Atlantic States Legal Foundation

It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of our longtime Board member Martha Holly Loew, a beloved environmental advocate, community leader, musician, and educator, who died May 10, 2026 at the age of 99. Martha lived a remarkable life defined by curiosity, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place—from her music and teaching to her decades of environmental activism and community service. A lover of the outdoors, the arts, the Adirondacks, and the Syracuse community, she inspired generations through her energy, intellect, and determination. In addition to her work with ASLF, Martha also played a huge leadership role in the local Iroquois chapter of the Sierra Club, and was very involved in the stewardship of Clark Reservation State Park. Martha leaves behind a lasting legacy in the many people she inspired and the communities she helped strengthen. A celebration of life is planned for later this year.

What an eventful Earth Day and Arbor Day week!  To celebrate, ASLF presented at Pulaski Middle-High School on Tuesday introducing students to green infrastructure and agroforestry. We also brainstormed ideas for our Sea Grant tree planting in the school courtyard. Then on Friday, after Director of Sustainability Kate Spector gave an Arbor Day proclamation, we had a huge volunteer turnout to help us plant over 30 trees on the SUNY-Oswego campus as part of our ongoing GLRI project. How did you celebrate? Of course, let's not forget: every day is Earth day, every day is Arbor Day!

Happy Earth Day from ASLF! Of course, every day is Earth Day. This year we're highlighting responsible foraging. Ramps (wild leek) shown here is a good example of a foraged plant that often experiences overharvesting. Remember to take small quantities, leave some for others, only harvest one leaf per plant (if one leaf has already been harvested don't take any more so it can store enough energy for next year), and if a particular patch has been harvested heavily consider letting it recover instead of taking any more.

Of course, always forage safely and only in areas where there hasn't been pesticide application or other contamination. Enjoy your Earth Day and happy foraging!

Volunteers for the CNY Land Trust are planting 3,500 native trees in Skaneateles on April 18 to help purify Syracuse's drinking water. Learn more at LocalSYR.com.

Have you had a chance to check out our 2025 newsletter? Get caught up on our latest projects in Oswego, Fulton, and Pulaski, and learn about the future of our One Million Gallon (OMG!) green infrastructure projects in Syracuse.https://aslf.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/ASLF_Newsletter_2025-4-1-1.pdf

We had a great time training with the Onondaga Earth Corps team leaders yesterday, sharing the history of our OMG! program and our long standing work around Onondaga Lake. Wishing the entire team a safe, successful, and impactful season as they continue to care for Syracuse's green infrastructure. Wishing you all an amazing season ahead.