beverly hazen
“Is there a view of the lake through the trees?” is the topic for today’s Lake Walk. Meet Rick Constantino at 6:30 p.m. at the Heinz Fitness Center on South Lake Drive, below the Youth Activities Center.
Constantino will give a unique perspective on how to combine beautiful trees with a beautiful view along a lake shore. He said he plans to walk with the event’s participants down to the waterfront and talk about the view of the lake while identifying the different species of trees on Chautauqua’s lakefront. He knows that people want to see the lake and its beauty, but he also wants to explore with them the importance of a view of the lake through the trees.
“Trees aren’t the bad guy,” he said. “They can be the important part. The lake shore is the last chance, like the red zone in football.”
He said that trees provide ecological functions in the watershed. For example, trees along a shoreline help keep sentiments and nutrients from entering the lake. This results in improved water quality as well as an improved wildlife habitat.
Constantino is a senior biologist and eco-services manager at Forecon, Inc., a forestry and natural resources company in Jamestown, N.Y. He is also a former watershed coordinator for Chautauqua County.
The Bird, Tree & Garden Club, in cooperation with the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, sponsors this event. A portable sound system is used for amplification during the Lake Walk.
The Chautauquan Daily 
