Conservation Volunteer Opportunity: Lupine Seed Picking
Without wild blue lupine, there would be no Karner blue butterflies. Their caterpillars feed exclusively on the leaves of the wild lupine plant.As part of our habitat restoration work for the butterflies, we pick lupine seeds and store them to use for planting new habitat in the Preserve & Park. Maybe some of you helped plant lupines this Earth Day with us over at the Old Gick Farm.We have some scheduled dates for picking on June 19th and 20th and some dates yet to be determined for the end of June.If you are interested in helping, we will be meeting at the office at 80 Scout Road at 8:00 am to rendezvous and go to the picking sites. Please call the office at 450-0321 or email info@wiltonpreserve.org to let us know if you are interested.People who volunteer for a minimum of 10 hours on conservation projects earn a Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park Conservation Corps t-shirt!
Camp Saratoga 5k Fun Runs
During the summer months the Saratoga Stryders host the "Camp Saratoga Fun Run Series." This is a five race series held at the Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park's Camp Saratoga. The race course is 5K in length on wooded trails at the beautiful 310 acre parcel.The race series is open to all ages and abilities, run one race or all five. Registration is $5 per race at the door starting at 5:30PM. Races begin at 6:15PM sharp rain or shine. Race dates below.A raffle is held at the end of each race with many "wonderful" but cheap prizes awarded. At the last race of the series the Ironman and Ironwoman award is given to the male and female runners with the lowest cumulative time for all five races.This is a fun but challenging trail course. Expect to add 10%-20% to your best 5K road course time. There are no water stops on the course. Water is available at the finish.Proceeds benefit the Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park, Jake Fund and another local non-profit to be determined at a Stryder Business meeting.For more information contact Laura Clark at races@saratogastryders.org or (518) 581-1278
2013 Race Dates
Monday, June 24Monday, July 8Monday, July 22Monday, August 5Monday, August 19
Hello to the First Brood Of Karner Blue Butterflies!
They are here!The first brood of the Karner blue butterflies have emerged and can be seen flying around and feeding on the wild blue lupine. The best places to see them are on the trails at Camp Saratoga North off of Scout Road and the Old Gick and Fox Trails off of Route 50.The lupine is in full bloom and it is a sight to see!
Earth Day Volunteer Days
- Friday, April 19th 9:00 am and 1:00 pm - Lupine Seed Planting at Old Gick. Meet at 9 and/or again at 1:00 at the parking lot on Route 50 north of King Road.
- Saturday, April 20th 9:00 am - Lupine Seed Planting at Old Gick. Meet at 9 at the parking lot on Route 50 north of King Road.
- Saturday, April 20th 9:00 am - Trail Work Day at the Opdahl Farm on Ballard Road. We will be clearing for a new trail connector and cleaning out trash. Meet at 9:00 at Ballard Road next to the Trinity United Methodist Church.
Opening weekend for the Historic Cornell Hill Fire Tower at Camp Saratoga
Opening weekend for the Historic Cornell Hill Fire Tower at Camp SaratogaApril 13 and 14 from 10:00 - 3:00 PM:
Camp Saratoga Parking Lot #3 on Scout RoadClimb an authentic fire tower without having to climb a mountain! Get a treetop view of Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park.The schedule is subject to weather conditions and availability of Volunteer Fire Tower Interpreters. To confirm that it is open, contact Larry Gordon (Town of Wilton Fire Tower Coordinator) at (518) 469-0918.
Cancelled: No Moonlight Ski and Snowshoe Event
The Moonlight Ski and Snowshoe event scheduled for March 23rd at Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park is being cancelled. This winter’s lack of snowfall has resulted in poor trail conditions.“We had really hoped that we would have had the snow we needed to run the event,” said Margo Olson, director of the Preserve and Park. “This is such a fun and magical event. So many people out on the trails at night under a bright moon, with luminaries lighting the way. But this winter has been rough not just for us but for all local snow-related activities. The big storms kept missing us.”This year’s event was sponsored by the Healthy Living Market and Café and the Wilton Rotary. For more information please call the park office at 450-0321 or visit www.wiltonpreserve.org.
Trail Report 2-5-13
Please use caution when out on the trails. While many trails are down to the bare dirt, where there is coverage it tends to be ice. If we get a dusting of snow in the next few days, these icy spots will be hidden and treacherous!
Winterfest Snowshoe Event - Cancelled
With the thaw, rain and freeze, the trails are in poor condition.As a result we are cancelling our event for Sunday, February 2nd.We are still looking forward to our February 23rd Moonlight Ski and Snowshoe - but we really need some significant snow to fall!
Moonlight Ski and Snowshoe Postponed Until February 23rd
With the lack of any significant snow in the forecast between now and Saturday we have made the difficult decision to postpone the Annual Moonlight Ski and Snowshoe to our back-up date of Saturday, February 23rd.
Groomed Trails Update 1-22-13
We got a dusting of snow last night which made the Preserve & Park look nice and wintery, however, it is not enough to really improve the trail conditions or to allow for grooming at this time.
Wild About Blue - Wildly Successful!
Thanks to everyone who helped make our fall fundraiser, Wild About Blue, a huge success.We honored Larry Gordon with our first Metamorphosis Award for creating dramatic, positive change in the community.
Thanks to everyone on our honorary committee:StewardLinda Baker * Linda and Richard Hovious * Saratoga National BankGuardianDrs. Chris and Leisa Brockett * Peg McCanty and Michael Geppner * Bob and Debbie Rice * The Nature Conservancy – Eastern New York Chapter ProtectorBert and Bailey Bloom * Sarah Clarkin and Rick Weber * DA Collins * Farrell Oil – Chris and Lesa Farrell * George and Bea Frost * George and Rebecca Hodgson * John and Sue Lant * LASAR * Brian McMahon and Kimberly Harbour McMahon * Douglas Meyer and Lee McGoldrick * Frank and Delores Parillo * Matthew Miczek and Ann Marie Przywara * Anne and Lou Pettruccelli * Jack and Lenore Reber * Saratoga Wilton Elks #161 * Robert and Anne Scheffler * Caroline Stem and Bill Sprengnether * Steve and Rene Streicher * The Adirondack Trust Company * Carter White and Becky Christner * Wild Birds Unlimited * Anne and Ethan Winter * John Witt, Witt ConstructionThanks also to our silent auction donors:Adirondack Mountain Club * Balet Flowers and Design * Batcheller Mansion Inn * Ben and Jerry’s of Saratoga * Brenda Sanchez * Cherry Blossom Massage * Crowne Plaza Resort and Golf Club, Lake Placid * Dion Snowshoes * Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery * Gaffney’s Restaurant * Gore Mountain * Image Photo and Events * Lake George Steamboat Company * Live Nation * Longfellows Hotel, Restaurant and Conference Center * McCanty Family * Old Bryan Inn * Jeff Olson * Philip Alexander Jewelers * Sagamore Great Camp * Saratoga Performing Arts Center * Saratoga Springs Farmers’ Market * The Bread Basket * The YMCA of Saratoga
Star Party for October 19th cancelled
We were rained out twice - but we are not giving up on having an astronomy program in the future, even if it wasn't in the stars for this month! Keep a lookout in the calendar section for all of our upcoming events and programs.
Wild About Blue - Sunday, October 21st
Wild About Blue, a fundraising event for the Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park will be taking place on Sunday, October 21, 2012 beginning at 5:00 pm at The Wishing Well restaurant with drinks, a light dinner, and a unique silent auction. At this year’s event, the Preserve & Park will be presenting the inaugural Metamorphosis Award. This idea behind the award is to honor individuals who have helped create dramatic changes in their communities, just as the Karner blue butterfly and other species go through remarkable transformations in their life cycles. For ticket information, please contact the Preserve & Park office at 450-0321 or at info@wiltonpreserve.org.
The Karner blue butterflies are here!
It is official, the butterflies have arrived! With the great weather forecast for this weekend there is no better time to go for a walk to see the lupine in bloom and the butterflies in flight. The best trails to see them are Camp Saratoga North, Old Gick Farm and Fox. You can find the trail maps in the pull-down-menu labeled The Lands. Have fun!
Thursday, May 17th Karner Blue Butterfly Walk
Time: 4pm Place: Old GickPreregistration required by May 16th The endangered Karner blue butterfly has two broods every summer. Its adult life span is very short and only lasts for a few days. The best time to see the butterfly is in late May/early June and early July. When the Karner blue butterfly has emerged, WWPP will be notifying the public on our website (www.wiltonpreserve.org). The butterflies may or may not be out due to changes in the weather. We will be looking for butterflies in the first brood that are looking for nectar and mates in the open pine/oak savannah.
Saturday, May 5th Bird Walk with Rich Speidel
Time: TBD Place: Camp SaratogaPreregistration Required: Call Rich Speidel at (518) 623-2587May is the best month to hear and see migratory birds in our area. This will be a leisurely morning walk along the trails and the varied habitats of the Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park. Please bring binoculars. This program is offered through the Adirondack Mountain Club. Group size is limited to 15.
Wilton Wildlife Festival
Saturday June 2nd from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.Wildlife Festival: A Celebration of the Butterflies, Birds and Beasts of the Saratoga Sandplains of Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park. Enjoy presentations with live hawks and owls, Karner blue butterfly walks, live reptile and amphibian displays, and pond exploration with dip nets. There will also be lots of hands-on nature crafts, the fire tower will be open, and since it is National Trails Day, lots of opportunties to explore the trails! There will be a BBQ run by a boy scout troop available for a small charge.