Help us start the New Year right with a FREE community hike in Rutgers Ecological Preserve! Meet us New Year’s Day for an approximately three mile walk through the preserve, learning about the natural and cultural history of the area with group leads Gregg Bucino and Heather Fenyk.

The 316-acre Rutgers EcoPreserve and Natural Teaching Area is nestled into a larger 425 acre tract of undeveloped forest directly abutting Rutgers University’s Livingston Campus. Rutgers acquired the land with the goal of preserving the natural ecological characteristics of the property, purchasing land in stages starting in 1945 with the last parcel added in 1963. In 1976 the Rutgers Board of Governors opened the space for as an outdoor teaching area for the University.

The EcoPreserve is one of the largest continuous patches of upland forest in the region. With this land, Rutgers ecologically preserves streams that provide fresh water to the Raritan River and wildlife habitat for animals including wild turkeys, pileated woodpeckers, salamanders, foxes, red tailed hawks, and more.

In 2023 the LRWP will partner with Rutgers on a graduate studio to further concept plan development for ADA access to the Buell Brook within the EcoPreserve – this walk is an opportunity to see the trails before installation of ADA accommodation, and to provide suggestions for improving accessibility.

DIRECTIONS:

Follow Route 18 (North or South) to the Metlars Lane exit for Livingston Campus. Bear right onto Avenue E and follow to the circle. Take the first exit out of the Circle and continue to follow Avenue E East for about 3/4 mile to Road 3. Make a right on Road 3 and follow for a quarter mile to a gravel parking lot on the right. For more direction information see the google map here:

https://goo.gl/maps/cbhRVDBFjvTiFP3W9