Happy Spring! An Update From The Waterfall Center
- The Waterfall Center
- Mar 25
- 4 min read
Spring has returned, unfurling slowly and with quiet patience, as if remembering itself after a long and dreaming sleep. It arrives not all at once, but in gentle signals, in the bright insistence of Robins, the calls of Red-Winged Blackbirds staking their claim among thawing reeds, the soft warmth of sunlight that lingers just a little longer each day. Beneath the surface, life stirs: newts trace ancient paths toward their mating grounds, and streams, once hushed beneath ice, find their voices again - rushing, tumbling, alive.
The land exhales. Snow retreats into memory, revealing dark soil and last year’s leaves, now ready to cradle what comes next. In this turning, we are invited to follow, to step out from our own wintering places, to gather again in community, and to place our hands back into the work of tending what sustains us.
Spring reminds us that renewal is both subtle and profound. It asks us to notice, to listen, to begin again. As we attune ourselves to these rhythms, we are called to plant, not only in the earth, but within our lives. Seeds of ideas, of connection, of possibility, offered with care, given time to germinate, and trusted to take root in their own becoming.
We are welcoming the season with open arms, open hearts, and open minds, looking forward to what this season of rebirth, renewal and revival will reveal.
We wish you all a very joyful start to Spring and look forward to connecting with more of you out in the community as the weather warms.
- The Waterfall Center Team
WATERFALL CENTER UPDATES
The Waterfall Center attended the SUNY Cobleskill Ag Solutions and Networking event on March 3, 2026. Program Director Tanja Konwinski and Advisory Board member David Cox spoke with visitors about bioregionalism, invasive species, the Constitution pipeline threat, and distributed pamphlets on the Firewise Program from the National Fire Protection Association.
In February, The Waterfall Center gathered at Schoharie county OES with 15 state and county partners for the first of many conversations on wildfire and its prevention in the northeast. Topics covered included prescribed burns, air quality impacts, public outreach, burn ban awareness, and so much more. Thank you to everyone who attended!
In early March, Tanja and Sarah were excited to meet with Cynthia Wilson & Gail Sondergaard from the former Cobleskill based group Citizens for a Clean Environment. Cynthia & Gail have entrusted us with all of the amazing stories, photographs, maps, and songs that they collected over 5 years, while acting as coordinators of the Focus on Schoharie Creek - A Visual Journey project. We will be working to digitize and archive this exhibition, and will be sharing it on our website, social media and making a virtual archive for local historical and cultural organizations to access. Stay tuned!
UPCOMING EVENTS
KEEP MOHAWK VALLEY BEAUTIFUL
Spring Cleanup Events
MVEDD is looking for teams for the upcoming cleanup days with the Keep Mohawk Valley Beautiful event - lets represent the Schoharie Bioregion!
HOMESTEADING WORKSHOP - SPRING CLEANING
March 26th
Join MVEDD for their upcoming Homesteading Workshop - Spring Cleaning on March 26 at SEEC. Click the button below to learn more and register.
GOING ORGANIC WITH KLAAS MARTEN
APRIL 8
SUNY COBLESKILL - Schoharie County CCE
Join us for a discussion on:
The benefits, opportunities, and challenges of Organic grain and vegetable production
How to make it work for your farm
How to maintain your certification (if that is the path for your farm)
How to keep growing!
If you have an event that you would like shared in our newsletter or events page on our website, please let us know at info@waterfallcenter.org
IN THE KNOW
CONSTITUTION PIPELINE: View this INTERACTIVE MAP to see more detail about where the route for the proposed Constitution Pipeline will run. If you would like more information about the potential pipeline, please visit our webpage HERE |
PODCAST: We invite you to hear from John Thompson of CRISP on the Inside The Line: The Catskill Mountain Podcast as he speaks about invasive species. |
WATERFALL CENTER GUEST BLOGGERS: The Waterfall Center invites community members to become guest bloggers and share their unique experiences in the Schoharie bioregion. Whether you’re a hiker, farmer, hunter, fisher, artist, or simply someone with a meaningful connection to this landscape, we welcome your voice. Submissions can include stories, reflections, artwork, photos, or videos that capture your relationship with the land and its waterways. We especially encourage youth to contribute and share their perspectives. Help us celebrate and document the diverse connections that make this bioregion so special. Please submit your entires, or expression of interest to sarah@waterfallcenter.org - we will also be announcing themes and prompts soon to help inspire your stories! |
GRANTS & OPPORTUNTIES |
CATSKILL STREAMS BUFFER INITATIVE: Streamside landowners in the Schoharie Reservoir watershed may qualify for assistance in protecting and restoring their riparian buffers. Offered through the Green County Soil & Water Conservation District. Click HERE to learn more. |
AGRICULTURAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (AEM): Offered through the Green County Soil & Water Conservation District, helps to link farmers to potential funding sources to make improvements, and assist in navigating the enrollment process. To schedule a visit or if you have any questions, please call (518) 589-6871 or email alex@gcswcd.com |
