4/21/2026 Wildlife Rehabilitation in New York State
Anna Garcia Llewellyn talks about her role as a NYS Licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator. She gives an overview of how rehabilitators function in the state, what’s required of both them and rehabilitation facilities, and their work in conjunction with animal control officers, the Department of Environmental Conservation, and the public. Anna discusses ways the public can support this important work through volunteering, donation, advocacy, education, and encouraging safe protocols when handling wild animals.
BIO: Anna Garcia Llewellyn is a LVT and a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for NYS, as well as a dog control officer. She has been a resident of Tioga county her whole life and has been rehabbing for the last 8 years helping to advocate, educate, rescue, rehab and release native species. Additionally, she also enjoys fishing, hiking, hunting, riding her dirt bike, and anything with dogs and horses.
02/17/26 Urban Archaeology in our Backyard: an overview of the NYSDOT ROUTE 363 Gateway Project Archaeological Survey
We apologize that the recording of this meeting did not work properly, please see the attached presentation.
r9-9038.0a-sierra-club-presentation-2-17-26-revised.pdf
1/20/26 Climate Change: Conflict or Consilience; Science & Religious Stewardship - Dr. Thomas O'Brien
Dr. Thomas O'Brien, Professor Emeritus from Binghamton University, explores highlights of: 1) the history of our scientific understanding of climate change and 2) the ancient to modern religious perspective of stewardship of our common garden home, Spaceship Earth. Consilience (rather than denialism) of Judeo-Christian & scientific perspectives provide leveraged power to create win-win synergy between sustainable economics and ecology. This talk leaves viewers with practical, ethical, research-informed action steps to help us become "less of the problem and more of the solution" to this local-to-global, existential challenge-opportunity.
Dr. Thomas O'Brien recently retired after serving for 38 years as a professor of graduate-level science teacher education and educational leadership at Binghamton University's Department of Teaching, Learning & Educational Leadership. He is the author of the 3volume, National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Press series "Brain-Powered Science Teaching And Learning with Discrepant Events", writer for the ACS "Chemistry in the Community" textbook, and co-principal investigator for numerous curriculum and professional development grants. His work has been recognized with awards such as the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Science Teachers Association of New York State's Felllows Award. He is committed to promoting scientific literacy, environmental advocacy and ethics-informed citizenship.
science-religion-part3-climatechange-sierra.pdf
12/16/2025 Climate Change with Professor Julian Shepherd
Human-caused climate change is probably the biggest long-term threat to our future and that of the environment that we need and cherish. I will talk about the causes, projections, management, and the impacts of climate change, especially impacts on our natural environment.
Julian Shepherd was born in England, emigrated to U.S. as a child and grew up in Ithaca. He was educated at Cornell and Harvard in Biology, and spent 2 years in East Africa on tick research. He has taught at Binghamton University for 50 years, about insects, birds, wetlands, tropical ecology and conservation biology, and has been researching the life of moths and ticks. Julian has been an inspirational long term active advocate for environmental protection and has previously served as Chair of Susquehanna Group of Sierra Club. He is also a member of the Commission for Conservation of the Environment for the City of Binghamton.
climate-change-for-sgsc-dec2025.pptx
11/18/2025 Bryce Canyon and the National Parks Service
Scott Lauffer and Kathy Cronin have served as volunteers 3 times at Bryce Canyon National Park. The last time in February and March in 2025. The National Parks Service is facing staffing threats that are affecting its ability to carry out its mission. But the park was as busy as ever and visitors largely didn't notice a drop-off in experience.
Scott Lauffer has been on the Susquehanna Group executive committee for over 15 years and served as Chair of the Group for 8 years. He has also been involved with the NY Water Sentinels and currently serves as Political Chair and Outings Chair. He has also been a committed helper/coordinator with the Susquehanna Group sponsored Move Out Project. He is also a City Council appointed member of the Commission for Conservation of the Environment for the City of Binghamton. Scott is a graduate of Binghamton University and is retired from IBM.
10/21/2025 Broome County recycling: what, how, and where it goes.
Allison McGovern will be discussing the general recycling process; where it goes, how it is processed, what is accepted and not accepted curbside, special recycling of tires, batteries, film plastic, and addressing any questions regarding recycling within Broome County.
Allison McGovern is a 2016 graduate from Binghamton High School, and a 2020 graduate from Mansfield University with a BS in Environmental Science and a minor in Watershed Management. She has been a Broome County employee for 5.5 years, and is currently the Materials Recovery Manager for the past 3 years.
09/16/2025 The Power of Collaboration: Economy, Community Well-being and the Environment
Jeff Smith will provide an overview of the Tier Energy Network's and Rotary Club's programs on the environment. He will describe collaborations through which members of the Tier Energy Network and Rotary Club are contributing to multi-stakeholder work to build thriving, equitable, net-zero solutions to move Central New York from Rust Belt to a green economy.
Jeff (Jeffrey) Smith is President of Endwell Rotary and a past District Governor (PDG) of former Rotary District 7170. He is President of Tier Energy Network (TEN), a non-profit formed over 10 years ago to support development of an industry cluster in clean energy technology in the Southern Tier. He serves as Secretary of Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) for Eastern North America. His volunteer work supports many organizations involved in economic development, community well-being and and environmental sustainability. He and his wife Jeanne have 4 grown children and several grandchildren across the country.
06/17/2025 PFAS: What are they, what do they do, & how did they end up in my blood?
Don Hughes, a long-time activist in the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, and CNNY Group, and recently included in the SC national PFAS task force, will give a talk about PFAS, the class of over 12,000 perfluorinated compounds known as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence, high toxicity and bio-accumulative nature. He will describe the decades-long history of PFAS, health effects, current regulations, and mobility in the environment. Don will also discuss how PFAS can contaminate sewage sludge which is often applied to agricultural land as fertilizer.
Donald J. Hughes, Ph.D. teaches chemistry at Le Moyne College, Syracuse, and has over 20 years experience in environmental investigations, remediation, public education, and scientific writing. He has degrees in chemical and environmental engineering and holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Don has worked on projects related to contaminated sediments, wastewater treatment, and hazardous waste sites including the many facets of the pollution of Onondaga Lake and its watershed. He produced Fact Sheets for citizens and planners, and presented key findings to policy makers. He has volunteered with the Atlantic Chapter of the Sierra Club since 2007, working on New York State energy policy, air and water pollution and climate issues. He is currently focused on environmental impacts of the Micron semiconductor facility to be constructed in Clay, NY.
pfas-talk-susq-group-17jun2025.pdf
05/20/2025 Connecting the dots between the Waste Crisis and ther Climate Crisis
Few understand the connections between the waste crisis and the climate crisis. This session explores the ways addressing the waste crisis helps in addressing the climate crisis. It focuses on three areas:
• Reducing energy use by creating the circular use of material. The energy saved through reuse and recycling is roughly equivalent to the amount of energy used for providing us with food and rivals the energy used for transportation.
• Curtailing the use of plastic along with increasing the recyclability of plastic. Plastics are of particular concern given that 99% of all plastics are derived from fossil fuels and generate their own emissions in the process.
• Elimination of organics in landfills. Anthropogenic production of methane represents a close second to CO2 in its effect on our climate, especially when its increased potency is factored in. Despite our best efforts, methane from our landfills is still a large contributing factor.
Chris W. Burger has degrees in Chemical Engineering, Sociology, and Economics.
Horizon Enterprises: Owner; Resource Management Consultant
College Instructor: Science, Technology, and Society
Waste reducer since first Earth Day in 1970
Built energy efficient home in 1978
Home creates close to zero waste since 1992
Home has used close to zero fossil fuel since 1998 (now at zero fossil fuel)
Electric Vehicle owner since 2021
Current Community Involvement includes:
Broome County Environmental Management Council, Vice Chair
Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG), Member
Climate Reality Trainer
Network for a Sustainable Tomorrow (NeST), Co-founder, and Board Chair
New York Sustainable Business Council, Co-founder, and Board Vice Chair
American Sustainable Business Council, Circular Economy Working Group
Presbyterians for Earth Care, Member
Tier Energy Network (TEN), Member
Climate Restoration Alliance, Member
Sierra Club: NY State Executive Committee member,
member of Sierra Club Atlantic Editorial Board, Gas Action Committee, Energy Committee
Chair of both NY State and National Sierra Club Zero Waste Committees
04/15/2025 Overview of the Two Rivers Greenway
Presentation by Mark D. Bowers, 33-year veteran of the NYS Department of Transportation.
The goal of this presentation is to provide a brief overview of the history and evolution of the Two Rivers Greenway (TRG). It also seeks to provide a status on its current build out and future plans. The presentation provides background and a rationale for the creation of a “Friends Group” to help maintain, enhance, and advocate for this regional network. The presentation will provide insight into the development of Design Guidelines for the system (this includes signage and amenities.) Community engagement and support are critical to the future of any greenway system!
Mark Bowers is a 33-year veteran of the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), having spent 30 of those years in the Region’s Planning and Program Management Office. During his tenure in the Planning & Program Management office, Mark gained a broad perspective in Project Management, Program Management as well as Local Project Administration, including the Federal Aid Reimbursement process. Mark is well versed in Public Engagement having worked with numerous local governments, elected officials and the public. Mark was also closely involved with sustainability efforts at NYSDOT, and spent time as the Region’s Pedestrian & Bicycle Coordinator. Additionally, Mark has hands-on experience with Non-Profit boards, most recently Board President at Know Theatre in Binghamton, and is currently a board member for the Center for Gender Art and Culture and their umbrella organization the Department of Public Art, a citizen led arts group, which promotes and implements public art projects. Mark has received numerous awards for his work, including the NYSDOT Award of Excellence and the Parks & Trails New York “Healthy Trails, Healthy People Award” for work on the implementation of the Greater Binghamton Greenway.
friends-of-the-trg-info-mtg-presentaiton-2025-03.pdf
3/18/25 Ecosystem Services of Northern Wetlands
Wetlands cover a small fraction of the terrestrial area of Earth, but play a large role in controlling carbon, water, and nutrient cycling in ways that benefit humans. These benefits to people, also known as ecosystem services, are under threat due to climate and land-use change with a variety of possible outcomes projected for the future. In this talk, I will introduce our diverse wetlands native to formerly glaciated regions of North America to highlight processes of water, nutrient and carbon movements within these spaces. I will include some specific examples of impacts on ecosystem services associated with climate change from a research project that I was a part of in interior Alaska (the Alaska Peatland Experiment or APEX) that focused on greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 emissions and methane), and compare those changes with issues local to the Southern Tier.
Dr. Amy Churchill is an assistant professor in the Environmental Studies Program at Binghamton University in New York. Her research interests are focused on interactions between plant ecology and ecosystem functions or services responding to global change drivers. Her past experiences have focused on a range of applied ecological contexts, in systems as varied as lawns and pastures to boreal peatlands far removed from direct human impacts. Her research merges ecological theory around community succession and plant species interactions with concepts of ecosystem resistance and resilience in the face of extreme drought (Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, MN, USA), continuous warming (Pastures and Climate Extremes project, NSW, Australia), elevated CO2 conditions (Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, NSW, Australia), and nitrogen deposition (Rocky Mountain alpine, CO, USA).
churchill_sierraclub_wetlands_sp2025.pdf
2/18/25: Overview of the Southern Tier Land Conservancy
The Southern Tier Land Conservancy is on a mission to conserve the lands and waters of the Southern Tier (especially Broome & Tioga Counties), preserving the natural beauty, wildlife, and heritage that make our region so special. In this talk, Jason speaks about: Protecting Nature: From wildlife habitats to clean water, we’re committed to keeping our environment thriving for generations to come. Supporting NY’s 30 x 30 Plan: We’re working toward conserving local land to protect biodiversity, improve flood resilience, and ensure recreational & educational opportunities. Making an Impact: Our newly acquired Canawanna Nature Preserve shows what’s possible when we partner with like-minded organizations – and this is just the beginning! How You Can Help: Whether you want to volunteer, donate land, or simply spread the word, there’s a place for you in our mission. Every acre we save today means a better tomorrow for our community. Want to learn more or get involved? Visit SouthernTLC.org or email board@southernTLC.org. Together, we can make a difference!
Jason Shaw is a lifelong resident of Broome County and a dedicated advocate for conservation and sustainable communities. As a Broome County Legislator representing most of Endwell and portions of Endicott, Jason has earned the Sierra Club's endorsement since 2016. In his role as President of the Southern Tier Land Conservancy, he works to protect local landscapes and natural resources. Jason also manages two successful businesses in Endicott—Our Country Hearts and Binghamton Yoga—reflecting his deep commitment to community and environmental stewardship.
1/21/2025 Climate Change Effects on Insects
Presentation by Tom Powell: Darwin’s tangled bank in a changing world: the ecological and evolutionary implications of climate change for insects in temperate environments. Anthropogenic climate change poses multifaceted threats to insect diversity well beyond the intuitive stresses of warmer summer temperature. In this talk, I will discuss some of the major ways that insects in our region are expected to be imperiled by changing seasonal regimes in the coming decades, including the regulation of life cycle timing, aspects of overwintering physiology, and altered interactions with other species. I will use some examples of on-going research in these topics to highlight what biologists currently do and do not know about predicting insect responses to climate change, and I will discuss the potential for rapid evolutionary responses to these changes and what we can do to give insects the best fighting chance to keep pace with our changing planet.
Tom Powell is an associate professor of Biological Sciences at Binghamton University (BU). His research program at BU focuses on understanding the interaction between evolutionary and ecological processes in both the origin and maintenance of biodiversity. He integrates lab-based approaches like genomics and physiology with field-based studies of natural populations to address questions about how adaptation to new ecological opportunities drives the formation of new species and the factors that promote or constrain rapid adaptive responses to a changing world. Powell came to Binghamton in 2016 after postdoctoral positions in the Entomology Department of the University of Florida and the University of Toronto’s Koffler Scientific Reserve. He completed his PhD in 2012 from the University of Notre Dame. While an undergrad at Shepherd University, he started his research career in a conservation genetics lab at the USGS Aquatic Ecology Branch in Leetown. WV. After that initial foray into fish and other vertebrates, the majority of his research since graduate school has involved the most diverse group of organisms on the planet: plant-feeding insects and their parasitoids.
12/17/2024 A Guide to Creating a Bird-Friendly Backyard
This presentation will teach you how to make the place you call home into a welcoming place for both birds and people. For many people, backyard birding is an excellent introduction to learning about our local birds. Beyond feeders, there are many things we can do to enhance the habitat of where we live to be friendlier and safer for birds! This presentation includes everything from tips for putting up bird feeders to creating a bird-friendly habitat with native plants. I will also cover actionable tips on how to minimize threats to birds, such as window strikes and predation by cats.
Michelle Knuepfer (pronouns: she/they): "I am a lifelong nature enthusiast & naturalist who leads educational programming at the Waterman Conservation Education Center. Observing & teaching about birds is my passion, and I enjoy educating others about nature to spark a love for the natural world in people of all ages. I graduated from St. Lawrence University with a degree in Conservation Biology, and since then have had the opportunity to work in the wildlife conservation and education field both in New York state and other parts of the country."
11/19/2024 Wild Canis in the Northeast (Coyotes, Wolves)
This talk will discuss wolf recovery in the Northeast including the emerging science on the genetics of coyotes and wolves in the region, the need for habitat connectivity and how it increasingly converges with public policy. The gray wolf is classified as endangered and federally protected, and there is evidence of its attempts to return to the Northeast after decades of extirpation. In contrast, eastern coyotes are hunted nearly without limit, despite historically interbreeding with wolves and exhibiting many wolf-like characteristics. These two facts are beginning to converge, posing challenges and opportunities on the policy front and underscoring the growing need for policy change to protect and compassionately coexist wild Canis throughout the region.
Renee Seacor currently serves as Carnivore Conservation Director at Project Coyote where she works to advocate and advance policy solutions aimed at compassionately coexisting with our wild carnivore neighbors nationwide. Renee is an interdisciplinary environmental advocate with a background in wildlife ecology and environmental law and policy. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from Rocky Mountain College in Montana and a J.D. with a concentration in environmental law from the University of Oregon School of Law.
sierra-club-ne-wolf-talk-nov-2024.pptx
10/15/2024 Three Steps to Savings and an Energy Efficient Home
Eileen Hanrahan will cover the following major points in his presentation:
First will be energy efficiency, insulation and air sealing, as well as incentives available for these projects.
Second, we talk about heat pumps and their incentives.
Finally, we will cover solar and renewable energy, with a focus on ways you can save money.
Eileen Hanrahan has been serving the Southern Tier as a Community Energy Advisor with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County.
9/20/2024 Transforming New York's Energy Grid with Clean Energy, Microgrids, and Smart Grid Technology
Rachael Cornick will cover the following major points in her presentation:
Ways we are already transforming NY’s electricity grid and deploying clean energy
Rooftop solar and community Solar
Vertical wind turbines (will share different technologies including Hover Energy)
Battery Storage
Demand response
How can microgrids support our communities during outages, improve grid reliability and accelerate decarbonization?
Residential and community microgrids
How can New York State speed up the deployment of renewable energy
Smart grid and energy efficiency projects, improve interconnection queue timelines, speed up permitting process, etc.
Rachael Cornick has a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University at Buffalo and is a graduate of Union-Endicott High School. She began her professional career as a chemical engineer in operations at an industrial gas company, where she advocated for increased sustainability.
Seeking a more direct path to make an impact, she transitioned to clean technology and became a partner in a boutique commercial-scale solar, wind, and storage development company. Rachael has served as the Executive Director for a renewable energy nonprofit and has led operations teams deploying advanced smart grid and Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS) technology.
Currently, she is the VP of Operations at a local battery startup. She also teaches a clean energy course at Binghamton University and is the host of a NYS-focused clean energy podcast. Finally, she is a professional singer - when she finds the time, you can hear her sing at the Crooked Mouth Brewery in Endicott or other local spots!
6/11/2024 Pollinators with focus on Honey bees
Ken Lord from the Beekeeper's group gave a presentation on environmental effects on bees.
pollenator-presentation-sierra-club.pdf
5/14/2024 Endangered Species with Julian Shepherd
Endangered species are the focus of extensive worldwide efforts to conserve biodiversity. Julian Shepherd will talk about these efforts including the many laws and treaties that are designed to protect them. He will also relate and illustrate the histories of many of these iconic and beautiful species, and the past successes and further needs for preserving them.
Julian Shepherd was born in England, emigrated to U.S. as a child and grew up in Ithaca. He was educated at Cornell and Harvard in Biology, and spent 2 years in East Africa on tick research. He has taught at BU for 50 years, about insects, birds, wetlands, tropical ecology and conservation biology, and has been researching the life of moths and ticks. Julian has been an inspirational long term active advocate for environmental protection and has previously served as Chair of Susquehanna Group of Sierra Club.
sgsc-on-endangered-species-may-2024.pdf
4/16/2024 How Cities Change Rivers: Lessons from the Mystic River Watershed in Boston - virtual only
Cities change rivers. That is, the landscape-scale changes that accompany urbanization fundamentally change the hydrology and ecology of streams, often in negative ways. Using data from the Mystic River in greater Boston, this presentation will step through some typical challenges of urban rivers. It will also tell positive success stories of how we can change our strategies for living in cities, side by side with nature.
Andy Hrycyna is watershed scientist at the Mystic River Watershed Association in Massachusetts. He manages water quality monitoring and regional stormwater programs, collaborating with federal and state regulators and local municipalities on projects to improve and restore the health of water bodies across the most urbanized watershed in New England.
how_cities_change_rivers_20240416.pdf
3/19/24: VINES' Mission, History & Programs. Straw Bale Building
Amelia LoDolce, Executive Director of VINES, provides an overview of VINES' mission, history, and programs. The organization was founded in 2007 as a project of Earth Day Southern Tier and has quickly grown into a robust organization serving over 3,000 people per year through its 22 community gardens, 2.25 acre urban farm, year-round Grow Binghamton youth employment program, free Green Thumb workshops, and Farm Share program which distributes 300 boxes of fresh produce from multiple farms from June-October. She will also share information about the design and construction of their new office building which will be the first Net-Zero energy building in Binghamton and first straw bale commercial building in the North East. BIO: Amelia LoDolce joined VINES as the organization’s first Executive Director in February 2016. As a volunteer, Amelia began working with VINES in 2007 as a founding board member and the coordinator of the Liberty Street Community Garden. Prior to joining VINES, Amelia worked for United Way of Broome County spearheading the Healthy Lifestyles Coalition’s Eat Well. Play Hard. Binghamton! project (a pilot initiative working to improve the health of families on the North Side of Binghamton) and the City of Binghamton as the City’s Sustainable Development Planner. Amelia holds a Master’s degree in Agriculture, Food, and the Environment from Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Having grown up on a farm in Otisco, NY, she enjoys working with other community members to make space in the urban neighborhoods for people to grow their own food and connect with the local environment.
2/20/24: A Conversation with Senator Webb
Senator Lea Webb covers some of her environmental priorities, including her work in the district with constituents, her budget priorities, and her legislative agenda for the year. She will also answer questions. BIO: New York State Senator Webb represents the newly drawn 52nd State Senate District, which encompasses Tompkins, Cortland, and part of Broome County. She is a lifelong Southern Tier resident and proud graduate of public schools. Webb is a first-generation college graduate of SUNY Broome and Binghamton University, where she earned a degree in neuroscience. She understands the importance of expanding opportunities for civic engagement and has worked as a trainer and advocate with organizations such as Vote Run Lead, Local Progress, and Citizen Action to increase marginalized voices in elected office. Senator Webb serves as the Chair of the Senate’s Committee on Women’s Issues and is a member of the Committees on Agriculture, Health, Higher Education, Procurement & Contracts, Mental Health, and Cities 2.
1/16/24: Beyond the City Limits: Managing the Chaos of Suburban Sprawl
Low density, lots of cars, retail expansion. We all know what sprawl looks like. But why do we have it? And what can we do about it? In this talk, George Homsy discusses the history of suburban sprawl and its causes. He describes the impacts through the lens of sustainability, which helps organize the environmental, economic, and social equity costs of sprawl. We will have to discuss the big question. What can we do about sprawl individually and collectively? As residents and as property owners? As citizens and as governments? George considers sprawl in the context of Broome County, but bring in examples from places around the United States. BIO: George Homsy directs the Environmental Studies Program at Binghamton University. George's research focuses on sustainability and local government policymaking. Currently, he is looking at sustainability leadership in local governments and energy policies impacting low- to moderate- income households. George received his PhD from Cornell University in city and regional planning. Before that he was a planning consultant working with communities in upstate New York. George began his investigation of local governments and sustainability as a journalist with the public radio environmental newsmagazine, Living on Earth, which he co-founded and co-produced.
To view the slide show for this presentation.
