The Town of Clifton Park Open Space, Trails & Riverfront Committee and Town Board are presenting the 3rd Annual Open Space Day this Saturday, May 14, 2016, with activities offered between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at nature preserves and parks all throughout town. Everyone is invited!
Starting at 9 a.m., a “Learn-to-Fish” Event will be happening at Barney Road Pond, and continue until 1 p.m. This is the first year that the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation is coming to Clifton Park for Open Space Day, to offer this type of environmental education for children, families, and participants of all ages and abilities. They have plenty of bait, poles and summer interns to help so they can handle a big crowd. Visitors are encouraged to park at the Barney Road Pool, at One Barney Road, and stroll over to the event along the shoreline. Disabled access is along Valencia Drive.
Five, guided. one-hour walks are available, starting at 10 a.m., led by local volunteers with the Town’s Open Space, Trails & Riverfront Committee. Gather friends and family and meet up at one of the following nature preserves in Clifton Park: Dwaas Kill Nature Preserve, on Pierce Road; Garnsey Park, on NYS Route 146; Woodcock Preserve, a Saratoga P.L.A.N. conserved property on Tanner Road; Veterans Memorial Park & Mooney Carrese Forest, on Elks Trail (road) off of MacElroy Road; and Ushers Road State Forest, off of Ushers Road, east of NYS Route 9. These hikes are on natural surface paths and are rugged and uneven terrain. Guides will go at an easy pace.
For the first time this year the day’s offerings includes a “Learn to do Orienteering” component, an outdoors activity to learn how to read maps and the natural and built features of the environment. The Empire Orienteering Club is presenting this activity from 10 a.m. to Noon at Vischer Ferry Nature & Historic Preserve. Please meet up at the Whipple Bridge entrance, located at Riverview Road at its intersection with Van Vranken Road.
Additionally, participants of all ages can try their hand at geo-caching at Kinns Road Park, from 1 to 2 p.m. if this is something they have been curious about. Kinns Road Park is off of Kinns Road, immediately west of Carlton Road.
Dave Behm, volunteer, and naturalist, is leading a “Wildflower Ramble” between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., an easy-going, take your time kind of hike, at the Dwaas Kill Nature Preserve, located off of Pierce Road.
The Town of Clifton Park will recognize a wonderful open space program volunteer at an awards moment at Historic Grooms Tavern at 12:30 p.m. Town officials will offer remarks on successes of the Open Space Program.
Lots of great demos and exhibits including fly-tying, bicycling safety and tips, and beekeeping, will be available at Historic Grooms Tavern, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. HGT is located at the intersection of Grooms Road and Sugar Hill Road. Friends of Clifton Park Open Space, Saratoga P.L.A.N., Friends of Mohawk Towpath Scenic Byway, Southern Adirondack Beekeepers Association, Pet Fest Clifton Park, Empire Orienteering Club, Trout Unlimited – Clearwater Chapter and the Trails Subcommittee of the Open Space, Trails & Riverfront Committee, will all be featured at the event.
Food and refreshments will be available with the Friends of Historic Grooms Tavern and Vischer Ferry General Store.
For more information visit www.cliftonparkopenspaces.org or www.cliftonpark.org, or call (518) 371-6054