WE HAVE SOME GREAT NEWS!
CATS and several partners are hosting the “Keeping Track Wildlife Event” in Floral Hall on the Essex County Fairgrounds in Westport on Wednesday, October 6, 2010 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Check out the attached flyer announcing the event!
Susan Morse, founder of Keeping Track and a nationally recognized naturalist and habitat specialist, will coordinate this entertaining evening that features displays of animal pelts, skulls, feet, track molds and other materials along with a fabulous slide show of her wildlife photography--all for a suggested donation of $2 per person or $5 per family. You can find out more about Keeping Track at their website (www.keepingtrack.org).
The Wildlife Event provides a wonderful opportunity to learn about wildlife, discover ways to find signs of animal activity, marvel over Sue’s beautiful pictures, and listen to her captivating stories and illuminating ideas about animals, habitat, and habitat connectivity. In 2001, there was a Wildlife Event on a November evening at Westport Central School that attracted an overflow crowd of more than 260 people!
CATS is coordinating the event through our Champlain Valley Conservation Partnership program which works cooperatively to connect people with nature, link communities, protect natural habitat and scenic vistas, and promote economic vitality. This is an evening that families will especially enjoy. And during the winter, we plan to have some tracking hikes on our trails to know more about the wildlife in our area. You can even sign up for a six-session Keeping Track Training Program.
We are grateful to our partners for supporting this Keeping Track Wildlife Event:
The Adirondack Council (www.adirondackcouncil.org)
Northeast Wilderness Trust (www.northeastwildernesstrust.org)
Elizabeth Lee – Outdoor Guide ([email protected]).
Champlain National Bank (www.champlainbank.com)
Dogwood Bread Company (web.mac.com/dogwoodbread)
Keeping Track, Inc. (www.keepingtrack.org)
We hope to see you there.
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| Wildlife_Event_flyer.pdf | 233.62 KB |
North Boquet - A Nice Little Hike
I joined my first CATS hike (since the broken ankle) and am happy to report that the Wildway Overlook Trail is a safe bet for even hesitant, aging or recovering hikers. The trailhead on Brookfield Road is easy to spot and roadside parking is comfortable (little traffic and a good straight away at the trailhead). The trail starts steeply and rises through a forest of bigtooth aspens, white pine, some oak and hornbeam. In the winter you can see a good cross section of the forest with its varying trunk patterns, mossy boulders, animal tracks, and some interesting growths on the oaks high in the branches. You rise quickly and soon can turn and view back across the landscape to the west. Up higher you pass some spruce and hickory and finally emerge out on a rocky outcropping overlooking the Champlain Valley to the East. There's a stunning view of the Split Rock Wildway, Coon Mountain and the farmlands in between. There's even satisfying glimpse of Lake Champlain to the Northeast with a backdrop of Vermont.
On top we had a chance to meet the other hikers and chat about CATS. Chris, our CVCP director, talked about the make up of the forest (dry calcareous oak, hickory, hornbeam) and other CATS trails, and the concept of connected wildways (for the movement of wildlife). I chatted with a couple from Connecticut who hope to retire here and I was once again struck by the tremendous good fortune we had at being able to raise our kids here. Retirement for us will just mean more time to look at lichens.