The Pine Lake Journal

2012
Pine Lake Institute & Environmental Campus PO Box 4020 Oneonta, NY 13820 hartwick.edu/pinelake

Watershed Education Initiative Studying Biodiversity in Honduras Teaming up with State Parks

2011-12 Pine Lake Residents

Teaching Research Collaboration

2012 PINE LAKE JOURNAL

Editorial Board Brian Hagenbuch, Ph.D. Dan Morse 97 Cassandra Miller Contributors Brian Hagenbuch, Ph.D. , Max Holden 15, James Jolly, Chris Lott, Dan Morse 97, Neondre McCowan 14, Casey Mullaney 12, Alyssa Pearson 12, Emma Tipping 08 Design & Layout Cassandra Miller PINE LAKE INSTITUTE STAFF Director Brian Hagenbuch, Ph.D. 607-431-4518 hagenbuchb@hartwick.edu Manager of Pine Lake Operations Peter Blue 607-431-4202 bluep@hartwick.edu Coordinator of Sustainability Programs Dan Morse 97 607-431-4666 morsed@hartwick.edu Coordinator of Challenge Education & Pine Lake Residency Erin Toal 607-431-4520 toale@hartwick.edu Administrative Assistant Kate Brooker-Milano 607-431-4402 brookerk@hartwick.edu
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www.hartwick.edu/pinelake
CONTENTS 2012 Pine Lake Journal
4 5 Pine Lakes Mission & Vision View From the Lake by Pine Lake Director Brian Hagenbuch

COLLABORATIONS
16 17

PINE LAKE FEATURE

6

State Parks Partnership Creates Student Research Opportunities Watershed Education Initiative Launched

Vaudevillian Gets Extreme Makeover

RESEARCH
18 19

SUSTAINABILITY AT HARTWICK
7 8 9

Hartwick Begins Zero-Sort Recycling Hartwick Takes Third Statewide in Recycling Contest A Recycling Pilot Study at Hartwick

Field Lab, ES&P Programs Get Boost from Grants Working to Protect Amphibians in Honduras

TEACHING
20

An Enlightening Class

CHALLENGE EDUCATION & AWAKENING

10

The New Face of Challenge Education

PINE LAKE HISTORY

21

PINE LAKE CLUB

11

Vaudeville-Era Magician Surfaces at Pine Lake

Contra Dancing, Potlucks, & Bringing People Together

RENOVATIONS & REPAIRS

22 23

WHAT PINE LAKE MEANS TO ME

12 13

Energy Challenge Student Residence Assessment Starts Home Energy Use Conversation

Falling in Love by Emma Tipping 08 Finding a Place by Neondre McCowan 14

FRIENDS OF PINE LAKE

40th ANNIVERSARY AT PINE LAKE

14-15 Photos from 2011-12 Celebrations

24 Donation Brings New Docks to Pine Lake 26-27 Thank You to Pine Lake Donors 28 Photo of 2011-12 Pine Lake Residents

PHOTO: The walls of the Island House at Pine Lake bear the names of more than 40 years of student visitors.

PINE LAKE MISSION

By Brian Hagenbuch, Pine Lake Institute Director

VIEW FROM THE LAKE

Focusing on Teaching, Research, & Collaboration
species on aquatic systems, and the hydrogeology of the Susquehanna River watershed. Research efforts have been aided by a $50,000 grant that created an Environmental Science & Policy (ES&P) Scholar award for students (Page 19) and an additional $383,612 grant to renovate the ES&P lab in Johnstone Science building, purchase new equipment, upgrade technology in the Smith Environmental Field Lab at Pine Lake, and endow the ES&P scholar program (Page 18). In 2010, Hartwick College began a collaborative partnership with NY State Parks staff on the biology, ecology, and management of Robert V. Riddell State Park, which includes the Upper Tract property formerly owned by the College. Over the past two years, student interns have worked with Hartwick faculty and park staff to map plant communities, identify rare species, and collect data that will be used to monitor long-term changes in the ecology of the park and prepare a management plan for public use of park resources (Page 16). In addition to teaching, research, and collaborative partnerships, Pine Lake continues to lead campus sustainability initiatives (Pages 7-9), welcome new staff (Page 10), recognize our alumni and current residents (Pages 12-13), and upgrade facilities to serve our student residents, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends (Pages 6, 22, 23). And were having a lot of fun in all these endeavors. In 2008, six students were the first group of incoming freshmen to call Pine Lake home from their first day at Hartwick. This year, three of those students Elliot Henry 12, Casey Mullaney 12, and Alyssa Pearson 12 graduated, having lived their entire Hartwick career at Pine Lake. These students and their peers continue to be the heart and soul of Pine Lake as we continue our mission of teaching, research, and collaboration for a sustainable future. Enjoy!

MISSION
The Pine Lake Institute for Environmental and Sustainability Studies actively engages the Hartwick community in education, research, and experiential learning and living opportunities that promote ecological stewardship and economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

Teaching. Research. Collaboration. For more than 40 years, Hartwick Colleges Pine Lake Environmental Campus has supported the Colleges academic mission through experiential learning that engages students in promoting a just, equitable, and sustainable society. In this issue of the Pine Lake Journal, Im pleased to highlight several initiatives that have strengthened Pine Lakes academic focus, expanded opportunities for student research, and created novel collaborations with community partners. Pine Lake offers a rich array of environments for teaching beyond the traditional classroom. Students can learn about upland forest ecology, uncover Native American artifacts, take a creative writing course in the Strawbale House, or use the areas natural beauty as a studio canvas. In fall 2011, Pine Lake hosted Visiting Professor Krishna Kant Shukla, who taught a course on Indian devotional music and spoke to numerous classes and student groups (Page 20). In April, the Pine Lake Institute received a $201,000 grant to develop and implement watershed education curricula for regional K-12 grades (Page 17). The grant expands the Pine Lake Partnership with regional schools and engages pre-service education majors in field-based lesson planning while aiming to protect the Upper Susquehanna River watershed. Pine Lake continues to be a hub for student and faculty research on the regional environment. While the biological diversity of Pine Lake has been well documented, contemporary questions concentrate on gaining greater insight into the nature of ecological systems. Research focuses on the resilience of forest ecosystems, developmental biology of amphibians, impact of invasive

VISION
The Pine Lake Institute for Environmental and Sustainability Studies educates and activates an inspired citizenry capable of working toward a just, equitable, and sustainable society.

WHAT WE DO The Pine Lake Institute oversees:

Sustainability at Hartwick Hartwicks Pine Lake Environmental Campus Challenge Education and Awakening Robert R. Smith Environmental Field Laboratory Hartwicks annual Campus Theme Summer courses at Pine Lake

PINE LAKE FEATURE

SUSTAINABILITY AT HARTWICK

Hartwick Begins Zero-Sort Recycling

Vaudevillian Gets Extreme Makeover
Pine Lakes Vaudevillian - so named for its original use as a vaudeville-era theatre hall - received a significant upgrade in 20112012: a new 480 square foot addition featuring public restrooms and an entrance lobby overlooking Pine Lake. The new addition, which was built with funding from the Office of the President, greatly expands Pine Lakes capacity to support academic classes, workshops, contra dances, and other student activities and public events. In keeping with Pine Lakes goal of modeling sustainable technologies, the new addition features a Clivus Multrum composting toilet system, funded by Friends of Pine Lake donations. In the self-contained Clivus system, solid wastes are composted with pine shavings and liquid wastes are stored. Given the buildings proximity to Pine Lake and ecologically sensitive wetland areas, the system provides an environmentally appropriate waste management solution. Planning is underway for additional upgrades, including construction of an outdoor deck running the length of the Vaudevillians south wall. French doors will provide deck access from the buildings large main hall. Along with the doors, tall south-facing windows will admit natural light, improve air circulation in warm weather, and allow for passive solar heating during colder months. The windows and deck will offer year-round panoramic views of Pine Lake and surrounding wetland areas, making the Vaudevillian a signature gathering space for the Hartwick community. With the switch to a new waste-management contractor in February, Hartwick College became one of the first institutions in the region to embrace Zero Sort Recycling. The simplified system now in place with Casella Waste Management is already reaping benefits. "In the month of February alone, we doubled our recycling tonnage," said Joe Mack, Aramark Facilities Director. "Environmental responsibility has been Aramark's directive ever since I've been involved with them, and this is a great partnership between Aramark and Hartwick as we move toward our goal of sustainable living." Zero Sort Recycling is much like it sounds. All manner of recyclable material may now be placed, without sorting, on the recycling side of the new dumpsters on Hartwick's campus. "Plastic, paper, metal, tin, glass, cardboard even clean pizza boxes can all go in one bin, and the contents of that bin then go into the recycling side of the dumpsters," explained Brian Hagenbuch, Director of the Pine Lake Institute for Environmental and Sustainability Studies. "What that means is we're greatly increasing the amount of recyclable materials that can be reused and turned into new products. It's also going to greatly reduce the amount of solid waste that gets sent to the landfill."

SUSTAINABILITY AT HARTWICK

SUSTAINABILITY AT HARTWICK
of 20 New York institutions in the Grand Champion category (and 85th out of 220 nationwide). We were really pleased with the results of the competition, said Dan Morse, Hartwicks Coordinator of Sustainability Programs. Its very exciting for Hartwick to do this well in our very first year of participation. We had a great organizing group, especially our student RecycleMania Team, who were the catalysts for promoting Hartwicks Zero-Sort Recycling Program in their residence halls. For more on Hartwicks recycling initiatives, vist www.hartwick.edu/recycling. Recycled Art Contest Best in Show winner Lindsay Worden 12 stands with her sculpture, Recycled Coral Reef. The contest was one of Hartwicks Recyclemania events during the Spring.

Hartwick Takes Third Place Statewide in Recycling Contest

The RecycleMania Tournament, an eightweek competition that ignites classic college rivalries, rallying students, faculty and staff to increase on-campus recycling rates beyond their collegiate competitors, wrapped up its 12th year, with Hartwick College recovering 64,524 pounds of organic and recyclable materials.

How Hartwick Ranked

The annual competition, which extended from Feb. 5 through March 31, included eight categories. Hartwick finished in third place out of 24 New York State schools in the per capita category (and 22nd out of 321 schools nationwide) as well as fourth out

RECYCLEMANIA2012

GRAND CHAMPION COMPETITION (recycling as % of overall waste stream)

FEBRUARY 6-MARCH 31

TOTAL

NATL RANK

NYS RANK

Hartwick College

35.34%

85/266

4/20

PER CAPITA CLASSIC COMPETITION (recycling lbs./person)

TOTAL NATL RANK NYS RANK

Hartwick College

34.86 lbs. per person

22/321

3/24

RESIDENCE HALL & BUILDING COMPETITION (recycling as % of overall waste)

Buildings, Rank, Trash and Recycling Data (February 5-March 31)

OVERALL SCOREBOARD
FINAL Cumulative Results
hartwick.edu/recyclemania sustain@hartwick.edu sustain hartwick @sustainhartwick

BUILDING NAME(S)
Maintenance/Pole Barn Johnstone Binder Van Ess Smith Pine Lake/Saxton Leitzell Table Rock/Perella Bresee/Golisano/Clark Holmes Townhouses Wilder Dewar Hilltop/Oyaron Yager Anderson

Final Rank
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Recycling Rate
66.99% 54.51% 46.39% 44.06% 43.28% 39.44% 38.99% 38.33% 38.19% 34.09% 30.31% 27.12% 26.79% 25.15% 24.04% 8.67%

A Recycling Pilot Study at Hartwick College

By Catherine Winters 14
In J-Term 2012, I interned with the Pine Lake Institute and conducted a recycling pilot study in the Hartwick Admissions offices. My goal was to determine whether increasing accessibility to recycling would increase overall department recycling rates. I held discussions with office staff to determine individual recycling habits, barriers to recycling, and how those barriers could be removed. I also collected baseline data of recycling rates. The entire department then switched over to recycling bins in personal offices and fewer, centrally-located trash cans. I collected data to determine recycling rates with the new setup, conducted follow-up interviews, and sent out surveys to the entire college community to receive more feedback about recycling. The project successfully increased awareness, visibility, and accessibility to recycling. Recycling rates in the Admissions offices increased by 85% as compared to before the project and became 75% better than the campus average recycling rate. With the new system, the majority of Admissions staff and Blue Key student workers felt recycling was more convenient, and they had a better understanding of zero-sort recycling. The method of adjusting the ratio of bins on campus to favor recycling was successful on a small scale in the Admissions offices and could be successfully expanded to the entire campus.

Cumulative Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions: 64 Metric Tons of CO2 equivalent, or 34 cars off the road, or the energy consumption of 17 households

CHALLENGE EDUCATION & AWAKENING

PINE LAKE CLUB

The New Face of

Challenge Education
"Erin's passion for the environment and ability to engage students in experiential and outdoor learning activities are strengths she brings to Hartwick College and Pine Lake," said Dr. Brian Hagenbuch, Director of the Pine Lake Institute for Environmental and Sustainability Studies. "Under her guidance, Hartwick will continue to offer quality experiential learning opportunities, facilitate leadership development in our students, and involve them in efforts to create sustainable living communities." Toal assumed residency at Pine Lake on June 1 and has an office in Dewar Student Union. She replaced Seth Lucas '10, who departed Hartwick to pursue graduate studies in Arizona. In addition to the appointment of Toal, the Challenge Education and Awakening programs have been placed under the administrative umbrella of Pine Lake Institute for Environmental and Sustainability Studies. Previously, these programs were part of Student Affairs.

Square Dancing, Potlucks, & Bringing People Together

By Casey Mullaney 12 As I stood waiting at the bottom of one of the sets at our final contra dance this past May, I looked around at a room full of people dancing and laughing in the Vaudevillian. They ranged in age from high school and college students to grandparents. Some had traveled over an hour to be there; some had simply walked down the hill from their cabins. Many didnt know each other, but that didnt stop anyone from having a great time. I looked up the set and saw people responding ecstatically to the fiddle and the guitar and each other, and I thought, This is absolutely the best thing. We dont need television, we dont need a bar we just need each other.

Hartwick College's Pine Lake Institute and Environmental Campus is pleased to welcome Erin Toal as Coordinator of Challenge Education and Pine Lake Residency. Toal will coordinate Challenge Education activities, supervise student leaders, organize programs, and manage the high and low ropes course at Pine Lake. She will direct the Awakening program Hartwick College's signature outdoor orientation program and serve as the residential director for students who live at Pine Lake. She will also manage Pine Lake's summer cabin rentals, scheduling, and programming. Toal comes to Hartwick from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania, where for eight years she worked as a high and low ropes challenge course instructor and caretaker at the school's outdoor education center. She received bachelors degrees from the college in Physical Education, Health Education, and Outdoor Recreation and Leisure Services Management. She is also certified to teach

kindergarten through 12th grade. Hartwick's focus on experiential learning was attractive to Toal, as was the opportunity to engage students in environmental stewardship and sustainable living at Pine Lake. "I appreciate the environmental focus of the College; sustainability provides a foundation for life-long living and learning that connects both the human and natural world," she said. "Hartwick students are passionate about Pine Lake and I look forward to working with them to model sustainable living and learning. "Hartwick's Challenge Education and Awakening programs provide a vehicle for both individuals and groups to enhance their personal awareness, use their strengths to benefit others, and accomplish their goals," Toal added. "It's an exciting opportunity to help students as they get started on their college experience, undertake new challenges and adventures, and learn to co-exist with the natural world."

Promoting Community Involvement

The contra dance marked the end of another good year for the Pine Lake Club. Looking back on the highlights, which included the Cardboard Boat Race, a fantastic local foods cook-off, group potlucks, an increasingly popular contra dance series, and a trip to Saratoga for a traditional music festival, I see an emphasis on bringing people together. Im very proud of the way Pine Lake Club members embraced the spirit of hospitality and community outreach this year. Not only did we continue to involve members of the larger Hartwick community at Pine Lake, but we also worked to make Pine Lake a welcoming place for the local community. The boats purchased by Pine Lake Club two years ago are still getting a lot of use, and our last contra dance, which featured musicians Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, drew over 160 people.

Empowering Students
Another goal for the Pine Lake Club this year was student empowerment. Life at Pine Lake teaches a different way of living one not focused on buying into the values of consumer culture, but on learning to live simply and provide for each other. On the afternoon of our largest fall event, the local foods cook-off, over a dozen people crowded into the Lodge kitchen, creating unique recipes that utilized local and seasonal cheeses and produce. The potluck dinner that night featured 16 different dishes. Before we started in on the incredible food, we took a few minutes to go around the table, and everyone spoke about their contribution and named something for which they were thankful. In my time at Pine Lake, I have learned so many things, but this is perhaps the most important: we can do for ourselves and we can do for each other. We can live differently and it can be very good. My hope for the Pine Lake Club in the future is that it will continue to facilitate that attitude of discovery, selfreliance, and interdependence for the next generation of Pine Lakers and friends.

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WHAT PINE LAKE MEANS TO ME

Falling in Love
Emma Tipping 08 has several connections to Hartwick College and Pine Lake. Tipping recently married fellow Hartwick grad Michael Golden 07 at Pine Lake. Her father, Jeffrey Tipping 78, played on the national championship winning soccer team. Tippings father-in-law, Ken Golden, is a professor of Theatre Arts at Hartwick. Tipping fondly remembers meeting her husband, swimming in the lake, and waking up to snow in the woods.
Emma Tipping walks with her father, Jeffrey Tipping 78, at Pine Lake.

Finding a Place
Neondre McCowan 14 talks about moving into his Pine Lake cabin and finding the perfect home at Pine Lake as a transfer student.
By Neondre McCowan 14
When I learned about Pine Lake, I thought it was too good to be true. Here I am, a transfer student coming to a new school, a person who loves nature and being around it, and I have the opportunity to live at Pine Lake. I lived on campus my first semester. When the time came around to choose housing for the next term, a friend mentioned Pine Lake. It would be perfect for you. You could live in a small, closeknit community in the forest on a lake. Again I held onto my doubt, but I think I was meant to be at Pine Lake. I applied for a cabin and was approved. I felt so much joy. I began to visit Pine Lake and meet the people there, and I knew I had found the right place to live. Being a part of Pine Lake is surreal in a way. It gives me time and space to be studious and focus, and also accomplish goals that are separate from school. I am majoring in Biology with aspirations of becoming an Ecologist/Herpetologist. Every day and night at Pine Lake I learn something about the forest or the water or the Earth. Different birds and animals that I see, I study them to learn their behavior. There are unlimited opportunities to gain knowledge and to enjoy ourselves with the people and the environment around us. The people at the Lake all aspire to greatness, and it makes everyone around them feel the same. I am glad to be a Pine Laker and proud to contribute to what Pine Lake is.

WHAT PINE LAKE MEANS TO ME

Neondre McCowan sits on the porch of Redwood 2 cabin.

By Emma Tipping 08
I lived at Pine Lake from 2005 to 2008. Its where I woke up to my first snowfall in the woods, where I overcame my fear of swimming in open water, and where I forged some of my most cherished friendships. Pine Lake is also where I fell in love with my husband. We united our families and communities during our wedding at Pine Lake. These are just a few of the gifts that Pine Lake has given me, and I hope its obvious why the place has special significance to me. Even more, though, I would like to point out what Pine Lake means to our community. Its no coincidence that Pine Lakers have among the highest GPAs of any student group at Hartwick and are consistently

represented among John Christopher Hartwick, Emerson and Duffy Scholars. Whether the lake produces these sorts of students or attracts them, the Hartwick College community is enriched in either case. For me personally, Pine Lake is my home. Its where my heart lies and where I carved out a place for myself in a tight-knit, respectful community. In a larger context, it is a place that not only fosters idealism but encourages young people to put in the work required to make their ideals a reality. Without even considering the potluck dinners, the contra dances, the handmade houses and breathtaking scenery, this alone makes Pine Lake one of Hartwick Colleges greatest assets. Emma Tipping dances with her husband, Michael Golden 07.

Being a part of Pine Lake gives me time and space to be studious and focus, and also accomplish goals that are separate from school.
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PINE LAKE 40TH ANNIVERSARY

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PINE LAKE 40TH ANNIVERSARY 40th Year Celebrated with Events

In 2011, Hartwick College celebrated the 40th anniversary of the purchase of Pine Lake with a series of events for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. Some of those events are represented in photos on these pages: the Herbert D. and Pauline P. Hebbard Forest Management Area Dedication (1), the Jacy Henderson 00 Memorial Cob House Dedication (2), the summer 2011 reunion event (4,6), and Eco-Art Fest (5). The Charley Brooks 90 stage was also dedicated.

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COLLABORATIONS
ROBERT V. RIDDELL STATE PARK - HARTWICK COLLEGE PARTNERSHIP PROJECT INITIAL STAGES OF VEGETATION MAPPING - using field data and ortho images to map ecological communities

COLLABORATIONS

Watershed Education Initiative Launched

Hartwick Colleges Pine Lake Institute for Environmental and Sustainability Studies has received a three-year $201,000 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Bay Watershed Education and Training Program (BWET). The project, called Think, Act, Protect the Upper Susquehanna River Watershed (TAPUS), is a partnership between the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Watershed Education & Training Program and the Pine Lake Institute for Environmental and Sustainability Studies at Hartwick College. This collaborative effort will involve the Pine Lake Institute, Hartwick College students and faculty, teachers in 10 regional school districts, NOAA, and Project Watershed a project of the Izaak Walton League of America and Cornell Cooperative Extension Service-Onandaga County.

NYNHP Ecological Community Types (DRAFT)

Appalachian oak-hickory forest (tentative) Appalachian oak-pine forest (tentative) Beech-maple mesic forest Black spruce-tamarack bog Bog lake Chestnut oak forest Cropland Dwarf shrub bog Hemlock-hardwood swamp Hemlock-northern hardwood forest Shrub swamp

Goals of (TAP-US) Watershed Project

Community classification follows Edinger et al. 2002 "Ecological communities of New York".

conifer forest to refine managed forest to define Robert V. Riddell State Park

Mapping by Julie Lundgren, State Parks Ecologist 2012 NYNHP/OPRHP Field assistance from Hartwick interns Liam Heiland & Kristy Scaggs Base layers: Eastern NYS 2001 1-foot orthoimagery and DOT 1:24,000 topographic image

0.25

0.5

1 Miles

1:24,000

To learn more about biodiversity at Pine Lake, visit www.hartwick.edu/x41388.xml

State Parks Partnership Creates Student Research Opportunities

In 2008, Hartwick College sold the 840-acre Upper Tract of the Pine Lake Environmental Campus to the State of New York as an addition to the newly established Robert V. Riddell State Park (RVRSP). The park, at nearly 2,400 acres, now extends from the Pine Lake campus to the north side of Interstate 88 at the Cooperstown interchange. In 2010, Hartwick faculty and staff began an innovative research and education collaboration with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). Our mutual goal was to develop a public-private partnership that would establish studies and monitor the long-term effects of human use on the biological and ecological integrity of recreational lands. Such information would be an invaluable tool for public land managers in setting priorities that consider both human and ecological systems. In 2011, Liam Heiland 13 and Kristy Scaggs 12 received ES&P scholar awards from Hartwicks Environmental Science & Policy program to begin collecting data on RVRSP with Peter Fauth, associate professor of biology; Brian Hagenbuch, Pine Lake director; Tom Hughes, OPRHP natural resource steward biologist; and Julie Lundgren, state parks ecologist with OPRHP and the New York Natural Heritage Program. Liam and Kristy studied forest and soil composition, analyzed water quality, sampled biological diversity, and used mapping techniques to identify forest communities and trail systems (see map above). In March, Hughes and Hagenbuch made a well-received public presentation of the RVRSP initiative at a Conversations at the Lake seminar in the Strawbale House at Pine Lake. In 2012, the PLI-RVRSP Collaborative is working with students on an invasive plant species inventory, further identification of plant communities, and watershed initiatives. Michele Donahue 14 collects crayfish in Charlotte Creek as part of the TAP-US initiative.

The goals of the TAP-US collaboration include: 1. Increase knowledge and understanding of the Upper Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds 2. Enhance the field- and classroom-based science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teaching capacity of in-service and pre-service elementary teachers; 3. Provide meaningful watershed educational experiences for students by offering hands-on, inquiry-based learning opportunities that increase environmental literacy and the sense of discovery 4. Enhance awareness of the local outdoors, and engage students in activities to protect and maintain the ecology of rivers, streams, and wetlands in the Upper Susquehanna River and Chesapeake Bay watersheds 5. Enable teachers and students to integrate data collection and technology and to communicate and collaborate between schools to increase knowledge of system-wide watershed-related issues The project supports an annual week-long summer professional development workshop for regional teachers at the Pine Lake Environmental Campus, site visits to Pine Lake and other aquatic environments for school children, a website for communication among partners, and an annual symposium showcasing successful efforts. Participating teachers may qualify for a stipend, and schools will receive watershed equipment and supplies for their classrooms. Teachers interested in participating in the TAP-US workshop should email pinelake@hartwick.edu or visit www.hartwick. edu/pinelake for more information.

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RESEARCH AT PINE LAKE

2011-12 ES&P Scholar Award winners Liam Heiland 13 and Kristy Scaggs 12 work with Pine Lake Director Brian Hagenbuch, left, at Pine Lake.

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH

Working to Protect Amphibians in Honduras

By Emily Lisborg 13
In 2011, I traveled to Cusuco National Park in northwestern Honduras with Operation Wallacea, an organization that conducts biodiversity surveys in many countries. Cusuco Park is located near the border of Guatemala and is home to six endemic species of amphibians and more than 250 species of birds. The park has two core habitat zones that are threatened by recent encroachment for cattle grazing, resulting in deforestation and species loss. I surveyed amphibian populations in three distinct habitat types; montagne dwarf habitat, cloud forest, and lowland epiphyte woodlands. Results from surveys were compiled to form a satellite image used in tracking changes in species composition for the purpose of establishing an overall assessment of the park. Special focus on amphibian populations is necessary as chytrid fungus, which is lethal to many frog, toad, and salamander species, has been found in the area during recent years. In addition to species monitoring, deforestation throughout the park is being tracked so that management strategies can be formed and implemented in the future.
Emily Lisborg 13 is seen with her host sister in Honduras.

Field Lab, Programs Get Boost From Grants

Environmental Science and Policy Programs (ES&P)
In 2010, Hartwick College received a five-year, $50,000 grant from the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation in support of the Environmental Science & Policy (ES&P) program. Funds were used to create the ES&P Scholars Awards program, which funds student research at Pine Lake as well as internships and international study for ES&P minors. In 2011, the Cargill Foundation provided Hartwicks ES&P Program with an additional $383,612 grant. President Drugovich recently announced that the funds will support the following initiatives: $225,000 will create an endowment to support student research related to ES&P. These funds will endow the ES&P Scholars program. $148,000 will fund the renovation of Johnstone 305 (the ES&P lab) and purchase ES&P equipment. The lab renovation will benefit ES&P courses taught by the departments of Biology, Chemistry, and Geological & Environmental Sciences, and will result in doubling the maximum student lab capacity. Equipment and technology upgrades at the Smith Field Lab at Pine Lake will enhance the state parks collaboration, watershed education, student research, and long-term data monitoring. $10,000 was used to support stipends for three additional student researchers (ES&P scholars) at Pine Lake in the summer of 2012.

Equipment Upgrades
Funding from the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation has resulted in several equipment purchases and upgrades for the Robert R. Smith Environmental Field Laboratory, located at Hartwicks Pine Lake Environmental Campus. These acquisitions enhance teaching and research at Pine Lake. Cargill funds expand Hartwicks leadership role in teaching about and monitoring the Upper Susquehanna River watershed and support students and faculty collaborating with Robert V. Riddell State Park biologists in research on the impact of recreational use on the biology and ecology of public lands. Other ongoing research at Pine Lake benefitting from the funding includes biogeochemical studies of the watershed, amphibian developmental ecology, and the impact of aquatic invasive crayfish on native populations. Cargill funds resulted in the following upgrades and acquisitions: Replacement of the permanent meteorology station Purchase of three portable meteorological stations Purchase of field lab computer system, printer, scanner, and automated data logger to support real-time data collection Purchase of three rowboats and a portable collapsible boat Increase stock of field water meters, soil and air testing kits, and GPS units.

2012 Environmental Science and Policy Scholarships

The 2012-13 ES&P Scholar Awards were provided to the following students (and advisors or agencies):

INTERNATIONAL STUDY AWARD

Michael Itgen 13: Comparative Amphibian Survey Methods for Tropical Frogs (Stan Sessions)

PINE LAKE RESEARCH AWARDS

Alice Denny 13:Invasive Plant Species of Robert V. Riddell State Park (Peter Fauth) Andrea Nieves 15: Effects of an Invasive Crayfish on a Stream Community (Mark Kuhlmann)

Sheila Niedziela 13: Studying Ancient Fossils to Predict Future Climate (Paleontological Research Institution, Ithaca, NY) Jenna Rodrigues 14: Stony Creek Farm Apprenticeship (Stony Creek Farm, Walton, NY) Catherine Winters 14: Roots and Wisdom Summer Community Outreach Coordinator (Roots and Wisdom, Schenectady, NY)

INTERNSHIP AWARDS
Abby Nelson 14: Field Studies Internship at Robert V. Riddell State Park (NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation)

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TEACHING
Krishna Kant Shukla is seen with his students of The World of North Indian Devotional Music course at Pine Lake.

PINE LAKE HISTORY

Vaudeville-Era Magician Surfaces at Pine Lake
A bit of long-forgotten Pine Lake history was brought to our attention by Hartwick Tutor Coordinator Jason Stanton earlier this year. The article below, which appeared in the July 4, 1922 edition of The Oneonta Star, features news of his great-grandfather, Louis C. Stanton. In 1922, Pine Lake, then known as Sherman Lake, was owned and operated as a resort hotel by vaudeville performers Dan and Mabel Sherman. Louis Stanton, who performed as a professional magician between about 1900 and 1925, was associated with Dan Shermans vaudeville show. As the article indicates, Stanton performed one of his most well-known tricks at Pine Lake just over 90 years ago.

An Enlightening Class
By Alyssa Pearson 12 Last fall, I was fortunate enough to take part in The World of North Indian Devotional Music, taught by Visiting Professor Krishna Kant Shukla and Professor of Religious Studies Sandy Huntington. The course, which met entirely at Pine Lake, was different from my other classes because of its setting and its content. For three hours every Monday night, we sat in Lakeside Classroom at Pine Lake in a circle on our meditation cushions with tea, song lyrics, and books. Although three hours may sound like a long time, it wasnt enough time to cover the discussions and singing. Krishna gave us thorough accounts and histories of the songs we sang to help us better understand their meanings and importance. Then, slowly but surely, we worked our way through the beautiful pieces translating, interpreting, and attempting to pronounce the words. The course was extremely special for me. In the spring, I spent four months on my own in India on a Duffy Family Ambassador scholarship. While in India, I seldom used my iPod, but the songs we sang in this class were often stuck in my head and made me feel better when I was on my own. For part of this journey, I was working with an organization against child labor, and on my last day I stood up in front of the entire staff, and - for the very first time in my life - I faced my biggest fear and sang alone in front of a group. I sang the song Ham Pardesi, which is about being a bird from a foreign land. The class, Krishna, Sandy, and my classmates helped prepare me for a more personal and spiritual encounter with India during my four-month experience there.

Article from the July 4, 1922 edition of The Oneonta Star. AT SHERMAN LAKE TODAY Louis Stanton Announced to Give His Milk Can Act in Which the Can is Sunk in the Lake This Afternoon This afternoon those who spend the Fourth at Sherman lake will have an opportunity to witness the sensational act which Lewis Stanton (sic) has put on on a few occasions which has always aroused much curiosity wherever given. After Stanton has been securely locked with at least a half dozen large padlocks inside what resembles a regulation milk can the can will be taken out into the middle of the lake and sunk in the deepest point. Usually the elusive artist reappears within a 15-minute period on the opposite shore of the lake. Whether he will be able to reappear within the time stated or fail to liberate himself in the depth of water is a matter of conjecture. Certain is it, however, that the act will have the frequenters of the resort puzzled at the exhibition. An effort is being made also to secure his consent to give his coffin act first presented at the Oneonta theatre a few weeks since during the convention of the New York State Undertakers association, during the afternoon. No definite agreement had been secured late yesterday afternoon to present this act. Mr. Stanton, after completing his engagement at Sherman lake, will proceed on for a trip in Delaware county, where he is booked to appear successively for three days at theatres in Hobart, Delhi, and Walton.

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Later he will take a trip to Norwich and other places west of Oneonta.

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RENOVATIONS & REPAIRS

RENOVATIONS & REPAIRS

An infrared image shows systematic infiltration at wall/ceiling intersection in Bailey Cabin.

Energy Challenge
A blower door measures building shell leakage in Bailey Cabin.

Student Residence Assessment Starts Home Energy Use Conversation

On April 5, Hartwick College welcomed Norm Farwell, Roberto Romano, and Bennett Sandler of Equity Energy to give a talk titled Building Science 101: Learning From a Home Energy Audit. The discussion, part of the Conversations at the Lake sustainability series, was held in the Strawbale House at Pine Lake. Almost 40 students, staff, faculty, and community members attended. The talk examined modern building science through the lens of an energy audit conducted in March on Bailey Cabin, one of Pine Lakes student residences. As part of the energy audit process, Equity conducted a comprehensive home assessment, including: Carbon monoxide, gas leak and CAZ depressurization tests Blower door test Thermal infrared scanning Insulation survey & assessment Appliance survey & assessment Window and door survey & assessment In Otsego County the average household spends nearly $4,000 a year on energy. Buildings are responsible for almost 50% of our national energy consumption. Good design and construction practices can reduce that energy use significantly and save money, while improving the health, comfort, and safety of our buildings. At the March 27 presentation, Equity reported on the results of the Bailey energy audit and presented an overview of home energy efficiency, including understanding and measuring, and reducing heat loss; producing and distributing heat more efficiently and comfortably; reducing electricity consumption; moisture concerns; and evaluating potential improvements to ensure they make economic sense. Finally, options for improving Bailey Cabins energy efficiency were presented, along with the cost, savings, and payback time associated with each improvement. Equity Energy (www.equityenergy.net) is a cooperatively owned and managed business dedicated to energy efficiency, comfort, and safety in residential construction. Based in Fly Creek, New York, the firm has been in business for four years. As a BPI accredited contractor, the company takes a whole-house approach to home performance in order to identify problems and come up with solutions. Equity Energy offers energy audits, infrared thermography, building design, construction, retrofit work, as well as renewable energy (solar hot water, geothermal heat, PV, and wood and pellet boilers).

Focus on Efficiency, Conservation, and Renewable Resources

Reducing our energy footprint involves focusing on three areas: Energy efficiency Energy conservation and behavior changes Alternate and renewable energy At Pine Lake, Hartwick students and staff are practicing all three. The 10kW photovoltaic system on the Robertson Lodge converts sunlight to electricity and produces about 35% of the electricity used annually in the Lodge. Since the system is net-metered, surplus energy is sold back to the grid, reducing the Lodge electric bill by about 25% annually. In the past year, Pine Lake contracted with Enerpath, Inc. to upgrade lighting in all buildings. Inefficient light sources were replaced with compact fluorescent and T-8 fluorescent bulbs. About 70% of the funding for the upgrade was provided by the New York Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Although solar power and energy efficient lightbulbs are important, the biggest energy footprint reductions come from changing human behavior. This can be as simple as switching off lights and unplugging battery chargers and other devices that continue to draw electricity even when not in use (called phantom load or vampire power). As part of the Pine Lake Energy Challenge, residents are encouraged to conserve energy. Each month, the amount of electricity used in each cabin is posted in the Robertson Lodge, and students are challenged to reduce consumption compared to the previous year. Between the energy efficient upgrades and student conservation efforts, Pine Lake reduced its energy consumption almost 6% during the 2011-12 academic year.

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FRIENDS OF PINE LAKE

Help us transform Pine Lake with your gift www.hartwickalumni.org

(select Make a Gift, and specify for Friends of Pine Lake)

FRIENDS OF PINE LAKE

Donation Helps Pine Lake Add New Docks

Thanks to a generous donation from a Friend of Pine Lake, the environmental campus is sporting two new docks. The new boat dock, located near the sauna, has an L-shaped aluminum frame and sitting bench for relaxing while watching boaters on the lake, wildlife among the lily pads, or stars on a clear night. The new swimming dock at the beach extends about 40 feet into Pine Lake, affording great views and excellent sunning potential. The aluminum docks, from Wisconsin-based dock manufacturer Pier of dNort, offer several advantages over the previous wooden docks. Attractive and lightweight, they require little maintenance, and can be easily installed and removed by one person. The new docks add a wonderful new dimension to the Pine Lake waterfront and represent the first stage of an exciting larger project to enhance lake access and views. With the Vaudevillian addition now complete, the waterfront will be re-landscaped to highlight lake views. This will create a more welcoming entrance to Pine Lake and increase storage space for boats, paddles, and life jackets. The improvements will also result in additional space for picnic tables and benches, as well as a grassy slope for relaxing, picnicking, or studying near the waterfront.

In my time at Pine Lake, Ive learned so many things, but this is perhaps the most important: we can live differently and it can be very good.. Casey Mullaney 12

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FRIENDS OF PINE LAKE

FRIENDS OF PINE LAKE

Amy D. D'Amico '04 Michael T. Davitt Katherine A. DeGroat '94 Lori Del Negro Sommer '93 Delaware Academy and Central School Cindy Dern Carolyn Cantin '97 and William C. '98 Desmarais G. Dale and Sally Dudley '67 Dionne Tabitha J. Dionne '95 Michael C. '73 and Kristine M. Doherty Megan Molak '98 and Michael C. Dorritie '98 Susan Earle-Carlin '69 Emily Ernsberger Carl M. Erwich '05 Mary Lu Wade Eshelman '62 John W. Soltiz and Serena L. Evans Keith C. Ferguson '98 Joseph J. Jr. and Ann R. Fiteni Krin M. Flaherty '00 Stanley A. and Joan G. Fox Milton and Carolyn Frye Jennifer Smith '92 and Paul L. Gallerani '91 Betty A. Garten Suzanne Gaynor and Joseph R. Blot Neil Geddes '97 Robert P. Gersch '02 Kevin P. Ghiloni '83 Monique Fritts '88 and Tobin R. Gilbert '86 Thomas R. Gliddon Nicholas R. Gottscho '95 Peter A. and Katherine P. Grawehr Roberta Griffith Gary R. and Carol S. Gundlach Brian E. Hagenbuch Gregory J. Hamilton '06 Chris Hammond Susan Harple Hannan '67 Harmony Hill Retreat Center Peter J. Hartmann Lani N. Hearn Scott Heiland and Susan Cataffo-Heiland R. Douglas and Marcy Wecker Herbert Lynnette G. Hitchcock Deborah P. Hollis '74 and Peter G. Blue Robert H. Holstead Sara Hosier David M. Hutchison Mark A. '74 and Virginia Traylor '77 Ishkanian David E. Johnson Jr. '76 Lucille Dickinson Jones '78 Andrew T. Kaiser '73 A. Lorraine Duprey Kelley '70 Richard E. Klein '76 Pamela Divers Korte '78 Betty Kratzenstein Peter K. Lang Geraldine Gayson Lapierre '87 Barbara Lazar Joseph C. Lentini Jr. '91 Vicky and Edward T. Lentz Kimberley L. Lindsley Seth P. Lucas '10 John A. and Hope P. Lucas Vernon Lyman Janet McColl Nicholson Douglas MacNeal Ernest D. and Heide Seaman-Mahlke Regina L. Manes '81 Julie A. Martel '00 Randall J. and Teresa L. Martin Patti Matonti William and Margot Matz Glenn E. Mayerschoff '74 Jane G. Medoff Ann E. Micka '06 David P. and Betty L. Micka Lauren Milavec '85 Cassandra Miller Marcus D. Miranda '94 Peter J. and Judith L. Mohan Kathleen R. Mohan '08 Mark E. and Katherine A. Mooradian Kathryn E. Morse '00 and William B. Belcher '00 Stephen A. and Nancy M. Morse Franklin and Deborah Morton Teresa Mulliken Aliria A. Munoz '07 Maynard H. Murch V '94 Patrick J. Murtagh '09 Susan Benzer Myers '78 Amanda L. Nartiff '04 Todd K. and Bonnisue G. Neil Pablo and Debra Nieves Helen Karas Norton '73 William Sherer and Mildred Okino Jody Ostrander Glenn A. Pareira III '09 Philip J. Pascone Laura A. Paszkiewicz '01 Wanda R. Perry Pamela Peters '78 Lynda L. Plackis Lindsley S. Ridgway Margaret L. Roberts '11 George W. and Laura A. Rodrigues Marjorie S. Rowley Laurel Santomassino Mark D. and Janice Schroeder Connie L. Schroeder Kathryn E. Scullion '90 Ernest D. and Heide Seaman-Mahlke Karl H. and Kate Seeley Helaine Segal Robin G. Shalline '76 Daniel J. Shapley '99 Christine M. Shields '05 Shannon D. Smith '93 and Brian Bartholomew Susan E. Spinelli '72 Maura E. Stewart Jennifer K. and Terry J. Stone Dorothy Holderle '72 and Frederick W. Stoss '72 Steven R. Suleski '76 Marvin J. Taub Lisa M. and Jack T. Tessier Joshua S. Truman '95 Nancy Turick The Twelve Tribes Community in Oneonta Bernadette Ucci '97 Gary J. '73 and Judith Vellekamp Roop and Tracy Verma Philip H. Walsh Chris Walters Thomas D. and Denise M. Warren Julie Ward '71 and Joel A. Wexler Jonathan M. Wood '99 Mark D. '83 and Alison Cox '84 Woods J. Scott Wyant '95 Michael S. Zelie '74

Thank You, Donors!

Your gifts are making Pine Lake a better place

This list reflects gifts made between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012.
Richard and Jill Karen Nass '84 Accordino Karen Ingles '94 and Ralph Adolfsen Judith Allen and Michael J. Friedman Barbara L. Allen '75 Edward F. and Mary W. Ambrose Anonymous 07 David L. and Carolyn Anderson James M. Angstadt '08 Robert F. Apuzzo and Lucy E. Oxios Marc V. and Brenda K. Arnold Charles W. Ashe and Patricia M. Lawson Gary L. Ballard Leon Beach Bruce and Alice Benjamin Kathleen Amatucci '85 and Brett R. Bentley Susan J. Bethel Elizabeth A. Beyer '75 David and Lois Brenner James J. and Diane Broschart Philip J. and Geraldine Buccelli Mary Kay Hausmann Campenot '74 Robert J. and Patricia R. Cantin Daniel R. '83 and Katherine Murray '84 Castle Catskill Medical Engineering Adriane Cej Thomas M. H'03 and Katherine C. Chappell Natalie Ciccariello Marie Healy Cunningham '80

To make a gift, visit www.hartwickalumni.org

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