The Orange County Land Trust was pleased to see so many attend the Grand Opening for “The Tadpole Trail” the Land Trust’s new children’s exploratory nature trail at Hunter Farm Preserve in the Town of Wawayanda. On Saturday, July 11 nearly 80 families and their children came out to learn about the diverse wildlife and plant life found at the preserve, take an inaugural tour of the trail, and enjoy face painting and refreshments.
Supported with a grant from Orange & Rockland Utilities, The Tadpole Trail is an outdoor learning area consisting of 7 activity stations located along a ¾ mile trail. It is open to the public, free of charge, every day of the year from dawn until dusk. The Land Trust encourages its use by school groups, day camps, boy and girl scouts, as well as individual families. Because of its high conservation value, Hunter Farm Preserve is also an ideal location for nature study for high school environmental science clubs and SUNY Orange biology students.
Hunter Farm Preserve is one of nine nature preserves in Orange County owned and managed by the Orange County Land Trust for public use. The 60-acre 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!
“We are so pleased with the response to The Tadpole Trail, so happy to see all the children and their families outdoors enjoying nature”, said Deanna Prisco, president of the Orange County Land Trust. “We hope that more people will visit this beautiful natural area where kid and adults can learn about the natural world right here in Orange County.”
A map of the Tadpole Trail is posted on the entrance kiosk, or can be downloaded and printed from the Land Trust’s website at www.oclt.org prior to a visit. An audio version of The Tadpole Trail can also be downloaded from the website onto an mp3 player.
The mission of the nonprofit 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. For more information, and for volunteer opportunities and other ways of supporting the Land Trust, please visit the website at www.oclt.org or call 845) 343-0840.
