Prescribed Fire in the Catskills: Restoring a Lost Tool

In this episode, Brett sits down once again with Ryan Trapani, Director of Forest Services at the Catskill Forest Association, to explore the surprising ecological value of prescribed fire in the Northeast.

Recorded fireside at the Kaatscast studio, this conversation digs into the science, history, and cultural memory of fire in the Catskills, and why small, carefully managed burns may be key to healthier forests, richer wildlife habitat, and a more resilient landscape.

Key Topics

• Why fire disappeared from Northeastern land management — and why that’s a problem

• How Indigenous communities shaped ecosystems with fire

• What “pyrogenic species” like oak and chestnut need to thrive

• The Catskill Forest Association’s new prescribed burn program

• How controlled burns can improve wildlife habitat and biodiversity

• The challenges of permits, insurance, and public perception

• What early‑successional habitat is — and why we’re losing it

• Lessons from the Albany Pine Bush and Shawangunk Ridge

About the CFA Prescribed Burn Program

Ryan outlines CFA’s cautious, incremental approach to reintroducing fire on private lands — starting with low‑complexity field burns, building community familiarity, and navigating the regulatory and insurance landscape. The goal: restore a long‑missing tool to the Catskills’ silvicultural toolbox.

In this episode of Kaatscast, Brett visits Sleepover Trading Company in Catskill, New York—a new video rental shop rebuffing the algorithmic grip of streaming platforms by reviving the analog joy of VHS tapes, comic books, and sleepover culture. Owners Rob Ribar and Guido Sanchez share how their passion for collecting movies, comics, and memorabilia evolved into a retro storefront in the historic Catskill Community Theater.

Together, they explore the legacy of Video Visions, a beloved Chatham video store whose 20,000‑title collection now lives on at Sleepover Trading. Along the way, they reflect on the lost art of browsing shelves, the freedom of discovery beyond algorithms, and the nostalgia of sleepovers filled with horror flicks, trading cards, and late‑night laughter.

Highlights:

• The VHS revival: Why physical tapes still matter in an era of disappearing streaming titles.

• Video Visions legacy: Preserving Steve Campbell’s 20,000‑movie collection as a living library.

• Sleepover culture: Comics, toys, trading cards, and the perfect mix of nostalgia.

• Analog over algorithms: How human curation fosters true discovery.

• Community connections: From flea markets to local artists, building Catskill’s movie hub.

• Lost media preservation: Taped‑off‑TV VHS archives, commercials, and forgotten gems.

• Membership perks: Rentals without late fees, access to rare titles, and even VCR equipment.

Links:

Sleepover Trading Company: https://linktr.ee/sleepovertradingco

Video Visions (documentary): https://youtu.be/6h3VvS5N8g0

In this episode of Kaatscast, host Brett Barry visits Catskill Collectibles, a unique shop in Catskill, NY, curated by Tom Illari. The shop specializes in Catskills memorabilia, blending new creations with rare vintage items going back to the 19th century. Tom shares his journey from a finance career to running the shop and his lifelong passion for the Catskills, highlighted by his extensive personal collection of historical items. Brett and Tom chat about the nuanced relationship between the village of Catskill and the broader Catskills region, the resurgence of the area as a vacation destination, and the evolving interests of collectors and tourists alike.

00:00 Introduction to Catskill Collectibles

01:21 Tom Illari's Journey to Catskill

03:01 The Origins of Catskill Collectibles

04:57 From Personal Collection to Business

07:53 Expanding the Shop's Offerings

09:03 Showcasing Unique Vintage Items

15:38 The Community and Local Collaborations

16:56 Tom's Lifelong Connection to the Catskills

18:27 The Resurgence of the Catskills

19:22 Challenges and Future of Vintage Collecting

20:15 Customer Demographics and Shop Dynamics

21:46 Reflections and Future Plans

22:46 Holiday Shopping and Popular Items

23:35 Local Pronunciations and Community Insights

24:46 Catskill's Vibrant Main Street

26:42 Tom's Favorite Memories and Nature's Draw

28:19 How to Visit Catskill Collectibles

29:55 Conclusion and Podcast Information

Measuring Snow: Citizen Science in the Catskills

Summary: Winter in the Catskills isn’t just about skiing, sledding, or shoveling. Snowpack plays a critical role in our water resources, local economies, and even global climate regulation. In this episode, Brett Barry speaks with Dr. Marco Tedesco of Columbia University’s Lamont‑Doherty Earth Observatory, about the NASA‑funded X‑Snow Project — a citizen science initiative inviting volunteers to measure, photograph, and collect snow data across the region.

Together, they explore how local observations help validate satellite models, improve climate predictions, and build community engagement around environmental stewardship.

🎙️ Episode Highlights

• Snow as a climate regulator: Why reflective snowpack matters for Earth’s energy balance.

• Citizen science superheroes: How everyday volunteers contribute to NASA‑funded research.

• Snowpack vs. snow depth: Understanding SWE (snow water equivalent) and why density matters.

• Local impacts: Shorter winters, more rain events, and what that means for Catskills tourism, groundwater, and flood risk.

• Microplastics in snow: Emerging research on contaminants entering our water systems.

• Community partnerships: The Catskill Center’s role in training and outreach.

• How to get involved: Simple Tier‑1 measurements with nothing more than a ruler, or level up to advanced lab sampling.

📌 Resources & Links

• Learn more or volunteer: x‑snow.us

• Resources and supplies: catskillsvisitorcenter.org

• Full episode archive: kaatscast.com

  
  

Did you know the Catskill region was once tropical—and south of the equator?! In this episode, Brett Barry visits the Gilboa Museum and Juried History Center to explore one of the oldest fossilized forests on Earth. Education Chair Kristen Wyckoff shares her decades-long passion for paleobotany, the story behind Gilboa’s world-famous Devonian tree stumps, and discoveries unearthed during the Schoharie Reservoir construction, dam restoration, and creek bed fossil hunts.

From lungfish and sea scorpions to the mysterious “snake tree,” we dig into the prehistoric past of upstate New York and learn how mud, minerals, and mural magic preserve a forest that predates the Catskills themselves.

🪨 Highlights

• 🌴 Gilboa’s tropical past—when the region was south of the equator

• 🦴 Fossil discoveries during Schoharie Reservoir construction

• 🎨 Kristen’s murals and museum exhibits

• 📚 A children’s book adventure through the Devonian

• 🐟 Sea creatures, spore trees, and sedimentary surprises

• 🏛️ How a generous hometown alum helped build a fossil-focused museum complex

🔗 Resources

• Visit the museum: ⁠gilboafossils.org⁠

• Kristen Wyckoff’s children’s book: ⁠Dennis’s Devonian Adventure⁠

• Learn more: ⁠The Catskill Fossil Forest⁠ by Stein, Hernick, and Mannolini

📍 Broadcast Info

Kaatscast is now broadcasting a public radio edition! Saturdays at 11 AM on WJFF Radio Catskill (90.5 FM). Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow us on Instagram @kaatscast.

🎙️ Neighbors on the Front Lines: Margaretville FD and the Spirit of Catskills Volunteerism

Episode Description: In this episode of Kaatscast, we head to Margaretville, New York, where volunteer firefighters train for blitz attacks—a high-volume water technique used to knock down fires fast. But this story goes beyond the hose line. It’s about community, commitment, and declining volunteerism nationwide.

With over 90% of New York’s fire departments staffed by volunteers, towns like Margaretville rely on neighbors—teachers, shopkeepers, reporters, and retirees—to respond when disaster strikes. Hear from training officer Jon Schebesta and longtime volunteers like Nate Hendricks, Lissa Harris, and others, as they share personal stories, challenges in recruitment, and the evolving role of fire departments in rural life.

From floods to flames, prop windows to real emergencies, this episode honors the people who show up—when the siren sounds in the middle of dinner.

Topics Covered:

• Blitz attack training and deck gun drills

• Declining volunteerism in rural communities

• Personal stories from Margaretville FD members

• Emergency response beyond firefighting

• Roles for volunteers of all backgrounds

• Funding and equipment in rural departments

Location: Margaretville Fire Department, Catskills, NY

Listen & Subscribe: Stream anytime at kaatscast.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @kaatscast.

Watch the short documentary, Growing Up Catskills, featuring Phoenicia's Gene Gormley: https://vimeo.com/224535275

In 1985, Bob Steuding published The Last of the Handmade Dams: The Story of the Ashokan Reservoir, a historically rich account of the building of the Ashokan Reservoir—and the lives displaced in its wake. Forty years later, the book remains a cornerstone of Catskills regional history and the inaugural title from Purple Mountain Press.

In this episode, we visit Bob and Martha Steuding at their 18th-century stone farmhouse near the reservoir. Literary correspondent Rebecca Rego Barry sits down with Bob to reflect on a life rooted in place, the founding of Purple Mountain Press, and the emotional legacy of a dam that reshaped a landscape—and the lives within it.

Ken Posner is an ultrarunner, barefoot hiker, and challenge-seeker whose latest book, Chasing the Grid, chronicles his quest to summit 35 Catskill high peaks in every month—a challenge known as “The Grid.” That’s 420 climbs, through every season, in pursuit of something deeper than endurance.

In this episode, Ken shares how the experience became a spiritual journey, shaped by minimalism, transcendentalist thinking, and a deep connection to the land.

Available now 📚 Chasing the Grid: An Ultrarunner's Physical and Spiritual Journey in Pursuit of the Ultimate Mountain Challenge

⌨️ Barefoot Ken on the web