Entrepreneur introduces new hiking series

Flanders Nature Center

WOODBURY — Flanders Nature Center & Land Trust has added a new series to its year round offerings of environmental education programs, Hiking with An Average Jill.

Leading the program series is entrepreneur Jill Roberts, a former accounting professional with a “desire to share with the world how extraordinary the beauty one can discover in the most ordinary,” according to a statement.

Roberts created the YouTube channel, “Hiking with an Average Jill,” which features her productions of mini-hiking documentaries. Using her personal granola recipes she also sells mixes with her own recipes, under the name “An Average Jill Granola.”

“The personal stories I share through my writing, video documentaries, and photography are intended to inspire, teach, and offer a positive perspective,” Roberts said. “I may not write the next New York Times best seller, or produce a documentary that earns recognition, or capture the next National Geographic photo of the year, but I just might inspire someone who does. After all, I’m just your Average Jill.”

The “Hiking with An Average Jill” series begins in mid-February with “Hiking as Exercise with An Average Jill.” Cooler temperatures present the best conditions for being active outdoors, and the winter months offer some of the best hiking conditions to get exercise while participating in an activity to enjoy. Roberts will lead a hike to adventure through the more challenging trails within Flanders nature preserves. This is a hike, not a run, with a steady pace with only occasional stops.

These midweek hikes are being held Feb. 13 and March 24, with rain dates of Feb. 20 and March 31, respectively.

The location of the first hike is the Van Vleck Sanctuary, the main campus of Flanders. The group will meet in the Studio Parking Area at 5 Church Hill Rd, Woodbury.

The March 24 hike will take place at the Whittemore Sanctuary with guests meeting in the Parking Area at Route 64, Sherman Hill Road and Woodbury

Both sessions will start at 1 p.m. have a distance of 3–5 miles taking approximately 2 to 2.5 hours each. The cost for each hike is $5 for members and $10 for non-members

For those looking for a winter hike at a more leisurely pace, “Discover the Beauty of Flanders with An Average Jill” is another offering in the series. Roberts

guides hikers along scenic trails within Flanders’ Whittemore Nature preserve, while she points out interesting landmarks and shares her own observations.

This 2-3 mile hike is at 10 a.m. Feb. 23, with a rain date of March 22. Hikers will meet at the Whittemore Sanctuary Parking Area Rt. 64, Sherman Hill Rd. The cost is $5 for members and $10 for non-members.

The “Hiking with An Average Jill” series will continue with “Trail Photography with An Average Jill., March 8 and April 21, at a slow, but steady pace, allowing individuals to pause and capture trailside photos.

On April 8, join others for “Hiking under the Moon with An Average Jill” to experience hiking at night.

Full details on each of the offerings of this new series can be found at www. flandersnaturecenter.org. Look for the homepage link to the new Flanders’ winter/spring catalog. Preregistration is required and can be done online on the website or by calling Flanders at 203-263-3711 Ext. 12.

Flanders Nature Center & Land Trust is a nonprofit organization that focuses on environmental education, and on the acquisition, conservation, and stewardship of open space. Through its land trust initiatives, Flanders actively works to protect important natural sites and the area’s landscape character and quality of life. Flanders manages over 2,300 acres of preserved land in Woodbury and neighboring towns. For more information, call 203-263-3711 or flandersnaturecenter.org

Contributed photo Flanders Nature Center & Land Trust has added a new series to its year-round offerings of environmental education programs, “Hiking with An Average Jill.”