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120-608: The Wildlife Conservation Society was originally chartered by the state of New York on April 26, 1895. Then known as the New York Zoological (also reported as "Zoölogical") Society, the organization embraced a mandate to advance native wildlife conservation , promote the study of zoology , and create a first-class zoological park that would be free to the public. Its name was changed to the Wildlife Conservation Society in 1993. Andrew H. Green

240-854: A Mbuti (Congo pygmy) man. In the late nineteenth century William Temple Hornaday , then director of the New York Zoological Park (now the Bronx Zoo ), carried out a direct-mail survey of wildlife conditions through the United States and publicized the decline of birds and mammals in the organization's annual reports. He was a prolific writer who published The Extermination of the American Bison and Our Vanishing Wildlife: Its Extermination and Preservation, among many other texts. Our Vanishing Wildlife , in particular, revealed an association between species extinction and

360-665: A chateau on Castle Island , within present-day Albany; it was abandoned the following year due to flooding. In 1614, the Dutch, under the command of Hendrick Corstiaensen, rebuilt the French chateau, which they called Fort Nassau . Fort Nassau was the first Dutch settlement in North America, and was located along the Hudson River, also within present-day Albany. The small fort served as a trading post and warehouse. Located on

480-628: A humid subtropical climate . Weather in New York is heavily influenced by two continental air masses: a warm, humid one from the southwest and a cold, dry one from the northwest. Downstate New York (comprising New York City, Long Island, and lower portions of the Hudson Valley) have rather hot summers with some periods of high humidity and cold, damp winters which are relatively mild compared to temperatures in Upstate New York, due to

600-533: A career most natives had turned to in hopes of trading with whites first. This completely changed the ethnography of the region, and most large game was hunted out before whites ever fully explored the land. Still, afterward, the Iroquois Confederacy offered shelter to refugees of the Mascouten , Erie, Chonnonton , Tutelo , Saponi , and Tuscarora nations. The Tuscarora became the sixth nation of

720-612: A healthy future for our redwood forests." The League has been accused of greenwashing and actively promoting loss of redwoods. The League’s Vibrant Forests Plan attempts to provide a science-based conservation strategy for the remaining coast redwood and giant sequoia ecosystems . Conservation decisions made by the League are guided by the Vibrant Forests Plan's strategies, helping to set priorities for land acquisitions, stewardship, and restoration initiatives. In 2018,

840-715: A high amount of biodiversity and is home to the world's largest and most elevated tropical islands. The program works both terrestrially and aquatically within the Bismarck Solomon Seas Ecoregion and the Bismarck Forest Corridor. It strives to combine community involvement and conservation rooted in science to resolve issues such as habitat loss, environmental degradation , overexploitation , and climate-change . 1934 (zoo) 1957 (Coney Island location) 1935 (zoo) New York (state) New York , also called New York State ,

960-709: A major threat to the Abenaki and Mohicans, while the Susquehannock briefly conquered the Lenape in the 1600s. The most devastating event of the century, however, was the Beaver Wars . From approximately 1640–1680, the Iroquois peoples waged campaigns which extended from modern-day Michigan to Virginia against Algonquian and Siouan tribes, as well as each other. The aim was to control more land for animal trapping ,

1080-471: A map of the world. This data is used to map wild areas, as well as natural resource distribution. Below are two examples of where WCS works around the world. WCS's global conservation approach is designed around landscapes and seascapes where "nature is strong: where ecological integrity is high." In 2001, in collaboration with the Madagascar Ministry of Environment and Forests, WCS launched

1200-551: A national campaign to reintroduce the almost extinct bison to government sponsored refuges. Hornaday, Theodore Roosevelt and others formed the American Bison Society in 1905. The Bronx Zoo sent 15 bison to Wichita Reserve in 1907 and additional bison in later years. The saving of this uniquely American symbol is one of the great success stories in the history of wildlife conservation. Hornaday campaigned for wildlife protection throughout his thirty years as director of

1320-654: A program to create the 372,470 hectare Makira Forest Protected Area. In 2017, WCS partnered with carbon-reduction platform Cool Effect to allow users to fund ongoing carbon-reduction projects directly supporting the Makira Natural Park . The Wildlife Conservation Society's Melanesia Program focuses on conservation in the Melanesian region of Oceania. The program works specifically in Fiji , Papua New Guinea , Solomon Islands , and Vanuatu . Melanesia contains

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1440-598: A small group known as the Ouabano migrated southwest into West Virginia at an earlier time. They may have merged with the Shawnee . The Mohawk and Susquehannock were the most militaristic . Trying to corner trade with the Europeans, they targeted other tribes. The Mohawk were also known for refusing white settlement on their land and discriminating against any of their people who converted to Christianity . They posed

1560-683: A survey near Bull Flat Creek in Humboldt County, a spot where League founder Madison Grant believed the world's tallest tree might be found. When the tree, a 364-foot redwood, was indeed found, the California State Park Commission dedicated the tree to the founders of the Save the Redwoods League on September 13, 1931: "As a living monument symbolizing eternal life and duration of our gratitude." Burnham led

1680-659: A temperature of −13 °F (−25 °C) or lower can be expected in the northern highlands (Northern Plateau) and 5 °F (−15 °C) or colder in the southwestern and east-central highlands of the Southern Tier. New York had a record-high temperature of 108   °F (42.2   °C) on July 22, 1926, in the Albany area. Its record-lowest temperature during the winter was −52   °F (−46.7   °C) in 1979. Governors Island, Manhattan , in New York Harbor ,

1800-676: A total area of 54,555 square miles (141,297 km ) and ranks as the 27th-largest state by size . The highest elevation in New York is Mount Marcy in the Adirondack High Peaks in Northern New York , at 5,344 feet (1,629 meters) above sea level ; while the state's lowest point is at sea level, on the Atlantic Ocean in Downstate New York . In contrast with New York City's urban landscape,

1920-611: A water border with Rhode Island , while Connecticut has land and sea borders. Except for areas near the New York Harbor and the Upper Delaware River , New York has a mostly land border with two Mid-Atlantic states , New Jersey and Pennsylvania . New York is the only state that borders both the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean . The Hudson River begins near Lake Tear of the Clouds and flows south through

2040-417: A website which offers information, photos, and progress reports. In 1917, National Park Service Director Stephen Mather asked conservationists John C. Merriam , Madison Grant , and Henry Fairfield Osborn to travel to northern California to investigate the status of the old-growth coast redwoods that were reportedly being logged in vast numbers for building materials. All four of these men were members of

2160-621: Is a state in the Northeastern United States . One of the Mid-Atlantic states, it borders the Atlantic Ocean , New England , Canada, and the Great Lakes . With almost 19.6 million residents, it is the fourth-most populous state in the United States , and the 27th-largest state by area , with a total area of 54,556 square miles (141,300 km ). New York has a varied geography . The southeastern part of

2280-452: Is a key scientific technology used by the League and its forest researchers to aid in measuring tree height, biomass, and leaf area. This information can be useful in reforestation efforts, and also in finding the tallest redwood trees. The League’s first use of LiDAR was made possible by a grant from Kenneth Fisher . Since it was established, the League has protected over 200,000 acres (81,000 ha) of ancient redwoods. Land purchased by

2400-467: Is among the largest university systems in the nation. New York City is home to the headquarters of the United Nations , and it is sometimes described as the world's most important city, the cultural , financial , and media epicenter, and the capital of the world. The Native American tribes in what is now New York were predominantly Iroquois and Algonquian . Long Island

2520-607: Is anchored by the city of Syracuse ; between the central and western parts of the state, New York is dominated by the Finger Lakes , a popular tourist destination. To the south, along the state border with Pennsylvania , the Southern Tier sits atop the Allegheny Plateau , representing some of the northernmost reaches of Appalachia . New York was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that went on to form

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2640-530: Is covered by ice. The summer climate is cool in the Adirondacks, Catskills, and at higher elevations of the Southern Tier. Buffalo and its metropolitan area are described as climate change havens for their weather pattern in Western New York. Summer daytime temperatures range from the high 70s to low 80s   °F (25 to 28   °C), over most of the state. In the majority of winter seasons,

2760-619: Is part of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) in the San Francisco Bay Area . Journalist and activist Greg King states, " They created Save the Redwoods League not to save redwoods as parks, but as standing inventories for use by industry." Save the Redwoods League is member of Redwoods Rising . The League provides numerous educational programs and resources to help K-12 students learn about redwoods forests in

2880-536: Is planned to host a US$ 1 billion research and education center poised to make New York the global leader in addressing the climate crisis . Due to New York's relatively large land area and unique geography compared to other eastern states, there are several distinct ecoregions present in the state, many of them reduced heavily due to urbanization and other human activities: Southern Great Lakes forests in Western New York , New England–Acadian forests on

3000-658: Is shared between New York and Ontario as it flows on the Niagara River from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. The Delaware River Basin Compact, signed in 1961 by New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania , Delaware , and the federal government, regulates the utilization of water of the Delaware system. Under the Köppen climate classification , most of New York has a humid continental climate , though New York City and Long Island have

3120-510: Is to protect and restore coast redwood ( Sequoia sempervirens ) and giant sequoia ( Sequoiadendron giganteum ) trees through the preemptive purchase of development rights of notable areas with such forests. It relies on donations from private individuals as well as funding from foundations, corporations, government agencies, and investments to buy, restore, and provide public access to redwood forest lands. The League has protected more than 200,000 acres (810 km ) of forestland. As of 2018,

3240-527: Is true for New York City: four of its five boroughs are situated on three islands at the mouth of the Hudson River : Manhattan Island ; Staten Island ; and Long Island , which contains Brooklyn and Queens at its western end. The state's borders include a water boundary in (clockwise from the west) two Great Lakes ( Lake Erie and Lake Ontario , which are connected by the Niagara River );

3360-581: The Adirondack Mountains and the Catskill Mountains (part of the wider Appalachian Mountains ). The east–west Mohawk River Valley bisects the more mountainous regions of Upstate and flows into the north–south Hudson River valley near the state capital of Albany . Western New York , home to the cities of Buffalo and Rochester , is part of the Great Lakes region and borders Lake Ontario and Lake Erie . Central New York

3480-531: The American Civil War , in terms of finances, volunteer soldiers, and supplies. The state provided more than 370,000 soldiers to the Union armies. Over 53,000 New Yorkers died in service, roughly one of every seven who served. However, Irish draft riots in 1862 were a significant embarrassment. Since the early 19th century, New York City has been the largest port of entry for legal immigration into

3600-529: The Boone and Crockett Club . After witnessing the devastation of the forests on their trip, Merriam, Grant, and Osborn decided that protecting the ancient redwoods by purchasing groves and creating a public park was an urgent endeavor, and in 1918 they established Save the Redwoods League to achieve this goal. The first donors to the League were Stephen Mather, E.C. Bradley, William Kent , Henry Fairfield Osborn, and Madison Grant. In 1919, Newton B. Drury became

3720-651: The Capital Region entered Phase   1 of reopening. On May 26, the Hudson Valley began Phase   1, and New York City partially reopened on June 8. During July 2020, a federal judge ruled Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio exceeded authority by limiting religious gatherings to 25% when others operated at 50% capacity. On Thanksgiving Eve, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked additional religious restrictions imposed by Cuomo for areas with high infection rates. The state of New York covers

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3840-620: The Continental Army at the Battle of Saratoga in 1777, a success that influenced France to ally with the revolutionaries; the state constitution was enacted in 1777. New York became the 11th state to ratify the United States Constitution , on July 26, 1788. In an attempt to retain their sovereignty and remain an independent nation positioned between the new United States and British North America , four of

3960-465: The Declaration of Independence on July 9, 1776. The New York State Constitution was framed by a convention which assembled at White Plains on July 10, 1776, and after repeated adjournments and changes of location, finished its work at Kingston on Sunday evening, April 20, 1777, when the new constitution drafted by John Jay was adopted with but one dissenting vote. It was not submitted to

4080-681: The Great Lakes , with the port of New York City. Improving transportation, it enabled additional population migration to territories west of New York. After 1850, railroads largely replaced the canal. The connectivity offered by the canal, and subsequently the railroads, led to an economic boom across the entire state through the 1950s. Major corporations that got their start in New York during this time include American Express , AT&T , Bristol Myers Squibb , Carrier , Chase , General Electric , Goldman Sachs , IBM , Kodak , Macy's , NBC , Pfizer , Random House , RCA , Tiffany & Co. , Wells Fargo , Western Union , and Xerox . New York City

4200-777: The Iroquois Nations fought on the side of the British; only the Oneida and their dependents, the Tuscarora, allied themselves with the Americans. In retaliation for attacks on the frontier led by Joseph Brant and Loyalist Mohawk forces , the Sullivan Expedition of 1779 destroyed nearly 50 Iroquois villages, adjacent croplands and winter stores, forcing many refugees to British-held Niagara. As allies of

4320-744: The Lake Champlain Valley . The Great Appalachian Valley dominates eastern New York and contains Lake Champlain Valley as its northern half and the Hudson Valley as its southern half within the state. The Tug Hill region arises as a cuesta east of Lake Ontario . The state of New York contains a part of the Marcellus shale , which extends into Ohio and Pennsylvania. Upstate and Downstate are often used informally to distinguish New York City or its greater metropolitan area from

4440-580: The Mannahatta Project /Welikia Project, and the Last of the Wild . The Manhatta Project is an initiative on the historical ecology of the New York area in 1609, prior to colonization. The project illustrates the fifty-five different ecosystems that existed in the region through digital reconstructions. The Last of the Wild is a dataset showing different areas' relative Human Footprint , overlaid onto

4560-534: The New England border, Northeastern coastal forests in the lower Hudson Valley and western Long Island , Atlantic coastal pine barrens in southern Long Island, Northeastern interior dry–mesic oak forest in the eastern Southern Tier and upper Hudson Valley, Appalachian–Blue Ridge forests in the Hudson Valley), Central Appalachian dry oak–pine forest around the Hudson Valley, Eastern Great Lakes and Hudson Lowlands , Eastern forest–boreal transition in

4680-654: The New York State Legislature created the Board of Commissioners of Immigration to regulate immigration. The first permanent immigration depot in New York was established in 1855 at Castle Garden , a converted War of 1812 era fort located within what is now Battery Park , at the tip of Lower Manhattan. The first immigrants to arrive at the new depot were aboard three ships that had just been released from quarantine . Castle Garden served as New York's immigrant depot until it closed on April 18, 1890, when

4800-641: The Philadelphia Convention , which drafted the United States Constitution, in which he also took part. The new government was to be a strong federal national government to replace the relatively weaker confederation of individual states. Following heated debate, which included the publication of The Federalist Papers as a series of installments in New York City newspapers, New York was the 11th state to ratify

4920-673: The Province of New York . During the American Revolutionary War , a group of colonists eventually succeeded in establishing independence, and the state ratified the then new United States Constitution in 1788. From the early 19th century, New York's development of its interior, beginning with the construction of the Erie Canal , gave it incomparable advantages over other regions of the United States. The state built its political, cultural, and economic ascendancy over

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5040-683: The Queens Zoo in 1992 and the Prospect Park Zoo in 1993. From 1994 through 1996 Archie Carr III of WCS helped establish the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary in Belize , a reserve for endangered jaguars . Today, WCS is working in nearly fifty nations around the world on more than five hundred projects designed to help protect both wildlife and the habitats in which they live. These projects range from

5160-411: The Raynal Bolling Memorial Grove in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park . That same year, the Stephen T. Mather – William Kent Grove was also established in the same park. Since 1921, the League has established over 1000 redwood memorial groves, in more than thirty of California's redwood parks. One grove is named after Newton B. Drury , who served as executive director of the league as well as serving as

5280-418: The Susquehannock and the Erie . Many of the Wampanoag and Mohican peoples were caught up in King Philip's War , a joint effort of many New England tribes to push Europeans off their land. After the death of their leader, Chief Philip Metacomet , most of those peoples fled inland, splitting into the Abenaki and the Schaghticoke . Many of the Mohicans remained in the region until the 1800s, however,

5400-476: The United States Constitution , on July 26, 1788. New York City remained the national capital under the new constitution until 1790 when it was moved to Philadelphia until 1800, when it was relocated to its current location in Washington, D.C. and was the site of the inauguration of President George Washington, In the first session of the Supreme Court of the United States , the United States Bill of Rights were drafted. Transportation in Western New York

5520-471: The World Trade Center site . On October 29 and 30, 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused extensive destruction of the state's shorelines, ravaging portions of New York City, Long Island , and southern Westchester with record-high storm surge , with severe flooding and high winds causing power outages for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, and leading to gasoline shortages and disruption of mass transit systems. The storm and its profound effects have prompted

5640-517: The ring-necked pheasant , northern bobwhite , ruffed grouse , spruce grouse , Canada jay , wild turkey , blue jay , eastern bluebird (the state bird ), American robin , and black-capped chickadee . Birds of prey that are present in the state are great horned owls , bald eagles , red-tailed hawks , American kestrels , and northern harriers . Waterfowl like mallards , wood ducks , canvasbacks , American black ducks , trumpeter swans , Canada geese , and blue-winged teals can be found in

5760-539: The white-footed mouse , North American least shrew , little brown bat , muskrat , eastern gray squirrel , eastern cottontail , American ermine , groundhog , striped skunk , fisher , North American river otter , raccoon , bobcat , eastern coyote , red fox , gray fox white-tailed deer , moose , and American black bear ; extirpated mammals include Canada lynx , American bison , wolverine , Allegheny woodrat , caribou , eastern elk , eastern cougar , and eastern wolf . Some species of birds in New York are

5880-526: The 1960s and 1970s, the WCS took a leadership role in pioneering zoological exhibitions by seeking to recreate natural environments for the animals on display. Under the leadership of WCS director William G. Conway , the Bronx Zoo opened its World of Darkness for nocturnal species in 1969 and its World of Birds for avian displays in 1974. Eventually, New York City turned to WCS to renew and manage three city-run facilities in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. The redesigned Central Park Zoo opened in 1988, followed by

6000-442: The 1980s and 1990s, Navarro River Redwoods State Park lands were purchased by the League and land was acquired for Limekiln State Park and Wilder Ranch State Park . In 2001, the League purchased the Dillonwood giant sequoia grove and transferred it to Sequoia National Park . In 2002, the League purchased the 25,000-acre Mill Creek Forest, its largest acquisition to date which became part of Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park . In

6120-454: The 2000s, the League protected 7,334 acres for Mendocino Headlands State Park . In 2009, the League's Redwood Climate Change Initiative at Humboldt State University began. In the 2010s, the League helped protect Noyo River Redwoods, Four Corners, the Orick Mill Site, Peters Creek and Boulder Creek old-growth forests, and Big River-Mendocino Old-Growth Redwoods. The League also established conservation easements for 15,000-acre Mailliard Ranch,

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6240-439: The 5,000-acre National Tribute Grove in that same park honoring World War II service members. In 1948, dawn redwoods ( Metasequoia glyptostroboides ), thought to be extinct were discovered in China and the League funded scientist Ralph Chaney 's trip to investigate. From 1951-1959, the League's Newton Drury was the director of the California Division of Beaches and Parks, later known as the California State Parks system. In 1954,

6360-404: The 8,500-acre San Vicente Redwoods and 870-acre Stewarts Point. In 2018, the League celebrated its centennial year launching the “Stand for the Redwoods, Stand for the Future” campaign and publishing the Centennial Vision for Redwoods Conservation that includes the goal to "double the size of coast redwood forests in parks and reserves to 800,000 acres." The California State Senate declared 2018

6480-548: The Adirondacks, Eastern Great Lakes lowland forests around the Adirondacks, and Allegheny Highlands forests , most of which are in the western Southern Tier. Some species that can be found in this state are American ginseng , starry stonewort , waterthyme , water chestnut, eastern poison ivy , poison sumac , giant hogweed , cow parsnip and common nettle . There are more than 70 mammal species, more than 20 bird species, some species of amphibians, and several reptile species. Species of mammals that are found in New York are

6600-403: The American Museum of Natural History. The city provided the land for the new zoo and some funding for buildings and annual operating costs. WCS raised most of the funds for construction and operations from private donors, and selected the scientific and administrative personnel. Hornaday's tenure was very significant for conservation, but he encountered controversy after the exhibiting Ota Benga ,

6720-438: The British, the Iroquois were forced out of New York, although they had not been part of treaty negotiations. They resettled in Canada after the war and were given land grants by the Crown. In the treaty settlement, the British ceded most Indian lands to the new United States. Because New York made a treaty with the Iroquois without getting Congressional approval, some of the land purchases have been subject to land claim suits since

6840-417: The Bronx Zoo. Beginning in 1906, Hornaday featured Ota Benga , a member of the Mbuti from the Congo , in a zoo exhibit. In July 2020, the Wildlife Conservation Society apologized. Madison Grant and Osborn worked together with John C. Merriam , another eugenics supporter, in 1918 to form the Save-The-Redwoods-League . Together, they succeeded in convincing legislators to preserve many redwoods by comparing

6960-466: The Hudson River flood plain, the rudimentary fort was washed away by flooding in 1617, and abandoned for good after Fort Orange (New Netherland) was built nearby in 1623. Henry Hudson's 1609 voyage marked the beginning of European involvement in the area. Sailing for the Dutch East India Company and looking for a passage to Asia, he entered the Upper New York Bay on September 11 of that year. Word of his findings encouraged Dutch merchants to explore

7080-490: The Humboldt County Federation of Women’s Clubs sent a children's petition with over 2,000 signatures to the U.S. Forest Service requesting that President Theodore Roosevelt establish a national redwood park. Newton B. Drury and the League were instrumental in uniting and forming the California State Park system with the passage of two bills in the California State Legislature that were signed into law by Governor C.C. Young on May 25, 1927. Major League acquisitions and projects

7200-482: The Iroquois Confederacy include the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Tuscarora and Mohawk. The Iroquois fought for both sides during the Revolutionary War ; afterwards many pro-British Iroquois migrated to Canada. Today, the Iroquois still live in several enclaves across New York and Ontario. Meanwhile, the Lenape formed a close relationship with William Penn . However, upon Penn's death, his sons managed to take over much of their lands and banish them to Ohio. When

7320-414: The Iroquois. In the 1700s, Iroquoian peoples would take in the remaining Susquehannock of Pennsylvania after they were decimated in the French and Indian War . Most of these other groups assimilated and eventually ceased to exist as separate tribes. Then, after the American Revolution , a large group of Seneca split off and returned to Ohio, becoming known as the Mingo Seneca. The current Six Nations of

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7440-506: The King of France's sister . Verrazzano described it as "a vast coastline with a deep delta in which every kind of ship could pass" and he adds: "that it extends inland for a league and opens up to form a beautiful lake. This vast sheet of water swarmed with native boats." He landed on the tip of Manhattan and possibly on the furthest point of Long Island. Verrazzano's stay was interrupted by a storm which pushed him north towards Martha's Vineyard . In 1540, French traders from New France built

7560-401: The League has helped create 66 redwood parks and reserves, including Humboldt Redwoods State Park and Redwood National and State Parks . In addition to purchasing and protecting land, Save the Redwoods League supports restoration, research, and education programs, and gives small grants to other organizations involved in ecological conservation. Save the Redwoods League maintains and updates

7680-598: The League helped acquire the South Grove of giant sequoias to be added to Calaveras Big Trees State Park. In 1960, the Avenue of the Giants Parkway was founded in Humboldt Redwoods State Park preceded by a 40-year land acquisition process by the League. In 1968, after years of lobbying, Redwood National Park was established by Congress. In the 1970s and 1980s, the League continued to protect land for redwood parks. Notable acquisitions included 1,662 acres for Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve and 3,858-acre Big Creek Reserve for Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park . In

7800-427: The League is generally donated to California State Parks, which the organization helped found, or to the National Park Service for permanent protection of the redwoods, as well as public enjoyment and education. The League also provides gifts to establish and grow regional preserves and parks, many of which are open to the public. For example, the League established the Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve which

7920-563: The League published a State of the Redwoods Conservation Report for the first time. The report draws on scientific research to evaluate environmental threats facing coast redwoods and giant sequoia, how much progress has been made to date mitigating each threat, and whether that progress is continuing or in decline. Some key threats include the amount of unprotected forests, number of trees with old-growth characteristics, level of human encroachment, and fire preparedness status. The League has an active scientific research program that seeks to expand

8040-416: The League supported in the 1930s included the 9,400-acre Rockefeller Forest addition to Humboldt Redwoods State Park , Calaveras North Grove of giant sequoias for Calaveras Big Trees State Park , and 8,252 acres for Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park . In 1944, the League acquired 4,280 acres for Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park . In 1945, the League and the Garden Club of America raised money to create

8160-423: The Lenape. In 1524, Giovanni da Verrazzano , an Italian explorer in the service of the French crown , explored the Atlantic coast of North America between the Carolinas and Newfoundland , including New York Harbor and Narragansett Bay . On April 17, 1524, Verrazzano entered New York Bay , by way of the strait now called the Narrows into the northern bay which he named Santa Margherita, in honor of

8280-401: The Twin Towers of the original World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan , and the towers collapsed . 7 World Trade Center also collapsed due to damage from fires. The other buildings of the World Trade Center complex were damaged beyond repair and demolished soon thereafter. The collapse of the Twin Towers caused extensive damage and resulted in the deaths of 2,753 victims, including 147 aboard

8400-432: The U.S. drafted the Indian Removal Act , the Lenape were further moved to Missouri, whereas their cousins, the Mohicans, were sent to Wisconsin. Also, in 1778, the United States relocated the Nanticoke from the Delmarva Peninsula to the former Iroquois lands south of Lake Ontario, though they did not stay long. Mostly, they chose to migrate into Canada and merge with the Iroquois, although some moved west and merged with

8520-418: The United States . In the United States, the federal government did not assume direct jurisdiction for immigration until 1890. Prior to this time, the matter was delegated to the individual states, then via contract between the states and the federal government. Most immigrants to New York would disembark at the bustling docks along the Hudson and East Rivers , in the eventual Lower Manhattan . On May 4, 1847,

8640-460: The United States can trace their ancestry to these immigrants. Ellis Island was the subject of a contentious and long-running border and jurisdictional dispute between the State of New York and the State of New Jersey, as both claimed it. The issue was officially settled in 1998 by the U.S. Supreme Court which ruled that the original 3.3-acre (1.3 ha) island was New York state territory and that

8760-619: The United States. The area of present-day New York had been inhabited by tribes of the Algonquians and the Iroquois Confederacy Native Americans for several thousand years by the time the earliest Europeans arrived. Stemming from Henry Hudson 's expedition in 1609, the Dutch established the multiethnic colony of New Netherland in 1621. England seized the colony from the Dutch in 1664, renaming it

8880-652: The Year of the Redwoods with the passage of SR 100, authored by Senator Mike McGuire and many co-authors. The California State Assembly adopted House Resolution (HR 96), authored by Assemblymember Mark Stone , recognizing the League’s 100th birthday. And, on September 27, 2018, California Governor Jerry Brown declared October 2018 as “California Redwoods Month," recognizing redwoods as a "globally significant treasure" and encouraging people to "support organizations working to ensure

9000-618: The balance of the 27.5 acres (11 ha) added after 1834 by landfill was in New Jersey. In May 1964, Ellis Island was added to the National Park Service by President Lyndon B. Johnson and is still owned by the federal government as part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument . In 1990, Ellis Island was opened to the public as a museum of immigration. On September 11, 2001, two of four hijacked planes were flown into

9120-571: The birds. Beebe's field work also resulted in the creation of the Society's Department of Tropical Research, which Beebe directed from 1922 until his retirement in 1948. From 1930 to 1934, off of the coast of Bermuda, Beebe conducted research in an undersea vessel called the bathysphere . The vessel made thirty-five dives in total, taking him half a mile deep and along the ocean floor. During the dives, Beebe made observations on bioluminescent fish, as well as identifying several new species. This expedition

9240-512: The canal carrying passengers and freight. Farm products came in from the Midwest , and finished manufactured goods moved west. It was an engineering marvel which opened up vast areas of New York to commerce and settlement. It enabled Great Lakes port cities such as Buffalo and Rochester to grow and prosper. It also connected the burgeoning agricultural production of the Midwest and shipping on

9360-447: The chairman of the executive committee. William Temple Hornaday operated as the founding Director and General Curator of the park itself. Together, these leaders wrote hundreds of works promoting preservationist values. According to environmental historian Miles A. Powell, their writings and arguments were foundational for conservation but partially motivated by racial discrimination, hyper masculinity, and an association between protecting

9480-649: The city on October 19 of that year, composed of representatives from across the Thirteen Colonies who set the stage for the Continental Congress to follow. The Stamp Act Congress resulted in the Declaration of Rights and Grievances , which was the first written expression by representatives of the Americans of many of the rights and complaints later expressed in the United States Declaration of Independence . This included

9600-577: The classroom and on field trips. These programs give students the opportunity to learn STEM subjects from real-world examples, to be inspired to protect the forests, and to discover career opportunities in scientific research, park interpretation, and forest management. The League provides many educational resources and curriculum materials directly to teachers and partners with other organizations to extend their reach, such as by providing educational grants. In 1921, Boone and Crockett Club member Dr. John C. Phillips donated $ 32,000 to purchase land and create

9720-578: The coast in search of profitable fur trading with local Native American tribes. During the 17th century, Dutch trading posts established for the trade of pelts from the Lenape, Iroquois, and other tribes were founded in the colony of New Netherland . The first of these trading posts were Fort Nassau (1614, near present-day Albany ); Fort Orange (1624, on the Hudson River just south of the current city of Albany and created to replace Fort Nassau), developing into settlement Beverwijck (1647), and into what became Albany; Fort Amsterdam (1625, to develop into

9840-570: The conservation of gorillas in Africa, tigers in Asia, and macaws in South America. In recent years, WCS has actively worked in conflict areas like Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Myanmar, where agreements on wildlife resources have contributed to peace and stability. More than 4 million people visit WCS's wildlife parks in New York City each year. WCS has backed numerous digital projects, including

9960-574: The decline of the white race in America. In 1897, Hornaday hired field researcher Andrew J. Stone to survey the condition of wildlife in the territory of Alaska. On the basis of these studies, Hornaday led the campaign for new laws to protect the wildlife there and the United States as a whole. In 1901, a small herd of American Bison were gathered in a 20-acre meadow just off what is now the Pelham Parkway roadway. Starting in 1905, Hornaday led

10080-427: The discussion of constructing seawalls and other coastal barriers around the shorelines of New York City and Long Island to minimize the risk from another such future event. Such risk is considered highly probable due to global warming and rising sea levels . On March 1, 2020, New York had its first confirmed case of COVID-19 after Washington (state) , two months prior. From May 19–20, Western New York and

10200-545: The downstate region's lower elevation, proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, and relatively lower latitude . Upstate New York experiences warm summers, marred by only occasional, brief intervals of sultry conditions, with long and cold winters. Western New York, particularly the Tug Hill region, receives heavy lake-effect snows , especially during the earlier portions of winter, before the surface of Lake Ontario itself

10320-402: The duration of the conflict, and consequently the focus of General George Washington 's intelligence network . On the notorious British prison ships of Wallabout Bay , more American combatants died than were killed in combat in every battle of the war combined. Both sides of combatants lost more soldiers to disease than to outright wounds. The first of two major British armies were captured by

10440-671: The eastern part of the state, without draining Lakes George or Champlain . Lake George empties at its north end into Lake Champlain, whose northern end extends into Canada, where it drains into the Richelieu River and then ultimately the Saint Lawrence River . The western section of the state is drained by the Allegheny River and rivers of the Susquehanna and Delaware River systems. Niagara Falls

10560-565: The federal government assumed control over immigration. During that period, more than eight million immigrants passed through its doors (two of every three U.S. immigrants). When the federal government assumed control, it established the Bureau of Immigration , which chose the three-acre (1.2 ha) Ellis Island in Upper New York Harbor for an entry depot. Already federally controlled, the island had served as an ammunition depot. It

10680-535: The first Executive Secretary for Save the Redwoods League. He provided leadership to the League for the next 58 years, also serving as a National Park Service and California State Parks leader. Also in 1919, members of the California Federation of Women’s Clubs established the Women’s Save the Redwoods League in Humboldt County. This group had roots over a decade in the making. It was in 1908 that

10800-491: The fourth director of the National Park Service . He served in the league's leadership during most of the period from 1919 to 1978. Another grove is named after Drury and his brother Aubrey. The League continues to operate a Dedicated Grove or Tree Program to help raise funds to carry out its mission. In return for a donation, a grove or tree can be named as a memorial to or in honor of an individual, family, or organization. In 1931, Major Frederick Russell Burnham commissioned

10920-441: The highest count of any U.S. state in 2022. Many of its landmarks are well known, including four of the world's ten most-visited tourist attractions in 2013: Times Square , Central Park , Niagara Falls , and Grand Central Terminal . New York is home to approximately 200 colleges and universities , including Ivy League members Columbia University and Cornell University , and the expansive State University of New York , which

11040-633: The late 1950s, WCS began a series of wildlife surveys and projects in Kenya, Tanganyika (now Tanzania), Uganda, Ethiopia , Sudan, Burma, and the Malay peninsula. In 1959, it sponsored George Schaller 's seminal study of mountain gorillas in Congo. Following that expedition, Schaller went on to become recognized as one of the world's preeminent field biologist, studying wildlife throughout Africa, Asia, and South America. Conservation activities continued to expand under

11160-594: The late 20th century by the federally recognized tribes. New York put up more than 5 million acres (20,000 km ) of former Iroquois territory for sale in the years after the Revolutionary War, leading to rapid development in Upstate New York. As per the Treaty of Paris , the last vestige of British authority in the former Thirteen Colonies —their troops in New York City—departed in 1783, which

11280-557: The leadership of William G. Conway , who became director of the Bronx Zoo in 1962 and President of WCS in 1992. Active as a field biologist in Patagonia, Conway promoted a new vision of zoos as conservation organizations, which cooperated in breeding endangered species. He also designed new types of zoo exhibits aimed at teaching visitors about habitats that support wildlife, and encouraged the expansion of WCS's field programs. During

11400-551: The nation's wildlife and the nation's white population. Other notable figures involved in the Society's creation include George Bird Grinnell , founder of the Audubon Society and editor of Forest and Stream Magazine and members of the Boone and Crockett Club . The Bronx Zoo (formerly the New York Zoological Park) was designed along the lines of other cultural institutions in New York City, such as

11520-411: The next century, earning it the nickname of the " Empire State ". Although deindustrialization eroded a portion of the state's economy in the second half of the 20th century, New York in the 21st century continues to be considered as a global node of creativity and entrepreneurship , social tolerance , and environmental sustainability . The state attracts visitors from all over the globe, with

11640-624: The organization. Guests were allowed to bring their own cameras into the Bronx Zoo. Beginning with the African Plains exhibit in 1941, animals were grouped by continents and ecosystems, rather than genetic orders and families. After World War II, under the leadership of Osborn, the organization extended its programs in field biology and conservation. In 1946, WCS helped found the Jackson Hole Wildlife Park, which later became part of Grand Teton National Park in 1962. In

11760-619: The people for ratification. On July 30, 1777, George Clinton was inaugurated as the first Governor of New York at Kingston. Approximately a third of the battles of the American Revolutionary War took place in New York; the first major one and largest of the entire war was the Battle of Long Island , also known as the Battle of Brooklyn, in August 1776. After their victory, the British occupied present-day New York City, making it their military and political base of operations in North America for

11880-667: The provinces of Ontario and Quebec in Canada, with New York and Ontario sharing the Thousand Islands archipelago within the Saint Lawrence River, while most of its border with Quebec is on land; it shares Lake Champlain with the New England state of Vermont ; the New England state of Massachusetts has mostly a land border; New York extends into Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean , sharing

12000-400: The region. Maritime or shore birds of New York are great blue heron , killdeers , northern cardinals , American herring gulls , and common terns . Reptile and amphibian species in land areas of New York include queen snakes , hellbenders , diamondback terrapins , timber rattlesnakes , eastern fence lizards , spotted turtles , and Blanding's turtles . Sea turtles that can be found in

12120-605: The rest of the State of New York. The placement of a boundary between the two is a matter of great contention. Unofficial and loosely defined regions of Upstate New York include from the Southern Tier, which includes many of the counties along the border with Pennsylvania, to the North Country region, above or sometimes including parts of the Adirondack region. Among the total area of New York state, 13.6% consists of water. Much of New York's boundaries are in water, as

12240-452: The right to representative government . At the same time, given strong commercial, personal and sentimental links to Britain , many New York residents were Loyalists . The Capture of Fort Ticonderoga provided the cannon and gunpowder necessary to force a British withdrawal from the siege of Boston in 1775. New York was the only colony not to vote for independence , as the delegates were not authorized to do so. New York then endorsed

12360-723: The site on March 21, 2014. Upon its completion in 2014, the new One World Trade Center became the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere, at 1,776 feet (541 m), meant to symbolize the year America gained its independence , 1776. From 2006 to 2018, 3 World Trade Center , 4 World Trade Center , 7   World Trade Center, the World Trade Center Transportation Hub , Liberty Park , and Fiterman Hall were completed. St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and Ronald O. Perelman Performing Arts Center are under construction at

12480-463: The state are the green sea turtle , loggerhead sea turtle , leatherback sea turtle and Kemp's ridley sea turtle . New York Harbor and the Hudson River constitute an estuary , making the state of New York home to a rich array of marine life including shellfish—such as oysters and clams —as well as fish, microorganisms, and sea-birds. Due to its long history, New York has several overlapping and often conflicting definitions of regions within

12600-445: The state, known as Downstate , encompasses New York City , the United States's largest city; Long Island , the nation's most populous island; and the suburbs and wealthy enclaves of the lower Hudson Valley . These areas are the center of the expansive New York metropolitan area and account for approximately two-thirds of the state's population. The larger Upstate area spreads from the Great Lakes to Lake Champlain and includes

12720-499: The state. The regions are also not fully definable due to the colloquial use of regional labels. The New York State Department of Economic Development provides two distinct definitions of these regions. It divides the state into ten economic regions, which approximately correspond to terminology used by residents: Save the Redwoods League Save the Redwoods League is a nonprofit organization whose mission

12840-490: The town New Amsterdam , which is present-day New York City); and Esopus (1653, now Kingston ). The success of the patroonship of Rensselaerswyck (1630), which surrounded Albany and lasted until the mid-19th century, was also a key factor in the early success of the colony. The English captured the colony during the Second Anglo-Dutch War and governed it as the Province of New York . The city of New York

12960-418: The trees to a race in danger. Local communities sometimes saw the attitudes of Grant, Osborn, and Hornaday as being elitist compared to those of poorer citizens and nonwhite citizens. William Beebe , the first curator of birds at the Bronx Zoo, began a program of field research soon after the Bronx Zoo opened. His research on wild pheasants took him to Asia from 1908 to 1911 and resulted in a series of books on

13080-477: The two planes. Since September   11, most of Lower Manhattan has been restored. In the years since, over 7,000 rescue workers and residents of the area have developed several life-threatening illnesses, and some have died. A memorial at the site, the National September ;11 Memorial & Museum , was opened to the public on September   11, 2011. A permanent museum later opened at

13200-527: The understanding of the coast redwood and giant sequoia forests and ecosystems of which they are a key component. Their Research Grants Program provides funding to leading scientists studying redwood forest ecosystems, threatened and endangered species, and climate change impacts. Some of the major League-led research projects are the Redwoods and Climate Change Initiative (RCCI), the Redwood Genome Project, and Citizen Science Programs. LiDAR

13320-426: The vast majority of the state's geographic area is dominated by meadows , forests , rivers, farms, mountains, and lakes. Most of the southern part of the state rests on the Allegheny Plateau , which extends from the southeastern United States to the Catskill Mountains ; the section in the State of New York is known as the Southern Tier . The rugged Adirondack Mountains , with vast tracts of wilderness, lie west of

13440-582: Was a major ocean port and had extensive traffic importing cotton from the South and exporting manufacturing goods. Nearly half of the state's exports were related to cotton. Southern cotton factors, planters and bankers visited so often that they had favorite hotels. At the same time, activism for abolitionism was strong upstate, where some communities provided stops on the Underground Railroad . Upstate, and New York City, gave strong support for

13560-423: Was by expensive wagons on muddy roads before canals opened up the rich farmlands to long-distance traffic. Governor DeWitt Clinton promoted the Erie Canal , which connected New York City to the Great Lakes by the Hudson River , the new canal, and the rivers and lakes. Work commenced in 1817, and the Erie Canal opened eight years later, in 1825. Packet boats pulled by horses on tow paths traveled slowly over

13680-609: Was chosen due its relative isolation with proximity to New York City and the rail lines of Jersey City, New Jersey , via a short ferry ride. While the island was being developed and expanded via land reclamation , the federal government operated a temporary depot at the Barge Office at the Battery. Ellis Island opened on January 1, 1892, and operated as a central immigration center until the National Origins Act

13800-660: Was divided roughly in half between the Algonquian Wampanoag and Lenape peoples. The Lenape also controlled most of the region surrounding New York Harbor . North of the Lenape was a third Algonquian nation, the Mohicans . Starting north of them, from east to west, were two Iroquoian nations: the Mohawk —part of the original Iroquois Five Nations, and the Petun . South of them, divided roughly along Appalachia , were

13920-566: Was long afterward celebrated as Evacuation Day . New York City was the national capital under the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union , the first national government. That organization was found to be inadequate, and prominent New Yorker Alexander Hamilton advocated for a new government that would include an executive, national courts, and the power to tax. Hamilton led the Annapolis Convention (1786) that called for

14040-536: Was passed in 1924, reducing immigration. After that date, the only immigrants to pass through were displaced persons or war refugees . The island ceased all immigration processing on November 12, 1954, when the last person detained on the island, Norwegian seaman Arne Peterssen, was released. He had overstayed his shore leave and left on the 10:15   a.m. Manhattan-bound ferry to return to his ship. More than 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1954. More than 100 million Americans across

14160-659: Was recaptured by the Dutch in 1673 during the Third Anglo-Dutch War (1672–1674) and renamed New Orange. It was returned to the English under the terms of the Treaty of Westminster a year later. The Sons of Liberty were organized in New York City during the 1760s, largely in response to the oppressive Stamp Act passed by the British Parliament in 1765. The Stamp Act Congress met in

14280-688: Was significant, as it was the first time humans observed the bottom of the deep sea and its creatures in their natural habitat. The bathysphere is currently displayed at the New York Aquarium . During the World War II era, Henry Fairfield Osborn, Jr was elected president of the NYZS and Laurance Rockefeller was elected as executive committee chairman. A best-selling writer on conservation and son of WCS founder Henry Fairfield Osborn , Osborn embraced changes that represented new thinking within

14400-548: Was the first president of the society but was replaced by Levi P Morton after Green resigned due to declining health. Henry Fairfield Osborn , who was the curator of the American Museum of Natural History and the founder of the American Eugenics Society , was Morton's successor. Madison Grant , popular eugenicist and author of The Passing of The Great Race , acted as the society's secretary and

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