Otselic River Program Set

SOUTH OTSELIC—The Otselic Valley Fishing and Heritage Association announced that it will sponsor a three-part, literacy-based educational program titled “The Circle of Reciprocity—Our Gift, the Otselic River” this fall. Michael Foor-Pessin, a local English teacher, will lead discussions of Robin Wall Kimmerer’s “Braiding Sweet Grass” and Lynda Rutledge’s “West with Giraffes.” Fifty copies of each book will be given out free of charge on a first come, first served basis. Reading the books and participating in the discussion is not required, especially for residents who are more interested in the environmental topics.

Along with the literary talk, a variety of presenters from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the Finger Lakes Prism, the supervisor of the Town of Georgetown and Jessica Farmer from the Oneida Nation will speak about the history and ecology of the Otselic River. The event will be held at 7 p.m. at the South Otselic United Methodist Church on Saturday, September 9, Saturday, October 7 and Saturday, November 4.

The purpose of this Follett Foundation-sponsored program is to generate community-wide discussion about stewardship of the Otselic Valley’s major natural resource among citizens of the nine communities between the headwaters in the Town of Nelson and the mouth at Whitney Point. Educators will speak about control strategies to combat invasive terrestrial and riparian plants, such as Japanese knotweed, and develop coordinated plans among the seven highway departments whose crews often encounter them.