During Free Fishing Weekends, anyone can fish the fresh waters of New York State and no fishing license is required! 

All other freshwater fishing regulations still apply.

Use NYS Free Fishing Days to:

• Try fishing for the first time.
• Haven't fished in a while? Remember the joy of catching a fish again for free!
• Become an ambassador to the sport; take a friend fishing for the first time.
• Invite a friend to New York to fish.
• Take a spouse or significant other fishing.
• Take the family fishing...and don't forget the grandparents!

It’s the time of year when you may start to see giant hogweed plants flowering across New York State. Join us to learn more about this large, non-native, invasive giant hogweed, whose sap can cause painful burns and scarring.

There are many flowers that can be mistaken for giant hogweed—please note that the look-a-likes wild parsnip, cow parsnip, and angelica can also cause burns. Take note of flower size, leaf shape, stem characteristics (color, hairiness) and other details that provide clues.

Check out more photos of giant hogweed and look-a-likes to help you identify a suspicious plant >>

DEC controls giant hogweed at sites where we have landowner permission. If you review the ID criteria and believe you have found giant hogweed, send photos of the plant’s flowers, leaves, and stem to ghogweed@dec.ny.gov for confirmation.

Join Educator Betsy for an #ExploreLive & #OutdoorsForAll Facebook LIVE with Inclusive Woods & Us founder, Lucienne Nicholson. Learn about the importance of nature access for families, tips to help dispel parental fears, as well as barriers to nature that our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color families face. And, if the weather holds, go on a VirtualHike with Lucienne & Betsy to explore Powder Mills County Park in Pittsford, NY.

Learn more about Inclusive Woods & Us >>

Join Educator Betsy for an #ExploreLive & #OutdoorsForAll Instagram Live with Inclusive Woods & Us founder, Lucienne Nicholson. Learn about the importance of nature access for families, tips to help dispel parental fears, as well as barriers to nature that our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color families face. And, if the weather holds, go on a VirtualHike with Lucienne & Betsy to explore Powder Mills County Park in Pittsford, NY

Learn more about Inclusive Woods & Us >>

Interested in helping to protect your waters from harmful invasive species? Join us to learn how to properly Clean, Drain, and Dry your boat. It’s one of the most effective ways you can help stop invasive species in their tracks!

Get a sneak peak by watching this short YouTube video all about Clean, Drain, Dry >>

Family Hike at Peebles Island State Park -- Registration Required

by NYS DEC Summer Youth Programs

Read more for event information and registration requirements.

This is a family program. Children under the age of 18 must be supervised by an adult at all times. Drop-offs are not allowed.

Date: Thursday, July 1, 2021 at 10:00 AM EDT

Location:  Peebles Island State Park Visitor Center, 1 Delaware Avenue, Cohoes, NY 12047

Tune in for a Facebook LIVE with Ranger Dawson, who will be demonstrating how a wheeled litter works. This device has been instrumental in helping Rangers when they need to rescue someone who would otherwise have to be carried—sometimes for miles—through challenging terrain.

For more than 15 years, data collected at Five Rivers has been contributed to this continent-wide citizen science project conducted through the University of Minnesota. You can join volunteers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in conserving monarchs and advancing understanding of butterfly ecology and migration in general. Wear long pants and bring a sun hat and water. We will meet at the visitor center. Go to www.mlmp.org to learn about the project.

Space is limited and registration is required. Call 518-475-0291 by the Saturday prior to register. 

For the safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers, and in compliance with guidance from New York State, the New York State Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), social distancing practices must be followed. Masks must be worn throughout guided programs, while at a roving program, and on the trails whenever a 6-foot distance cannot be maintained between individuals or households.  

DEC invites the public to comment about a draft plan to investigate contamination related to the 130 Midland Avenue Site #C360195 (Port Chester, Westchester County) within New York's Brownfield Cleanup Program. Public comments about the draft plan will be accepted through July 2, 2021.

Click the web link above at "Additional Information" to learn about the draft plan and how to comment.

Project documents can be reviewed online at: https://www.dec.ny.gov/data/DecDocs/C360195/

And, once reopened, at:

Port Chester- Rye Brook Public Library
1 Haseco Avenue
Port Chester, NY 12573
(914) 939-6710

DEC invites the public to comment about a proposal to address contamination related to the CE- E. 11th Street MGP OU-1 Site #231110 (Manhattan, New York County), within New York’s Manufactured Gas Plant Program. Public comments about the proposal will be accepted through July 2, 2021.

Click the web link above at "Additional Information" to learn about the proposal and how to comment.

Project documents can be reviewed online at: https://www.dec.ny.gov/data/DecDocs/231110/

And, once reopened, at:

Manhattan Borough President
1 Centre Street, 19th Floor
New York, NY 10007
(212) 669-8300

Manhattan Community Board 3
59 E. 4th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 533-5300

New York Public Library
Tompkins Square Branch
331 E. 10th Street
New York, NY 10009
(212) 228-4747

I Fish NY at Palmer Pond -- Registration Required

Join DEC for an I Fish NY event on Friday, July 2, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM EDT.

Location:  Palmer Pond, Palmer Pond Road, Chester, New York 12811

Read more for additional details and event registration.

This is a family program. Children under the age of 18 must be supervised by an adult at all times. Drop-offs are not allowed.

Join DEC educators and local college interns for seining on the Hudson! We will be trying to catch fish from the Hudson River using a 25-foot seine net. This is part of a continuing series of seining posts throughout the summer, as a part of DEC'S Virtual River series. 

For more information about the Virtual River series, including educator tools and lesson plans >>

DEC invites the public to comment about a proposal to address contamination related to the Former Pfizer Site C, site ID #C224288 (Brooklyn, Kings County) within New York's Brownfield Cleanup Program. Public comments about the proposal will be accepted through July 3, 2021.

Click the web link above at "Additional Information" to learn about the proposal and how to comment.

Project documents can be reviewed online at: https://www.dec.ny.gov/data/DecDocs/C224288/

And, once reopened, at:

Brooklyn Public Library - Bushwick Branch
340 Bushwick Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11206
(718) 602 - 1348

Brooklyn Community Board 1
435 Graham Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 389 – 0009

Ever wondered if all bees live in colonies or make honey? What about where they live, what they eat, and what their favorite food is? Come join a Five Rivers naturalist at our curiosity party to learn more about these important pollinators. You will bee amazed by what these insects can do. 

Space is limited. Please call 518-475-0291 by Wednesday, June 30 to register.

Practice identifying common bird species by ear.

We welcome those who have any type of physical challenge to all our programs. If you call ahead to let us know your needs, we will be happy to learn how we can serve you.

PLEASE NOTE

• Pre-registration is required for ALL programs; call 716-683-5959 to register for an in-person program. For virtual programs, please register online at www.reinsteinwoods.org/events.
• You must pre-register by phone; you will receive a call confirming your registration or waitlist status. PLEASE SPEAK CLEARLY when leaving your name and phone number as our system does not have caller ID. Unless you receive a callback, you are not registered. *Registration for popular programs is limited to 3 people per party.
• All participants are required to wear a mask; social distancing of 6 feet or more will be practiced whenever possible. 
• In case of poor weather, programs may be cancelled.
• We cannot accommodate organized youth/civic groups at these programs. Please call to make other arrangements.

I Fish NY at Washington Park Lake (Albany) Youth/Family Registration Required

by NYS DEC Summer Youth Program

Read for more information and registration requirements.

Date: Saturday, July 3, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM EDT

Location:  Washington Park Lake, 35 Willet Street, Albany, New York 12210

This is a family program. Children under the age of 18 must be supervised by an adult at all times. Drop-offs are not allowed.

Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy -- Normanskill West Preserve Family Hike - Registration Required

by NYS DEC Summer Youth Program

Read for more information and registration requirements.

This is a family program. Children under the age of 18 must be supervised by an adult at all times. Drop-offs are not allowed.

Date/Time: Saturday, July 3rd at 11:00 AM EDT

Location: Normans Kills Preserve West, Normanskill Boulevard, Delmar, New York 12054

The Normanskill West Preserve is accessible by the CDTA Nature Bus.  Visit the CDTA website for a schedule: CDTA Nature Bus

We will meet at the visitor center and then head outside to look for and watch the amazing "flying flowers" found at Five Rivers. Join us for a close-up look at common butterflies of the Capital District as we continue our annual bio-survey. Nets (for catch and release) or binoculars are welcome. Space is limited.

Please call 518-475-0291 by Wednesday, June 30 to register.