(Forwarding with the author's permission to the broader NY-state list) Dear NY-Birders, The post below was written by a birder who knows the Shawangung Grassland National Wildlife Refuge (Ulster County) very well, and who has looked at -- and is concerned about -- the nearby town's development proposal's potential impact. As background, this wildlife refuge has recently undergone several years of extensive (and expensive) changes designed to further improve its habitat and suitability for birds. (The S'gung grasslands is "the place" in our region for Short-eared Owls and Rough-legged Hawks in the winter; and Bobolinks and other grassland species in the summer). It would now be a shame if the proposed development were allowed to negatively impact that habitat improvement effort, just as it is coming to completion. New York birders can follow the discussion in greater detail by checking the Mearnsbirdclub and/or midhudsonbirds list. More importantly, if you wish to comment to the appropriate parties on the proposal, you can refer to the post on this listserv (NYSBIRDS-L) of 8/28 from Ajit Antony. Regards, John Workman Ridgewood, NJ
____________________________________ From: randrta...@yahoo.com Reply-to: mearnsbirdc...@yahoogroups.com To: mearnsbirdc...@yahoogroups.com CC: midhudsonbi...@yahoogroups.com Sent: 8/29/2012 6:21:35 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time Subj: [Mearnsbirdclub] Shawangunk Grassland NWR Friends I suppose you have seen the posts in the last day or so in regard to the proposed Galeville Town Park. I have a copy of the Galeville Park Master Plan of 2012 and don't like what I see. Out in front of the Cull de sac where you watch the Shortears they are planning to put 3 soccer fields and a baseball field On the upper level where you cross and sometimes park before going down to the cul DE sac they have planned a playground area,a community building and a few smaller buildings.between there and Long Lane is a proposed parking lot for over 200 cars, 2 volley ball courts, 2 basketball courts, and 2 tennis courts, and to the left of where you come in off Long Lane now there is planned a football field. If this project moves forward I believe it will be a blight on the Refuge. And be visible from most all of the Refuge. Now for something more pleasant. Since the completion of the 2 years of work on the refuge I think it is turning into something real special. And will continue to improve as the grasses fill in. I know some of you have visited and a few have walked the trail. It was a 3 mile trail and now has been broken into 2 parts. I haven't had much feedback from walkers but what I did get was positive , other then it is a little hard walking because the ruts etc from the big machines hopefully in a week or so we are going to get another machine and work on smoothing it down. Stop by and check it out . let me know what you think about the refuge and trails. Ralph Tabor Wallkill [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] __._,_.___ _Reply to sender_ (mailto:randrta...@yahoo.com?subject=Re:%20Shawangunk%20Grassland%20NWR) | _Reply to group_ (mailto:mearnsbirdc...@yahoogroups.com?subject=Re:%20Shawangunk%20Grassland%20NWR) | _Reply via web post_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mearnsbirdclub/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJxZTZrM25oBF9TAzk3MzU 5NzE0BGdycElkAzE2MTg3MDg4BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA2NTc4NwRtc2dJZAM1MTg0BHNlYwNmdHI Ec2xrA3JwbHkEc3RpbWUDMTM0NjI3ODg5Mg--?act=reply&messageNum=5184) | _Start a New Topic_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mearnsbirdclub/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJmc2t0cGEwBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE2MTg3MDg4BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA2NTc4NwRzZWM DZnRyBHNsawNudHBjBHN0aW1lAzEzNDYyNzg4OTI-) _Messages in this topic_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mearnsbirdclub/message/5184;_ylc=X3oDMTM1amNtdDJ1BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE2MTg3MDg4BGdycHNwSW QDMTcwNTA2NTc4NwRtc2dJZAM1MTg0BHNlYwNmdHIEc2xrA3Z0cGMEc3RpbWUDMTM0NjI3ODg5Mg R0cGNJZAM1MTg0) (1) Recent Activity: * _New Members_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mearnsbirdclub/members;_ylc=X3oDMTJnajU5N2FtBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE2MTg3MDg4BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNT A2NTc4NwRzZWMDdnRsBHNsawN2bWJycwRzdGltZQMxMzQ2Mjc4ODky?o=6) 1 * _New Photos_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mearnsbirdclub/spnew;_ylc=X3oDMTJnYm5wYTJoBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE2MTg3MDg4BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA2N Tc4NwRzZWMDdnRsBHNsawN2cGhvdARzdGltZQMxMzQ2Mjc4ODky) 1 _Visit Your Group_ (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mearnsbirdclub;_ylc=X3oDMTJmNmlxOWN1BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE2MTg3MDg4BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA2NTc4NwRzZ WMDdnRsBHNsawN2Z2hwBHN0aW1lAzEzNDYyNzg4OTI-) (http://groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJlODVraXA5BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzE2MTg3MDg4BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNTA2NTc4NwRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNnZnAEc3RpbWUDMTM0NjI3ODg5 Mg--) Switch to: _Text-Only_ (mailto:mearnsbirdclub-traditio...@yahoogroups.com?subject=Change Delivery Format: Traditional) , _Daily Digest_ (mailto:mearnsbirdclub-dig...@yahoogroups.com?subject=Email Delivery: Digest) • _Unsubscribe_ (mailto:mearnsbirdclub-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe) • _Terms of Use_ (http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/) . __,_._,___ -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
