Walk the Land: A Forest Tells Its Story

Hudson Valley woodlands are rife with evidence of their past if you know how and where to look. Bob Davis, Executive Director of Winnakee Land Trust, will explain how to read the clues as he leads a walk under the generous canopy of Vlei Marsh Preserve in Rhinebeck. The 165-acre parcel, overseen by the Trust and designated as a core forest within a forest linkage zone, has evolved from forest to farm to forest again over the decades. Look closely and this tumultuous past reveals itself—to the trained eye. While relating Vlei’s  natural and cultural history and identifying its rich diversity of plants, trees, birds and other wildlife, Bob will point out evidence showing whether a forest is growing on century-old pastures or on more recent crop fields or woodlots; when a catastrophic storm did damage and what type of storm it was, where a fire ripped through. In essence, you’ll learn to read a forest’s language. Who doesn’t want that skill in their back pocket?  

Capacity is limited and registration is required.