Earth Festival and DTDO Recycling Event

April 26, 2025

Milford Central School-Earth Festival (10 am-3 pm)

Wilber Park-Drive Through Drop Off-Recycling (10 am-1 pm)

Earth Festival Workshops

  • Tracking the emergence of ticks and tick-borne diseases in New York

    11:00 am

    This talk/presentation will provide insights into the growing public health threats of ticks and tick-borne diseases in New York State. The talk will also focus on: (1) how the Upstate Tick Testing Laboratory is at the forefront of monitoring and tracking tick populations through cutting-edge surveillance tools and research; (2) the innovative tickMAP mapping tool, which tracks tick distribution and the spread of tick-borne pathogens across New York and beyond; and (3) how citizen science surveillance is shaping our response to the rise of tick-borne diseases and improving public health strategies across New York State.

  • Increase your Food Production Using Permaculture Principles

    1:00 pm

    Permaculture is a design technique that includes the interaction and interdependence of plants, animals, humans, soil, water, infrastructure, and community in the shared goal of sustainability. Learn how to add one or more permaculture design elements to your garden to enhance food production.

  • Building a County Wide Natural Resource Inventory

    1:00 pm

    A Natural Resource Inventory (NRI) is a process culminating in a document providing descriptions and mapping of the location, distribution, type, and condition of particular natural resources. The resources are documented, recorded, and shared with the public for broader awareness of the current natural landscape of an area. In many cases, a municipality such as a village or town can utilize the NRI as part of their applications for state or federal grant funding. Otsego County’s Planning Department will introduce its new countywide natural resource inventory, sharing information about the initial impetus for creating the NRI, discussing the partner agencies/organizations that collaborated on this effort and the process, as well as the intended uses/benefits of an up-to-date NRI. Otsego County’s GIS Coordinator will walk through a mock scenario of a property inquiry using the online NRI to inform attendees how they can access it and utilize it themselves.

  • Otsego 2000's-Tax Credit Workshop

    2:00 pm

    We may think of historic preservation as preserving a moment in time in architecture or a community’s development, but did you know that repairing and maintaining our historic buildings is also best for the planet’s future too? Otsego 2000 executive director Ellen Pope will discuss how repairing, restoring, and reusing historic building materials is important to fighting climate change, and how homeowners in Otsego County’s 15 historic districts may qualify for New York State’s Historic Income Tax Credit for home repairs. We will also provide information on New York’s Historic Barn Rehabilitation Tax Credit for barns built before 1946, no National Register listing necessary

  • Saving the Earth with Native Plants

    2:00 pm

    Preserving our planet through the power of native plants is crucial for fostering biodiversity and supporting local ecosystems. By attracting butterflies, birds, and bees, we can enhance the beauty of our landscapes while promoting the health of the environment.

  • Bird Friendly Homes

    All Day

    Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society (DOAS) announces an all-day workshop to support Bird-Friendly Homes at the 2025 Earth Festival. The workshop will focus on helping homeowners make Acopian BirdSavers window treatments for up to three windows in their homes (for free while funding lasts) to reduce bird-window collisions at homes throughout our communities.

    Homeowners in our communities are invited to attend one of the area workshops where they can learn more and make/take home Acopian BirdSaver window treatments for up to three windows at their residences to help prevent collisions. Pre-registration is required so that ample materials can be available.

We are still looking for exhibitors, vendors, and volunteers for the Earth Festival. If you are interested in lending a hand on April 26, fill out the interest form, email Shelby at shelbym@occainfo.org or call 607-547-4488. Thanks!