North Rose swamp open to public

Huckleberry Swamp, a unique new nature preserve and wildlife observation area in North Rose, has opened to the public for the 2003 season. Free to the public, Huckleberry Swamp's hours of operation are Monday - Sunday, sun-up to sundown; the Swamp will remain open until the first snow day, when it will close for the season.

Huckleberry Swamp, a project of the Olga Fleisher Ornithological Foundation, Inc. (OFOF), features 79 acres of diverse, high quality wetlands, including emergent marsh, Green Ash Wetland, and Red Maple Wetland. OFOF embarked on an expansive three- phase construction project three years ago, with the second phase to begin next year.

During the project's first phase, a wildlife observation deck, half-mile boardwalk, and a stone dust trail was constructed. Where possible, refurbished old barn wood was used for wooden structures, including an open air trellis. The first phase was completed last summer, prior to the Swamp's October public opening.

'We're excited to open for our second season,' OFOF President Margarita Neumann said. 'We had a hard, long winter and spring, but the walk through the Swamp is beautiful and is a real treat,' Ms. Neumann explained.

Huckleberry Swamp features a unique boardwalk that takes visitors through the heart of the swamp, rather than around it, enabling people to experience the area's varying ecological communities.

In building the boardwalk, engineers and landscape architects designed a construction method that cleared only the minimal area needed for the trails, leaving the environment intact. The 'helical pier' system used to support the wooden boardwalk features galvanized posts buried up to 35 feet into the ground, and will last for decades to come. The boardwalk was designed specifically for this project by Environmental Design & Research, P.C., of Syracuse.

The next two phases of construction include building two more 'loops' to the trail system that will meander through forested wetland, and beech and conifer forests. Bird blinds and lookout towers will also be added. While the trail completed in Phase One features a handicap accessible boardwalk and a stone dust trail, some of the trailways under construction in the next two phases will be more rugged woodchip hiking trails. A lookout tower will also be built in the second phase of construction.

'We want visitors to be able to have different experiences at Huckleberry Swamp,' Ms. Neumann said. 'The boardwalk is perfect for families with kids in strollers, as well as for people in wheelchairs. And once off the boardwalk and onto the hiking trails, visitors also will enjoy another rich experience.'

OFOF, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization founded in 1979 for the preservation of habitat for birds and other wildlife. Its mission is to protect vulnerable wetlands, lead in wildlife and conservation education, and to facilitate ecological research. OFOF manages two other wetlands, one of which is an undeveloped 75-acre bird and wildlife sanctuary located off Route 104 just minutes from Huckleberry Swamp. The other is in Sumter County, FL, and features 68 acres of forested wetlands. It also serves as a bird and wildlife sanctuary.

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