Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge Discovery Day

Come join the fun on Sept. 28 from 9:30 a.m. to noon (rain date Sept. 29) for the Park Discovery Day in the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge (formerly known as ‘Demeter Park’). After last year’s successful Scavenger Hunt, the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge Committee and the Charlotte Land Trust are excited to co-sponsor an expanded event to include not only a nature Scavenger Hunt for children, but also scenic horse-drawn carriage rides along the ridge of the park as well as bird walks specifically geared to kids (ages 6 and up) and separate walks for adults to be led by two knowledgeable experts.  Participants can learn about various native bird species that can be found in the refuge.

A variety of interesting trees will be tagged for people who want to work on learning their tree species. There will also be folks on hand to discuss how active agriculture in the park is managed. In addition to these events, if you’ve ever found yourself wondering about the beautiful barn that rests at the top of the refuge on Route 7, Jenny Cole will be available to answer questions and present facts about the historic Thorpe Barn.

The festivities will start at 9:30 a.m. and end at 12:00 noon. Parking and a shuttle to bus people to and from the event will be located at the Charlotte Central School. The shuttle will be starting at 9:15 a.m. The event will mostly take place in the eastern part of the park, along the scenic Thorpe and Byington trails. There will be no parking available at the top of the Refuge, as this is not a public entrance. If you want to park at the Greenbush Rd. entrance, you will need to walk up to the festivities, which could be about a half hour walk.

Please keep in mind that this is a wildlife refuge where numerous native plants and animals make this part of Charlotte their home, so please no bikes and no dogs. Refreshments and snacks will be provided. Each participant is encouraged to register at the town website under the ‘Recreation’ tab before the event. Registration forms will also be available at the Town Hall and on the day of the event.

We hope to see you there! The “Discovery Day” promises to be a very special event and a lot of fun for all ages.