by Danniela Ciatto Trailside Nature Museum has been very busy this past year! There have been so many exciting things happening, and I’d love to share some highlights with you all. As always, we had a very successful year welcoming school groups for our Native American program. We hosted 56
by Hayley Lewis Ward Pound Ridge Reservation’s diverse ecosystems provide ample habitat for a wide variety of avian species, with our meadows in particular being known for our abundance of Eastern bluebirds and tree swallows. Both species, known for their vibrant blue hues and beautiful songs, happen to have particular
by Leah Cass With its habitat mosaic of forests, meadows, wetlands, ponds, and streams, Ward Pound Ridge Reservation provides ideal habitat for many important wildlife species. One such species is the eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina), and while this elusive animal may not make frequent appearances to park visitors,
Celebrate Ward Pound Ridge Reservation’s 100-Year Anniversary with a 100-Mile Hike. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation will celebrate its 100th year in 2025 and, to kick things off, is launching a 100-Mile Hike Challenge in which entrants aim to hike 100 miles at the park by May 7, 2025. Registration is required
by Mindy Quintero Six and a half years sure have flown by! I arrived at Trailside Nature Museum excited and overwhelmed with the idea of managing the oldest and busiest county nature center. The museum is held to high standards and I wasn’t sure how I was going to fill
by Philip Petronis, Board President Dear Friends: This is a time of transition for the Friends of the Trailside Museum. We are transitioning into spring with all the pleasure it brings (although the pollen has been especially tough this year.) It seems ages ago now, but we have left our
by Leah Cass As the snow fell and chilly winds blew from January-March, we were warm in the sugar house making winter’s sweetest treat! It was another successful sugaring season here at Trailside, and all said and done, we produced eight gallons of syrup from about 600 gallons of sap.
by Robyn Graygor Finding a Pink Lady Slipper may spark a yearning for cozier shoes than your rigid hiking boots. It does, after all, resemble a tiny magenta moccasin. The Lady Slipper (Cypripedium acaule) is one of 58 wild orchids found in the northern hemisphere. Standing six to fifteen inches
by Patrick Harmon Spring finally makes its debut with flowers blooming and trees growing their leaves, the landscape transforms into an emerald wonderland as plants come back to life. With the return of such greenery we also see the re-emergence of countless mammals, amphibi-ans, insects, and reptiles. One of these
by Mindy Quintero You may be wondering by now who the next curator of Trailside Nature Museum will be. It is my pleasure to introduce Danniela Ciatto as your next curator. Danniela is coming to us from Cranberry Lake Preserve and has been with the county since 2002. I’ve known