The keynote speaker told the fourth biennial conference of the Catskill Environmental Research and Monitoring last Thursday morning that he regards the creation of the state Catskills forest preserve in 1888 as the beginning of “what must be one of the longest experiments in natural recovery and restoration ecology” in the world.

It becomes quickly obvious how many people Rovereto knows as she sits quietly at a corner table at the Stockade Diner in Uptown Kingston this past Saturday morning. It’s also obvious how quickly word gets around in a community like Ulster County. “Congratulations, Margie,” one smiling woman says. “Welcome home,” adds another.