by Felix Gonzalez The American Beech Tree, Fagus grandifolia, is a native deciduous tree found abundantly in New York and the surrounding areas of the Northeastern United States. The native range of American Beech encompasses a portion of North America ranging from Illinois, south to Georgia, and north to Nova
by Robyn Graygor Seasoned foragers from far and wide seek out nature’s treats within the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, and it’s about time we give back to this oasis of plentiful goodies. If you hike the winding trails within our reservation, you may have come across people walking with baskets
It is our pleasure to introduce our new naturalist, Leah Cass. Learn a little more about Leah, in her own words: Hello! My name is Leah Cass and the new naturalist here at Trailside. I am a recent graduate of George Washington University where I double majored in Biology and
by Leah Cass Groundhog day is rapidly approaching when famed groundhog Punxsutawney Phil will issue his prediction on the changing of the seasons. Legend says he will either see his shadow and retreat into his den, condemning us to six more weeks of Winter, or he will emerge shadowless, signaling
by Philip Petronis, Board President Our annual meeting was held Saturday, December 11. In attendance, in addition to our Board and our Trailside Museum curator, Mindy Swope Quintero, were Jeff Main, the Supervisor of Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, and Taro Ietaka, the Supervisor of our county curators, and Dan Aitchison,
by Jeff Main As we enter a new year, we look forward to some of the social restrictions giving way to opportunities for interacting with you, our Reservation visiting community. While the Res did provide a place to get outside and enjoy some fresh air, we also sense the desire,
by Taro letaka For a human, finding a small object in a large area is dependent on luck and good eyesight. But for a dog, a sniff is enough to do it. The TSA and DEA have been using dogs to sniff for narcotics and explosives for years, and now
Philip Petronis, Board President Dear Friends and neighbors: On all our behalf, I would like to give A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to the County for keeping open our Ward Pound Ridge Reservation during the first months of the Covid pandemic. In the face of so much uncertainty it made
by Sarah Walkley Trailside Nature Museum staff have been cataloging the biodiversity of Ward Pound Ridge Reservation’s 4,300 acres for decades. More recently, we have begun doing so through an online project on the electronic platform iNaturalist to allow county staff as well as visitors to easily and accurately document
by Luca Trotta The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) is the largest species of heron found in North America. It can be identified by its white head and neck, black stripe over the eye, and blue-gray body/wings, although what will likely catch your eye is the sheer size of the