MIANUS RIVER GORGE INC

LAND PROTECTION: IN 2023 MRG WORKED ON NUMEROUS LAND PROJECTS THAT WE HOPE WILL LEAD TO PROTECTED LAND IN THE FUTURE. 2023 WAS A YEAR FOR MRG TO WORK ON HABITAT RESTORATION ON MANY OF THE LANDS ACQUIRED IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS INCLUDING INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL, REPLANTING OF NATIVE SPECIES, AND PROTECTION OF RARE PLANT COMMUNITIES. RESEARCH & EDUCATION: RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP PROGRAM (RAP) OFFERS FUNDING FOR GRADUATE-LEVEL RESEARCH IN THE FIELDS OF ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION. EACH RAP RECIPIENT RECEIVES A YEARLY STIPEND OF 5000 (THANKS TO THE SUPPORT FROM AE FAMILY FOUNDATION) FOR THREE YEARS TOWARD A SPECIFIC PROJECT ADDRESSING AN ECOLOGICAL QUESTION THAT AFFECTS MRG. RAP RECIPIENTS ALSO MENTOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OUR WTP PROGRAM. IN 2023, MRG HOSTED 2 RAP STUDENTS (CORNELL UNIVERSITY, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY), AND CO-AUTHORED 3 SCHOLARLY PAPERS. COLLEGE INTERN PROGRAM IN SUBURBAN ECOLOGY (CISE) OFFERS INTERNSHIPS TO UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS TO STUDY A VARIETY OF ISSUES FACING SUBURBAN PRESERVES. STUDENTS WORK WITH STAFF AND RAP AND WTP STUDENTS. MRG HOSTED 4 UNDERGRADUATE INTERNS IN 2023. OUR WILDLIFE TECHNICIAN PROGRAM (WTP) OFFERS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM THE REGION THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONDUCT A 2.5-YEAR (FROM 10TH GRADE TO 12TH GRADE) RESEARCH STUDY UNDER THE MENTORSHIP OF OUR STAFF AND RAP STUDENTS. THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO COMPLEMENT THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK SCIENCE RESEARCH IN THE HIGH SCHOOL (SRHS) CURRICULUM AND PROVIDES ACCESS TO SCIENTIFIC MENTORS, HANDS-ON FIELD EXPERIENCE, AND IMMERSION INTO REAL-WORLD CONSERVATION PROBLEMS FACING SUBURBAN ECOSYSTEMS. IN 2023, MRG MENTORED 12 WTP STUDENTS ACROSS 10TH TO 12TH GRADE. PUBLIC PROGRAMS & OUTREACH: IN 2023, MRG CONDUCTED 5 TRAININGS ON INVASIVE SPECIES BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT TO APPROX. 60 PEOPLE. WE CONDUCTED 4 GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO APPROX.100 PEOPLE. SPECIFIC TOPICS INCLUDED THE LANDSCAPE'S HISTORICAL AND GEOLOGICAL ROOTS; BIRDING; OWL BIOLOGY; AND WINTER TREE ID. STEWARDSHIP: IN 2023, WE HAD 10 INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT PROJECTS WHERE WE IMPROVED 300 ACRES AND MONITORED AN ADDITIONAL 120 ACRES. WE HAD 56 VOLUNTEERS WHO PROVIDED 440 HOURS OF WORK IN LAND MANAGEMENT. MIANUS RIVER GORGE SYSTEMATICALLY FOLLOWS A LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT DIVIDES PROTECTED LAND INTO MANAGEMENT UNITS, EACH WITH A SPECIFIC STRATEGY BASED ON PHENOLOGY AND HABITAT TYPE.