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Message from the Chapter ChairI’d like to thank the entire executive committee for the excellent job they have done this year. Their hard work has kept our chapter running smoothly. This has been a year of change for us, the biggest one being the transition of this newsletter from print to electronic format. Many thanks to our wonderful newsletter editor, Chris Simson, who took over and spearheaded a smooth transition with fantastic results. Our new electronic format allows us to provide our members with more content. Look for more features and articles in future issues. Remember that you need to sign up with the member center to receive notification when new issues come out. Instructions can be found on our web site. Also, thanks to our Conservation Chair Mary Folsom, for organizing programs on Leave No Trace, Climate Change, and Hydrofracking. These are important issues that our organization has a responsibility to help educate our community about. Look for more conservation programs in 2012, including a screening of the film Carbon Nation this spring (see below). Our Trails Chair John Tifft works on coordinating maintenance and oversight for our sections of the Long Path, as well as for several local preserves. Trail maintenance is a continuous struggle, and I encourage everyone who uses our local trails and preserves to give back by signing up for one of John’s outings. Mary and John will be key in our efforts this year to support AMCs Vision 2020 local conservation initiative. I also want to remind you about our annual New Year’s Day snowshoe and potluck. The potluck will be held at the home of chapter members Frank and Dee Wind, a big thanks to them for their hospitality. This is always a fun event and a chance to catch up with friends and enjoy some great food. Finally, winter is here and it’s time to get out and enjoy it. We have a lot of fun trips coming up, including a moonlight ski trip and hikes at all levels. Check our web site for the latest details. See you out on the trails! Stacey Michon Registration is Open for AMC’s 136th Annual Meeting!AMCs 136th Annual Meeting planning is well under way and we'd like to invite you to register now to hold your spot. This year, instead of workshops and an AMC Showcase, we will focusing on celebrating AMCs President of 23 years, Andy Falender. The day will start at the University of MA, Boston, with club-wide committee meetings running from 8:00 - 2:30. These will then be followed by the 136th Business Meeting at 3:00. Topping off the day at 6pm will be a Farewell Gala celebrating Andy at the JFK Presidential Library & Museum, Boston. For complete details and to register for the day portion, along with details on hotel accomodations, go to www.outdoors.org/annualmeeting For complete details and to register for the Farewell Gala, go to www.outdoors.org/farewellandy Hunting Season StartsPlease visit the DEC website to find this fall's hunting season dates, and be sure to take the precaution of wearing bright orange or other bright colored hats and clothing when going into the woods during these periods. Ticks and Lyme DiseaseLyme disease is on the rise in our area and early detection and treatment is the key to avoid serious complications. First it's important to thoroughly check for ticks, not only when you are outside but when you come in contact with a pet that has been outside. Lyme disease is caused by bacterium found in the stomachs of infected ticks and it may take as much as a day for the bacterium to make its way into your body. It's for this reason that the old tick removal method of covering a tick with oil or grease is not recommended as this can cause the tick to regurgitate the contents of its stomach into your bloodstream. The recommended method is to grasp the tick with a pair of tweezers as close to your skin as possible and steadily pull it away. If you have been infected with Lyme disease it's important to get treated as soon as possible as serious complications can arise if left untreated. Unfortunately not everyone experiences the same symptoms and blood tests are slow and problematic. A "bull’s-eye" rash is often described as a symptom but the vision of multiple concentric rings this conjures is inaccurate. This type of rash just means that you will have an irregularly shaped red blotch but the center will be pale. This rash does not have to appear at all and may not appear at the site of the bite. Another type of rash that looks more like a bruise but will continue to increase in size and darkness can also occur. A fever may also occur and any fever lasting 5 days is generally reason to see a doctor, tick bite or not. Other symptoms may include fatigue, headaches, muscle and/or joint pain, or swollen lymph nodes. Here is a document on Lyme disease from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and here is a document created by the Rensselaer County Department of Health hosted by the Rensselaer Land Trust. |
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