GLIN==> Press release: Barrier Dunes of Eastern Lake Ontario documentary debuts Feb. 28

PRESS RELEASE:  February 10, 2010
Contact:           
... Mary Penney, New York Sea Grant, 315-312-3042
... Michael S. Ameigh, Michael.ameigh at oswego.edu
... Dale Wagner, WCNY TV, 315-453-2424
 
³Barrier Dunes of Eastern Lake Ontario² Documentary Debuts Feb. 28
 
Oswego, NY ­ Natural beauty, a lakeside recreational playground, a unique
and fragile environmental resource ­ all this and more are the focus of the
new documentary ³Barrier Dunes of Eastern Lake Ontario² set to premier on
Sunday, February 28, 2010 at 3pm and 10:30pm on WCNY-TV Channel 24 and Time
Warner Digital Channel 850, Syracuse, NY.
 
Producer and videographer Dr. Michael S. Ameigh tells the story of the
nearly 17-mile-long Eastern Lake Ontario barrier dunes and wetlands system
in vibrant video and thoughtful narration in his latest film produced in
cooperation with New York Sea Grant and The Ontario Dune Coalition.
 
WCNY TV Program Manager Dale Wagner says, ³Dr. Ameigh has produced yet
another interesting program. Viewers will love ŒBarrier Dunes of Eastern
Lake Ontario¹ and may be surprised that such a unique area exists right in
our backyard for our enjoyment.²
 
³People love this area. There is nothing else like it anywhere in the world
and thousands visit here each year,² Ameigh says.
 
The dune system runs north from the mouth of the Salmon River at Port
Ontario in Oswego County to Stony Point south of Henderson Harbor in
southern Jefferson County.
 
The diverse dune system complex includes sand and cobblestone barrier
beaches, lagoon-like freshwater ponds and creeks, and limestone-lined bays
and ledges that are home to many rare dune plants and animals.
 
³Barrier Dunes of Eastern Lake Ontario² shows people enjoying the resource
by beach, boat, kayak, sailboat, canoe, personal watercraft and by hiking,
fishing and swimming. The production details the types of natural structures
that stretch from beach to inland wetlands, on significant bird and plant
species, and on invasive species.
 
³Few such areas are as accessible to the public, making efforts to educate
the public about properly using the resource an essential part of protecting
it,² Ameigh says.
 
Ameigh places a special focus on the Eastern Lake Ontario Dune Stewards that
interact directly with shoreline users to enhance understanding of the
fragile environment.
 
³One of the challenges of the modern era is to educate the public about the
importance of preserving native ecology and wetland systems. The Eastern
Lake Ontario Dune Stewards is a joint local, regional, state and federal
partnership that is mounting an unprecedented effort to educate residents
and visitors about how to both enjoy and protect the dune system,² Ameigh
says.
 
³The Eastern Lake Ontario Dune Stewards interact face-to-face with dune
visitors and the result has improved understanding of the history, geology,
geography, ecology and critical importance of the eastern Lake Ontario
barrier dune system in the natural order,² Ameigh adds.
 
New York Sea Grant manages the Eastern Lake Ontario Dune Steward Program in
cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation, the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic
Preservation, and The Nature Conservancy.
 
Steward Program Coordinator Mary Penney says, ³Dr. Ameigh does a fine job of
showcasing the Eastern Lake Ontario dune system natural area. I am thrilled
he has highlighted the Stewards¹ educational efforts and offered tips for
how viewers and visitors can make a difference by properly enjoying this
rare and critical natural resource.²
 
Other videos by Dr. Ameigh, who is Assistant Provost and an Associate
Professor of Communication Studies at SUNY Oswego, are ³Winter Water Birds
of Eastern Lake Ontario,² ³River of Rushes: An Introduction to Upstate New
York¹s Montezuma Wetlands,² and ³Footprints of the Ice Age: The Laurentide
Ice Sheet in Upstate New York." #
 
Images available by request to karalynn at gisco.net, specify high or low res:
·       Steward Program Coordinator Mary Penney (2nd from right) and the
Eastern Lake Ontario Dune Stewards present Dr. Michael S. Ameigh (4th from
left) with a Bob McNamara painting of the Eastern Lake Ontario shoreline
·       Visitors enjoy a summer day along the dunes of Eastern Lake Ontario
·       Protective dune walkover at Black Pond Wildlife Management Area
·       Birding along the dunes of Eastern Lake Ontario at Black Pond
Wildlife Management Area
 

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