March 12, 2025
Reporter: Katie Marks
Wednesday, March 19th meeting:Dr. La Jerne “Terry” Cornish, President, Ithaca College
“Leading in Turbulent Times”
DOWNTOWN ITHACA CONFERENCE CENTER and on Zoom
WELCOME & TRADITIONS
NOTE: you can watch previous meetings by going to our YouTube channel!
President Angela Sullivan welcomed those in the room at Moakley House and those on Zoom—and scolded those that decided to sit in the back of the room! Angela urged all to sit closer next week before leading us in the Four-Way Test—from memory, since the banner wasn’t there!
Angela introduced our guests from the podium:
- Jyl Dowd, guest of Frank Towner
- Jill Galloway, guest of Heidi Goldstein (Jyl and Jill own Jyl’s Photo Booth)
- Zach Schmitt
- Dr. Leann Kanda, Ithaca College, our speaker
There were no visiting Rotarians.
Angela described our Rotarian in the Wild program to those unfamiliar, and then asked for the drum roll: she announced that Chuck Bartosch was the winner, and the spotter was Nancy Potter!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Bob Gravani sent out an email for the Spring Highway Cleanup scheduled for Saturday, April 19
th to coincide with Earth Day weekend. If interested, let Bob know directly (
rbg2@cornell.edu) or respond to the ClubRunner invitation!
President Angela reminded us that we are continuing to sort items at the Finger Lakes ReUse MegaCenter every other Thursday from 5 to 8 PM, the next being on March 20
th. Sign up online
HERE. It’s fun and it’s helping to fund our Community Grants!
Linda Brisson announced that we have 3 inbound and 5 outbound exchange students who will attend our Rotary District Conference. RYE needs help transporting these students to and from Albany (April 4–6); contact Linda at 607-972-9777 if you are able to lend your time and vehicle.
Gilbert Hammer is an avid bicyclist and can’t help but notice the biking gear worn by others! If you are a biker of any sort (road, mountain, casual) and would be interested in Rotary branded gear, reach out to Gilbert at
gilbert@hammermediagroup.comPresident Angela reminded all to utilize ClubRunner if one need's to locate a member's email or phone number.
In closing, she shared that, along with the Dryden Club, we are sponsoring six students from high schools in our area to present on April 30
th at the “Climate Health is Public Health: A Night at the Museum of the Earth.” Moderated by New York Assembly member Anna Kelles, the students will share a youth perspective on combating climate change as one of the events that evening. Find out more here:
Climate Health is Public Health Event
LAST WEEK’S PRESENTATION
“A Real Life Game of Frogger: Conservation Efforts for Amphibians at a Local Road”
President Angela introduced Dr. Leann Kanda, Department of Biology, at Ithaca College.
Dr. Kanda led with the question to which we all wanted to know the answer: ”Why did the amphibian cross the road?” The answer is to get to the other side . . . but why? The reason is love! Amphibious love that is, with one goal in mind: to reproduce.
Amphibians (frogs, toads, salamanders, newts) live in the woods, but once a year, in order to continue the survival of their species, most must lay their eggs in water, which means they must emerge out of the woods and into ponds and wetlands to breed. And sometimes, these slow-moving animals encounter a dangerous obstacle between the woods and their breeding grounds, increasing their likelihood of death: a road.
In this particular case, the road is Thomas Road, located east of Ithaca in the Town of Caroline. This road is the busiest road for amphibious migration in Tompkins County every spring. Thomas Road is where Dr. Kanda and her team have been focusing on conservation efforts of our reclusive neighbors, mainly the iconic Spotted Salamander.
New York State is home to 18 species of salamanders, 11 species of frogs, and 3 species of toads. On Thomas Road, almost half of the species of frogs affected by road kill are Spring Peepers, and four species of salamanders are in the breeding movement: the Red Spotted Newt, the Spotted Salamander, and two listed as special status of conservation concern: the Four-Toed Salamander and the hybridized Jefferson/Blue-Spotted Salamander. Most of the data collected at Thomas Road involve the Spotted Salamander and the Jefferson/Blue-Spotted.
Why should we worry about amphibians being killed during breeding season? Amphibians are an important and vulnerable part of our ecosystem. They are a critical base in our forest ecosystems, acting as the “layers that consume the small invertebrates, the worms, the insects,” and in turn are eaten by larger carnivores, sustaining the healthy food cycles of the forest.
Amphibians are also known as the “canaries in the coal mine” as they are the first animals to show responses to larger crises in the ecosystem. They are particularly vulnerable to pollutants and contaminants, climate changes affecting temperature, and habitat fragmentation—like building a road in the middle of their breeding grounds. In general, the United States is experiencing a 4% decline in amphibian populations each year, which is a catastrophic number.
When do the amphibians move from the forest to the wetlands to reproduce? Migration is strongly triggered by weather and temperature; thawed soils, the temps above 40 degrees at night, and wet conditions are ideal for the movements of these creatures. Scientists call these migrations in spring “Big Nights,” as most amphibians move at night. On average since the conservation efforts have started on Thomas Road, “Big Nights” fall around April 1st. Dr. Kanda expected the migration to begin this past weekend.
Since 2006 there have been concentrated efforts to help the salamanders during their spring crossings on Thomas Road. The study concentrates on a portion of Thomas Road that has no development on either side of the road, making it the busiest section for amphibian crossings. Volunteers known as “Citizen Scientists” gather roadside during these breeding migrations, physically counting the species and acting as crossing guards who often carry the creatures safely to the other side. Through their road surveys, they have discovered that on average 10% of the animals are still getting hit. This is not a sustainable level of mortality.
Beginning in 2013, Dr. Kanda began a long-term monitoring project of Spotted Salamanders on this section of Thomas Road to understand how successful the animals are overall in returning to breed year after year. By tagging the salamanders with microchips, Dr. Kanda and her team are able to digitally track the movement of these animals. Since salamanders live 15–20 years, the data is extremely useful in understanding the health of the population. The research has shown at least a 25% loss each year, and when compared to healthy populations, the number is too big. “We should expect this population to decline.”
Is there a better way to help? Dr. Kanda, along with a group of colleagues from Ithaca College, Cornell, Tompkins County Transport Council, and the Town of Caroline, are seeking grant possibilities to get a permanent underpass infrastructure built on the busiest migration portion of Thomas Road. Such an underpass would allow the salamanders to go under the road safely, connecting the undeveloped forest to the undeveloped wetlands. They have been using a successful underpass in Monkton, Vermont as a model.
If you are interesting in participating in population monitoring and being a Citizen Scientist, you may reach out directly to Dr. Kanda.
QUESTION: How long do the animals stay in wetlands after they arrive there from the woods? Two to three weeks, depending on how successful their breeding was. The animals do not exhibit a real hurry to get back to the woods.
QUESTION: How many underpasses would it take? Three would be best on Thomas Road as we have to funnel animals sideways to get animals to the tunnels. There are so many driveways that would make three difficult.
QUESTION: Is there evidence elsewhere that these underpasses are effective? Answer is yes! It helps additional wildlife, too.
QUESTION: Do you have signage on the roads? During migration, yes.
QUESTION: How much money do you think you need? The feasibility study has estimated approximately $500K; an engineer is doing a specific estimate this spring.
- Frank Towner: after claiming to retire from the YMCA in 2022 and then moving to the CMC Foundation for their Transforming Care Campaign (which has ended), Frank has decided to “pull the plug on May 1st.” He is excited to collect a Social Security payment, paint, and enjoy a new phase of life!
- Dale Flinn: gave a bunch of happy dollars; he was helping a friend move to Florida—and drove a 26-ft U-Haul truck on I-81! On his way back, he stopped in North Carolina to see a friend near Concord and discovered his version of heaven. At Concord Mills, an outlet mall, he found a Lionel Trains outlet store, next to a Lego store, next to a Bass Pro Shop. He may consider moving. . .
- Heidi Goldstein: happy for a successful surgery on her HEAD, so she will be modeling hats for the next month—“which is why I look so divine!”
- Kelly Buck: happy for Heidi for a sweet connection she had in Quebec; we just got back from a ski trip, including Bob Gravani and his wife, and ran into Lori Rae Silvers from the Hancock Rotary Club. “Mrs. Rotary” took pictures of Kelly and Bob and texted them to Heidi, and Kelly was tickled by the kismet of the encounter.
- Jean McPheeters: apologized for being late getting the badges to the meeting! She allowed an hour to set up a political bank account that took 1.5 hours, and then got her hair done (which looked fabulous)!
- Angela Sullivan: will make a donation to the Community Foundation for her story. Sharing that she has always had a fondness for amphibians, Angela described an influx of frogs and salamanders that appeared in the road in May 2013. She recalled the day so vividly as it was the day her husband proposed to her at the Cayuga Nature Center, and after dinner they noticed a plague of amphibians and didn’t understand until Dr. Kanda’s presentation why they were crossing the road so late in the season! Happy to know now!
The President concluded by thanking the day’s helpers and added a brief announcement for the “Good of the Order”: Our new room at Moakley House is very different with SOUND—there are no carpets or other surfaces to absorb noise, and any extra conversations bounce off the walls, easily disrupting the room. Please be respectful and hold your side conversations.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Brian Wilbur’s thought was short and sweet! Muhammad Ali once said that “service to others is the rent we pay for our room here on earth.” That simple idea is a great reminder that making a difference, no matter how small, is a responsibility and a privilege. Be a Rotarian!
NEW MEMBER
Welcome to our club new member Casey Williamson! Casey was previously a member of the Charlotte, NC Rotary Club and has recently returned to the Ithaca area. Welcome Casey!
UPCOMING MEETINGS
03/19 Dr. La Jerne “Terry” Cornish, President, Ithaca College, “Leading in
Turbulent Times”
03/26 No formal meeting
06/04 Rotary Youth Exchange: Presentations by Inbound Exchange Students
06/10 [TUESDAY] Rotary Fellow Presentation by Xavier Raick
06/17 [TUESDAY] Paul Debbie, Director of Research, Boyce Thompson
Institute (BTI)
06/25 Pass the Gavel
THANK YOU ROTARIANS
Newsletter Reporter: Katie Marks
Program Chair: Beverly Baker
Photographer: Mike Brown
Greeter: Megan Omohundro
Newsletter Editor: Loralyn Light
Setup/Teardown: Richard Kops, Sarah Segal
Cashier/Kettle Watcher: Kati Flynn
Audio/Visual Setup: Bez Thomas, Mike Brown
Recording Archive: Paul Martin; click
hereClub Service Facilitator: June Losurdo
