Adaptability Helps Employees At Beaver Lake Capitalize On Changing Weather Adaptability Helps Make The Most Of Changing Weather

Despite the snow, the facility still proceeded with its spring activities.

Owen Valentine: Well Thomas, there’s birds, squirrels and chipmunks galore here at Mudd Lake in Baldwinsville, which is no surprise for an early April day. But, what might not have been anticipated after a weekend with temperatures in the 60s, is a crowd of visitors here for winter activities. Lead Naturalist Dave Schubert says to his surprise, the snow helped put an elegant end to a slower season.

Dave Schubert: I just noticed a lot of cross country skiers because this season was up and down with the snow and today’s eight inches here in Baldwinsville there was enough to ski on again. So we got a little bit of a boost in attendance.

Owen Valentine: Well, it’s not only skis, but many have come in and out to walk. Plus, I just saw a man take off on a run on one of the longer trails here at Beaver Lake park. Schubert says he expects the traffic to continue today as people head home from work.

BALDWINSVILLE, N.Y. (NCC News) — A few years ago, a group of students were scheduled to visit the Beaver Lake Nature Center on their spring break, but the night prior, a blanket of snow fell atop the facility. Despite the snow, the scheduled trip was not cancelled and the staff brought kids snowshoes in an adapted plan to the given day.

Syracuse weather is everything but predictable and the last few days have been no exception. Beaver Lake’s Head Naturalist, Dave Schubert, said weather changes like these, are not bothersome, though, as the staff at the nearly half-century old facility has learned to instruct through anything mother nature can throw. He says even after the snowfall Sunday night, everything went on as planned on Monday.

“We had our first bird walk of the season today,” Schubert said. “Our expert was a few minutes late because he had to shovel the driveway, but we still had people attending that.”

He said even with snow, people make their way to the facility. Sunshine is simply an added incentive.

“We would always rather have a little snow than cold rain,” Schubert said.

Visitors Beaver Lake
Central New Yorkers Michelle Brisson and Betsy McTiernan come to Beaver Lake Nature Center a few times each year. They came today to walk one of the trails and observe the birds and other animals on site.
© 2019 Owen Valentine

Those coming to the trails echoed his statements. Many in attendance were just looking to enjoy one of the last anticipated days of winter.

“I thought last weekend was going to be the last snowy woods I’d see,” said Betsy McTiernan, a visitor to the facility.  “I love Central New York and I love winter.”

Schubert says the late season days like Monday often bring more people in. He even reached out to Jim Campbell, a part-time instructor at Beaver Lake, to come enjoy one last day of cross-country skiing.

Campbell said the trails were a little sticky to ski on, but he was happy to have gotten out one last time this season.

 

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Owen Valentine

Owen Valentine is a Central New York native, graduating from Liverpool High School in 2017. He is a sophomore Broadcast and Digital Journalism and Policy Studies major at Syracuse University. Owen also works at WAER in the sports and talk departments and as an analyst at CitrusTV.

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