To the Editor:

With the opening of the new visitor center at Five Rivers, we thought we’d share an interesting story about the old center and an environmental hero.

Those who love visiting the center have enjoyed the wonderful mural of wildlife at the Beaver Pond on the old visitor center walls. The mural was painted by Wayne Trimm, who passed away this month at 94.

One of the priorities in the move to the new building was preserving and reinstalling the mural. Visitors who come to see the new center will be happy to see it in its new home.

Wayne’s leadership and artwork graced the Department of Environmental Conservation’s “Conservationist” magazine for many years. He was an avid birder and a founder of the Alan Devoe Bird Club in Columbia County, and a bird rehabilitator who traveled with his great horned owl, Bramble, educating delighted audiences of kids and adults.

A world traveler, glider, taxidermist, and dance enthusiast, Wayne was an artist whose passion was lighting the fire of love for the natural world.

Wayne’s family has designated the Friends of Five Rivers as the recipient of contributions in his memory. The Friends support and conduct environmental education programs for kids and adults at Five Rivers. Wayne and his wife Melodee were frequent visitors at the center and were staples at our Fall Festival, always with an owl on Wayne’s arm.

“I think he slept that way,” remembers former Five Rivers director Craig Thompson. “He often brought us dead mice to feed our owl. Wayne was always supportive of our programs. He was a giant in conservation education, as well as wildlife art, wildlife rehabilitation and many other unrelated disciplines, a truly Renaissance man.”

A retrospective show of his artwork — over 90 pieces — was hung at Five Rivers in 1985.

He is greatly missed.

Joanne Macklin

Executive Director, Friends of Five Rivers