With the recovery of hemlock-northern hardwood forests and a burgeoning Porcupine population, Dan Smiley collaborates with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to reintroduce Fishers to Preserve lands. The first Fisher, a young male weighing 7.7 pounds with card tag number one, is released in the Rhododendron Swamp area.
Photo: Fisher by Clay Spencer
With the extinction of peregrine falcons throughout the Northeast due to the effect of the pesticide DDT on their reproductive systems, efforts are made to reintroduce peregrines using captive-bred chicks from Cornell University.
Photo: Research Associate Dr. Heinz Meng (right) of SUNY New Paltz and a colleague banding a peregrine falcon for release. Photo from the Mohonk Preserve Daniel Smiley Research Center archives.
The Mohonk Trust founders pledge to “reemphasize the humanitarian concern for life and to promote the integration of spiritual values with physical needs and mental activities both in man’s relationship to his physical environment and the interrelationship of humans.”
Photo: The Mohonk Trust Newsletter No. 20, Spring 1974
Duck Pond is a haven for wildlife and a study site for groups and summer camps.
Photo of Duck Pond by Susan Lehrer
The study of water chemistry – in lakes, streams, and springs, as well as rain and snow – establishes the topic of acid rain as a major research interest.
Photo: Trust Founder and Co-Administrator Dan Smiley taking samples at the acid rain collector. Photo from the Mohonk Preserve Daniel Smiley Research Center archives
Thom Scheuer is hired as the first full-time ranger and holds this position until his death in 1999. Previously, the Trust’s work was accomplished by trustees, volunteers, and hourly employees.
Photo: Head Ranger Thom Scheuer from the Mohonk Preserve archives
The Trust sponsors seminars at Lake Mohonk to promote cultural understanding and environmental awareness.
Photo: From left to right – Rev. Winslow Shaw, Chairman of the Board of The Mohonk Trust; U Thant, UN Secretary General, A. Keith Smiley, Jr., Trustee of The Mohonk Trust, and Major General Indar Jit Rikhy, President of the International Peace Academy at a Trust conference. Photo from the Mohonk Preserve Daniel Smiley Research Center archives.
Bonticou Crag is a popular hiking destination with a rock scramble and stunning vistas.
Photo: Bonticou Crag by Michael Neil O’Donnell
This parcel includes Split Rock, which is an ideal spot for cooling off by the Coxing Kill stream or for quiet reflection.
Photo: Split Rock on the Coxing Kill stream by John Hayes
This parcel is the first of 5,000 acres to be purchased from the Lake Mohonk Corporation over a 15-year period.
Photo: Looking out toward Sky Top from the Millbrook parcel by Michael Neil O’Donnell