Hike the woods that spawned conservation in America

MILFORD — Many of America’s first trained foresters learned their practical field skills in the woods of Grey Towers.

A hike on the Forest Discovery Trail is planned at Grey Towers National Historic Site in Milford to introduce visitors to the history of conservation in America. The moderate hike will be held rain or shine at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12.

Hikers will see a campsite replica where Yale School of Forestry students lived when they studied at Grey Towers in the early 20th century. The Pinchot family, who endowed the Yale School of Forestry, also provided for practical field studies in the woods of their Grey Towers home.

In the early 1900s, when forestry was just a seed of an idea in America, the Pinchot family endowed the Yale School of Forestry and hosted its summer school field experience on the grounds of the family home, Grey Towers. Visitors can later tour the Grey Towers mansion for half price when tickets are purchased together.

The Forest Service at Grey Towers offers public programs that illustrate the significance of this era and the role that the Pinchot family and Grey Towers played in conservation in America.

The program will also address some of today’s forest management challenges, such as invasive species, deer overpopulation, and insect infestations.

Participants should meet at Grey Towers and dress for the weather, including appropriate shoes for steep and uneven terrain.

For more information or to register, call 570-296-9630 or email greytowers@fs.fed.us.