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On Wednesday, October 19th Mountainkeeper hosted a webinar all about informal trail networks in our region and how they damage local ecosystems. We were thrilled to see nearly 170 individuals tune in for this great conversation, and if you missed it you can watch a full recorded version. We heard from experts in the field, including researchers at the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the New York Natural Heritage Program, and the United States Geological Survey, as they discussed the state of trailless peaks in the Catskills, and visitor use management plans to address them. Informal trails made by hikers put considerable strain on the health and wellbeing of native wildlife and plants, causing harmful impacts like loss of native vegetation, soil compaction, erosion, forest fragmentation, and introduction of invasive species into interior forest habitats. Want to know more about informal trails and their impact? Visit the DEC’s webpage for more information.

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Magic in the Mountains podcast is for nature enthusiasts, environmentalists, and everyone in between who wants to learn about the environment, food systems, sustainable farming and agriculture, and more. Hosts Eugene Thalmann and Taylor Jaffe–two young farmers based in different parts of the Catskills–are connected through their respective roles as Mountainkeeper’s Agricultural Program Coordinator and Environmental Justice Coordinator. Each week they get together to discuss a different aspect of life on their farms, and how it relates to environmental justice, ecosystem sustainability, local and global food systems, and more. You can listen to these engaging conversations on Spotify or Anchor!

On Tuesday, June 28th, we partnered with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and New York State Energy and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to hold a Disadvantaged Communities Information Session via Zoom. During this webinar, Mountainkeeper’s own Environmental Justice Coordinator, Taylor Jaffe, discussed the ins and outs of the DAC criteria with panelists Adriana Espinoza, DEC’s Deputy Commissioner for Equity and Justice, Tyler Picard, a Project Manager at NYSERDA, and Christopher Coll, Director of Energy Affordability and Equity Program at NYSERDA.

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A crucial part of Mountainkeeper’s work is upholding environmental justice and protecting people from a variety of environmental hazards–like tainted drinking water, polluted air, and waste contamination, among others–that pose serious risks to the health and safety of our communities. These hazards are endemic in underserved, low-income communities, reflecting the ongoing racial and socioeconomic injustice in our society; identifying DACs is a core component of addressing and correcting these injustices.

If you missed this important webinar, you can watch a full recording here.

Mountainkeeper's Environmental Justice (EJ) Coordinator Taylor Jaffe led a fascinating webinar to help raise awareness and broaden understanding of EJ in our region. EJ means making sure that communities of every race, color, and income status receive the same protection from environmental and health hazards, and have equal access to the decision-making process about projects and policies impacting their lives.

Fighting for and upholding EJ has always been a crucial part of Mountainkeeper’s work to protect people from a variety of environmental hazards–like tainted drinking water, polluted air, and waste contamination, among others–that pose serious risks to the health and safety of our communities. These hazards are endemic in underserved, low-income communities, reflecting the ongoing racial and socioeconomic injustice in our society.

If you missed this important discussion, you can watch a full recording of the event by clicking below!

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Protecting wilderness in the Catskill Region and fighting for environmental justice in our communities takes input from legislators and community members alike. To start the new year off right, Catskill Mountainkeeper hosted a webinar on February 15th, 2022 to connect key New York State decision makers with our friends and supporters. During this webinar, we explored specific obstacles facing our region, possible solutions to pressing problems, and actions we all can take to help enhance life in the Catskills and protect everything that makes this region so special. Our panelists included:

• Senator Michelle Hinchey;
  
• NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Deputy Commissioner of Natural Resources, Katie Petronis;
  
• Assemblymember Aileen Gunther;
  
• Assemblymember Kevin Cahill;
  
• Assemblymember Chris Tague;
  
• Assemblymember Brian Miller; and
  
• Jeff Senterman, The Catskill Center.

Watch the Full Webinar Here!