VIRTUAL FESTIVAL
Annual Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park event to be held week-long starting Sunday
WILTON, N.Y. » Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park’s annual Wildlife Festival will be a week-long virtual event this year, though the park is still welcoming visitors during its most ideal season.
Due to social distancing requirements, instead of a oneday Wildlife Festival on Sunday as previously planned, Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park is holding a Wildlife Week from May 31 through June 6.
Each day the Wilton Preserve will post a short video or host a live event that is based on the in-person events that would have taken place at the annual festival at Camp Saratoga in Wilton. These will premiere daily at 10 a.m. on the
Wilton Preserve’s Facebook page, and the videos will be posted to its YouTube channel.
The Festival Week will kickoff with a Facebook Live Turtle Discovery Program at 10 a.m. on May 31, followed by a Karner Blue Butterfly Walk via Video on Monday, June 1; a Video Nature Craft at Home on Tuesday, June 2; a “Who Will Roar if I Go?” Online Storybook Reading on Wednesday, June 3; a Video Exploration and History of the Historic Cornell Hill Fire Tower on Thursday, June 4; an Aquatic Freshwater Wildlife Exploration Video from Delegan Pond on Friday, June 5; and a National Trails Day Trail Highlight Video on Saturday, June 6.
Even though there cannot be a large gathering, everyone is encouraged to get outdoors in the coming weeks and explore the trails at Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park while maintaining safe social distancing.
“This is the time of year when the meadows are filled with the stunning purple blossoms of the wild blue lupine,”a press release from the park said. “The first brood of the Karner blue butterflies has been observed, making these next two weeks an ideal time to visit the Preserve & Park and see it in its full beauty.”
The last day of the Wildlife Festival Week is June 6, National Trails Day, a perfect time to get out and explore the trail system at the Wilton Preserve.
National Trails Day is an annual event hosted by the American Hiking Society, which celebrates not only national scenic and historic trails, but all trails on public lands.
In honor of National Trails Day, the American Hiking Society is encouraging all to take American Hiking’s #NationalTrailsDay Pledge to preserve trails and parks and fight for equitable access online at americanhiking.org/national-trails-day.
“While the COVID-19 quarantines have put into sharp focus how much our minds and bodies need time outside every day, the trails and parks we value are under-resourced and not everyone has easy access to quality green space,” American Hiking Society executive director Kate Van Waes said in a press release.
In addition to taking the pledge, American Hiking is encouraging the public to join the National Trails Day digital movement and share on social media why access to trails and natural space are important to them. Participants can tag photos with #NationalTrailsDay and @AmericanHiking to be entered into a photo contest with a chance to win one of multiple prize packages of outdoor gear.
The more than 25 miles of trails at Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park are found on New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Saratoga County, and Town of Wilton lands, and Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park works closely with its partners to help keep these trails in shape for outdoor recreational activities.
The best trails for viewing the lupine and butterflies are Camp Saratoga North on Scout Road, the
Old Gick Farm and Fox trailheads on Route 50 north of King Road, the Opdahl Farm off of Ballard Road by the Trinity Church and the Edie Road trailhead south of Scout Road on Edie Road.
Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park is a non-profit organization with a mission to conserve ecological systems and natural settings while providing opportunities for environmental education and outdoor recreation.
More information about Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park and its upcoming Wildlife Week is available online at www.wiltonpreserve.org or by calling the park office at 518-450-0321.