Spring Amphibian Walk

Poestenkill Community Forest

​Saturday, April 11, 10am - 1pm

Trip Leader: Jeff Briggs, jbriggs200@nycap.rr.com

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In the spring, the ponds and streams are teeming with breeding frogs and salamanders. Jeff will help us search for these small creatures whose combined mass in the woods is more than deer and moose. We will learn to identify frog calls and egg masses, and will discuss the differences in breeding and larval development between frogs and salamanders. If spring thaw permits, we will also look for wood salamanders and stream salamanders. Wear boots for walking in wet areas. Bring water and snack.

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Please register in advance through Eventbrite. Suggested donation of $5, payable on day of event. This event is part of the 2020 Joint Outings series, sponsored by Rensselaer Land Trust and Rensselaer Plateau Alliance. Contact trip leader with questions.

Spring Bird Walk

John B. Staalesen Vanderheyden Preserve

Saturday, May 2, 8:30am - 11:30am

Trip Leader: Jim de Waal Malefyt, dewaalmalefyt@gmail.com

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Early morning in the spring before the leaves are out is the best time to look for spring migrating and local resident birds. We will also identify birds by their courtship songs and calls. Bring binoculars and any bird guides. Expect some short walks near the parking area into field, forest and stream and wetland edge. You will be delighted how an urban preserve can be great bird habitat. Suitable for birders of all levels, including beginners.

 

Please register in advance through Eventbrite. Suggested donation of $5, payable on day of event. This event is part of the 2020 Joint Outings series, sponsored by Rensselaer Land Trust and Rensselaer Plateau Alliance. Contact trip leader with questions.

Spring Wildflower Walk
Berlin High School

​Saturday, May 16, 10:30am - 1:30am

Trip Leader: Tom Phillips, mossvet@nycap.rr.com

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Learn new spring wildflowers at the Rensselaer Land Trust’s Bear’s Den Preserve near Cherry Plain. This is a perfect hike to see many spring wildflowers, including uncommon ones, at their best and enjoy this unique geological preserve. A steward surprised a bobcat at the cave last winter. The cave was known to early settlers and you can still see evidence of their visits here. Tom Phillips, avid botanist, will help us find and identify the area’s wide variety of flowers. The walk will be a couple of miles long, with one steep hill.

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Please register in advance through Eventbrite. Suggested donation of $5, payable on day of event. This event is part of the 2020 Joint Outings series, sponsored by Rensselaer Land Trust and Rensselaer Plateau Alliance. Contact trip leader with questions.

Bog and Peatland Walk

Young's Bog Nature Preserve

​Saturday, June 6, 10am - 2pm

Trip Leader: Nick Conrad, nbconrad@msn.com

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If you have never felt a quaking bog beneath your feet, now is your chance. Bogs and other peatlands are very unusual habitats, with plants that grow nowhere else. We will explore the plants living here, including insect-eating pitcher plants and sundews, and learn how peatlands form and how plants have adapted to them. Wear footwear you can get very wet.

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The walk will take place at Young's Bog Nature Preserve in West Sand Lake, owned by Rensselaer Land Trust. Because access involves crossing private property of adjoining neighbors, and because of the ecological sensitivity of the habitats, access to Young's Nature Preserve is restricted. A meeting location will be announced to registered participants in advance of the event.

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Please register in advance through Eventbrite. Suggested donation of $5, payable on day of event. This event is part of the 2020 Joint Outings series, sponsored by Rensselaer Land Trust and Rensselaer Plateau Alliance. Contact trip leader with questions.

Summer Fern Walk

Albert Family Community Forest

​Sunday, July 12, 10am - 12pm

Trip Leader: Tom Phillips, mossvet@nycap.rr.com

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Ferns on the forest floor -- we see them throughout the Rensselaer Plateau but know little about their secret lives. Learn to identify the large variety of our local ferns. Tom Phillips, botanist and student of all things fern-like, will lead us through the varied habitats of the Community Forest to discover these fascinating and beautiful plants. Bring a magnifying loop if you have one.

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Please register in advance through Eventbrite. Suggested donation of $5, payable on day of event. This event is part of the 2020 Joint Outings series, sponsored by Rensselaer Land Trust and Rensselaer Plateau Alliance. Contact trip leader with questions.

Summer Wildflower Walk

Location: TBA

​Saturday, August 22, 10am - 1pm

Trip Leader: Nick Conrad, nbconrad@msn.com

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We'll visit a site in Rensselaer County with a variety of habitats to look for and identify plants blooming in the second half of the summer. Stay tuned for more details.

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Please register in advance through Eventbrite. Suggested donation of $5, payable on day of event. This event is part of the 2020 Joint Outings series, sponsored by Rensselaer Land Trust and Rensselaer Plateau Alliance. Contact trip leader with questions.