Kate O’Connor
(Catskill Mountainkeeper)
Sullivan 180 Presents…
TAKE FIVE!
July 13, 2021
This week, we spoke to Kate O’Connor, Conservation Manager from Catskill Mountainkeeper, about their new Catskills Steward program, their role in the Liberty Farmers Market and the amazing benefit of the “Double-Up Food Bucks” farmers market program (spend $10 in SNAP benefits, get another $10 in tokens for fresh fruits and veggies!), a new partnership with SUNY Sullivan for nutrition webinars through their free Community Learning classes – free and open to anyone who is interested, and more!
Sullivan 180 Presents…
TAKE FIVE!
July 13, 2021
This week, we spoke to Kate O’Connor, Conservation Manager from Catskill Mountainkeeper, about their new Catskills Steward program, their role in the Liberty Farmers Market and the amazing benefit of the “Double-Up Food Bucks” farmers market program (spend $10 in SNAP benefits, get another $10 in tokens for fresh fruits and veggies!), a new partnership with SUNY Sullivan for nutrition webinars through their free Community Learning classes – free and open to anyone who is interested, and more!
Kate O’Connor
(Catskill Mountainkeeper)
Transcript of Interview with Kate O'Connor
July 13, 2021
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Hi, I’m Meaghan Mullally-Gorr. Welcome to Sullivan 180 Presents Take Five!. Our guest today is Kate O’Connor from Catskill Mountainkeeper. Hi Kate. Thank you for joining me today.
Kate O’Connor:
Hi Meaghan. Thank you for having me.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about Catskill Mountainkeeper?
Kate O’Connor:
Sure. I’m the conservation manager for Catskill Mountainkeeper and the Beaverkill Valley Land Trust. My work with Catskill Mountainkeeper supports its mission of conservation and protecting natural resources and promoting sustainable development in the Catskills, including Sullivan County.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
So Catskill Mountainkeeper brought on two new steward positions this summer. Can you tell us about what they’ve been doing across the county?
Kate O’Connor:
Sure. Our Catskills stewards program developed in a partnership with the DEC and the Catskill Center to put stewards at high-use recreation areas in the Catskills. And so in Sullivan County, these locations are Crystal Lake, which is a really popular camp spot that some people might be familiar with and the Beaverkill Covered Bridge campground. Our stewards also cover a big pond and sometimes Alder Lake, outside of the county. And they’re there to basically provide a warm, friendly greeting to visitors who might not be familiar with the area. Kind of explain some of the natural resources and recreational opportunities and also inform people how to use the sites. Well in gently promoting leave no trace principles, they both led a litter pickup through the Sullivan County litter pluck at Crystal Lake about two weekends ago. And they were pretty successful. They have a lot of trash out of there.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
I think I saw pictures. It looks like they really did a great job. Yeah. Can you tell us about what Mountainkeeper is doing about food accessibility in Sullivan County?
Kate O’Connor:
Sure. Mountainkeeper has a program run by Eugene Bellman that promotes food accessibility and wellness in Sullivan County. He’ll be at the Liberty farmer’s market. Anyone can go three to 6:00 PM on Fridays, it’s at Creekside Park. And a new addition to that program this year is the Double Up Bucks. So anyone using SNAP benefits can use their benefits at the market for double bucks back. So anyone who spends $10 will get $10 in tokens to use on fresh fruits and vegetables up to $20 a double-dip. Something else that Eugene is doing is he’s working with Sullivan Community College on nutrition webinars, and people can sign up for that through Sullivan CC, to get more of Eugene’s professional knowledge on nutrition and wellness.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Yes, I have had the opportunity to meet Eugene and hear a lot of what he has to share and it’s great knowledge. And I do believe that those classes that Eugene is providing is through the community learning classes and they’re free,
Kate O’Connor:
Correct. Threy are completely free and open to anyone who’s interested.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
How can people participate in anything that Mountainkeeper is offering? Do you guys have volunteerism? I know that there’s fundraising.
Kate O’Connor:
So that’s a great question. We don’t have any current volunteer programs running, but I would encourage anyone to support our stewards and their littoral flood efforts if they’re at Crystal Lake or the covered bridge. Another thing that we’re working on right now that folks can get involved in is supporting the Sullivan O&W Rail Alliance in the application for funding, the incomplete sections of rail trail. So that that’s a really important call to action that people can write letters of support for and be in contact with the Rail Alliance for that. Additionally, we have a tree identification model coming up at Walnut Mountain that I believe might be full. So I don’t know if I want to mention that. But that’s something that I’m leading with Lisa Lyons to get people out using a really great space in Sullivan County on getting more familiar with it.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
That’s awesome. So that really leads into the next question about how people could stay up to date on what’s going on with Catskill Mountainkeeper websites, Facebook pages.
Kate O’Connor:
Sure. Check out our website and our Facebook page. They’re both updated regularly. I believe that Facebook feeds to the web page and you can read about all the many diverse programs, Catskill Mountainkeeper works throughout the Catskills. So not just in Sullivan County, but all the way to the Hudson Valley and we have a lot going on. So, definitely check us out online.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Awesome. Is there anything else that you’d like to share today?
Kate O’Connor:
I think that’s it. Okay.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Well, thanks so much for joining me today, Kate, and, um, thank you for all of the work that you’re doing, that your team is doing. Your stewards are doing. I love seeing the updates on Facebook and thanks for joining me today.
Kate O’Connor:
Thanks Meaghan. Glad to be here.
Transcript of Interview with Kate O'Connor
July 13, 2021
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Hi, I’m Meaghan Mullally-Gorr. Welcome to Sullivan 180 Presents Take Five!. Our guest today is Kate O’Connor from Catskill Mountainkeeper. Hi Kate. Thank you for joining me today.
Kate O’Connor:
Hi Meaghan. Thank you for having me.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about Catskill Mountainkeeper?
Kate O’Connor:
Sure. I’m the conservation manager for Catskill Mountainkeeper and the Beaverkill Valley Land Trust. My work with Catskill Mountainkeeper supports its mission of conservation and protecting natural resources and promoting sustainable development in the Catskills, including Sullivan County.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
So Catskill Mountainkeeper brought on two new steward positions this summer. Can you tell us about what they’ve been doing across the county?
Kate O’Connor:
Sure. Our Catskills stewards program developed in a partnership with the DEC and the Catskill Center to put stewards at high-use recreation areas in the Catskills. And so in Sullivan County, these locations are Crystal Lake, which is a really popular camp spot that some people might be familiar with and the Beaverkill Covered Bridge campground. Our stewards also cover a big pond and sometimes Alder Lake, outside of the county. And they’re there to basically provide a warm, friendly greeting to visitors who might not be familiar with the area. Kind of explain some of the natural resources and recreational opportunities and also inform people how to use the sites. Well in gently promoting leave no trace principles, they both led a litter pickup through the Sullivan County litter pluck at Crystal Lake about two weekends ago. And they were pretty successful. They have a lot of trash out of there.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
I think I saw pictures. It looks like they really did a great job. Yeah. Can you tell us about what Mountainkeeper is doing about food accessibility in Sullivan County?
Kate O’Connor:
Sure. Mountainkeeper has a program run by Eugene Bellman that promotes food accessibility and wellness in Sullivan County. He’ll be at the Liberty farmer’s market. Anyone can go three to 6:00 PM on Fridays, it’s at Creekside Park. And a new addition to that program this year is the Double Up Bucks. So anyone using SNAP benefits can use their benefits at the market for double bucks back. So anyone who spends $10 will get $10 in tokens to use on fresh fruits and vegetables up to $20 a double-dip. Something else that Eugene is doing is he’s working with Sullivan Community College on nutrition webinars, and people can sign up for that through Sullivan CC, to get more of Eugene’s professional knowledge on nutrition and wellness.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Yes, I have had the opportunity to meet Eugene and hear a lot of what he has to share and it’s great knowledge. And I do believe that those classes that Eugene is providing is through the community learning classes and they’re free,
Kate O’Connor:
Correct. Threy are completely free and open to anyone who’s interested.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
How can people participate in anything that Mountainkeeper is offering? Do you guys have volunteerism? I know that there’s fundraising.
Kate O’Connor:
So that’s a great question. We don’t have any current volunteer programs running, but I would encourage anyone to support our stewards and their littoral flood efforts if they’re at Crystal Lake or the covered bridge. Another thing that we’re working on right now that folks can get involved in is supporting the Sullivan O&W Rail Alliance in the application for funding, the incomplete sections of rail trail. So that that’s a really important call to action that people can write letters of support for and be in contact with the Rail Alliance for that. Additionally, we have a tree identification model coming up at Walnut Mountain that I believe might be full. So I don’t know if I want to mention that. But that’s something that I’m leading with Lisa Lyons to get people out using a really great space in Sullivan County on getting more familiar with it.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
That’s awesome. So that really leads into the next question about how people could stay up to date on what’s going on with Catskill Mountainkeeper websites, Facebook pages.
Kate O’Connor:
Sure. Check out our website and our Facebook page. They’re both updated regularly. I believe that Facebook feeds to the web page and you can read about all the many diverse programs, Catskill Mountainkeeper works throughout the Catskills. So not just in Sullivan County, but all the way to the Hudson Valley and we have a lot going on. So, definitely check us out online.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Awesome. Is there anything else that you’d like to share today?
Kate O’Connor:
I think that’s it. Okay.
Meaghan Mullally-Gorr:
Well, thanks so much for joining me today, Kate, and, um, thank you for all of the work that you’re doing, that your team is doing. Your stewards are doing. I love seeing the updates on Facebook and thanks for joining me today.
Kate O’Connor:
Thanks Meaghan. Glad to be here.
To learn more about Catskill Mountainkeeper, visit:
www.CatskillMountainkeeper.org
To learn more about the Double-Up Food Bucks that can be used at our local Farmer’s Market, please visit:
www.doubleupnys.com/how-it-works/
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