Sixteen power point presentations, each 40 minutes long, in the semi-dark auditorium of Berkner Hall on the campus of Brookhaven National Laboratory. Presentations were made by well-qualified presenters who have done scientific research on Natural History subjects that focus on Long Island subjects.

After two talks, the morning break buzzed with conversation in the display area. There was networking, reconnecting, and not much doom and gloom from like-minded people who have strong connections to the out doors.

A new crop of young enthusiasts manned many of the displays. They were anxious to engage visitors in their particular organization. Eric Powers, long-time naturalist, showed off a new “startup” called Center for Environmental Education and Discovery. The group is raising funds to restore a house in Brookhaven to conduct environmental education programs.

DISPLAYS: Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt; the Paumanok Path; Nature Conservancy; Sierra Club; Seatuck; Peconic Estuary; NYS DEC; Greenbelt Trail Conference; Quogue Wildlife Refuge; Group for the East End; Wertheim Wildlife Refuge; Canios Bookstore; South Fork Natural History Museum; Huntington Audubon Society

TOPICS: horse shoe crabs; fresh water fishes; restoring tributaries for migrating fish; herpatafauna; dwarf pine plains; beach grass; fish kills; glacial geomorphology; Atlantic blue fin tuna; vernal ponds; great white shark; salt marshes; Plum Island

This was a feeding frenzy and banquet of  information much like going to an art museum and looking at a hundred paintings. How much can one retain? On the bigger scale, it is refreshing to learn that so much effort is being spent on learning and informing. There are 3 million residents, 800,000 cars, and about 150 attendees to spread the word.

After four presentations on day one, I left to have a quick sandwich in the car and then to take a power walk. I headed east with strong westerly and thick stratus cloud cover. I reached a tall smokestack and domed building. Every door I passed had a WARNING sign. I spotted a white birch tree that stood out in front of the Physics Building. I found a loose piece of bark that had separated from the tree, tissue thin. I tore it off. I called it a scientific experiment. I intended to incorporate it into a basket.

Here are some highlights from some of the presentations:

Horseshoe Crab – 70,000 crabs are raised in Hong Cong for release through captive breeding; NYS allows permits to harvest 150,000 a year

Fresh Water Fishes of Long Island – Piranha fish caught in Lake Ronkonkoma probably dumped from private fish tank; 36 species of self-propagating fish; 30 miles of streams

Restoring Tributaries for Herring – 13 dams on the Brown’s River alone! Mill River in Rockville Center is the most mistreated River; Dams create heat sinks which are not good habitat for migrating fish. Example Southards Pond has a ten degree temperature difference  between it’s north and south end. Enrico Nadrone said “Not every dam needs to stay.” Knocking out the dam at Southards Pond could provide adequate habitat for alewives. The fish ladder at the base of Argyle Lake is in place so they can enter from Carlls River. Of the 140 tributaries, only one supports alewives – Big Fresh Pond

Herpatofauna of the Northeast Coastal Region – 43 species are native to Long Island. Gave thorough history of Rattlesnake on Long Island starting with Vander Donck in 1656 to Roy Latham in 1962

Dwark Pine Planes; of the 1300 total acres, only 210 acres have been protected; historically there were 2,500 acres. “The dwarf pine plains are an antidote for ugliness and despair.”

The Geomorphology of Long Island: a digital elevation model clearly shows the topography of long island without anything covering its surface – a fascinating map shows the extant of every tributary bed from source. Most of this information is long gone due to development. This deglaciated landscape revealed tunnel valleys where water escaped from the bottom of the glacier. Henry’s Hollow was one these. Loess deposits occurred from strong winds blowing across the l.i. sound valley when it was dry picking up find dust and depositing it along the top of the cliff at Caumsett State Park. Angular glacial erratic were not carried as far as rounded ones.

During the second day break, I again had a sandwich in the car. Opposite the car I saw a large Norway maple tree. I noticed several gypsy moth egg cases on the bark under a limb. I decided to make a sketch. The tree had large patches of lichens. I found no cases on the lichens. A few people wandered over to see what I was doing. I showed them my sketch and took a sample to show them the eggs. I lay the egg mass in the palm of my hand and separated the brown protection fibers from the eggs. Then I lay my tongue on the eggs, crushed them between my teeth and said “It’s protein that tastes like granola.” That was my presentation for the Long Island Natural History Conference.

From Plankton to Whales: Christopher Paparo, for me, wins to prize for best presentation. He calls himself the “fishguy” “There’s cool stuff out there.” He scuba dives with a camera and showed a broad spectrum of marine life from tiny diatoms to Whales. His presentation was The antidote for athe doom and gloom notion of life on Long Island.

Long Island’s Role in the Comeback of the Great White Shark:

Baby whites are 4 foot long at birth. The female has ten pups at a time. Using tagging, they have been tracked and it is suspected that this species migrates seasonally. The second biggest white shark measured 18 ½ feet long.

Salt Marshes: A Natural and Unnatural History:

Phragmites ( tall reed grass) was presented as “not all bad” It is a buffer, absorbs toxic metals, provides habitat, and creates conditions that protect salt marshes for storm surges and rising sea levels. When questioned she said “Phrag marsh over no marsh.”