Fox Preserve opens on October 21 with guided hikes
A pileated woodpecker at the Fox Preserve was photographed by Patricia Fox who donated the land to the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy to provide a “safe haven” for wildlife, she said. The woodpecker gets its name from its red crest as pileatus in Latin means “capped.” It is the second-largest woodpecker in the United States.
COLONIE — The Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy invites the public to a free outdoor celebration: the opening of the Fox Preserve in Colonie.
On Oct. 21, the celebration begins at 10 a.m. with light refreshments and an opening ceremony, followed by guided hikes along one mile of new trails that weave through open fields, oak forests, and along the banks of Shaker Creek.
This preserve is also a prime birdwatching spot, as field and forest habitats create nesting sites for several species, and the nearby Mohawk River provides hunting grounds for eagles and ospreys.
This is the conservancy’s second preserve to open in 2017; the Strawberry Fields Nature Preserve in Amsterdam opened in May. Both openings are part of a series of events the conservancy is hosting to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
This 70-acre Fox Preserve was donated to the conservancy by Dr. Patricia Fox in 2015. When she donated the property, Fox wrote: “It’s a great feeling to know I’ve helped ensure a piece of wilderness where all God’s creatures can grow and thrive. I see children learning to love nature and people of all ages discovering the beauty of this place. Most of all, I see wildlife of every description finding safe haven within these acres — now and always.”
Dr. Fox owned the property for over 30 years, and it is one of the last remaining areas of open space in this area of Colonie. The Fox Preserve is the 18th nature preserve that the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy has opened to the public.