May 14 2014

Take a walk with amphibians at Dyken Pond

This area of Dyken Pond is called a 'fen.' Similar to bogs, fens are peat lands but their water comes from groundwater versus precipitation. Fens support diverse plant and animal life. — This area of Dyken Pond is called a ‘fen.’ Similar to bogs, fens are peat lands but their water comes from groundwater versus precipitation. They are less acidic and more nutrient rich than a bog. They support diverse plant and animal life.

Is green your favorite color? If so, a verdant sea of moss literally covers everything at Dyken Pond Environmental Educational Center in Cropseyville, NY. Rotting stumps, massive stones, old trail signs, tall trees, even creeping into the new boat launch, this is a living watershed with many places to explore and enjoy.

The soft fungus induces a feeling of fantasy, like roaming through an enchanted forest with fairies and woodland nymphs.

“As kids, we used to collect moss (rather than buying the fake stuff) and use it in our Easter baskets” explained Mutti.

We hiked one of many self-guided trails today, around a nine-acre pond, past hemlocks branches dappling with sunshine and finally a butterfly garden build by the Girls Scouts.

From their website: “The Rensselaer Plateau is an area of high elevation and New York’s fifth largest unfragmented forest. Thirty-three ecological communities are found on the property, ranging from beech-maple forests to spruce-fir swamps and vernal pools.”

At the end of our visit, we peaked over at children gathering around an environmental steward holding a lesson on slippery salamanders.