Enjoy free guided hike at Beaver Meadow

Learn and explore – free of charge – the Beaver Meadow Wildlife Management Area Saturday, Sept. 27 at 10 am. with Quinte Conservation Education Coordinator Maya Navrot and Naturalist Terry Sprague who will take hikers on an informative journey as they explore this natural area.

“On this hike, you will get a chance to hear about the colourful McMullen history of this area, and explore two trails that follow the edge of this well-known 220-acre wetlands to lookouts,” said Sprague. “We will take a side trip off the trail to the remains of a structure, and let you guess what it may have been in its heyday.  This property has seen many changes over the years as earlier plantings of ‘wildlife shrubs’ have grown and filled in a former cultivated field. Volunteers have maintained the trails for several years and moved portions of them to drier areas, so walking conditions should be good on this hike.”

Navrot explains Beaver Meadow Wildlife Management Area features a large wetland that harbours wood ducks, osprey and herons. Deciduous woods and a large plantation of wildlife shrubs on the property are excellent for songbirds.  Quinte Conservation acquired the property in 1970 to be managed for wildlife. Ducks Unlimited also has a dam on this site.

This hike is part of the Conservation Ontario Healthy Hikes program.  Hikers can ask Maya Navrot for a participation code at the end of the hike. Participants can then register online at www.healthyhikes.ca for a chance to win prizes.

Directions to Beaver Meadow Wildlife Management Area: Take County Road 10 (Lake Street) south from Picton, then turn right onto County Road 11.