Consortium Day was held on June 8, 2008, and, despite humid weather and a sudden downpour, a good time was had by all.

Executive Director Dr. William Schuster presented this year's Stillman Award to Dr. Gene Likens, founder of the Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies, cofounder of the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study, co-discoverer of acid rain, and recipient of the 2001 National Medal of Science and the 2003 Blue Planet Award.  In his remarks, Dr. Schuster detailed Dr. Likens's many scientific accomplishments and hailed him as one of his "personal heroes." Named after Forest founder E. G. Stillman, the Award is given annual for environmental leadership and support of Black Rock Forest and the Hudson Highlands region.

Dr. Schuster also presented a special award for Dr. Jim Simpson, a recently retired Columbia professor and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory researcher.  Dr. Simpson served on the Consortium Board for 17 years, as well as on the Consortium's Executive Committee and Science and Education Committee, studied the biogeochemistry of the Forest and trained his students there, helped familiarize his colleagues with Black Rock, and "was a constant source of well-considered advice and a good friend all along the way."   Since Dr. Simpson has moved to Virginia, Consortium President Frank Moretti accepted the award for him.

During the program, Dr. Schuster invited Cornwall-on-Hudson Mayor Joe Gross to speak.  Mayor Gross described a possible micro-hydro collaboration between the Forest and Cornwall that could potentially provide energy to the Forest as well as power to operate part of Cornwall's water system in the Forest (see "Forest Demonstrates Renewable Energy Options" in the Winter 2008 Black Rock Forest News).

Consortium Day guests had the opportunity to hear scientists discuss animal diversity on an urban-rural gradient, the ecology of composting toilets, spider diversity and response to disturbance, canopy tree mortality and forest health, and forest soil respiration studies.  They could participate in brook trout study and release, look at native amphibians and reptiles, go orienteering,  view displays of school projects, learn from nine research posters hung in the Science Center, and bid in a silent auction of art created by students in the Walkill River School of Art.