Paul Stoutenburgh Preserve
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Sep
May 23, 2013, 7:49:47 PM5/23/13
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Those of you who are regulars at the Town's Arshamomaque Pond Preserve in Southold are probably aware that the Town renamed the preserve in honor of Paul Stoutenburgh a couple months back. The Town is having a formal to ceremony to honor Paul on June 13th at the preserve. See below for the invite they sent out.
I would have to guess that most members of this group know at least a little about Paul and his dedication to nature and the environment on the East End. If not, here's a quick run down of what I know about him. He was the compiler of the Orient Christmas Bird Count for 27 years, a long time and charter participant in the Central Suffolk CBC, a regular participant in other East End CBCs, the local Winter Waterfowl counter for years, the author of Focus On Nature articles for the Suffolk Times for some 40 years or so and he helped with the Moore's Woods trail system developed in the early 1970s that many of us still walk to this day. I'm sure there's lots more but that's more than enough to prove he deserves a local preserve to be named after him in my book.
From what I've been told his health will not allow him to attend the ceremony but his family will be there so I hope we can get a good contingent of members of this group to attend the ceremony and show our appreciation for Paul and what he's done for nature, the environment and us.
I would have to guess that most members of this group know at least a little about Paul and his dedication to nature and the environment on the East End. If not, here's a quick run down of what I know about him. He was the compiler of the Orient Christmas Bird Count for 27 years, a long time and charter participant in the Central Suffolk CBC, a regular participant in other East End CBCs, the local Winter Waterfowl counter for years, the author of Focus On Nature articles for the Suffolk Times for some 40 years or so and he helped with the Moore's Woods trail system developed in the early 1970s that many of us still walk to this day. I'm sure there's lots more but that's more than enough to prove he deserves a local preserve to be named after him in my book.
From what I've been told his health will not allow him to attend the ceremony but his family will be there so I hope we can get a good contingent of members of this group to attend the ceremony and show our appreciation for Paul and what he's done for nature, the environment and us.
Paul Stoutenburgh Preserve
In honor of environmentalist and
former Town Councilman
Paul Stoutenburgh
Please join
Supervisor Scott A. Russell
Legislator Albert Krupski, Jr.
Paul’s wife, family, many friends and admirers
Re-Naming of Arshamomaque Pond Preserve
Date: Thursday, June 13, 2013
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Paul Stoutenburgh Preserve*
Route 25 (Main Rd), Southold, New York
In case of rain: Southold Town Hall – Meeting Hall
53095 Route 25 (Main Rd), Southold, NY
*Route 25 east through Southold, 1500 feet east of Port of Egypt Marina Complex. Preserve entrance is located on north side of Rt 25 before bridge. Parking available diagonally across from preserve entrance on southwest side of Rt 25 along Old Main Road.
Sep
Jun 12, 2013, 7:34:40 PM6/12/13
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Just a reminder to all that this is happening tomorrow. It looks like the weather will not be cooperating but if that is the case the ceremony will be in the meeting hall at Southold Town Hall.
Sep
Jun 17, 2013, 7:49:49 PM6/17/13
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I thought that those of you that were unable to attend the ceremony might want to read the following, which was read by Barbara Stoutenburgh as part of the ceremony.
When told of this preserve being named for him, Paul sat with his family around him for a few minutes and then said quietly, "I'm overwhelmed! I'm honored." Over the years Paul never cared who got credit for something done as long as the job was done. He wanted you to know he would like to have been here today except his Parkinson's just doesn't allow him to do all the things he'd like to do at age 91.
In going over the journals of Paul's life recently, we ran across a poem that I think speaks for him. You know of his weekly writings about the world around him and his work trying to save important lands for the future but this is about Paul, the man, written by him some years ago.
LOOKING BACK
I know where the largest rock on the island lies
And how the warm sandy beach was formed
I know the smell of creek mud black and soft
And what part the waving thatch grass plays
I've dug for clams, scooped for scallops
Caught the eels by firelight
I cooked on the beach with seaweed and rock
I've cut the trees for firewood
Split and piled them high
And raked the lawn each spring and fall
Sailed a boat when winds and tides
Played tricks with me
Swam on top of the sparkling bay
Dove beneath in another world
Watched the great blue stalk
Its evening meal
Walked the pebbled beach
On starry nights
I've built a home and moved a barn and strung a fence
Collected eggs and downed a steer each year
Banked the wood stove to last til dawn
Put out the cat that rules the house
Put down my well and drank with joy its water clean
Laid down the bricks, a path for friends to come and go
Each year planted a garden for food and delight
Pulled apples, peaches and pears as summer ended
Kept the busy bees in hives and spun their golden honey
Smoked with apple wood the fish, the eels, the venison
Seen the wonders of a boy and a girl and then another boy
We slid down the back hill and skated the pond
And so it was a sense of place was found and I a part of it.
On Thursday, May 23, 2013 7:49:47 PM UTC-4, Sep wrote:
When told of this preserve being named for him, Paul sat with his family around him for a few minutes and then said quietly, "I'm overwhelmed! I'm honored." Over the years Paul never cared who got credit for something done as long as the job was done. He wanted you to know he would like to have been here today except his Parkinson's just doesn't allow him to do all the things he'd like to do at age 91.
In going over the journals of Paul's life recently, we ran across a poem that I think speaks for him. You know of his weekly writings about the world around him and his work trying to save important lands for the future but this is about Paul, the man, written by him some years ago.
LOOKING BACK
I know where the largest rock on the island lies
And how the warm sandy beach was formed
I know the smell of creek mud black and soft
And what part the waving thatch grass plays
I've dug for clams, scooped for scallops
Caught the eels by firelight
I cooked on the beach with seaweed and rock
I've cut the trees for firewood
Split and piled them high
And raked the lawn each spring and fall
Sailed a boat when winds and tides
Played tricks with me
Swam on top of the sparkling bay
Dove beneath in another world
Watched the great blue stalk
Its evening meal
Walked the pebbled beach
On starry nights
I've built a home and moved a barn and strung a fence
Collected eggs and downed a steer each year
Banked the wood stove to last til dawn
Put out the cat that rules the house
Put down my well and drank with joy its water clean
Laid down the bricks, a path for friends to come and go
Each year planted a garden for food and delight
Pulled apples, peaches and pears as summer ended
Kept the busy bees in hives and spun their golden honey
Smoked with apple wood the fish, the eels, the venison
Seen the wonders of a boy and a girl and then another boy
We slid down the back hill and skated the pond
And so it was a sense of place was found and I a part of it.
On Thursday, May 23, 2013 7:49:47 PM UTC-4, Sep wrote:
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