Saturday, October 18, 10am and 2pm Meet at Lot M0
Homecoming Weekend Tours
All are welcome to come to the Homecoming tours.  You never know what you might learn.  Or come and see what leading a tour is like; maybe you would want to try becoming a guide.  If enough kids show up we'll have a "tyke hike" for the lil 'uns.  We can have themed hikes as well having to do with wildlife or land use.

a A beautiful day for a Fall Foliage hike.  The colors aren't quite at their peak, but still a great sight.  We found a few snakes, woodpeckers, chipmunks and even a police officer walking up the field trail.  

Saturday, Oct.4, 1pm Meet at Lot M0
Fall Foliage Hike
One of the highlights of living in the Northeast is the spectacular colors of Fall. Let's explore the colors of the Nature Preserve.  Which trees are red, magenta, yellow, brown, purple, or gold?  We'll answer that and more. 

We had a great hike up the Anthill trail and to the Campus Garden.  The highlights were a few garter snakes (babies) and redbellied snakes.  Some older bear sign in the form of old scat and old paw prints on ant mounds.  Some folks did a little trail trimming.  Hope everyone had fun and thanks a lot for coming.  

Saturday, Sept. 20 1pm Meet at Lot M0
Hike and Trail Trim
Let’s take a hike this Saturday into the upper reaches of the preserve.  We’ll go up into the Anthill Trail and over to the Campus Garden.  Maybe we’ll see some evidence of bears or turkeys.   For those of you who would rather work, we’ll bring tools to trim trails as we walk along.  As always, all are welcome and come and feel free to ask anything about the Preserve and its wildlife.  Be sure to dress for the weather and uphill hiking. 

Saturday May 31st, 7am-4pm
Nuthatch Hollow Open House: Click Here for information

Thank you to everyone who showed up for trail work Days. We got a lot done.!

Sunday, April 27, 1pm, Meet at the Top of Lot M
Spring Trail Work Day Part 2
We'll be laying down the woodchips to fight soil erosion, putting up a bat box and bird box or two, and maybe taking care of some invasive species.  Come on out and have fun with tools and good folks.  

Saturday, April 12, 1pm  Meet at the top of Lot M
Spring Trail Work Day Pt. 1
Usually our biggest gathering of the year with the major activity; laying down woodchips to fight trail erosion.  We’ll be digging some water drainage ditches and possibly some habitat management.  Come out and team up with friends, meet good people, and have fun with tools.  It is supposed to rain, but the rain may be over by 1pm, so, we’ll try one this Saturday and if we still need to get more done we’ll continue or try again Earth Day weekend. 

Thursday, March 13, 6:45pm, Sci 1 Room 162
Amphibian Slide Show
As spring arrives the chorus of frogs and the migrations of salamanders begins.  Come see and learn about the various amphibians living in our Nature Preserve.  Hear the calls that will soon be the nighttime symphony. 

We had a fun hike through the snow  this past weekend.  Some of us saw an owl fly through the woods.  We found two porcupines.  One was a large individual; probably a male.  He woke up and moved along his branch and then hid from us.  Pictures and video are in the LORE section.  .   

Saturday, March 1st, 1pm, Meet at the top of Lot M
Nature Preserve Hike- Porcupine Search 
Back by Popular Demand! another porcupine hike! Last year around this time, we had some pretty good snow cover and found several porcupines with 50 people.  Two weeks ago, we found fisher tracks as well.  So, we’ll do yet another porcupine hike this weekend.  After a visit to the Hemlock groves, anyone who wants to go on a longer hike may accompany me up to the new properties where the Snowshoe and Cross-country Ski trails are.  This series of hikes is giving some valuable information about the timing of porcupine feeding and behavior in our Nature Preserve.     

We had a successful porcupine hike, finding one in the usual stand of hemlocks. It was in a great spot, shining in the sun for all to see.  We found many tracks of fox, mink, mouse, birds, and shrews.  Once again, fisher tracks appeared in many places as well.  

Saturday: Feb. 16, 1pm Meet at the top of Lot M
Porcupine Hike
Have you ever seen a porcupine?  Every year around Valentine’s Day is the time when porcupines can be easier to find.  Come join me as we’ll check out the places where porcupines are normally found this time of year. We’ve found at least one porcupine every year.  We’ll look at animal tracks and sign as well.  We’ll be hiking up into the hills and crossing streambeds in moderately strenuous terrain. 

The EWB project was successful.  The steps have been made which will hopefully prevent more erosion as well as make footing on the slope a bit safer. Upwards of sixty people showed up throughout the day, more than could possibly all work on the steps, therefore, many boardwalks were made, the boardwalks were replaced at the bottom of the slope, a ditch was dug to direct water flow around the steps, and a new bridge was made across a stream on the connector trail.  Thank you to Kelsey Pieper, Mike Adamovich and the rest of the Engineers Without Borders for their hard work and organzition of the event and thanks to all the volunteers who participated.

EWB Nature Preserve Project
Nov. 10, Sat. 9am-7pm  Meet at the top of Lot M (Main Entrance Sign)
Engineers Without Borders has taken on the project of building steps at the Redwing Entrance to the nature preserve as well as building/repairing boardwalks.  They will have people coming and going all day, doing  parts of the project.  Friends of the Nature Preserve can come and see or join in anytime during the day.  Refreshments will be served.