Home > Events > Tug Hill Community Picnic 2024 Upcoming Events « All Events This event has passed. Tug Hill Community Picnic 2024 August 10, 202410:00 am - 2:00 pm « Tug Hill Traverse Trail Work Day Tug Hill Traverse Trail Work Day » We hope that you, your family and friends will be able to join us for a day of celebrating conservation and community at our 2024 Tug Hill Community Picnic Saturday, August 10th 10:00am-2:00pm at the David S. Smith Public Conservation Area *The David S. Smith Public Conservation Area is located in Evans Mills along Taylor Road, located behind the Walmart Super Center on Route 11 north of Watertown. We invite you to join one of three optional group outings to learn more about the natural history of the David S. Smith Public Conservation area, or visit the Fun Zone with hands-on activities for the young and young at heart. We’ll gather over lunch (Pre-order lunch through us or pack your own) to highlight the amazing work that you have made possible in 2024 and take a look ahead at what exciting work the future holds. Thank you to our 2024 Tug Hill Community Picnic Honorary Ally Committee who helped make this event possible. Yellow Birch Betty Adler, George & Christine Bibbins, Jr., Carol & Bob Keller, Heidi Jones & Jonas Kelly Maple Melanie & Dave Geurtsen, Heidi Smith Hemlock Natalie & Jan Bogdanowicz, Cary Fassler & Deb Kahkejian, Sue Fassler & Kyle Siegel, Virginia & Chris Kelly, Rod & Kathy Kent, Alix Krueger & Rob Spoon, Bob & Janet Quinn, Zachary & Madalyn Wakeman White Pine Anonymous (3), Paul & Diane Miller Event Schedule 10:00am Registration & Welcome 10:30am-11:30am Optional Group Outings/ Children’s Programs 12:00pm Lunch Under the Tent Preorder lunch with us ($15 per person) or Pack your own lunch 1:00pm 2024 Overview & Awards Ceremony 2:00pm Adjourn Optional Group Outings Bird is the Word (easy, uneven ground) Have you ever wondered what bird you are seeing or hearing? Enjoy this easy guided walk through open grassy areas and forested edge habitat with experienced birder, Robert Keller, making frequent stops to look and listen for birds. Bring your binoculars if you have them. Sturdy shoes that can get wet and/or muddy are best, and bring along some insect repellent, just in case. You also may want to install the free eBird checklist and/or Merlin bird ID mobile apps to your smart phone. Let’s Appreciate Bats (easy, uneven ground) Take an easy walk with THTLT staffer Lin Gibbs, who’ll tell you all about the bats that live in and migrate through the Smith Public Conservation Area. Visuals and hands-on activities at frequent stops along the way will help everyone learn about how this site’s habitat is especially suited for these insect-eating night time animals, and about how important role bats are for a healthy environment. Plants Make a Difference (easy, uneven ground) Take a leisurely walk with Cierra Williams, Horticulture and Natural Resources Educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, to learn about the native and invasive plants found here, and the ways our habitat can be improved for pollinators. During these outings we will have a variety of fun activities for children who prefer not to hike, featuring our Tug Hill Explorer Backpacks. Event Registration & Lunch Preorder Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust (THTLT) aims to protect the David S. Smith Public Conservation Area’s natural diversity, while allowing for safe and enjoyable access for public recreation and environmental interpretation. Management plans include special consideration of habitat for New York State native or naturalized species, especially threatened and endangered species. Also nearby is an additional 15 acres owned and protected by the Ontario Bays Initiative (OBI) that conserves additional critical bat habitat and contains a walking trail. THTLT completed purchase of David S. Smith PCA’s 411 acres in 2022 through the Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB) Program, partnering with the Army/Fort Drum and Ducks Unlimited. Adjacent lands were acquired from Con Tech Building Systems, Inc. and Columbia LeRay, LLC to comprise the full acreage. The land is generally flat with very shallow soils. In fact, some outcrops of rock come right out of the ground. Evidence of past agricultural use can be found, as well as areas of well-established forest. As an organization dedicated to environmental conservation and stewardship, Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust acknowledges the many Native People and tribes who were the original stewards of this land since time immemorial. Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust acknowledges the indigenous spirit of everything that is on and in the land. Native Peoples did not choose to leave this land, and now we aim to uphold stewardship values and protect environmental diversity within our public conservation areas for current and future enjoyment of generations to come. Add to calendar Google Calendar iCalendar Outlook 365 Outlook Live Details Date: August 10, 2024 Time: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm Venue David S. Smith Public Conservation Area Taylor Road Evans Mills, NY 13637 + Google Map
