Corporate volunteers spruce up Burden Preserve trails

See the trail map in “Read more…”
June 17, 2011
by Susan Carpenter

Eleven volunteers from Ernst and Young and four staff from Westchester Land Trust spent a day at the Burden Preserve on June 10 with the Land Trust’s Helping Hands program bringing corporate volunteers to the preserve to help rebuild trails needing some TLC after the ravages of last winter.

The Town of New Castle supplied the wood chips and stone. All 11 volunteers worked hard in the sun hauling rock, spreading wood chips and helping uncover a butterfly garden in the meadow close inside the entrance, at its wildflower peak right now. 

At the end of the day, they all had discovered a wonderful new preserve and contributed a great deal to helping keep it accessible for all.  If you haven’t been there yourself, do visit. It’s on Sheather Road, just off Rt. 128 on the East side of town.

Hiking the trails at the Burden Preserve

The main entrance to the preserve is from a new parking area on Sheather Road just off Route 128. The trail is at the edge of the parking lot and you can chose to walk along the edge of the wetland, over streams, past a large pond and finally to the top of a big sandy hill, with great views to the southeast, or you can veer to the right and see an old carriage road on a bridge coming across a deep ravine. Trees now grow out of the center of the bridge, but the beautiful arched structure still stands. This trail then goes along the top of a hill just below Harriman Road finally connecting to the lower trail. 

If you happen to live in the Daley Cross area, there is a trail leading from Route 128 across from Horseshoe Road. That trail goes past an old stone foundation and up to the top of the hill along the edge of an old farm road running between two stone walls.

Hikers share preserve with both rare and common species

The preserve provides habitat for reptiles, amphibians and birds that are becoming very rare in Westchester County because of development. We have found evidence of Box turtles, which nest in the big sandy hill area, Spotted turtles which live in the swamp along the road, Four Toed Salamanders in the wet woods not far from the ponds and Barred Owls and Red Tailed Hawks in the larger trees along the edge of the wetlands. Many more common species, such as garter snakes and song birds, are very much in evidence throughout the summer.

In addition to preserving a great habitat for wildlife and hikers, the preserve’s long wetland system along Route128 helps preserve the quality of water from this watershed, which ultimately flows into the Croton Reservoir. The wetland system also helps reduce the rate at which storm water flows from the watershed into the Kisco River, reducing the potential for flooding in the case of a major storm event.

Because of the town of New Castle’s forethought in acquiring this property for open space, the shallow soils along the hillside from Harriman Road to the wetland will forever be protected from disturbance. What is now only moderately mature second growth forest will mature and great trees will emerge to dominate the site, and the wildlife that has managed to persevere on this site will have a permanent home. People who love the woods will find surprising diversity and solitude in this preserve just outside the bustling village of Mt. Kisco.

Susan Carpenter, a 22-year resident of New Castle, is Land Preservation Director at the Westchester Land Trust and the current chairman of the New Castle Planning Board.

How to Get to the Burden Preserve

If you know how to get to 128 from Taylor Road, it does work, but the best known landmark from which to start might be Mrs. Green’s, which sits at the beginning of Armonk Road (or Route 128).  Turn right out of Mrs. Green’s parking lot.  On your right, pass Fairway Drive, Meadowbrook Lane, Horseshoe Road (remember, across 128 from Horseshoe you can enter the trails, but official parking is provided farther south, at Sheather), Daly Cross Road, then Taylor Road.  After you pass Taylor, the first left is Sheather.  Turn onto Sheather and you’ll see Burden Preserve and find plenty of parking.