PAUL SMITHS, N.Y. April 23, 2024 – Paul Smith’s College announced it has received a $39,534 grant from the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership to highlight the unique heritage, and cultural and natural resources in the Champlain-Adirondack region. The project, Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Fiber Lab: Mapping Community Values in the Biosphere, engages the public in unique science learning experiences through the arts. Community members, teachers and students are welcome to join members of the college’s Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWI) in a shared experience to express how they use and value the natural, cultural and historic resources in their community through a fiber arts mapping project.

The initiative aligns with this year’s celebration of Adirondack Water Week, which will be held Aug. 3-11, to highlight the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere region.

“The Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Network (CABN) is one of the largest UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in the contiguous U.S. and is committed to enacting the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals on a local and global scale,” said Kelly Cerialo, associate professor at Paul Smith’s College and co-chair of the CABN.

The Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Reserve encompasses parts of New York and Vermont that include the Adirondack Mountains and the Lake Champlain region. It is designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which is a specialized agency of the United Nations that aims to promote peace and security through international cooperation in education, the sciences, culture, communication and information.

“The fiber arts mapping project is part of AWI’s Wool and Water initiative, which engages the public in science and art,” said Michale Glennon, senior research scientist at AWI and director of Wool and Water. “The project offers a new perspective to the region in which we live, visit and recreate, and it highlights the global significance of our region.”

Starting in April, AWI will host a series of workshops at local events for community members to participate in the collaborative art project. Lesson plans and artist supply kits will also be available to teachers in the region to use in their classes. The project will culminate in art displays during Adirondack Water Week and at venues within the Biosphere.
“Bringing people together to collectively create a visual representation of the elements they most value in their community strengthens people’s relationship with their environment, the cultural history of the region and each other,” said Tom Collins, education and outreach program manager at AWI.

More details, including workshop dates, can be found by visiting the AWI website at adkwatershed.org.

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Funding for this project came from a 2024 Special Programs Grant from the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership. To learn more about the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership and the Champlain-Adirondack Biosphere Network, visit champlainvalleynhp.org.
The mission of the Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute is to protect clean water, conserve habitat and support the health and well-being of people in the Adirondacks through scientific inquiry, stewardship and real-world experiences for students. For more info, please visit adkwatershed.org.