Our Mission:

To conserve

ecological

systems and

natural settings while

providing opportunities

for

environmental

education

and outdoor

recreation.

Wilton Wildlife

Preserve & Park

80 Scout Road,

Gansevoort, NY

12831

518-450-0321

www.wiltonpreserve.org

info@wiltonpreserve.org

Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park Environmental Education Programs

Interactive

Hands-on

STEM-based

Year-round Programs:

At Your School or a Rewarding

Field Trip

Habitats of the Saratoga Sandplains Grades preK-5 What habitats can be found at the Preserve & Park? Visit the mead-ow, the forest, and use dip nets to discover pond creatures like tad-poles, snails, salamanders, and aquatic insects. Students will participate in a lively habitat game. This is a great overview of the ecology of the Saratoga Sandplains. Field trips scheduled during the last week of May or the first two weeks of June, are likely to see the endangered Karner blue butterfly in the meadow portion of

the program.

Nature Discovery Walk Grades preK-5 On the trail students get a chance to observe a variety of habitats found at the Preserve & Park. Plants, animals, geology, and weather are touched on while students learn about conservation, the important plants and animals of the Saratoga Sandplains, and focus their senses to have a more meaningful experience in the out-

doors.

The Endangered Karner Blue Butterfly Grades K-5 Why is there sand here and why is this one of the few places to find

the Karner blue butterfly, the most famous resident of the Saratoga Sandplains? Learn about the butterfly, its life cycle, and the work being done at the Preserve & Park to help its survival. Classes can arrange to grow lupine to be plant-ed during a spring field trip. See program description for Lupine Lab

& Parts of a Plant.

Pond Exploration Grades K-5 Pond programs are a favorite for those who like to dig around in the muck! Dive into the adaptations and life cycles of the pond ecosys-tem while using dip nets to discov-er pond creatures for this in-depth investigation. This program is

limited to 50 students.

Analyzing Ecosystems Grades 4-8 This hands-on, outdoor lab lets students use soil probes, anemom-eters, light meters, thermometers, and moisture meters to measure and determine what makes a forest

different from a meadow.

Fire Ecology Grades 4-8 Learn the science of fire, discuss its role in creating and maintaining ecosystems, and uncover the pro-tective adaptations native plants and animals of the Saratoga Sandplains possess. We will look at how different species have adapted to fire and see what is being done to maintain the habitats

without using fire.

Cultural History Grades 4-8 What better way to learn about local history than to walk streamside through the forest while imagining how Native Americans relied on the land. The history includes the French and Indian battle in Wilton! See how the region went from farming to industrial growth while walking along the railroad. Students can make their own sweet fern tea, a colonial “Liberty Tea” originally used by Native Americans for medicinal

purposes.

Our Most Popular Field Trips!

4th—8th Grade Field Trip Programs

Special Field Trips

Opposites in Nature Grades preK -1 This program is designed for the youngest explorers. Students will take a walk to discover opposites in a natural setting. During the walk, students will also learn about the unique habitats and animals found in the Saratoga Sandplains. The program concludes with a fun craft about opposites that the students

have seen.

Creative Writing with Nature and Art Grades 2-12 Nature is inspiring to many people! Get inspiration outdoors while on a nature walk, draw from the experience to write a nature poem, and then write it in a journal that you have created from natural

materials!

Winter Snowshoe Nature Discovery Walk Grades 2-12 Shake up your usual field trip and come for a visit this winter! Learn winter tree identification, animal tracking, and winter adaptations of flora and fauna. This program is run on snowshoes, with an addi-tional cost of $3 per person. If there is no snow, regular snow boots can be used. There is a smaller size limit due to the number of chil-

dren’s snowshoes available.

Page 2

“Thank you!

We had so

much fun. We

also learned

that there’s a

lot of food

chains.“

Connor, Jack, Rishi, and

Alex; 4th grade

Outdoor Explorations: Our Field Trip Programs

Life of the Endangered Karner Blue Butterfly Grades K-2 Learn about the Karner blue butter-fly’s life cycle from egg all the way through to an adult! What does it need to survive? A slide show, butterfly craft, and an interactive story activity explain this endan-

gered butterfly’s life cycle.

Endangered Animal Escapades Grades 2-5 What local animals and plants are threatened or endangered? What does it mean to be extinct? Learn about our local at-risk animals, their habitats, what is being done to help them, and their role in the

ecosystem. Make banners for your classroom promoting the protection

of endangered animals.

Lupine Lab & Parts of a Plant Grades 2-5 During a fun lab activity, learn how the roots, stems, leaves and flow-ers are important parts of a plant. Students learn about the adapta-tions of the wild blue lupine plant and grow their own plants to be used in habitat restoration projects at the Preserve & Park. (This pro-gram can be combined with a visit to the Preserve & Park, see the program description for Saratoga Sandplains & the Endangered

Karner Blue Butterfly.)

Turtle Discovery Grades 2-5 What kind of animal was found at the time of the dinosaurs and is still found today? Turtles are fascinat-ing animals with great adaptations for survival. Learn about vertebrate and reptile characteristics and the turtles that can be found in our area, including the threatened Blanding’s Turtle. Make a scaly,

reptilian, turtle craft.

New York was covered by a mas-

sive ice sheet 20,000 years ago? Students will use marshmallows to determine, map, and measure the boundaries of ice sheets and gla-cial lakes! They will work together to build a glacier model and learn about the formation of the Saratoga

Sandplains ecosystem.

S’More Solar Power Grades 4-8 Learn about the different types of renewable energy through interac-tive activities and demonstrations. Students will gain first-hand experi-

Budgeting Butterflies Grades 4-8 How do scientists manage land for an endangered species? Students will get a chance to solve real-life problems to learn about conserva-tion efforts at the Preserve & Park. They will work together to imple-ment their own conservation strate-gies and compete to protect the

most butterflies!

Mapping the Ice Age Grades 5-8 Did you know that all of Upstate

ence by creating mini solar pow-ered ovens out of pizza boxes! Weather permitting, we’ll go out-side and harness the power of the

sun to cook our own tasty snack.

Measuring Pollution Grades 4-8 What kind of pollution is impacting freshwater ecosystems in upstate NY? Students will observe aquatic life, including: frogs, tadpoles, snails, algae, nymphs, and conduct a water quality experiment. In this hands-on lab, students test the pH of several water samples to under-stand if and how acid rain is im-

pacting our watershed.

Plant and Animal Ecology

Environment and Conservation

Food Chains and Adaptations

way is by looking at their skulls! In this lab, real animal skulls are used to explore predator and prey adap-tations. This is a unique way to view the animals of the Preserve & Park and uncover their survival

adaptations.

Avian Adaptation Artistry Grades 4-8 Are there any environments where birds don’t live? Birds can survive in many habitats due to their amaz-ing adaptations. Students will learn

about some of these adaptations and create their very own bird species with specialized traits to

help it survive in its specific habitat.

Frogs & Freshwater Food Webs Grades 2-5 Bring freshwater ecosystems to life in your classroom! Students will learn about freshwater food chains and the frog life cycle by observing pond life, including: frogs, tadpoles, snails, algae, nymphs and more! The class concludes with a craft,

which reinforces the frog life cycle.

Let the Sunshine In! Grades 3-5 Learn how the energy of the sun helps to support life on earth through lively interactive games to illustrate the concepts of food chains and webs. The program

concludes with a food chain craft.

Skulls: Hunters & Hunted Grades 3-5 Can you tell the difference between an herbivore and a carnivore? One

Our Traveling Programs Come to You!

“Thank you again

for exposing our

students to new

information and

opening their

minds to new

ideas and

concepts.“

Southgate Science

Enrichment Day

Coordinator

Wilton Wildlife

Preserve & Park 80 Scout Road

Gansevoort, NY 12831

518-450-0321

www.wiltonpreserve.org

info@wiltonpreserve.org

The cost is only $3.00 per person. If program costs need to be adjusted for financial need, please let us know. If your group is from a school or organization located in the Town of Wilton, please let us know and you will receive a discount on the program fee.

The minimum group size is 10 and the maximum group size is 80. These programs take place at Camp Saratoga, Old Gick Farm, or Fox trails. Programs are best when groups can stay for an hour

and a half to two hours, but can be adjusted if there are time constraints.

At Camp Saratoga, there is a covered pavilion for lunchtime and it is the only site where there are restroom facilities, which are outhouses. There is no drinking water at any site. We have a “pack it in,

pack it out” policy for all refuse.

Funding The Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park is a private, non-profit organization supported by donations, memberships, program fees, and grants from private and public agencies. If you are interested in becoming a mem-ber to help support our programs, please visit our website at www.wiltonpreserve.org.

Special Arrangements We can work to meet your special programming needs. If you are working on a project or a tailored

program, please give us a call!

Girl and Boy Scouts We work with troops to help organize volunteer opportunities for community service. We also work

with scouts who are working towards Silver and Gold Awards and Eagle Scout projects.

Enthusiastic and knowledgeable environmental educators add a new dimension to your

visit, entertaining and educating children while meeting the curriculum needs of the

classroom teacher. All programs correlate to the New York State Science Curriculum,

please let us know if you would like to know which standards are met by each program.

Field Trip Information

Bring the Preserve & Park into your classroom, afterschool program, scout meeting, or other organized group without the expense of a field trip. Each hands-on lesson correlates to the New York State Elementary Science Curriculum. Maximum group size per presentation is 28. Program fee is $90/presentation and $75/each additional presentation at the same site on the same day. Ideal program length is 75 minutes but they can be done in an hour if needed. If program costs need to be adjusted for financial need, please let us know. If your group is from a school or organization located in the Town of Wilton, please let us know and you will receive a discount on the program fee.

Traveling Program Information

Conservation and Community Service Opportunities

There are many opportunities to participate in projects that are part of our citizen science program or that support our efforts in conservation and outdoor recreation. Please let us know if you are interested in learning more about what is available for your

group.