Saturday, April 18
11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Registration Required Below. Registration for this hike closes on Thursday, April 16 at 4 pm.
Beaver Lodge Visit / Poliak Preserve Hike
Location: Poliak Preserve
Parking/Gathering Location: Details will be provided to registered participants before the hike.
Start Time: Hike will begin promptly at 11 a.m. — please arrive at least 10 minutes early
Hike Duration: Approximately 90 minutes
Hike Difficulty: Easy — but waterproof footwear is necessary!
Guides: Kevin Tschudi, Redding Land Trust trustee
Hiking group size: 20 participants
Why you should go: Beavers, considered to be a keystone species, create ecosystems that other wildlife depend upon to thrive. Once nearly extinct due to extensive trapping for their valued fur, these family-oriented creatures improve water quality, mitigate drought, flooding, and wildfires. This hike offers the opportunity to observe beaver activity up close on Poliak Pond. The beaver family on the pond often blocks the dam spillway, so we’ll likely see some fresh dam building. If we’re lucky, we’ll see beavers swimming in the pond, as they’re occasionally active during the day. A short amble through the woods leads to a wide beaver dam across the Saugatuck River.
Things to Know Before You Go: Dress appropriately and review these hiking tips.
ABOUT THE REDDING COMMUNITY HIKING CLUB
The Redding Community Hiking Club, a collaboration between Redding Land Trust, Mark Twain Library and Redding Neighbors & Newcomers, offers guided hikes in our town’s gorgeous open space.Most hikes are led by trustees from the Redding Land Trust, TownTrail Tenders, (volunteers who maintain both the Town of Redding and Redding Land Trust preserved properties), along with other community members. Typical hikes focus simply on getting outside to enjoy the benefits of nature, outdoor fitness and opportunities to connect with others in our community! Others have a specific educational component, such as plant identification, geology, history, birding, etc.