Tours, and/or VOLUNTEERS!!!!!!!
NCF Shuttle July 27, 28 & August 3
From SYRACUSE At the Syracuse Hancock Airport, we have reserved The Veronica Room. This will provide refuge for those waiting for a shuttle to HWS. It’s located on the 2nd level of the airport, Terminal A side, near the Terminal A exit lanes (the boundary between the pre- and post- security side of the airport). We will have a volunteer present in the room to greet you.
​2024 Current Issue Topic
"Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future"
Resources will be available on or before September 15, 2023 on the NCF Envirothon website for this event.
Advisor/Guests Activities Tours
​Monday, July 29, 2024 - Guest and Advisor Tour #1 starts at Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge. Montezuma NWR is globally renowned for birding and nature photography. Depending on the time of the year, various wildlife and waterfowl can be seen when hiking the miles of trails within the reserve. Lunch will be provided at the Visitors Center. Then it's on to visit a local artisanal cheese production plant. Muranda Cheese Company produces over 17 types of cheeses that have been recognized for their superior artisanal quality.There will be a complimentary cheese tasting at their store.
Guest and Advisor Tour #2 starts at Muranda Cheese Company, a local artisanal cheese production plant that produces over 17 types of cheeses that have been recognized for their superior quality.The tour then heads back to the Victorian age to tour Sonnenberg Gardens, a 50-acre estate, just one of the two public gardens in the New York State Parks System. Sonnenberg, which means "sunny hill" in German, is distinctive for its extraordinary collections of period architecture, garden statuary, themed gardens of the world including a Japanese Garden and Teahouse, and a Lord & Burnham Greenhouse Complex.A tram will be available for individuals with limited mobility.
Tuesday, July 30, 2024 - Guest and Advisor, Tour #1 steps back in time to learn the early history of the fight for equal rights for all at the Women’s Rights National Historical Park. Here visitors will hear the story of the first Woman's Rights Convention, held in Seneca Falls, New York on July 19-20, 1848. It is a story of struggles for civil rights, human rights, and equality. Lunch will be provided at the park. After lunch, the tour continues on with a Cornell University Agritech visit.
Tuesday's Guest and AdvisorTour #2 starts with a 1.5 hour guided tour of Seneca Lake from the beautiful waters of the lake (Yes, there is a bathroom on the boat). Lunch will be provided at The Finger Lakes Welcome Center in Geneva where the theme, "Wine and Water," pays tribute to the region's famous vineyards and namesake lakes. While there, Guests can enjoy a taste of the region’s outstanding selections of wine.After lunch, the tour continues down Seneca Lake to Deer Haven
Park which now occupies a portion of the former Seneca Army Depot, a US Military munitions storage facility built in 1941. For over 75 years, the Seneca Army Depot was closed to the public. Today, Deer
Haven Park is offering a glimpse into its mysterious past and a chance to see the unique wildlife that resides within its fences, from wild turkeys, beavers, and American Bald Eagles to the Majestic Seneca
white deer!
Thursday, August, 1, 2024 - Guests and Advisors Tour #1 will spend the day exploring the Finger Lake Region’s varied agriculture farms and the unique challenges of farming in the diverse topography of the region. The first stop is at Fox Run Vineyards then it's onto Lawnhurst Farms in Stanley, New York. They use a number of environmental best management practices. The farm’s anaerobic digester turns manure and other organic waste into electricity—enough to power 420 homes per day! After Lunch, travel to Ganondagan State Historic Site located in Victor, NY only New York State Historic Site dedicated to a Native American theme and the only Seneca town developed and interpreted in
the United States. Ganondagan is the original site of a 17th century Seneca town which existed there peacefully more than 350 years ago. The culture, art, agriculture, and government of the Seneca people influenced our modern understanding of equality, democratic government, women's rights, ecology and natural foods. The full size Seneca Bark Longhouse is fully furnished to reflect a typical Seneca family from the late 1600's, complete with reproductions of 17th century Seneca objects and colonial-era trade goods.
Thursday Guests and Advisors Tour #2 takes the outdoor adventure to Watkins Glen State Park, one of the most famous of the Finger Lakes State Parks, with a reputation for leaving visitors spellbound. Within two miles, the glen's stream descends 400 feet past 200-foot cliffs, generating 19 waterfalls along its course. Watkins Glen State Park was a 3rd place winner of USA Today's Reader' Choice Poll for Best State Parks in the United States. After lunch at the park, enjoy window shopping or a full on shopping spree downtown on Franklin Street in Watkins Glen. There are a variety of shops including souvenirs, clothing, art, and sporting goods. Don't forget to stop at a local restaurant for a nice relaxing break!
​Fun Day News
Wednesday, July 31, 2024 - We are planning a really great Educational/Fun Day in Niagara Falls, NY. Taking a ride on the Maid of the Mist, exploring the Niagara Falls area. Additional plans are to tour the NYS Power Authority plant. Touring and having lunch on Goat Island, along with a other fun activities.
Volunteer Registration
Our Volunteer Coordinator, Danielle Parker is creating the Volunteer registration packet for the 2024 NCF Envirothon event. To volunteer please see the jobs that need filling for the week of this great event. You can spend a day, a couple days, or the whole week helping us do what is necessary to make this a great event.
As a volunteer you must have Minor safety training. Below is the link for that training. Please forward a copy or add it when you sign-up to volunteer to Danielle Parker.
Minors Policy
1. Click the appropriate learning path training link. Protecting Minors
2. Complete the Sign-In Process.
3. Once you are signed in it will take you to the training page. Complete the training session.
4. When training is completed make a copy of your certificate and forward to Danielle Parker.
Minors on Campus Training - Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Click on the links to see what the duties are and when volunteers are needed: