On Saturday, October 10th, Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt (FLPG) will commemorate the 17th anniversary of its Long Pond Greenbelt Celebration Day with a morning and afternoon of outdoor activities at Vineyard Field, located on the grounds of the South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo).
“The Long Pond Greenbelt is a beautiful place and we encourage everyone to come out to hike, play, and explore today and every day,” shared FLPG President Dai Dayton. “It’s going to be the best Celebration Day ever, thanks to all our wonderful partners.”
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., “Hike – Play – Explore: Discover the Long Pond Greenbelt!,” the free, family-friendly event which is co-sponsored by the Peconic Land Trust and the South Fork Natural History Museum, will feature a variety of nature-themed activities like guided walks, interactive nature displays, crafts and educational activities presented by a range of East End organizations. Attendees can meet some of the animals from the Quogue Wildlife Refuge, join birder and naturalist Larry Penny on a nature walk through Vineyard Field at 10:30 a.m., join “Snakeman” Chris Chapin on a “search-for-reptiles” walk at 11 a.m., and hang out with the Goat Brigade while on a short walk with Dai Dayton.
The annual event pays tribute to the stunning East End environment and abundance of wildlife that lives within the Long Pond Greenbelt, an expanse of coastal plain ponds, freshwater swamps, wetlands, and woodlands that covers nearly 800 protected acres and encompasses more than six miles located between Sag Harbor and Sagaponack. Founded in 1997, Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt is a group of dedicated volunteers that are committed to the preservation, stewardship, and public appreciation of the Long Pond Greenbelt.
“Hike – Play – Explore: Discover the Long Pond Greenbelt!” participants will include the Children’s Museum of the East End, Group for the East End, Hampton Library, Peconic Land Trust, Perfect Earth Project, Quogue Wildlife Refuge, SoFo, The Nature Conservancy, and Turtle Rescue.
South Fork Natural History Museum is located at 377 Bridgehampton/Sag Harbor Turnpike in Bridgehampton. For more information about the event, call 631-537-9735 or visit sofo.org. For more information about Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt, visit www.longpondgreenbelt.org.