Seatuck is seeking to hire a part-time Development Coordinator to help the organization ready the nature center and move to the next level. Please pass the word on to anyone you know who might be interested. The full job description and application instructions can be downloaded below.
Download Coordinator Job Description
For the first time ever, scientists have established the presence of blue whales (the largest animals ever!) off the coast of Long Island. Their full press release is below. But be sure to visit their website to hear it for yourself.
“These endangered blue whales are the largest animals ever to have lived on this planet, and their voices can travel across an ocean. It’s just amazing to hear one singing out there on New York’s ocean stage only tens of miles from Carnegie Hall and Broadway!” said Christopher Clark, director of Cornell’s BRP. “This opens a whole new universe of opportunities for all of us to learn more about and appreciate these species and the vitality of New York’s marine environment.”
The architect, Grosvenor Atterbury, who designed the Scully building in 1916, is the subject of a beautiful new book by Peter Pennoyer and Anne Walker. The large, 300-page book, titled The Architecture of Grosvenor Atterbury (Norton 2009), is full of details about Atterbury's life and photos of his work. The building we refer to as "Scully" was designed for Harold and Lousine Weekes (Happy Scully's parents) and inspired by Azay-le-Rideau, a French castle in the Loire Valley. The owners named the building "Wereholme." It is featured in the new book as the "last major house Atterbury designed on Long Island." The description includes several 1920's photos of the building and reproductions of Atterbury's original plans. We hope to get Mr. Pennoyer and Ms. Walker to visit Scully to do a presentation on Atterbury later this year. Keep an eye on our calender if you're interested.- Enrico
The electricians started installing lampposts around the Scully driveway and parking lot this week. They look great - as if they've been there all along. The outdoor lighting will be a welcomed addition for anyone who has tried to navigate their way back to their car in the dark over the past few years.
Nearly everyone who has visited Scully over the past few years has had to brave the holes (some have said ponds) that had developed in the driveway. Depending on the weather and the level of heavy machinery traffic, they have varied from being a source of lighthearted small talk to a source of genuine concern for the safety of vehicles and the feasibility of passage. They caused more than a few drivers to reverse course and opt for a dry parking spot on South Bay Avenue. In their time the holes had become legendary; as much a part of the Scully experience as the building and property itself. But - I imagine few are sad to say - their time has come to an end (at least for now). The County's contractors started work on the driveway and parking lot last week and are nearly done with the job. After scraping out several inches of dirt from the surfaces they have been covering the driveway and parking lot with as much as eight inches of recycled concrete aggregate (or RCA as it's known). As they've spread it out (truckload after truckload after truckload), the RCA has created a smooth ride and added a whole new level of readiness to the facility. It's a welcome change, even if we've lost a little adventure.
Mrs. Scully's huge bed of daffodils in the woods off the back of the house are in full bloom. The mix of yellow and white flowers seems to glow in the otherwise still winter-like surroundings. On the other hand, the 2,000 bulbs that were donated by the Van Bourgondien family and planted last fall on the terrace were a little behind. In fact, as I've watched for them day after day over the past few weeks, I was starting to have my worries. But I'm happy to report that they've finally started to poke through the surface! They should be in bloom in a week or so; maybe in time for Earth Day if we're lucky!
- Enrico
With winter (finally) giving way to spring, the landscapers from Brett Landscaping recently got back to work at Scully. They've just finished the beautiful bluestone terrace on the front of the building that will serve as the main entrance to the nature center. The terrace spans across the entire front of the building. From there a bluestone ramp leads down to a circular drop-off area along the driveway. It looks great and the installation of the front entrance makes the whole project seems much closer to being finished.
Work on Scully continued throughout October, with the pace ebbing and flowing from week to week ... even day to day. One day there would be a dozen workers buzzing around the place, the next day it'd be quiet. The painters were the most steady presence in the early part of the month (as was the near constant beeping of their hydraulic lifts). More recently it's been the electricians - they've been on site rewiring the entire first floor. Activity picked up noticeably this week with the commencement of two new jobs: insulating the attic and tiling portions of the first floor. Here are some recent photos ...
Seatuck is joining with The Nature Conservancy to sponsor a conference on the management and restoration of Long Island's salt marshes. The 2008 Long Island Salt Marsh Symposium is being held at the Ronkonkoma Courtyard by Marriott on November 12th and 13th. The gathering, which will feature some of the nation's leading salt marsh ecologists and managers, seeks to help Long Island municipalities develop strategies for managing and restoring salt marsh habitat based on the best available science and experience.
