8 local wildflowers by volunteers Jan and Mike Slater . Black-eyed Susans , wild bergamot , and partridge pea serve as “ nurse crops ” for the warm-season grasses , which are slower to get established . These fast-growing flowers shade the young meadow , which keeps weeds from taking hold . the Clarence Trail Visitors to Green Hills can now hike more than six miles of trails including the newly established Clarence Trail . The trail and the acreage on which it is situated were made possible by a generous gift from the family of Abbot F . Low , who passed away in 2013 .
Abbot was a painter whose artwork featured bold colors , strong graphic combinations , and fanciful animals that were the product of his vivid imagination . The Clarence Trail was named after once such character , and seemed a fitting tribute for a man who loved all wildlife .
more than making meadows added 32 acres to the preserve , bringing the total to 201 .
Since acquiring Green Hills in 2011 , we have …
installed 14 bluebird boxes and two
Kestrel boxes ( built by volunteer Jim Moffett ) and an owl box ( built by volunteer Art Zdancewic ). The bluebird boxes are monitored by volunteer Jerry Mangas to count the number of fledglings that emerge . doubled the size of the trail system , adding more than 1.5 miles of new trails including the Clarence Trail , which was made possible by the Abbot F . Low family ( see above ). constructed a picturesque footbridge that links the Preserve ’ s original trails to the new Clarence Trail loop , ( thanks to volunteer Jim Moffett ’ s carpentry skills and generous donation of nearly 80 hours of his time !) measured a stately red maple on
the preserve , which turned out to be the fourth largest in the state ! welcomed thousands of visitors since opening the preserve to the public in 2014 restored a small gazebo that pre-dated Natural Lands ’ ownership of the preserve
“ Green Hills Preserve is a great example of what can happen when people develop a connection to nature ,” said former Preserve Manager Dan Barringer . “ The budget to care for Green Hills is very small , so without volunteer help it would have been a decade or more before we could have accomplished all of this . I see more and more visitors coming to explore , and it ’ s great to see our efforts are being appreciated !” W