Wolf/Reese Assemblage
Located on the Great Hog Neck Peninsula in Southold, the Wolf Preserve and the Harold A. Reese Preserve provide 50 acres of continuously protected woodland. By conserving the land’s ecology, both contribute significantly to the area’s resiliency to the effects of climate change, provide important wildlife habitat, and contribute to groundwater protection in this part of the Peconic Bay Estuary.
Several trails run throughout the preserves showcasing the important ecosystems and the native species who live there. You can access the trails from both Main Bayview Road and North Bayview Road.
Wolf Preserve
In April 2003, Mrs. Leonor D. Wolf left an incredible legacy for the community through a testamentary gift to the Trust in her will: 20 acres of woodlands along Main Bayview Road in Southold.
Mrs. Wolf's love of nature and wildlife inspired her to make this gift so that "people would have a place to breathe and renew their connection to the land." The Wolf Preserve includes habitat for a wide variety of fauna with vibrant wetlands, meadows, and woodlands.
Harold A. Reese Preserve
In November 2020, the Trust acquired 29.8 acres from the Reese family. This preserve is named after the family's father, Harold A. Reese. Acquisition of the Reese property was made possible by the Reese family’s choice of a bargain sale, and also by accessing a line-of credit provided by an anonymous donor to the Trust.
The property had been owned by the Reese family since the mid-1960s and is predominantly woodland, with a 1-acre area of freshwater wetlands and is on the Peconic Estuary Program’s Critical Land Protection list. We thank the Reese family for recognizing the importance of conserving this environmentally sensitive area of the Peconic Bay Estuary.
*Bargain Sale: when the owner of the asset, in this case the land, is sold to a charity or organization for less than the property's appraised fair market value.
Trail Accessibility
We are taking Leonor’s vision further and providing trails with accessibility features on both the Wolf Preserve and Harold A. Reese Preserve. Acknowledging that people with mobility restrictions have a hard time enjoying the outdoors, the Trust designed the trails to remove some of the barriers to access.
Thanks to community raised funds and grant money we’ve been able to start updating the trails. All trails have been widened to six feet to accommodate wheelchairs and strollers and leveled to maintain an approximate grade of 0-3 %.
Eastern Trail Loop
In 2020, the Eastern Trail Loop was the first trail to be renovated. Techniques used on this trail including hardening the trail with locally crushed stone as the powder coat on top of the trail, were repeated on the other trails.
- Surface Type: Hardened surface
- Length: 1/2 mile
- Typical Width: 6 feet
- Typical Slope: 0-3% grade
Western Trail Loop
The 1/2 mile Western Trail Loop takes you through the meadow and into the dense red cedars of the regenerating woodland. While this part of the property had been farmed for many years, Mrs. Wolf allowed it to revert to its natural state to provide wildlife habitat. Wander along the wetlands, and keep your eyes open for waterfowl, reptiles, and amphibians.
- Surface Type: Hardened surface
- Length: 2300 feet (little less than 1/2 mile)
- Typical Width: 6 feet
- Typical Slope: 0-3% grade
Meadow Loop
Provides views of the meadow.
- Surface Type: Hardened surface
- Length: 900 feet
- Typical Width: 6 feet
- Typical Slope: 0-3% grade
North Bayview Trail
Passing through woodland and wetlands, you'll go from the Harold A. Reese Preserve to Wolf Preserve on this trail.
- Surface Type: Hardened surface
- Length: 3024 feet (a little more than 1/2 mile)
- Typical Width: 6 feet
- Typical Slope: 0-3% grade
Future trail enhancements include a boardwalk across the wetlands, a bridge to connect the Eastern and Western Trail Loops, and an expanded parking lot.
Help us improve accessibility on our preserves! The Trust is currently fundraising to improve the trail system at the Harold A. Reese Preserve and Wolf Preserve . Kiosk signs at both trailheads feature an updated trail map (shown above) and information in both English and Spanish. We’re grateful to the generous support of the preserves’ neighbors and friends who have made this work possible so far!
For more information, you can contact Matt Swain, Vice President orAmanda Abraham, Director of Development.
If interested in the Peconic Estuary Program’s Critical Land Protection list, click here:
Animals
Reptiles and Amphibians
Animals and Fish
Birds
Insects
Plants
Trees
Plants
This information is also available in Spanish. Para una versión en Español, click aquí:
Staff
Matt Swain
Vice President
MSwain@peconiclandtrust.org