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[Mike_L]

EMERALD NECKLACE HIKE & LECTURE SERIES PLANNED

From the sweeping vistas of the Hector Backbone to rugged Lick Brook Gorge and the wilds of Shindagin Hollow, the Emerald Necklace encompasses a remarkable diversity of landscapes.

To provide a better understanding of these natural areas and their resources, as well as the challenges facing their long-term conservation, the Land Trust in partnership with the Cayuga Trails Club and the Finger Lakes Trail Conference is inviting the public to participate in a weeklong hike and associated trailside lecture series.

Executive director Andy Zepp will lead an intrepid band that will traverse the 78 miles of the Finger Lakes Trail that link Finger Lakes National Forest to Hammond Hill State Forest. Participants are welcome to hike for all six days of the event or for just a single day. For those that register at least one week in advance, the Land Trust will assist with the coordination of transportation between the hike's beginning and end points. The planned itinerary for the hike is highlighted on our website.

If you're less inclined toward a rigorous hike, the Land Trust will also offer a concurrent brown bag lecture series. From its tremendous diversity of plants and animals to its rich human history, the Emerald Necklace has plenty to offer. Come hear local experts share their knowledge about this remarkable area.

A final schedule with detailed directions is available on the Land Trust's website ( www.fllt.org ). Participants are asked to register for both the hike and lecture series at least one week in advance.

**NOTE: Shuttle from meeting point parking areas will leave at 8:00 AM sharp every day. If you are planning on hiking, please be on time or we will leave without you.

Lecture Series: All lectures are at noon except for the dedication of the Cayuga Inlet Conservation Area, that is scheduled for 2:00 pm
Monday, September 10th
A. Carl Leopold, Plant Scientist and Founding President, Finger Lakes Land Trust. "An Ethical Relationship with the Land: Perspectives from the Emerald Necklace", Texas Hollow Road, Texas Hollow State Forest.

Tuesday, September 11th
John Fitzpatrick, Director, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, "Birds of the Emerald Necklace" Connecticut Hill Road, Connecticut Hill State Wildlife Management Area

Wednesday, September 12th
2:00 pm dedication of the Land Trust's Cayuga Inlet Conservation Area, 115 acres of forests and streamside meadows located adjacent to Robert Treman State Park. The dedication will take place on land adjacent to the Land Trust's Sweedler Preserve at Lick Brook, on Townline Road in Ithaca.

Thursday, September 13th
LouAnn Wurst, Associate Professor and Co-Chair, Department of Anthropology, SUNY Brockport, "Farming the Emerald Necklace: Life and Labor on New York's Uplands"Curtis Road, Danby State Forest.

Friday, September 14th
Peter Marks, Cornell University professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, "Plant Communities of the Emerald Necklace"Braley Hill Road, Shindagin Hollow State Forest
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The Canaan Institute http://www.canaaninstitute.org/

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