DEC Does What?!

In this episode, hosts Adriana Espinoza and Sean Mahar talk with Dazzle Ekblad and Myra Fedyniak—Climate Policy Analysts with DEC’s Office of Climate Change—about how New York State engages with local governments to support climate action through grant funding and guidance from regional coordinators, and how the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and the Environmental Bond Act is helping support...

Approximately 35,000 orphaned wells are estimated to exist in New York State, many drilled and abandoned before the existence of DEC or modern environmental regulations. In this episode, hosts DEC Chief of Staff and Deputy Commissioner for Equity and Justice Adriana Espinoza and Region 4 Director Sean Mahar talk with Grace Gallagher and Nathan Graber from DEC’s Oil and Gas Compliance Enforcement S...

In this episode, hosts DEC Region 4 Director Sean Mahar and Chief of Staff and Deputy Commissioner for Equity and Justice Adriana Espinoza talk with Kaleb Winters, Land Surveyor in DEC’s Division of Lands and Forests. They discuss the history of land surveying and the remarkable and longstanding accuracy of the man who first started surveying the Adirondacks and Catskills back in the 1800s, Verpla...

With peak spring bird migration season underway, hosts Adriana Espinoza and Sean Mahar talk with DEC wildlife biologists Abby Valachovic and Meghan Oberkircher about the science and biology behind annual migration patterns of more than 450 native bird species, how DEC tracks bird species and protects local habitats across the State, and tips for New Yorkers to protect birds living in their communi...

We explore the work of DEC’s organics reduction and recycling experts who oversee statewide food waste management and composting efforts.   Episode Notes:  Ahead of International Composting Awareness Week, hosts Adriana Espinoza and Sean Mahar talk with experts from DEC’s Division of Materials Management—Kristine Ellsworth, Environmental Engineer, and Miranda Wolf, Environmental Program Specialist...

Learn all about moose with Dave Kramer, a Research Scientist in the Division of Fish and Wildlife. Hear about all the ways DEC monitors the moose population in New York State using aerial surveys, GPS tracking, and public sighting reports. You’ll also hear about what to do if you encounter a moose in the wild and a little bit about moose butts. Episode Notes: Moose species profile, with link to re...

This Season 4 kick off episode spotlights DEC’s affordable and fun DEC summer camp offerings and the lifelong bonds they help create. DEC’s Summer Camp program attracts 1,400 children each summer to the State’s week-long sleepaway learning experience at four different locations across the state. Episode Notes:   Summer Camp Experience Register Online Employment at Education Camps     For more info...

In this episode, hosts Sean and Erica welcome Alan Ilagan, Associate Director Human Resources, and Natalie Joseph, Human Resources Specialist, with DEC’s Division of Human Resources to highlight DEC’s recruiting efforts to fill positions across every region of New York State, open exam announcements for Environmental Conservation Police Officers and Forest Rangers, and how potential candidates can...

DEC’s first campgrounds—Sacandaga and Sharp Bridge—were established in 1920, and the newest campground, Frontier Town, opened in 2019. In this episode, hosts Sean and Erica are joined by Campground Program Supervisor Jessica McBride and Conservation Operations Supervisor Andrea Dukett who explain how DEC’s Bureau of Recreation oversees the operations of 55 campgrounds and day use areas in the Adir...

Since the 1930s, DEC (then known as New York’s Conservation Department) has participated in events at the New York State Fairgrounds. In this episode, hosts Sean and Erica are joined by Oneida Fish Hatchery Manager Bill Evans and Public Participation Specialist Emma Antolos to explore how DEC staff from the Divisions of Lands and Forests, Fish and Wildlife, Law Enforcement, Forest Protection, and...

Bats are the world’s only flying mammal and New York State is home to nine different species. In this episode, hosts Sean and Erica are joined by DEC Wildlife Biologists Casey Kennedy and Ashley Meyer with the Division of Fish and Wildlife to explain how DEC’s Bat Diversity Program tracks population changes and distribution of bats throughout the state. Guests also discuss the many benefits bats p...

Established in 1949, New York’s Artificial Reef Program is the oldest in the U.S. In this episode, hosts Sean and Erica are joined by DEC Marine Biologist Christopher LaPorta and Division Director Marty Gary to dive into the history of the State’s artificial reef network and how it artificial reefs help conserve, protect, and improve marine habitat for a variety of species. Guests also discuss how...

New York State is rich in minerals, including sand, gravel, bluestone, zinc, and salt, which are mined for industrial and construction uses and the U.S. Geological Survey estimates the annual value of New York's mineral production at $1.84 billion. In this episode, hosts Sean and Erica are joined by Psalm Wyckoff, Section Chief for the Mined Land Reclamation Program, and Jami June, Mined Land Recl...

In this episode, hosts Sean and Erica speak with Officer Mary Frano and Officer Craig Tompkins from DEC’s Region 3 (lower Hudson Valley) about the agency’s wide-ranging front line efforts to protect New Yorkers and the environment. Conversations explore the critical work of DEC’s Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs) who help protect New York’s air, water, wildlife, and public safety....

In this episode, hosts Sean and Erica welcome Gordon Batcheller, retired DEC’s Wildlife Bureau Chief and current Wildlife Biologist with the Northeast Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, and Mike Menza, Environmental Program Specialist with DEC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, to discuss the extraordinary restoration success story for New York State’s wild turkey population, the spring an...

Hosts Sean and Erica speak with Captain Nancy Ganswindt and Forest Ranger Chuck Kabrehl about the critical work of DEC’s Division of Forest Protection in responding to wildfires and wilderness emergencies across the State. From fighting forest fires to conducting backcountry rescues to enforcing the laws of New York State, their talents are many. Capt. Ganswindt and Ranger Kabrehl also share their...

In this episode, hosts Sean and Erica are joined by DEC Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton about the opportunities and challenges leading New York’s expansive environmental agency, the foundational role of the State’s natural environment to the health and well-being of all New Yorkers, and the importance of standing up and leading on environmental protections.   Episode Notes: Acting Commissioner A...

In this episode, hosts Sean and Erica are joined by staff from DEC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife— Roy “JR” Jacobson, Habitat Protection Section Head, and Krista Spohr, Freshwater Wetlands Outreach Coordinator—for a conversation about the newly adopted freshwater wetland regulations and general permits, how DEC determines where wetlands are located to enhance conservation efforts statewide, and t...

DEC’s Spills staff respond to more than 10,000 spills each year, part of the agency’s real-time emergency management of petroleum and hazardous and non-hazardous material releases that can have direct impacts to local streams, water supplies, and public health. In this episode, hosts Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar and Chief of Staff Erica Ringewald are joined by staff from DEC’s Division of Envir...

In this episode, hosts Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar and Chief of Staff Erica Ringewald are joined by Julie Berlinski, a research scientist with DEC’s Bureau of Water Resource Management, and Division of Water environmental program specialists Alene Onion and Leila Mitchell, to discuss the need to reduce rock salt use and how to do it. While the use of rock salt on roadways and sidewalks is nece...

In this episode, we explore the work of DEC’s Division of Water to protect the iconic Great Lakes, the largest freshwater ecosystem in the world. DEC’s Great Lakes Program is the largest watershed by land area, working across over 42 percent of the state’s land area and along over 750 miles of shoreline. New York's Great Lakes Basin includes Lake Erie, Niagara River, Lake Ontario, and the St. Lawr...

In this episode, we take a closer look at how DEC supported recovery efforts as part of the New York State Incident Management Team (IMT) operations in the city of Asheville, NC, following the devastation of Hurricane Helene in September 2024. Hosts Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar and Chief of Staff Erica Ringewald welcome Division of Forest Protection Forest Ranger Captain Adam Pickett and Divisi...

November is Native American Heritage Month, a nationwide celebration of the contributions of Indigenous peoples and celebration of their heritage, traditions, culture, art, and history while acknowledging how society has impacted Indigenous peoples and culture. New York State was the first state to recognize ‘American Indian Day’ in 1916, originally observed on the second Saturday in May. In this...

Hunting remains one of the most popular forms of outdoor wildlife recreation in New York State, with more than 565,000 licensed hunters generating approximately $1.5 billion in economic activity each year. In this episode, hosts Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar and Chief of Staff Erica Ringewald are joined by Timothy Pyszczynski and Brendan Quirion—Wildlife Biologists with DEC’s Division of Fish an...

Every October, more than 5,000 students and educators from across New York State participate in the annual A Day in the Life of the Hudson and Harbor. The event provides opportunities for hands-on activities to encourage discovery and interest in protecting the Hudson River ecosystem. This episode, hosts Sean and Erica welcome Chris Bowser—Education Coordinator with DEC’s Hudson River National Est...