On September 19, the Cary Institute hosted a one-day conference on the impacts of tropical storms Irene and Lee on the Hudson River. Organized by the Hudson River Environmental Society, with leadership from Cary's Stuart Findlay, the forum examined how the river and estuary responded to the storms, which dropped an estimated 12-18 inches of rainfall throughout the Hudson Valley and Catskill regions. Topics included dredging, sediment transport, water quality, impacts to fish, and future management practices.
In late October, Gary Lovett will present his assessment of the health of the Catskill Forest at the second Catskill Environmental Research & Monitoring Conference (CERM). The forum brings together research on the region, to better understand the effects of extreme weather, air pollution, invasive species, biodiversity loss, and habitat fragmentation. The Catskills provide the majority of New York City's drinking water supply; CERM forums help coordinate research and identify research agendas to protect these resources.
In November, Cary Institute will hold a two-day conference examining the effects of climate change on plant, animal, and microbial species. The invitation-only event is being organized by Richard Ostfeld, Shannon LaDeau, and Amy Angert (University of British Columbia). With more than 50 invited experts, the conference's goal is to identify tools that will help lessen the negative effects of climate change on biodiversity, disease risk, extinction, and ecosystem function.