Westchester Land Trust

Although forests might seem quiet during the winter, there are many signs of life all around usas long as you know what to look for! Check out the photos to see the signs of wildlife we’ve spotted on the trails recently! White fur on the forest floor Woodpecker activity on a tree Coyote or fox scat on a log

Logan, an Eagle Scout candidate, installed a bat house at WLT's Love Preserve. Bats are an important part of the ecosystem, and they help keep mosquitoes and other irritating insects in check! Photo credit: Mike Surdej

Beavers have returned to the Westchester Wilderness Walk/ Zofnass Family Preserve! While we are excited that this native animal is once again residing in the preserve, beavers also cause challenges for managing land. This beaver has flooded one of our trails, and we were worried the flooding would increase. In response, WLT staff worked with Dan Aitchison, a wildlife biologist and beaver expert, to create a "flow device" that would allow some water to pass through the dam, ...keeping the pond from getting too high. Special thanks to our volunteers Jaelen and Samantha, who worked tirelessly on a cold December day, in a frozen pond, to help with this project! How does the flow device work? There is a pipe, which allows water to flow from the deep channel in the pond to an outflow behind the dam. To prevent the beaver from blocking the pipe, we built metal cages around the inflow and outflow.

It may be winter but it's never too early to start thinking about planting season! Join Bionutrient Food Association's Westchester/NYC chapter for a virtual meeting tonight from 78pm on Zoom. Allison Turcan, a longtime friend of WLT and founder of DIG Farm, will lead a discussion all about seeds! To attend, please use the link and login info below: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81460967853... Meeting ID: 814 6096 7853 Passcode: 005133

It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said this in 1967, and today, his powerful words inspire us to take an intersectional, holistic approach to creating a brighter future for all. : Marvin Koner (1961)

This stunning, early-morning shot was captured at Baxter Preserve in North Salem, a beautiful space owned by our friends at North Salem Open Land Foundation! Do you have a favorite preserve or nature trail in your town? Post a photo in the comments or tag us!