What "Nature-based" things do you like/not like about Long Island? (Nassau: house, tornadoes)

[totallyfrazzled]

Leaving aside all the usual discussions about stuff like taxes, cost of living, traffic, demographics, yadda yadda...

What "nature-based" things (weather, topography, natural resources, animal and plant life) do you like and/or dislike about LI?

What I like:

* That we truly have all 4 seasons without having any serious stretches (meaning from a few days to a couple of weeks at most) of extremes of heat or cold.

* That our winters are just cold enough to prevent these three particular Horrible Insects from establishing themselves: Fire ants, Drywood termites, and Palmetto bugs.

* That within a 20-mile north/south stretch, LI spans the entire range of topography/soil/plant conditions from hilly/acid/evergreen-oaks to flat/alkaline/sandy/deciduous-beach-marsh. As a serious gardener this is like being a kid in a candy store.

* That we're situated along the Atlantic Flyway which is great for birders. In addition LI supports a wide variety of both summer, migrant, and year-round birds due to its location, climate, and natural resources.

* That we aren't visited or threatened on a yearly basis by serious natural disasters (hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, earthquakes) or even recurring blizzards that dump a foot of snow at a time every winter.

* That as soon as you get south of Montauk Highway (often even not far south of Sunrise Highway, depending on the strength of the wind) you can smell that wonderful salt air before you even see the ocean or the bay.

* That no matter where you are on LI there are seagulls. Some people may think they are pests but every time I've been in an inland area I miss the sight and sound of them!

What I don't like:

* That because of amount of artificial lighting we can't see very many stars. This "light pollution" is unavoidable in any densely populated region. I've only seen the Milky Way once in my life and that was when I was a teenager on vacation in rural Pennsylvania. It was magnificent and it would be so nice to be able to have the same view from my backyard. This is of course not the fault of LI's natural characteristics but rather a consequence of development. However, it was already that way back in the 1950s when I grew up in Nassau County, so it's not anything new by any means.

[scottzilla]

There are many, many natural aspects to LI that are cool and many people aren't even aware of them.
The pine Barrens is the largest minature pine forrest in the world (and getting smaller as we build more suburban sprawl).
The pine barrens contains our drinking water, btw.
We have a diverse selection of wildlife. Unfortunately we are losing some (again, suburban sprawl). Among my favorites are 7 common species of snakes (There are no venomous snakes on LI).
I like the diversity of our coastline; rocky and rugged north shore, sandy and smooth south shore.
We have an extensive marsh system that protects our coastline and is teeming with wildlife.
Carribean fish can be caught right off of LI late Aug through Oct.

Many leave because of our winters but I think the weather saves us from looking like Miami!

[propain]

Originally Posted by totallyfrazzled

Leaving aside all the usual discussions about stuff like taxes, cost of living, traffic, demographics, yadda yadda...

What "nature-based" things (weather, topography, natural resources, animal and plant life) do you like and/or dislike about LI?

What I like:

* That we truly have all 4 seasons without having any serious stretches (meaning from a few days to a couple of weeks at most) of extremes of heat or cold.

* That our winters are just cold enough to prevent these three particular Horrible Insects from establishing themselves: Fire ants, Drywood termites, and Palmetto bugs.

* That within a 20-mile north/south stretch, LI spans the entire range of topography/soil/plant conditions from hilly/acid/evergreen-oaks to flat/alkaline/sandy/deciduous-beach-marsh. As a serious gardener this is like being a kid in a candy store.

* That we're situated along the Atlantic Flyway which is great for birders. In addition LI supports a wide variety of both summer, migrant, and year-round birds due to its location, climate, and natural resources.

* That we aren't visited or threatened on a yearly basis by serious natural disasters (hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, earthquakes) or even recurring blizzards that dump a foot of snow at a time every winter.

* That as soon as you get south of Montauk Highway (often even not far south of Sunrise Highway, depending on the strength of the wind) you can smell that wonderful salt air before you even see the ocean or the bay.

* That no matter where you are on LI there are seagulls. Some people may think they are pests but every time I've been in an inland area I miss the sight and sound of them!

What I don't like:

* That because of amount of artificial lighting we can't see very many stars. This "light pollution" is unavoidable in any densely populated region. I've only seen the Milky Way once in my life and that was when I was a teenager on vacation in rural Pennsylvania. It was magnificent and it would be so nice to be able to have the same view from my backyard. This is of course not the fault of LI's natural characteristics but rather a consequence of development. However, it was already that way back in the 1950s when I grew up in Nassau County, so it's not anything new by any means.

TERMITES!!

Worst thing LI has to offer is those little critters. Ignoring them can really do a number on your home.

[lialleycat]

I love that I can go hiking alone without worrying about being mauled by a bear or large cat. However, I wish I could go hiking in warm weather without being coated in pesticides to avoid the ticks.

I also like that we do not have any poisonous snakes. So I can get as close as I dare to any I find here. Snakes are facinating.

Funny that you mentioned the seagulls, totallyfrazzled, my friend in northern CT says that's one of the things she misses about the Island - the gulls!

My biggest nature cons are the ticks and the mosquitoes and their diseases. I've had lyme twice already and west nile nearly killed one of my friend's horses. I could very nicely do without that!

[alexei27]

I like that even if it stopped raining today...much of long Island would have drinking water for the next 400 years (give or take).

I also love that the best weather (early fall) occurs just after all the summer folk leave!

[thebobs]

Originally Posted by totallyfrazzled

* That because of amount of artificial lighting we can't see very many stars. This "light pollution" is unavoidable in any densely populated region. I've only seen the Milky Way once in my life and that was when I was a teenager on vacation in rural Pennsylvania. It was magnificent and it would be so nice to be able to have the same view from my backyard. This is of course not the fault of LI's natural characteristics but rather a consequence of development. However, it was already that way back in the 1950s when I grew up in Nassau County, so it's not anything new by any means.

Actually you can see the Milky Way from Long Island, you just have to know where to go and when.

When, mainly in the fall and winter when you get a strong cold front. These usually clear the sky really good. Spring and summer can work, but its generally hazy and that cuts down a lot on your views.

Where, the beaches on the south shore. At night, and with not as much light around, you can see the Milky Way. It won't pop right out at you, but you just have to adjust your eyes and scan the sky. You'll eventually pick it up.

North Shore beaches won't cut it thanks to Connecticut lighting up the sky over there.

You may have a chance at both ends of the forks but I never tried it.


Now as for me, the pros are:

A lot of lakes/ponds/rivers where you can go just to relax. Yes we may have a lot of areas that are built up, but there are a lot of small parks to go for some peace and quiet. Yes there are areas you can go into and not hear cars from the roads.

Wildlife. You can see ducks, geese, gulls, hawks, birds, deer and fox (though fox are very very hard to spot). But at least you can find something.

Photography. Yes I know we don't have majestic mountains like the Rockies or Alaska type views, or huge waterfalls or deep canyons. But we do have a lot of nice picturesque areas along the water and when you get wildlife or flowers mixed in there, you can take pictures and a lot of people won't realize you're on Long Island.

I know gulls get a bad rap because they're known for going for garbage food, but the thing is, they're clean birds. The reason they go for it is because it is easily accessible. Easier than looking around for clams or shellfish. Put it this way, if someone puts a candybar up on a hill and another one 2 feet away from you, which one are you going to walk to? Gulls don't know what garbage is. If they understood it, I doubt they'd be going there for dinner.

Cons: Ticks!!!

[totallyfrazzled]

Originally Posted by propain

TERMITES!!

Worst thing LI has to offer is those little critters. Ignoring them can really do a number on your home.

But at least we only have ONE of the two types of termites: the subterranean ones. In the more southern states, they have our kind PLUS the drywood termites! Drywood termites are the reason people have to "tent" their entire house in order to eradicate them. Can you imagine having to enclose your entire home in plastic and then pump insecticide into the "tent"?!

(There is a third type of termite which we don't have, as well: the Formosan. That is a subterranean kind as well but thankfully is also only a problem in the South because it's too cold for it here. It originally was brought here from Asia when our military supplies were shipped back here after WWII.)

[totallyfrazzled]

Originally Posted by alexei27

I like that even if it stopped raining today...much of long Island would have drinking water for the next 400 years (give or take).

Thanks, I'd forgotten that but that's another of the things I like too: That our drinking water comes from our own local aquifer instead of a surface source that is constantly being bombarded with surface runoff contaminants and who-knows-what chemical pollutants in the atmosphere.

At least our public water supply aquifers are far enough underground so that the many layers of soil act as a giant filtration system.

[S.I.B.]

I could do without the winters...but I understand why many people love them.

While we regularly don't have to worry about major hurricanes, I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before the "big one" comes and does some major damage to the south shore.

[thebobs]

Originally Posted by S.I.B.

I could do without the winters...but I understand why many people love them.

While we regularly don't have to worry about major hurricanes, I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before the "big one" comes and does some major damage to the south shore.

Very true. However I'd rather take my chances here than in Florida.