JAMAICA-The Northeast Wilderness Trust will celebrate the first birthday of College Hill Wilderness Sanctuary with a guided hike led by Wildlands Ecology Director Shelby Perry Saturday, July 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in Jamaica.
The group will hike to the summit of College Hill, exploring some of the Sanctuary’s oldest forest habitats and discovering the plants and wildlife there. Along the way, Perry will share insights into the ecology of these forests and discuss why protecting large connected wildlands is essential for biodiversity, wildlife movement, and long-term ecological resilience.
At the summit, a commemoration of College Hill’s first year of forever-wild protection will be presented, and hikers will learn more about the Chickadee Addition, a proposed expansion of the current Sanctuary that will safeguard even more space for College Hill’s forests, wildlife, and ecological communities to thrive.
The hike, following an old roadbed, will be a steady but gradual climb for about a mile and a half to the summit. There will be periodic stops along the way to discuss the remarkable qualities of this landscape and enjoy a longer break at the summit to take in the view.
Hikers will return the way they came in, and should expect mild slopes and uneven terrain. Participants should bring a bag lunch, wear multiple clothing layers, carry plenty of water, pack snacks, apply bug spray or a head net, and wear good hiking boots or shoes.
Perry oversees all aspects of the ecology program, which conducts, supports, and shares ecological research pertaining to wildlands and inventories ecological values on the Wilderness Trust’s protected lands. As a lifelong learner, and professional ecologist and naturalist, she has spent countless hours observing, recording, and investigating tiny moments of wonder in nature.
To RSVP, visit bit.ly/872-wilder.
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