CCEDC provides quality educational programs and resources across
four main program areas:

Agriculture & Horticulture

Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Master Gardener program…

Environment

Education and training in natural resources and geographic information systems (GIS), water resources, environmental issues, and Dutchess No Child Left Inside…

Family & Consumer Sciences

Financial Management, Food, Nutrition and Wellness, and the Relatives As Parents (RAPP)….

4-H Youth Development

Youth Leadership, 4-H Clubs, ACT for Youth and the Green Teen Community Gardening Program…

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For more information and to read our Strategic Plan, 2007 Annual Report and Constitution, visit the About Us section, or contact us at:

Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County (CCEDC)
2715 Route 44, Millbrook, NY 12545
Phone: 845.677.8223 ext. 153
Fax: 845.677.6563
Email: dutchess@cornell.edu
Web: http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/dutchess

Cornell Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.
The County of Dutchess partially funds Cooperative Extension programs in Dutchess County.

Have you planned an Earth Day Event yet??

The celebration of Earth Day on April 22nd began in the United States in 1970 and was the brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson, who wanted to find a way to “put the environment into the political limelight once and for all.” Earth Day is now celebrated in most countries of the world, and is a perfect time to reflect about what you are doing to help protect the environment. Below are some suggestions (large and small) of ways that you can celebrate alone, with your family, community, school groups, and others. Remember, you don’t have to organize a huge event to celebrate earth day, a reading a book to a youth group, going out hiking, and talking to others about the environment will do!

• Organize (or participate in) an Earth Day event or local community fair: This can include demonstrations of environmentally-friendly products, children’s artwork, healthy/locally grown foods to eat, animal care demonstrations (including wildlife rescue), games for the children made of recycled products, musicians and actors performing environmental music and skits, stalls which are recycling unwanted treasures and books, and local environmental organizations presenting information.

• Read an Earth Day Book to a library, pre-school or elementary school group: some ideas include 50 Simple Things a Kid Can Do the Save the Earth, by The EarthWorks Group; Curious George Plants a Tree, by H. A. Rey; The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss; Why Should I Recycle?, by Jen Green; The Garbage Monster, by Joni Sensel; or Earth Day Birthday, by Pattie Schnetzler.

• Plant a Tree: As Earth Day also roughly coincides with U.S. Arbor Day (April 24th), over time Earth Day has taken on the role of tree-planting. Planting trees helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), clean pollution, secure soil in places to prevent erosion, and provides for biodiversity. For more info on tree planting, see: http://www.arborday.org/.

• Learn about the environment: Earth Day is a good time to make a personal commitment to learning more about the environment and how you can help to protect it. Borrow some library books and read up on environmental issues, or join a local group that undertakes activities to help protect the environment in your area. Watch an ‘environmental’ film (the new Frontline episode “Poisoned Waters” airs on PBS on April 21, 2009), or take a child to see the Disney movie “Earth” (opening April 22, 2009).

• Get outside and Enjoy the Great outdoors: (and take some kids with you). Try hiking or walking on trails, nature photography, kayaking, biking, camping, etc. If kids learn to enjoy being outside in nature, they will want to protect the environment (see No Child Left Inside programs at www.cbf.org).

• Reduce, Reuse and Recycle: Buy as little as possible and avoid items that come in lots of packaging. Support local growers and producers of food and products - these don’t have to travel as far and so reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Take your drink container with you, and don’t use any disposable plates or cutlery. Carry a cloth bag for carrying things and recycle your plastic bags. Recycle your old clothes, furniture, and electrical items. Ask children to recycle their old toys and games. By donating their old toys and games, children learn about giving to others and about reusing and recycling, instead of throwing things away. Learn about product exchange communities like Freecycle.

• Organize a Cleanup Day or volunteer to help clean a roadway, highway, trail, neighborhood street and/or stream of litter and trash. Many companies donate gloves and bags for clean-up groups and villages organize bag pick ups.

• Teach others about the environment and the outdoors: most schools already celebrate Earth Day in the classrooms with activities but there are many other ways you can teach about the environment. Offer to teach your office colleagues how to make environmentally-friendly choices at work during lunch hour. Everyone has environmental knowledge they can share with others.

• Show your colors: Wear green and/or wear an earth day shirt for the day to let others know that its earth day! Engage others in conversations about your environmental concerns. Don’t be bossy or pushy, just tell people some facts and help them learn some more by imparting your environmental knowledge in a friendly and helpful manner.

• Cook a special Earth Day meal: Plan a menu that uses locally produced foods, is healthy and has minimal impact on the environment. If you still would like meat, look for locally produced, organic meat. Try and have a completely local, vegetarian or organic meal. Use cloth napkins and real plates and silverware!

• Ride your bike or walk: Use your bicycle or other forms of human powered transportation to commute to work or school and to run errands.

Remember: Every day is Earth Day. Anything to help our environment is a perfect thing to do on Earth Day and every day. Don’t restrict yourself to just one day a year; learn about how you can make a difference to environmental protection all the time. And put it into practice - every day.

Read an overview of GIS resources available to municipalities, organizations, and residents in Dutchess County

We provide formal training sessions, workshops, and individual mentoring on GIS topics and techniques to municipal leaders, students, and the general public. Map creation and GIS analysis are available to municipal leaders, CACs, planning boards and other residents. CCEDC has a number of tools and programs to provide these goods and services to the community:

CCEDC GIS Lab
A fully-equipped GIS Lab, with hardware, software, and data available for mapping natural resources in Dutchess County.

CCEDC GIS Volunteer Program
An upcoming program from the CCEDC Environment Program: GIS Volunteers will be trained to provide GIS education and outreach for natural resource mapping with their towns, and on mapping projects and educational outreach events.

GIS Special Interest Group (SIG)
An informal group of Dutchess County residents, volunteers and municipal leaders that are currently using and/or interested in learning more about GIS topics and techniques.

GIS resources for municipalities, organizations, and residents abound in Dutchess County, and can be accessed through the CCEDC GIS Lab public access workstation, with assistance from the Sr. GIS Resource Educator. Download a three-page printable guide with information and internet links to help those interested in GIS:

• Use GIS on the Web

• Use GIS Software
• Get GIS Data
• Connect with Other GIS Users
• and Learn More

CCEDC Environment Program delivers educational forums and workshops to community leaders and citizens in Dutchess County.

Upcoming Events

Where The Wet Things Are:
A Community-based Scientific Assessment of Vernal Pools in the Town of Washington, NY
Join a volunteer citizen science effort to survey the 200+ vernal pools in the Town of Washington from mid-March through April for breeding amphibians, including Jefferson salamanders, spotted salamanders, and wood frogs. Volunteers will gather biological data and use digital cameras to document and identify species found.

A Community-based Scientific Assessment of Vernal Pools in the Town of Washington, NY

Join a volunteer citizen science effort with CCEDC, Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies, and Millbrook Matters (a project of Open Space Institute) to survey the 200+ vernal pools in the Town of Washington from mid-March through April for breeding amphibians, including Jefferson salamanders, spotted salamanders, and wood frogs. Volunteers will gather biological data and use digital cameras to document and identify species found.

Interested in becoming a citizen scientist? Come to the General Information Meeting Monday, February 9th 7:00–8:00 p.m. at Dutchess County Farm & Home Center 2715 Route 44 Millbrook, NY. Participants will get the opportunity to attend two training workshops, where they will learn about sampling techniques, vernal pool ecology, amphibian identification, and map orientation.

For more information on volunteering for the vernal pool assessment project, please contact Vicky Buono at 677-8223 x153 or vcb4@cornell.edu. Volunteers may sign up any time before the training (to be held early March), but all are encouraged to attend the informational meeting on February 9th to learn about the tasks and responsibilities volunteers will be asked to perform.

Read more about the project at the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies website.

Read the article in thePoughkeepsie Journal about the vernal pool study.

Beat the “winter blahs”! Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County is now taking reservations for their annual bus trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show www.theflowershow.com. The theme this year is “Bella Italia”.

Date- Thursday, March 5, 2009. Cost is $65 per person, which includes transportation and admission to the show. We will be leaving from the Farm & Home Center on Rt 44 in Millbrook promptly at 8 AM and returning home at approximately 9-9:30 PM. Bring a friend!

To register, please call Nancy Halas at 845-677-8223 x 115. Seats will only be reserved upon payment in full. No refunds after February 15. Substitutions are allowed. Don’t delay- seating is limited.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County provides equal program and employment opportunities. The programs provided by this agency are partially funded by monies received from the County of Dutchess.

The CCEDC Community Horticulture Program works to address the needs of the the general community through education, classes and providing services such as our Diagnostic Lab. We are proud to acknowledge the many wonderful, trained volunteers that help to carry out our programming.

“To make the best BETTER!”
Young people become confident, mature adults ready for success in today’s challenging world through 4-H, the only youth development program with a direct connection to technological advances from research conducted at state land-grant universities. Studies show that the more than 6.5 million youth participating in 4-H do better in school, are more motivated to help others, feel safe to try new things, achieve a sense of self-esteem, and develop lasting friendships. Boys and girls of all races and ethnic backgrounds in urban, suburban and rural communities across America and on U.S. military installations worldwide participate in 4-H experiences. 4-H programs are offered through school-based, after-school and camp settings and community clubs.

Click the links below to see what Dutchess County 4-H has to offer YOU!

Livestock

Other Interests

Events

Volunteer Opportunities

Dates to Remember

More info coming soon!