Middletown, NY (OCLT): The Orange County Land Trust will hold a guided evening walk at Hunter Farm Preserve in the Town of Wawayanda on Saturday, June 26 beginning at 8:30 pm.
Led by noted naturalist Gary Keeton, this walk will lead participants along trails that wind throughout the 60-acre preserve illuminated only by a full and high summer moon. The preserve has an abundance of wildlife, including two ponds that are home to beaver, blue and green herons, wood ducks, turtles, frogs and dragonflies. The fields are home to numerous species of birds and over 28 documented species of butterfly- one of the largest concentrations of butterfly in the eastern United States! In the evening hours, however, the preserve comes alive with the sounds of a summer evening- crickets, frogs, and night flying birds such as owls and hawks. You may even catch a glimpse of other night predators such as foxes or coyotes.
Registration is suggested as space is limited. A donation of $5 per person or $10 per family is greatly appreciated, with all proceeds benefitting land preservation in Orange County. Please call the office at (845) 343-0840, x12 to register and for additional information and directions. Directions to the preserve are also found on the website at www.oclt.org/mhunter.htm. Long pants and socks, as well as bug repellant, is recommended for this walk. In case of rain or cloudy conditions, this walk will postponed until Sunday, June 26. Cancellation and postponement information will be available after 6 pm the day of the walk, by calling (845) 343-0840, x12.
Hunter Farm Preserve is one of nine nature preserves in Orange County owned and managed by the Orange County Land Trust for public use and nature education. It is also the site of “The Tadpole Trail”, Orange County Land Trust’s children’s exploratory nature trail. This children’s trail opened last summer and is supported with a grant from Orange & Rockland Utilities. It is open to the public everyday for self-guided visits for families as well as organized school and community groups and summer camps.
The mission of Land Trust is to preserve the fields, forests, wetlands, ridgelines and river corridors in and around Orange County through voluntary land conservation for the benefit of people. To date, the nonprofit has protected 3,500 acres of land, including ten working farms in Orange County. For more information, and for volunteer opportunities and ways of giving to the Land Trust, please visit the website at www.oclt.org or call 845) 343-0840.
