop lifelong conservation values. DWCF grants provide financial support for: the study of wildlife; the protection of habitats; the development of community conservation and education programs in critical ecosystems; and experiences that connect kids to nature through exploration and discovery.

For more information about the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, you may visit http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/citizenship/act-responsibly/environmental-stewardship/disney-worldwide-conservation-fund

For additional information about the Nature Play grants, please visit https://www.aza.org/PressRoom/detail.aspx?id=34564.

Summer is a time when we think students and teachers take a break from learning.  This summer, 22 teachers from school districts as far away as Syracuse got an outdoor education by participating in Reinstein Woods’ summer teacher workshop, the Schoolyard Habitat Institute.

This two-day training highlighted techniques for using schoolyards to teach math, science and English Language Arts. The goal of the program was to make teachers comfortable taking their students outside, whether into a concrete courtyard or out along their school’s nature trail. We tried provide sparks of inspiration for how to use existing resources like a grassy area or pavement to fan the flames of learning in students.

The program included training in Project WILD, one of several curricula that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) offers through Reinstein Woods.

The program’s best result was the change in the number of teachers who plan to take their students outside in the upcoming school year: in a pre-workshop survey, only 26% of teachers said they’d take their kids outside once a month or more, but 76% responded that they would after participating in the Institute.

A thank you note from one teacher read:

“To all the Instructors at Reinstein Woods,
Thank you for running the Schoolyard Habitat Institute. It was the best workshop ever.”

 

Friends of Reinstein Woods’ Meander in the Woods event was a success thanks to the efforts of event Chair Karen Smith, the fundraising committee a host of volunteers! Additionally, we extend a sincere thank you to the following donors to the auction:

French Pub Restaurant
Gear for Adventure
Mike and Carol Gettings
Cynthia Giardina
Judy Gruchy
Harlequin Distribution Center
Herschell Carrousel Museum
Kentucky Gregs’ Hickory Pit
Lastertron
Tom Lawson
Lodgical
Mary Losi
Mane Street Haircutters
The Market in the Square
Denise Maziarz
Old Fort Niagara
Olive Tree Restaurant
Rolling Hills Golf Course
Chuck and Kristen Rosenburg
Tom Schuler
Karen Smith
Soaptini
The Buffalo History Museum
Union Family Restaurant
Carol Vaughan
Village Sweet Shoppe
What a Woman Wants Boutique

We are grateful to the following volunteers who made the event possible:

Irene Benbenek
Jane Aigner
Jane Albrecht
Jill Thurston
Judy Gruchy
Karen Smith
Keith Gruchy
Linda Arndt
Mary Losi
Michael Aikan
Mike Gettings
Peter Buechi
Richard Glinski
Rita Zwink
Robert O’Keefe
Rose Antos
Sandy Myers
Stefanie Ecker
Steve Wood
Terry Boyle
Tom Schuler
Wende Mix

On July 22, more than 40 volunteers enjoyed food and camaraderie at the annual Reinstein Woods volunteer picnic. Friends of Reinstein provided the main course, beverages and “Reinstein Floats” for all attendees.

Reinstein Woods Center Director Meaghan Boice-Green noted that the volunteer program could not exist without the support of Friends of Reinstein Woods. She noted that in 2013, volunteers made it possible to share nature’s harmony with more than 11,000 children from school and youth groups, and with about 4,600 people at public programs, the fall festival and other events. Volunteers also improved more than 25 acres of forest through Trail Tuesdays and the Garlic Mustard Challenge. Overall, volunteers donated 4,666 hours in 2013, or the equivalent of 2.25 full-time employees!

Brian Engler was announced as the 2014 recipient of the Al Schick Volunteer Recognition Award. Brian has been volunteering since 2010 and is an avid tour guide who also helps promote Reinstein Woods at off-site events.

Joan Scott was announced as the recipient of the Peter Losi Appreciation Award, given to a volunteer who provides service to Friends of Reinstein Woods. Joan is a true “behind the scenes” volunteer, coordinating the Friends of Reinstein’s online newsletter as well as many email announcements about events like the Fall Festival and Earth Day.

At the picnic we also noted two losses in the volunteer family that happened since the last picnic:

• Roy Seiders: For many years, Roy was a tour guide for Saturday morning tours, sharing nature’s harmony with whoever showed up! He was also instrumental in getting the Niagara Frontier Koi and Pond Club involved in building and maintaining the pond next to the education center. Roy was the 2006 recipient of the Al Schick Volunteer Recognition Award.
• Tom Casey: For several years, Tom worked part-time for the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation as a “green thumb” employee, helping out with maintenance at Reinstein Woods. He was a member of Friends of Reinstein and was a great advocate for Reinstein Woods, bringing friends skiing in the woods and to the Friends’ fundraisers.

We also noted an addition to the Reinstein Woods family: Program Coordinator Kristen Rosenburg and her husband Chuck Rosenburg welcomed a son, Colin David, last August. We expect Colin will be volunteering at Reinstein Woods as soon as he can walk!

As I “meandered” through the woods at the beginning of summer, everything seemed fresher at Reinstein Woods. Maybe it was the fact that I was there right after a heavy summer rain, bringing my granddaughter, Hope, to summer camp.

Hope was excited to start the week long camp, her second year. As we approached the education center, near the deer exclosure, two bright-eyed fawns greeted us. Inside the center, Hope met the new staff, the other campers and her favorite camp director, Brittany.

I gave Hope a kiss when leaving and decided to check on the fawns. They were still there watching closely.

I decided to take a walk and was amazed to find the pink lilies still in bloom and very plentiful. A deer appeared from across the pond, spoke to me, and then leaped away. I traveled around the pond witnessing chipmunks, rabbits, small bunnies and baby chicks. I’m still learning bird sounds but there were many songs, including red winged black birds, woodpeckers and cardinals. I startled several squirrels and painted turtles; the deer returned, bringing her fawn this time.

I really enjoy talking to the young school kids on nature tours at Reinstein Woods but sometimes I miss the quiet solitude of an early morning walk by myself. I headed back to the center when I almost collided with a deer at an intersection (thankfully no one was hurt).

Before summer is gone and we start toward winter, I recommend a visit to Reinstein Woods! Although every season has something to offer, this time of year always seems more exciting.

Thanks to all the summer camp staff, all the “campers” had a great week, even some of the parents and grandparents. Keep up the good work!!!!!

Share in Nature’s Harmony

Mike Gettings, President
Friends of Reinstein Woods

The Town of Amherst Youth and Recreation Department has teamed with Wegmans supermarkets to provide a “Passport to Family Wellness” program that includes Reinstein Woods. The passport highlights Williamsville and Amherst trails, waterways and parklands as well as a few “Trails of Western New York” locations like Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve.

Passport holders visit each site and make a rubbing in the passport as a souvenir of their outdoor adventure. Look for the passport post near the Nature Play Area at Reinstein Woods.

Passports can be picked up at the Amherst Senior Center, area Wegmans supermarkets and Amherst Youth & Recreation Department.