State DEC Visits Huntington
Science Classes
Huntington High School science students enjoyed a special treat when the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation recently paid a visit for a series of 85 minute presentations.
Huntington students from Living Environment, Bilingual Living Environment, Living Environment Honors, AP Biology and Science Research classes participated in the sessions.
Ron Gelardi, a representative of the DEC's public affairs and education department discussed the most common reasons that wildlife diversity is being reduced worldwide.
The DEC has been coming to Huntington High School for the wildlife conservation presentations for the past five years. Mr. Gelardi connected with the teenagers. "He brought with him many items that had been confiscated by US Customs agents," said Deborah Beck, a Huntington science teacher.
The items seized by the US Customs agents are regulated by the CITES Treaty. The United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora Treaty is a voluntary international agreement adopted in 1973 during a meeting of the World Conservation Union
The treaty's purpose "is to help the survival of endangered plant and animal species by limiting or controlling their international trade," Mrs. Beck explained. "Mr. Gelardi educated our students about this treaty and spoke about the necessity of the treaty and some success stories due to the treaty."
Mr. Gelardi also addressed various aspects of conservation in New York. He suggested several actions that could mitigate some of the impacts on wildlife diversity - methods of lessening the 'footprint' each person leaves on earth.
"These presentations aligns directly to the Living Environment Regents curriculum and are an interesting way to review human impact on the environment," Mrs. Beck said.