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Becky Nesel

@geobeckly

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📍Hudson Valley, NY
🌎 Naturalist + Science Communicator
🪨 B.S. in Geology
📩Business: [email protected]

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Have you ever thought of an abandoned quarry as a biodiversity hotspot? 🤔🪨🦋🌱🍄

Snake Rocks Preserve, in New York’s Catskill Mountains, is home to one of many abandoned bluestone quarries in the area, a memory of a once-booming industry.

In the late 1800s, bluestone was quarried all over the Catskills and used as building stone (especially sidewalks) both locally and in New York City. It was sought after for its durability, and its natural ability to be broken into beautiful flat slabs. However, once the invention of Portland cement improved the efficiency of building projects, most of these quarries were abandoned in the early 1900s.

This bluestone is a type of sandstone formed ~380 million years ago when rivers flowing off of-and eroding- towering mountains to the east (potentially as tall as the Himalayas) brought LOTS of sediment westward and deposited them into this sea, forming a large delta at the transition between land and ocean. 🌊🌄

The Catskill Mountains are the lithified remains of this river delta, sculpted over millions of years into the peaks and valleys we know now. Several different sedimentary rock types were created, one of them being this sandstone that’s known colloquially as bluestone.

When an abandoned quarry like this is taken care of and preserved, it can actually become an important place for a different kind of ecosystem to develop, where rare plants and endemic species can thrive! The high *geodiversity* acts as a driver for biodiversity. 💚

This is one of many beautiful preserves forever protected and taken care of by @woodstock_land_conservancy , and if you live in the area or ever find yourself visiting, I recommend you take some time to explore one (or multiple) of them! 🥾🌞

You can find more information about this specific preserve, as well as WLC’s other conservation areas and events at their website: woodstocklandconservancy.org

#geology #geologist #conservation #geodiversity #geoconservation #biodiversity #abandonedplaces #abandonedquarries #wildlifeconservation #ecology #ecosystemrestoration #rewilding #rewildingabandonedplaces #catskillsny #catskillmountains #upstateny #catskillmountainsny taken in Woodstock Land Conservancy by @geobeckly

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a year ago

In the last few years, I’ve become more and more interested in the connections between geology and biology/botany. It started when I was at geology field camp in Wyoming, hiking through the desert and learning how to make geological maps from observations. I noticed that certain plants would only be growing on certain rock formations, and these plants actually helped me identify which rock formation I was looking at when it was hard to confirm otherwise.

Fast forward to now, and my brain is completely consumed by the intersection between ‘non-living’ (abiotic) and ‘living’ (biotic) things in nature. While rocks aren’t considered ‘living’ by most people, they are still important, active characters in our planet’s ecosystems. In many cases, rocks provide the foundation for rare and biodiverse life!

So here are some photos I’ve taken over the last few years during my travels where I noticed this beautiful relationship:

1. Broad-leaved Stonecrop on a coastal sandstone cliff on Gabriola Island, British Columbia
2. Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mountains of California: these trees are some of the oldest living organisms on Earth, the oldest ones being about 5,000 years old! And they are growing on a high altitude rocky summit in harsh dolomite soil that is inhospitable to many plants
3. Globally rare Dwarf Pitch Pine Forest in the Shawangunk Mountains, New York: the thin, rocky soil makes it difficult for most plants to grow up here on this quartz sandstone ridge, but these little guys are resilient!
4. Pitcher Plant in a bog in the Adirondack Mountains, New York: this area of NY has a lot of wetlands/bogs because of glacial deposits from the last Ice Age
5. Sea Urchins in holes they made with their spine/teeth in sandstone at Botanical Beach, Vancouver Island BC
6. Walking Fern: a rare fern here in NYS that specifically likes to grow on limestone boulders

(Continued in comments)

#geology #botany #geologist #biodiversity by @geobeckly

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7 months ago

A long overdue intro post to me not only as ‘Geo Beck’ but also as ‘Human Becky’ 🤗

If you’re new here, welcome! If you’ve been here a while, here’s something to get you reacquainted 🌿🤓 by @geobeckly

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a year ago

This solo California road trip in the state’s Eastern Sierra was one of my favorite trips ever. It was my first time traveling fully alone and while I was nervous, I am so glad I pushed myself to try.

I love looking back at these photos and videos and feel so much gratitude for these memories and these places, their incredible geologic history, and unique diverse ecosystems. Can’t wait for next time! ⛰️

@visitcalifornia #VisitCalifornia #CaliforniaRoadTrips #EasternSierraGeology #EasternSierra taken in Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway by @geobeckly

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a day ago

I’ve *GOTS* to tell you what I learned about this symbol I saw on the labels of my new @maggiesorganics pieces!🤓

Have you ever seen the GOTS symbol before on a clothing label? It stands for Global Organic Textile Standard: a globally recognized standard for organic textiles.

Something I didn’t fully realize for the longest time is that not all organic textiles are the same. Some *are* made with organic fibers, but could have very little (or no) traceability for the several steps of the manufacturing process, making it very difficult to know if the clothes you’re wearing have been made in ways that are harmful to the environment, under unfair working conditions, or with added harmful chemicals.

There are SO many labels and marketing terms out there that are straight-up greenwashing, and many clothing brands can just add words like ‘sustainable’ or ‘eco-friendly’ to their labels without any real accountability or ways to back up these claims.

When you see the GOTS symbol on your clothing label, you can trust that it was made under these strict requirements and in ways that don’t go against your values or harm the things you care about. 🌱

#maggiesorganics #gotscertified #gotscotton #organiccotton by @geobeckly

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9 days ago

And this is just the tip of the iceberg 😅❤️ #naturalist #naturenerds #botany #geology by @geobeckly

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10 days ago

Add this to the endless list of ways geology and ecology are intertwined 🌋🌱

#geology #monobasin #monolake #geobotany taken in Mono Basin National Scenic Area by @geobeckly

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13 days ago

625+ acres of high quality forest in upstate New York’s Catskill Mountains are at risk of being destroyed for an exclusive luxury subdivision proposed by out of town developers and funded by private investors.

Local artists, Zoe Keller and Zaneta Sykes, are using their art to fight back and preserve this unique and important ecosystem. 🌲

This Friday 9/25 there will be a free community event titled “Celebration of Zena: An Immersive Forest Experience” at the historic @maverickconcerts in Woodstock where @soundartmagic will premiere their new album (which as of today is officially available for purchase online!) alongside original wildlife illustrations of the Zena Woods by @zoekellerart . There will also be a conversation hosted by Miranda Javid of @woodstock_land_conservancy 💚

If you’re local and can make it, RSVP (for free) at the link in my bio 🤓 There’s also a link in my bio to buy Zaneta’s album which is a gorgeous vinyl with the cover incorporating Zoe’s stunning art. I personally cannot wait to buy and display my own copy! 😍

Many of my childhood memories take place in the Catskills and it remains a very special place for me as an adult. I have spent time in the wildlife sanctuary protected by @woodstock_land_conservancy that borders the parcel owned by developers where this subdivision would be built, and it is truly a special place that cannot be described in words. It would be heartbreaking to see this forest and wildlife corridor destroyed for a luxury subdivision that wouldn’t even help alleviate the affordable housing shortage in the area (like the developers claim it would..) The developers themselves have said that the *minimum* price for one of these homes would be $1 million.

I have hope that with enough pushback from the local community and beyond, this project will not move forward and this beautiful forest ecosystem will be preserved for future generations.

Learn more and get involved by following @stopzenadev or go to stopzenadevelopment.org 🌲 taken in Catskill Mountains by @geobeckly

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18 days ago

I remember the first time I wore my @vivobarefoot shoes on a nature trail. It was a chilly autumn night in the woods. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but was curious about how it would feel.

I remember it feeling sort of strange at first: noticing every root and rock my feet encountered, and each subtle change in the trail’s terrain.

My soles sensed the transition from the soft pine needle covered ground, to a more rocky, hard part of the trail. I even felt the small changes in temperature as we walked from a more open area that had been exposed to sunlight most of the day, to a part of the woods that had been mostly in the shade and closer to a creek.

While it took some adjustment at first (like all new things) it felt like a whole new world had opened up to me through the soles of my feet. I didn’t realize how little I had been using these important built-in sensors of my body while walking or hiking on trails.

From there, I was excited to wear my Vivos more and more, gradually increasing the amount I wore them until my muscles and joints adjusted and I could start wearing them on longer hikes.

Now, almost a year later of wearing almost exclusively @vivobarefoot in my day to day life (not just on the trail), I’m still noticing new sensations and textures of the ground, and feeling my muscles and joints growing stronger and more flexible. I’ve also never gotten a blister or had to ‘break in’ a pair of Vivos, which is not something I can say about many other shoes I’ve owned throughout my life. I was skeptical of barefoot shoes for a long time before finally trying them, but I’m glad I gave them a chance!

I’m wearing the new Primus Trail Knit FG Grounding trail shoe in Wood, and I also have the Primus Trail Knit in Clay. This summer I’ve also been wearing the Tracker Ora Sandal and for longer hikes I love the Tracker Leather AT II hiking boot (my first pair of Vivos ever!)

#FreeYourFeet #VivoBarefoot #BarefootShoes by @geobeckly

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a month ago

Step 5: Wear your favorite @maggiesorganics 100% organic cotton outfit 🤓

I’ve been a fan of Maggie’s Organics cotton socks for a while, and now I’m also a huge fan of their apparel! On this walk, I wore the Camp Shirt, Camp Shorts, and Camisole from their 100% Organic Cotton collection.

Everything is so soft and comfortable, and the high quality feel makes me confident these pieces will be staples in my wardrobe for a long time.

Maggie’s Organics works with small-scale, family-owned farms in Tanzania who grow organic cotton through ethical regenerative practices. They’re also super transparent about every part of their process, from where they source their materials, how they make their products, and the communities and people they work with. ❤️🌱

#MaggiesOrganics #OrganicCotton #RegenerativeCotton taken in Hudson Valley, NY by @geobeckly

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a month ago

The other day I took a walk around Hudson to see how many natural building stones I could find - here are some of my observations about them and their geologic stories 👀🪨

Bluestone is the trade name for a type of sandstone that was quarried in the nearby Catskill Mountains. It was a huge industry in the 19th and early 20th century and a lot of the paving stones / sidewalks in historic towns of the area still have some of these local slabs of sedimentary rock!

These particular sandstone rocks formed in a large ancient river delta where rivers were depositing sediments in layers while entering an inland sea to the west over 300 million years ago. Those sediments were buried, compacted, and eventually cemented into solid rock. They make great paving stones because they can be broken along the bedding planes, making nice flat slabs.

Lots of local limestone can also be found all around Hudson, especially in the foundations of older buildings. Limestone is another abundant local stone that has been historically quarried in the area, especially on the other side of the river in Kingston. These rocks formed in an ancient sea that was shallow and warm, similar to Florida or the Bahamas today.

I’m not sure where this particular marble was sourced from, but there are a lot of marble quarries (historical and modern) on the East Coast, so it’s very likely this could have come from somewhere nearby like western MA or VT.

At the end of the last ice age roughly 15,000-10,000 years ago, meltwater from the retreating glaciers collected in a lake that scientists call Lake Albany. This eventually flooded into the Atlantic and formed what we now know of as the Hudson River. Clays were deposited on the bottom of that lake, and when it flooded those deposits were exposed on the shores of the Hudson. Later those deposits were used by the many brickyards that popped up along the Hudson, from Haverstraw to Kingston, Hudson, and Albany.

This was another huge industry in the Hudson Valley in the 1800s into the early 1900s that, at its peak, sent over 1 billion bricks per year down to NYC to aid in construction of buildings during rapid population growth. 🧱🌆 There are of course taken in Hudson, New York by @geobeckly

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a month ago

Looking for something to do this weekend in the Hudson Valley? Join me on the @schooner_apollonia this Saturday (or next) for our last two sunset geology sails of the season! ⛵️🌅🪨

I love that I get to call the Hudson Valley my home and that I get to share its geologic story with the people I share this home with (or those just visiting and falling in love with the river for the first time).

I strongly believe that we should all get to know the nature around us in our own backyards- whether it’s learning about rocks, birds, insects, plants, amphibians, soil, fungi, or all of the above. It helps us to feel more connected to our home and to each other. And it sure helps when you live somewhere as incredible as the Hudson Valley! 🤗

Please join us to not only learn about local geology, but to meet the team of the Schooner Apollonia, hear their story, and learn about their mission to transport cargo sustainably along the Hudson River by wind, tide, and current. 🌊

Captain Sam and his crew are remarkable, incredibly hard working people who care deeply about this community and its ecosystems and I feel so grateful to be partnering with them for the second year in a row as part of their public educational programming series, “Do You Speak Estuary?”

Whether you’re local to the area and can join us or not, check out @schooner_apollonia and give them a follow while you’re at it. 💚

Learn more and get your tickets at schoonerapollonia.com/programming (and check out the other great programs going on this season from wonderful local educators, musicians, and storytellers like @joninthewoods and @wild_hudson_valley ) 🤗

SEE YOU THERE! 🤓 taken in Hudson, New York by @geobeckly

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2 months ago