Blue Mountain Lounsbury Pond Cleanup and Revitalization
Devils horns, buffalo nut, bat nut, devil pod, ling nut, mustache nut, singhara nut or water chestnut and caltrops are all names that refer to the pointy, spiny, extremely sharp, and hard as rock black “shells” that cover the beaches and shorelines of the Hudson River, shorelines of water bodies all over New York State, and ponds such as Lounsbury Pond in Blue Mountain.
Photo Credit: NYS Parks & Historic Sites Blog
https://nystateparks.blog/tag/water-chestnut/
Officially known as European water chestnuts, they are an invasive aquatic plant that was inadvertently released into the water of the Northeast in the late 1800s. Its spread through NYS, and the Northeast, has been inexorable as it roots itself in the muddy soil at the bottom of marshes, ponds, lakes and slow-moving parts of rivers. The water chestnut then forms dense mats of floating vegetation that looks like a large green blanket on the water. The dense mats then severely limit light penetration into the water and reduce or eliminate the growth of native aquatic plants beneath the canopy. With lack of proper sunlight and respiration, the native aquatic plants asphyxiate the aquatic life living in the water body eventually causing a die off of fish, turtles, frogs, and aquatic plants, making the water body uninhabitable.
This Friday, July 26, Saturday, July 27, and then the following Friday, August 2 and Saturday, August 3rd, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm each day, the Westchester Parks Foundation Green Squad and volunteers will be gathering together at Blue Mountain Reservation to help clean and clear out the water chestnut and other invasive aquatic plants from the water and the shores of Lounsbury Pond.
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Lounsbury Pond in Blue Mountain after the pond was lowered two years ago. Photo Credit: Dave Mueller
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Lounsbury Pond in Blue Mountain. Photo Credit: Dave Mueller
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Lounsbury Pond in Blue Mountain. Photo Credit: Dave Mueller
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Lounsbury Pond dam in Blue Mountain after the pond was lowered two years ago. Photo Credit: Dave Mueller
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Greenterns and community volunteers continue to diligently remove invasive water chestnut from the lake at Tibbetts. This will be very similar to what will occur at Blue Mountain. Photo Credit: The Westchester Parks Foundation Instagram Page
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Volunteers will be on land and in canoes hand-pulling this invasive aquatic plant from the lake. Volunteers who are not going out in canoes will wear waders standing in the shallow wate or stay on dry land pulling invasive weeds.
No experience is necessary or required. However, all volunteers must register on the Volunteer New York website by clicking here. Tools and work gloves will be provided. Volunteers should bring their own water and wear clothes that can get wet and dirty. If volunteers have waders or large rain boots, they are welcome to bring them along. For last-minute signups call the Westchester Parks Foundation at (914) 231-4600 or email [email protected].
The hope is that with the efforts of volunteers and the Westchester Parks Foundation, the lake can be restored and continue to provide clean water available for the return of native species, the use of the lake for recreation, and overall enhancement to the quality of life for over 100,000 community members in the area.
Blue Mountain Reservation is a 1,538-acre park in the northwest section of Westchester County. It was acquired in 1926. It features miles of trails for mountain biking, strolling and nature study, and offers challenging hikes to the tops of two large peaks, Mt. Spitzenberg and Blue Mountain. For more information on Blue Mountain Reservation visit Parks.Westchestergov.com.
Paddle Through History with the Putnam History Museum and Hudson River Expeditions
Paddle through history with the Putnam History Museum and Hudson River Expeditions as they guide you on a fascinating history tour of the Hudson Highlands from the water in two fun guided kayak voyages over the next month to talk about the history of the river and surrounding area.
On Friday, July 26 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm join the paddle adventure with a trip around Constitution Island and World’s End. The kayak tour will begin in Cold Spring and cover everything from long ago geological history, to Constitution Island’s uses as an Indigenous camp, Cold Spring’s life as a 19th century industrial town, and the strategic importance of World’s End during the Revolutionary War.
On Saturday, August 24th, from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, join the Putnam History Museum and Hudson River Expeditions once again for a kayak tour to Little Stony Point. Little Stony Point is a site that has ties to the beginning of the environmental movement in the United States. The tour will cover everything from the area’s early geological and Indigenous history to the Hudson Highland’s role during the American Revolution and Cold Spring’s life as a 19th century industrial town, to the area’s connections sparking the 20th century Environmental Movement.
The cost for each tour is $95 per person. Visit Hudsonriverexpeditions.com to register.
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