Last Sunday, the Pine Barrens Society (PBS) sponsored a trail work outing in the David Sarnoff Preserve.  Thirty-five volunteers arrived at the NYS DEC parking area on the west side of CR 104, 2 miles south of the Riverhead Circle.  In the 10 years that I’ve been working on Long Island’s trails, this is the largest trail maintenance party I have ever participated in.  Elina Alyeva of the PBS and John Virgilio deserve special recognition for organizing this event.  Mike Giocondo, DEC Ranger, came in on his day off to help.  Susie Husted, PBS Program Manager, somehow managed to keep the day running smoothly.  PBS furnished tools and food; the Suffolk County Water Authority donated water from “deep in the heart of the Long Island Pine Barrens.”   There was a positive, upbeat atmosphere and everyone had a good time.  The Pine Barrens Society deserves a much credit for facilitating this landmark event.

This past Thursday, I joined the Southampton Trails Preservation Society (STPS) trail crew for a work outing in Sagaponack.  We created a short trail from Sagaponack Road to Sagg Pond.  When we finished our work, Ken Bieger and I walked the Sagg Swamp Preserve Trail.  Ken is the maintenance crew co-leader; contact him if you wish to work on trails in Southampton (kbieger@optonline.net).

This 105-acre preserve is located in the southern section of the Long Pond Greenbelt. It is a habitat that encompasses a network of contiguous ponds, streams, wetlands, and adjacent upland woods, from Sagaponack Inlet on the south shore, north to Sag Harbor.  The Sagg Swamp Preserve is the largest red maple swamp on the South Fork.  The 0.5-mile trail has 700 feet of well-built boardwalk. It was a pleasant trail to walk, but Ken warned me that I should be prepared to encounter a plethora of insects if I visit this trail during the summer. As we entered this lovely Nature Conservancy Preserve, Ken and I noticed that several large red maples had been blown down during the winter; their huge shallow root systems are reaching into the wood’s canopy.  Heading south into the wetlands, the boardwalk carries you above an environment you would normally need hip boots in order to see.

Directions: When traveling east from Bridgehampton on Montauk Highway, turn right onto Sagg Main Road (the first traffic light after town).  Go 0.8-mile; at the stop sign by the little red schoolhouse turn right onto Sagaponack Road. After 0.6 mile you will see the entrance to the TNC Preserve with a large sign describing its history and ecological significance.