Nature preserve

SARASOTA COUNTY, FL – The search for Brian Laundrie, the fiancé of slain Florida woman Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito, entered a day four on Wednesday at the Carlton Reservation in Sarasota County.

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Laundrie, 23, was named a person of interest in Petito’s death after Wyoming authorities confirmed on Tuesday that the 22-year-old’s remains were found in a remote area of ​​Grand Teton National Park and the Bridger-Teton National Forest.

>> Related: Coroner: Remains Found In Wyoming Belong To Gabby Petito

Petito’s cause of death remains pending final autopsy results. Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue has ruled her death a homicide.

Authorities began searching the nearly 25,000-acre Carlton Preserve for laundry on Saturday, a day after family members reported him missing in North Port. Officials from several agencies, including the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, North Port Police, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, scoured the area with the help of K-9 and at least one drone at over the weekend, although officials found no signs of laundry. .

Family members told police they last saw him carrying a backpacking bag on September 14. They recovered a car on Thursday that would be used by Laundrie on the reserve, ABC News reported.

Officials suspended their search efforts at the nature reserve on Monday, after police told WFLA they believed they had “exhausted all possibilities to search the grounds there.” That day, the FBI issued a search warrant at the Laundrie family home where both Laundrie and Petito lived. Authorities declined to immediately provide more information on the research, citing “the active and ongoing investigation.”

The search for laundry on the Carlton reserve resumed on Tuesday.

Family members said they last heard from Petito in late August, while she was visiting Grand Teton National Park. The visit was part of a road trip that Petito and Laundrie undertook in July in a converted Fort Transit camper van, according to the Associated Press.

>> Related: Family Asks For Info On Gabby Petito’s Disappearance

Police said Laundrie returned in the van to her family’s home in North Port on September 1. Petito was not with him and he refused before his disappearance to speak to investigators looking for him.

Authorities continue to investigate.

© 2021 Cox Media Group

SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla .– FBI calls for help in locating Brian Laundrie, the fiancé of slain Florida woman Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito, as search teams scour the Carlton Reservation in Sarasota County for a fourth day Wednesday looking for 23- Age.

>> Read more trending news

Update 8:57 p.m. EDT September 21: The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office dive team searched for Brian Laundrie in the Carlton Reservation, but Wednesday’s search ended without any sign of Gabrielle “Gabby Petito” fiance, who is a person of interest in the death of the 22-year-old woman. .

The North Port Police Department, FBI and other law enforcement agencies searched the 25,000-acre swampy nature reserve for a fourth consecutive day, concluding at 7:15 p.m. EDT, the Sarasota Herald reported. -Tribune.

“We have deployed a lot of resources and we are trying to cover every acre of this reserve,” North Port Police Commander Joe Fussell said in a video released by the agency on Wednesday. “Our law enforcement partners are motivated and thirsty to find Brian Laundrie.

“It’s hard there. Yeah, it’s tough there. it’s hot. It’s wet.”

Police used dive crews, boats and sonar equipment to search the reserve’s largest bodies of water on Wednesday, North Port Police spokesman Josh Taylor said in a report on Wednesday. -mail to the Herald-Tribune.

Original report: Laundrie was named a person of interest in Petito’s death after Wyoming officials confirmed on Tuesday that the 22-year-old’s remains were found in the scattered Spread Creek camping area in the Bridger National Forest. Teton.

>> Related: Coroner: Remains Found In Wyoming Belong To Gabby Petito

Petito’s cause of death remains pending final autopsy results. Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue has ruled her death a homicide.

The FBI has asked anyone with information about Laundrie’s whereabouts to contact officials at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit the information online at tips.fbi.gov .

Authorities in particular asked for help from anyone who used the scattered Spread Creek camping area in Wyoming between August 27 and August 30, anyone who may have been in contact with Petito or Laundrie, and any person who could have seen their vehicle.

Family members said they last heard from Petito in late August, while she was visiting Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. The visit was part of a road trip that Petito and Laundrie undertook in July in a converted Fort Transit camper van, according to the Associated Press.

>> Related: Family Asks For Info On Gabby Petito’s Disappearance

Police said Laundrie returned in the van to her family’s home in North Port on September 1. Petito was not with him and he refused before his disappearance to speak to investigators looking for him.

Authorities began searching the nearly 25,000-acre Carlton Preserve for laundry on Saturday, a day after family members reported him missing in North Port. Officials from several agencies, including the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, North Port Police, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, scoured the area with the help of K-9 and at least one drone at over the weekend, although officials found no signs of laundry. .

Family members told police they last saw him carrying a backpacking bag on September 14. They recovered a car on Thursday that would be used by Laundrie on the reserve, ABC News reported.

Officials suspended their search efforts at the nature reserve on Monday, after police told WFLA they believed they had “exhausted all possibilities to search the grounds there.” That day, the FBI issued a search warrant at the Laundrie family home where both Laundrie and Petito lived. Authorities declined to immediately provide more information on the research, citing “the active and ongoing investigation.”

The search for laundry on the Carlton reserve resumed on Tuesday.

Authorities continue to investigate.

© 2021 Cox Media Group

NORTH PORT, Fla – Gabby Petito was killed by another person, a coroner concluded while confirming that human remains recently found in a Wyoming national park were those of the 22-year-old woman who went missing months after she left for a road trip across the country with her boyfriend, the FBI said on Tuesday.

Teton County Coroner Brent Blue determined Petito was a homicide victim but did not disclose the cause of death pending final autopsy results, officials said. His body was found near an undeveloped camping area in northern Wyoming on Sunday, along the border of Grand Teton National Park.

Meanwhile, authorities continued to search an area of ​​Florida swamp reserve near the home of Petito’s boyfriend. North Port, Florida police said investigators returned to the Carlton reservation on Tuesday to search for Brian Laundrie, 23. Nothing significant was found and the search was scheduled to continue on Wednesday. Investigators began excavating Florida’s 24,000-acre (9,700-hectare) nature reserve over the weekend, focusing on the area after Laundrie’s parents told police he was there. may have returned.

Authorities use helicopters, drones, dogs and officers in all-terrain vehicles in their search for laundry. About 75% of the search area is underwater.

On Monday, the FBI visited Laundrie’s parents’ home in North Port and removed several boxes and towed a car neighbors said Laundrie’s mother typically used.

Laundrie and Petito lived with her parents at the North Port home before the road trip in which she died.

The young couple had left in July in a converted van to visit the national parks of the West. They argued along the way and Laundrie was alone when he got into the van at his parents’ house on September 1, police said.

Laundrie has been named a person of interest in the case, but it is not known where he is in recent days.

Petito’s father, Joseph, posted on social media an image of a broken heart above a photo of his daughter, with the message: “She touched the world.”

In an interview aired Monday on the television show “Dr. Phil”, Joseph Petito said that Laundrie and his daughter had dated for 2.5 years and that Laundrie was “always respectful”. During the interview, which was recorded before his daughter’s body was found, Petito said the couple had previously taken a road trip to California in his car and there had been no problem.

Joseph Petito said the family started to worry after several days without news of their daughter.

“We called Brian, we called the mother, we called the father, we called the sister, we called all the numbers we could find,” said Joseph Petito. “No phone calls were taken, no text messages were returned.”

Joseph Petito has said he wants Laundrie to be held accountable for the role he played in his daughter’s disappearance, as well as his family for her protection.

“I hope they understand what is coming, and that includes his parents,” said Joseph Petito. “Because I’m going to tell you, right now they’re just as complicit in my book.”

The FBI said investigators were seeking information from anyone who might have seen the couple around Grand Teton.

Gabby Petito and Laundrie were childhood sweethearts who met growing up on Long Island, New York. His parents then moved to North Port, about 55 kilometers south of Sarasota.

A man who saw Petito and Laundrie fighting in Moab, Utah on August 12, called 911 to report a domestic violence incident, according to a recording of the call obtained from the Grand County Sheriff’s Office . The man said he saw Laundrie slap Petito as he walked through town and hit her before the two got into their van and drove off.

Video released by Moab Police showed an officer stopped the couple’s van the same day after it was seen speeding up and hitting a sidewalk near Arches National Park. Body camera images showed an upset Petito.

Laundrie said on video the couple got into a fight after getting into the van with dirty feet. He said he did not want to pursue a domestic violence charge against Petito, whose officers decided he was the abuser.

Moab police separated the couple for the night, with Laundrie checking in at a motel and Petito staying with the van.

In the footage, Gabby Petito cried as she told the officer that she and Laundrie had argued about her over-cleaning the van. She told the officer she suffered from OCD – an obsessive-compulsive disorder.

On “Dr. Phil” his father said that was not literally true. She just likes to keep her living space tidy and used slang, he said.

___

AP writer Matthew Brown in Billings, MT, contributed to this report.

Meanwhile, authorities continued to search an area of ​​Florida swamp reserve near the home of Petito’s boyfriend. North Port, Florida police said investigators returned to the Carlton reservation on Tuesday to search for Brian Laundrie, 23. Nothing significant was found and the search was scheduled to continue on Wednesday. Investigators began excavating Florida’s 24,000-acre (9,700-hectare) nature reserve over the weekend, focusing on the area after Laundrie’s parents told police he was there. may have returned.

Authorities use helicopters, drones, dogs and officers in all-terrain vehicles in their search for laundry. About 75% of the search area is underwater.

On Monday, the FBI visited Laundrie’s parents’ home in North Port and removed several boxes and towed a car neighbors said Laundrie’s mother typically used.

Laundrie and Petito lived with her parents at the North Port home before the road trip in which she died.

The young couple had left in July in a converted van to visit the national parks of the West. They had an argument along the way and Laundrie was alone when he got into the van at his parents’ house on September 1, police said.

Laundrie has been named a person of interest in the case, but his whereabouts are unknown in recent days.

Petito’s father, Joseph, posted on social media an image of a broken heart above a photo of his daughter, with the message: “She touched the world.

In an interview aired Monday on “Dr. Phil” television, Joseph Petito said that Laundrie and his daughter had been dating for two and a half years, and Laundrie was “always respectful.” During the interview, which was recorded Before his daughter’s body was found, Petito said the couple had already taken a road trip to California in his car and there had been no issues.

Joseph Petito said the family started to worry after several days without news of their daughter.

“We called Brian, we called the mother, we called the father, we called the sister, we called all the numbers we could find,” said Joseph Petito. “No phone calls were taken, no text messages were returned.”

Joseph Petito has said he wants Laundrie to be held accountable for the role he played in his daughter’s disappearance, as well as his family for protecting him.

“I hope they understand what is coming, and that includes his parents,” said Joseph Petito. “,

The FBI said investigators were seeking information from anyone who might have seen the couple around Grand Teton.

Gabby Petito and Laundrie were childhood sweethearts who met growing up on Long Island, New York. His parents then moved to North Port, about 55 kilometers south of Sarasota.

A man who saw Petito and Laundrie fighting in Moab, Utah on Aug. 12 called 911 to report a domestic violence incident, according to a recording of the call obtained from the Grand County Sheriff’s Office . The man said he saw Laundrie slap Petito as he walked through town and hit her before the two got into their van and drove off.

Video released by Moab Police showed an officer stopped the couple’s van the same day after it was seen speeding up and hitting a sidewalk near Arches National Park. Body camera images showed an upset Petito.

Laundrie said on video the couple got into a fight after getting into the van with dirty feet. He said he did not want to pursue a domestic violence charge against Petito, whose officers decided he was the abuser.

Moab police separated the couple for the night, with Laundrie checking in at a motel and Petito staying with the van.

In the footage, Gabby Petito cried as she told the officer that she and Laundrie had argued about her over-cleaning the van. She told the officer she suffered from OCD – an obsessive-compulsive disorder.

On “Dr. Phil,” his father said, that was not literally true. She just likes to keep her living space tidy and used slang, he said.

___

AP writer Matthew Brown in Billings, MT, contributed to this report.

Blue Cavern Point, on the eastern end of Santa Catalina Island, about 25 miles off the coast of San Pedro, California, is a hotbed of life. In the shallow edges of the water cling starfish, sea urchins and sea cucumbers. Further into the deeper seas, the bright orange garibaldi and giant piano-sized sea bass settle in undulating forests of giant kelp reaching hundreds of feet from the ocean’s surface to its bottom.

The area is divided into two protected areas: offshore and onshore. The coastal region encompasses the first three square miles of the reserve. Its offshore area stretches about eight miles into the deeper ocean. Since 1988, the area has been fiercely protected from fishing or collecting specimens.

Despite the exceptional biodiversity of this region, no one had made a full study of all the creatures that inhabit these waters. In 2015, David Ginsburg, professor (teaching) of environmental studies at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and Audrey Looby, then undergraduate in environmental studies, decided to change that.

Their study, “Nearshore Species Biodiversity of a Marine Protected Area Off Santa Catalina, Island, California”, an inventory of all species in this unique reserve, was published in the March 2021 edition of “Western North American Naturalist”.

They have documented over 1,000 different types of marine macroalgae, plants, invertebrates and fish. Their research also revealed that human activity and climate change appear to be altering these crystal-clear waters.

Cataloging partners

Their project was first inspired by a routine environmental impact inspection at USC Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island, where a pipe carries seawater through the lab’s aquariums and the returns to Big Fisherman’s Cove, nearby.

David Ginsburg has taught at USC Dornsife since 2009. (Photo: Courtesy David Ginsburg.)

Early in the inspection process, Ginsburg quickly discovered that there was no complete inventory of the marine life inhabiting the area. It was a problem.

“Here you have this marine protected area and you’re supposed to know what’s in there, but nobody really knows,” Ginsburg explains. Only a scattering of research articles or incomplete catalogs gave an idea of ​​biodiversity. His interest in undertaking a more comprehensive investigation was piqued.

However, the scope of the project was daunting. Cataloging each species would require both a dive for specimens and a dive into the archives. Merely studying the current environment would not capture the full spectrum of what lived in the point. Some species came in and out of the cove, were seasonal, or perhaps so endangered that they were rare to find nowadays. He would have to go back and find everything that had already been recorded in the area.

“I’ve talked to a lot of people about it,” Ginsburg says. “My friend Gordon Hendler [curator of echinoderms] at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles said, “You will never find a stopping point. Hendler encouraged Ginsburg to continue the project with a more realistic goal of cataloging as much as he could, given that everything would be an improvement.

Fortunately, Ginsburg wouldn’t have to go it alone. Looby received an undergraduate summer research internship at USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, headquartered at USC Dornsife. She would spend the summer on the island and willingly agreed to participate in Ginsburg’s plans. Perhaps, between the two of them, such a complex study had a chance to be completed.

Under the sea (and in the archives)

USC Dornsife alumnus Audrey Looby is pursuing her doctorate. in fishing and aquatic sciences. (Photo: Courtesy of Audrey Looby.)

Part of Looby’s enthusiasm was due to his newfound love of diving. She had become certified through USC’s AAUS Scientific Diving course and was looking forward to spending as much time as possible in the water.

Exploring life below the waterline was like meeting another planet, says Looby. A neon nudibranch, a mollusk so vivid it could easily be mistaken for an invention by Salvador Dali, twisted along rocks covered with algae. Stingrays glided in the currents.

“The first time you see them you suddenly see the ground moving beneath you and there’s a whole stingray fever swimming,” says Looby, who now has a PhD in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. student at the University of Florida.

Ginsburg and Looby made visual surveys of five intertidal reefs around the tip, meticulously identifying and recording everything from the smallest microalgae to those piano-sized basses.

Some of their meetings were of interest. On Looby’s last dive of the summer, she and her dive mates spotted a 15-foot pregnant great white shark, one of the few sightings ever recorded in the area.

The project also required less adventurous work. The duo scoured thousands of pages of documents from 1960 to the present day for records of specimens seen in the area. Resources included old research papers, records of museum and herbarium specimens, and citizen science records.

As a result of these efforts, the list of specimens sighted in the cove has grown to some 1,100 unique species, all located within three square miles of the reserve.

Changing seas

The work of Ginsburg and Looby also produced more disturbing discoveries – how human hands are changing the creek, despite protection efforts

Some changes are milder than others. Looking through the studies, they found that there was no mention of sea grasses, or any of the species that typically live among grasses, until the 1990s.

“The leopard sharks and stingrays that Catalina’s divers remember probably weren’t there until the dock,” says Ginsburg. “That was another part of the story that I thought was really cool. It’s not just about naming all the species; it’s also about recording some really big changes in the ecosystem.

Other findings were darker. The Dali-esque nudibranch, for example, has declined dramatically in numbers, possibly due to pollution and collection for home aquariums. Starfish like the Bat Star and the Spiny Star, despite frequent records in previous surveys, were not found during their dives. Unusual sightings of subtropical species such as fine-scale triggerfish in the region indicate warming of the oceans.

These ecological findings combined with their catalog of species – the most comprehensive in history – make Ginsburg and Looby’s study an important baseline for keeping this precious region intact.

Blue Cavern Point, on the eastern end of Santa Catalina Island, about 25 miles off the coast of San Pedro, California, is a hotbed of life. In the shallow edges of the water cling starfish, sea urchins and sea cucumbers. Further out in the deeper seas, the bright orange garibaldi and giant piano-sized sea bass settle in undulating forests of giant kelp reaching hundreds of feet from the ocean’s surface to its bottom.

The area is divided into two protected areas: offshore and onshore. The coastal region encompasses the first three square miles of the reserve. Its offshore area stretches about eight miles into the deeper ocean. Since 1988, the area has been fiercely protected from fishing or collecting specimens.

Despite the exceptional biodiversity of this region, no one had made a full study of all the creatures that inhabit these waters. In 2015, David Ginsburg, professor (teaching) of environmental studies at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and Audrey Looby, then undergraduate in environmental studies, decided to change that.

Their study, “Nearshore Species Biodiversity of a Marine Protected Area Off Santa Catalina, Island, California”, an inventory of all species in this unique reserve, was published in the March 2021 edition of “Western North American Naturalist”.

They have documented over 1,000 different types of marine macroalgae, plants, invertebrates and fish. Their research also revealed that human activity and climate change appear to be altering these crystal-clear waters.

Cataloging partners

Their project was first inspired by a routine environmental impact inspection at USC Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island, where a pipe carries seawater through the lab’s aquariums and the returns to Big Fisherman’s Cove, nearby.

David Ginsburg has taught at USC Dornsife since 2009. (Photo: Courtesy David Ginsburg.)

Early in the inspection process, Ginsburg quickly discovered that there was no complete inventory of the marine life inhabiting the area. It was a problem.

“Here you have this marine protected area and you’re supposed to know what’s in there, but nobody really knows,” Ginsburg explains. Only a scattering of research articles or incomplete catalogs gave an idea of ​​biodiversity. His interest in undertaking a more comprehensive investigation was piqued.

However, the scope of the project was daunting. Cataloging each species would require both a dive for specimens and a dive into the archives. Merely studying the current environment would not capture the full spectrum of what lived in the point. Some species came in and out of the cove, were seasonal, or perhaps so endangered that they were rare to find nowadays. He would have to go back and find everything that had already been recorded in the area.

“I’ve talked to a lot of people about it,” Ginsburg says. “My friend Gordon Hendler [curator of echinoderms] at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles said, “You will never find a stopping point. Hendler encouraged Ginsburg to continue the project with a more realistic goal of cataloging as much as he could, given that everything would be an improvement.

Fortunately, Ginsburg wouldn’t have to go it alone. Looby received an undergraduate summer research internship at USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, headquartered at USC Dornsife. She would spend the summer on the island and willingly agreed to participate in Ginsburg’s plans. Perhaps, between the two of them, such a complex study had a chance to be completed.

Under the sea (and in the archives)

USC Dornsife alumnus Audrey Looby is pursuing her doctorate. in fishing and aquatic sciences. (Photo: Courtesy of Audrey Looby.)

Part of Looby’s enthusiasm was due to his newfound love of diving. She had become certified through USC’s AAUS Scientific Diving course and was looking forward to spending as much time as possible in the water.

Exploring life below the waterline was like meeting another planet, says Looby. A neon nudibranch, a mollusk so vivid it could easily be mistaken for an invention by Salvador Dali, twisted along rocks covered with algae. Stingrays glided in the currents.

“The first time you see them you suddenly see the ground moving beneath you and there’s a whole stingray fever swimming,” says Looby, who now has a PhD in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. student at the University of Florida.

Ginsburg and Looby made visual surveys of five intertidal reefs around the tip, meticulously identifying and recording everything from the smallest microalgae to those piano-sized basses.

Some of their meetings have been of interest. On Looby’s last dive of the summer, she and her dive mates spotted a 15-foot pregnant great white shark, one of the few sightings ever recorded in the area.

The project also required less adventurous work. The duo scoured thousands of pages of documents from 1960 to the present day for records of specimens seen in the area. Resources included old research papers, records of museum and herbarium specimens, and citizen science records.

As a result of these efforts, the list of specimens sighted in the cove has grown to some 1,100 unique species, all located within three square miles of the reserve.

Changing seas

The work of Ginsburg and Looby also produced more disturbing discoveries – how human hands are changing the creek, despite protection efforts

Some changes are milder than others. Looking through the studies, they found that there was no mention of sea grasses, or any of the species that typically live among grasses, until the 1990s.

“The leopard sharks and stingrays that Catalina’s divers remember probably weren’t there until the dock,” says Ginsburg. “That was another part of the story that I thought was really cool. It’s not just about naming all the species; it’s also about recording some really big changes in the ecosystem.

Other findings were darker. The Dali-esque nudibranch, for example, has dramatically declined in numbers, possibly due to pollution and collection for home aquariums. Starfish like the Bat Star and the Spiny Star, despite frequent records in previous surveys, were not found during their dives. Unusual sightings of subtropical species such as fine-scale triggerfish in the region indicate warming of the oceans.

These ecological discoveries combined with their catalog of species – the most comprehensive in history – make Ginsburg and Looby’s study an important baseline for keeping this precious region intact.

WILBRAHAM – The property that is now home to the 141-acre Rice Nature Reserve and its hiking trails has produced bushels and bushels of fruit for three generations of the Rice family.

Put this on your summer hiking calendar because this hike is a fishery.

The reserve was acquired through the cooperative efforts of landowner Jessie L. Rice, the Town of Wilbraham, the Minnechaug Land Trust and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The Rice Nature Reserve includes 3.4 miles of well-maintained trails. And no spoiler alert is needed here: the main trail includes a walk through a peach orchard. It was, after all, a fruit farm for 100 years.

Rice is remembered by locals as an old Yankee when he passed away at the age of 91 in 2019. During his life in the service of the city he was a select man, a commissioner. cemetery, a veterans officer, and – in a post as close to New England as apple pie – a closing viewer.

The memory of Jesse Rice still lives on in the Rice Nature Reserve. There is a granite bench sitting at one of the highest points in the orchard that commemorates Jesse Rice and his wife, Winifred, who died in 2004. Jesse wanted his wife’s name to be inscribed on the memorial bench first – and it is so. The message on the stone is a quote from the French writer Antonie de Saint Exupéry. It reads: “Love is not about looking at each other, but looking together outward in the same direction. Few hikers can resist sitting on the bench and gazing at a spectacular view of the Connecticut River valley. At the other end of the orchard is another granite bench, this one commemorating the Rice’s son, Wayne Rice. Its inscription is a quote from John Muir, “In every walk with nature, one receives more than one seeks. “

The trail is located at the end of Highmoor Drive in Wilbraham. The difficulty of the hike is listed as moderate by the All Trails hiking app. The start of the trail is not really crisp. It’s uphill for the first quarter mile. The climb is not too strenuous. But if it has been raining recently – and again, no spoiler alert is needed here either, it will likely have rained recently every time you go – you’ll see mud, maybe a lot. But there are boards covering some wet spots, so don’t let that rain on your parade. There are also a few rocky areas at the start. Hiking shoes and a walking stick are recommended.

The trail becomes drier and less rocky. The trail is well marked with signs. Once you reach the orchard, more of a meadow, you can rest on the granite bench that commemorates Jesse Rice and his wife. To continue to Sunrise Peak, go down to the left of the bench, enter the woods and continue straight. After a quarter of a mile you will see the sign for Sunrise Peak. Once there, you will have a magnificent view of Monson, Hampden and beyond.

The return is mostly downhill. You will pass the other granite bench at the lower end of the orchard.

In remembrance of the Rice family, take a peach or apple with you for the hike.

For more information, visit wilbraham-ma.gov.

SPENCER – Three Rivers Land Trust has announced that it has reached an agreement that will roughly double the size of the Fred and Alice Stanback Educational Forest and Nature Reserve, formerly known as Spencer Woods.

Three Rivers finalized the expansion of the reserve last week, which included the purchase of 32 acres of hardwood forest and 13 acres of its own land. The existing park, measuring approximately 42 acres, contains 2.5 miles of trails, and the added area will provide more recreational opportunities, according to a press release. The expansion will connect the park to Grants Creek. Three Rivers Land Trust is hoping to eventually donate the extension land to the Town of Spencer.

Travis Morehead, executive director of Three Rivers Land Trust, said adding land to the public trust is central to the conservation organization’s mission and the expansion will add to that legacy.

The project was made possible through grants from the Duke Energy Foundation and the NC Land and Water Fund as well as the Wallace family.

“We are extremely pleased to be able to work with the Wallace family to conserve the lands adjacent to the Educational Forest and the Fred and Alice Stanback Nature Reserve. We are very grateful for their willingness to donate a substantial portion of the property’s value to make this project happen, ”said Crystal Cockman, Director of Conservation at Three Rivers Land Trust. “Land conservation is important everywhere, but it is especially important in urban areas. This project will provide wildlife habitat in an area where natural areas are more sparse, while providing locals with space for recreational activities such as hiking and bird watching.

Leo Wallace of Wallace Realty said his family were happy to help with the expansion.

“This project will give members of our community even more space to get out and enjoy what we have in our own backyard,” Wallace said.

To learn more about conserving or protecting your property, contact Crystal Cockman at 704-647-0302 or [email protected]

By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall, Go Ask Mom Editor

Raleigh, North Carolina – When my daughters were little, Durant Nature Reserve was a favorite place. We were looking for turtles on the pond, spy deer while we played on the playground and hiked the short trails. But I’m still surprised to learn from people who haven’t yet.

So I checked with Amy Eckberg, who has worked at the park for almost 20 years, first as an environmental educator and volunteer and now as a full-time park manager. Eckberg has two daughters in their twenties who grew up playing Durant.

“This is where we took our dog for long walks, where my daughters caught their first fish and where we spent hours playing at the creek,” Eckberg tells me. “I have so many fond memories and photos of my kids exploring the reserve. It was and still is our go-to when we need a dose of nature and fun!”

I checked with Eckberg to find out more about what makes Durant, at 8305 Camp Durant Rd., So special, his favorite places, and how to keep kids and teens engaged in outdoor adventures. Here is a Q&A.

Go ask Mom: Durant gets a lot of visitors, but for some it’s still a hidden gem. What makes it special?

Amy Eckberg: Durant is a 237-acre natural oasis nestled between the bustling Neuse Falls to the west and Capital Boulevard to the east. Those who find refuge, whether through word of mouth or the big brown brands on Capital Boulevard, quickly fall in love and become regular visitors; it’s easy to see why. With two lakes, a meandering stream, several gardens, children’s play areas and miles of wooded trails, the reserve offers a variety of natural habitats perfect for nature exploration and fun family activities. Whether you are looking for a quiet and peaceful walk to connect with nature, or want to participate in one of our many hands-on nature programs, Durant is sure to provide a memorable outdoor experience on all levels.

Durant’s former life as a Boy Scout camp offers a unique charm like the cabin and outdoor fire pit located along the Lower Lake Trail built in the 1950s by the Boy Scouts as a dedicated space for nature study. Now the cabin is used as the base for Durant’s popular family camping programs where participants gather to refuel a shared meal cooked over a campfire before setting out on a firefly-lit trail to listen to the fireflies. owls hoot and frogs call. A night of camping under the stars is followed by a morning canoeing on the lake and bass and crappie fishing on the docks where many caught their very first fish!

The colorful, hand-painted murals of wildlife found scattered throughout the park are another unique feature that makes Durant special. They provide an example of the handwork of our talented staff, combined with their passion for interpreting the rich diversity of plants and wildlife that are unique to Durant, which visitors can also experience through our interactive programs on the nature run by enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff.

GAM: Tell us about the programs you offer to families at the park.

AE: One of my favorite programs is the Campfire Story and Marshmallow Roast program. Who doesn’t love a good campfire story followed by an s’more? Here, families come together to enjoy good company, a traditional snack around a campfire, and a seasonal story that can take the form of a skit, song or song. “Guest animal”. They are always lively and entertaining programs that are fun for all ages. Take a Child Outside Week (TACO) is a traditional annual every September aimed at getting families to enjoy all of our parks. During this week-long event, Durant will offer an outdoor cooking and nighttime hiking program, as well as fishing and monarch butterfly programs – all of which take advantage of Durant’s unique habitats and resources.

Another of my all-time favorite family shows is Enchanted Forest, which takes place this fall on October 23. It is a magical evening where the animals of the woods come to life along paths lit by luminaries to talk about their life in the woods and for some, the water. At the end of the path awaits you a campfire and a roasting marshmallow; it’s a program you won’t soon forget and it’s one of my kids’ favorite memories!

GAM: What are some of your favorite trails and spaces in Durant?

AE: One of my favorite things to do with my daughters on the reserve was visiting the fishing pier. We counted all the turtles, fish and dragonflies we saw and looked for our animal friends like the kingfisher on their daily patrols of the lake. We loved taking our dog on long walks around the lower lake trail stopping for a break at the old cabin site. We also enjoyed coming to the park about an hour before it closed in the summer to catch fireflies, listen to owls, and look for white-tailed deer munching on persimmons. The Secret Cove was our go-to trail and this is where we played on the big boulders and took our homemade “boats” made of sticks, bark and leaves to sail along the creek.

As a big storm destroyed hundreds of trees and the old park office in early 2020, the reserve is starting to heal and come back stronger, as evidenced by the new features found in our Sensory Garden. The newly sculpted Chainsaw Art Log is the result of a huge oak tree that fell during the storm, but now provides a fun focal feature depicting some of the wildlife found in Durant. It also reminds me a bit of the totem poles that once adorned the dirt and gravel entrance leading to the park and were installed by Boy Scouts decades ago.

GAM: Many parents have big visions of family weekend hikes, but they often turn into tantrums or unhappy teens. What are your tips for a happy family hike?

AE: Hiking with my own family and leading hikes for others has taught me a thing or two about what it takes to have a good time in the great outdoors and the secret comes down to a little preparation. It is essential to ensure that everyone’s basic needs are met before hitting the trail, as well as to anticipate needs that may arise while you are away. Kids of all ages need water and snacks, so be sure to bring these essentials. The timing and the track is also important. Soaring summer temperatures can make any well-meaning hike unbearable, so try spending time outdoors earlier in the morning or later in the day. I always like to find the most shaded trails possible and luckily Durant has a choice. I especially like the Secret Creek Trail which is shaded by many mature trees and runs parallel to a scenic stream. This is the perfect place to look for animal tracks, especially deer, raccoons, and opossums. The loop around the lower lake is also my favorite – both trails provide great opportunities to see turtles, fish, and even our resident great blue herons who regularly hunt for food by the water’s edge.

Being in nature is inherently calming and at Durant there is always something new and amazing to see which makes it easy to avoid potential temper tantrums or even the most unhappy teens with the art. distraction. Each season offers something new to marvel at. In this summer season my personal favorites are butterflies, baby turtles and acrobatic dragonflies.

GAM: I would take my daughters when they were much younger to Durant and we would look for turtles or count the squirrels that crossed our path. What’s your tip for keeping toddlers and preschoolers engaged in Durant?

AE: I always like to bring a little something unexpected out of my bag towards the end of a walk with preschoolers as energy levels start to drop. A small bottle of bubbles was my go-to thing for getting tired kids to the finish line or up to a hundred yards up the hill. My daughter’s favorite Buzz Lightyear toy was a regular companion on our walks, because if Buzz could do it, too! Other easy-to-carry hike essentials included a small, transparent magnifying box to pull out when we found any bugs, rocks, seeds, or whatever else we wanted to take a closer look at. Toddlers are so excited to find things to put in the box and then see how big they get!

There are so many fun gardens to explore with preschoolers in Durant. The trails are short and easily navigable. The Sensory Garden at the entrance to the park is a fun and whimsical garden filled with plants, a sandbox, a play teepee, a turtle climbing hill and a beautifully play shelter. painted where children’s imaginations can run wild. The butterfly garden in the summer is always my favorite place to look for caterpillars, colorful flowers and fluttering butterflies. The bird garden, located next door, provides ample space for bird watching at the feeders. Climb the short paved path that leads from these gardens to the lake in search of trees chewed by beavers and turtles basking in the sun – sometimes 50 for a log!

The park offers themed discovery backpacks that anyone can view for free at the park office. These backpacks contain fun activities that help families dive deeper into nature. Look for life in the lake by checking out the pond backpack where you can use a landing net to search for tadpoles and dragonfly nymphs, or check out the insect backpack to use a mosquito net, guides and box magnifying glass to help you identify the incredible variety of insects found in the reserve.

Go Ask Mom features local Moms every Monday.