Meet 11:00 a.m. in the Saugerties Village Beach parking lot on US Rte. 9W (at the bottom of Partition Street), just north of the Esopus Creek bridge in the Village of Saugerties. We will carpool to the preserve.

Bring binoculars, insect repellant, and field guides if you have them. Be prepared for potentially wet/muddy trails, tall grass, and summer heat. In the event of rain, the walk is postponed (see rain date information above). Children are welcome and encouraged, but, please, no pets.

Contact the field trip leader, Henry Halama mailto:hhjhalama@verizon.net or Steve Chorvas mailto:schorvas@verizon.net for additional information or directions. This ECC Environmental Education walk is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is not required.

Rain date is Sunday, August 10 at 11:00 a.m.

The aim was both to show the beauties of the river, and the ingenious ways the householders had learned to take advantage of it. One hidden house, only steps from where 9W curves round by the village beach, was a triumph of sleek Scandinavian-style design, complete with a sauna and a waterside lawn that seemed utterly secluded. Another, opposite the curve on the west bank above the highway bridge, had a dock and swimming area and was surrounded by woods.

Two tiny converted summer cottages, neighbors on the west bank further south toward where habitation stops at the Mudderkill, breathed a relaxed sense of history. As you head south, the creek narrows and deepens; the shoreline rises steeply and soon you are in a gorge. Just before the rapids, perched 60 feet above the water stands the southern most property on the tour. A small beach provides boating and swimming access; a goat trail traverses the hill and brings you up to the house for an intimate view of the creek.

A drive through Barclay Heights ended at the gate of Esopus Bend Nature Preserve’s 161 acres of undeveloped woodland, wetlands, meadows and streams, intersected by marked trails. Here one enjoys another perspective of the Esopus from stopping off points, some complete with rustic benches, on the preserve’s two miles of shoreline.

At each stop the pleasures of the scenes were enhanced by generous offerings of food and drink and the opportunity for relaxed conversation with other visitors, as well as with the enterprising hosts. The result was a splendid introduction to the unexpected beauties of some watery corners of Saugerties, and the opportunity to make some fascinating new friends.

After such a promising start, it is good to look forward to a repeat of DECKS AND DOCKS ON THE ESOPUS next year.

By John Baker

Photos by Ernie Mortuzans

The field trip includes a venture into Esopus Bend’s woodlands, wetlands and meadow to identify birds by sight and sound, pausing along the way to observe the diversity of plant and animal life that inhabit the preserve. As the morning temperatures rise, focus will turn to the early summer butterflies flying in the preserve at this time of the year.

Meet at 8:00 a.m. in the Saugerties Village Beach parking lot on US Rte. 9W, just north of the Esopus Creek bridge, at the foot of Partition Street in the Village of Saugerties.

Bring binoculars, insect repellant, and field guides if you have them. Be prepared for potentially wet/muddy trails, tall grass, and dress according to weather conditions. Light rain often makes for excellent birding and nature observation, but will inhibit or eliminate most butterfly activity. If there is heavy rain, the field trip is cancelled. Children are welcome and encouraged to come, but please do not bring pets.

Contact the field trip leaders, Henry Halama (hhjhalama@verizon.net) or Steve Chorvas (schorvas@verizon.net) for additional information or directions. This ECC environmental education walk is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is not required.

Photo of Black Swallowtail by Steve M. Chorvas

Arrive by land or water – walk, bike, drive or paddle. Enjoy light-lunch fare at each stop along the tour. Relax, socialize, and admire the protected landscape of Saugerties natural treasure, Esopus Bend Nature Preserve.

Discover, or discover anew, Esopus Bend. Venture over to Frog’s Island on the Preserve. Join a nature hike led by ECC’s experienced guides. Learn about Esopus Bend’s special habitats and abundant wildlife.

The grant will support a study to assess resources and gaps that can hinder conservation across Ulster County as a whole. The results will be increased efficiency and lower costs for the organizations that operate with limited staff and budgets, and in the case of ECC which relies solely on volunteers. Improved contact with landowners and municipalities is the expected result. The grant will also provide for a greater level of planning and consulting services to individuals and communities interested in realizing the financial and environmental benefits of land protection.

The other land trusts partnering in the grant award are: the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, the Cragsmoor Conservancy, the Mohonk Preserve, the Rondout Esopus Land Conservancy, the Shawangunk Conservancy, the Wallkill Valley Land Trust, and the Woodstock Land Conservancy.

The LTA grant comes through the New York State Conservation Partnership Program administered by the Department of Environmental Conservation. The program provides funds annually to local land trusts in order to meet critical conservation goals—its success prompted an increase of $500,000 in the new state budget over the previous year, for a total of nearly $1.6 million in 2008-2009.