Wolf Preserve: Newly Renovated Trail Loop Improves Accessibility
February 15, 2021
Since the fall, our Stewardship Team led by Stewardship Director Matt Swain has been busy working on the first phase of a renovation of the trails at the Trust's Wolf Preserve in Southold. Located on the Great Hog Neck Peninsula, the Wolf Preserve's 23 acres of woodlands hosts two trail loops -- Eastern and Western -- and we have been working on renovations at the preserve to improve access. Acknowledging that people with mobility restrictions have a hard time enjoying the outdoors, the Trust is working to remove some of the access barriers that exist at the Preserve.
In the fall of 2020, we closed the Eastern Trail Loop as work began on new accessibility features: the half mile trail was widened to six feet to accommodate wheelchairs and leveled to maintain an approximate grade of 0-3 %.
In addition, the trail's surface was hardened using locally crushed stone as the powder coat on top of the trail. As seen in the photo above, fabric was laid throughout the trail to improve the trail’s lifespan by keeping the soil separate from the rock covering. The design of the meandering path you see is not just aesthetically pleasing, but will help prevent washout from storms. These methods will be used again when the Western Trail Loop is renovated.
Future phases in the trail project include a boardwalk across wetlands, a bridge to connect the Eastern and Western Trail Loops, and an expanded parking lot. The Trust hopes that by expanding the parking lot to allow for vans and small buses to turn around, local community groups will be able to more easily access the preserve.
The Trust's newly acquired Harold A. Reese Preserve, immediately adjacent to the Wolf Preserve, expands the conserved area on the Great Hog Neck Peninsula by another 30 acres. In the future, the Trust plans to create a trail across the two preserves with accessibility features. This proposed trail would run from Main Bayview Road to North Bayview Road, showcasing native species and a myriad of important habitats on Long Island.
Help us improve accessibility on our preserves! The Trust is currently fundraising to improve the trail system at the Wolf and Reese Preserve. Visit PeconicLandTrust.org/Give to make your gift today.
For more information, you can contact Matt Swain, Director of Stewardship or Amanda Abraham, Director of Development.