Greenburgh Nature Center

There are many places in Westchester County where you can go and explore nature, and today I am going to talk about another one, the Greeburgh Nature Center in Scarsdale. This is a 33-acre nature preserve that has trails, a pond, and gardens. In this post, I will be discussing its history and everything it has to offer in hopes that it might encourage all of you reading to go to it.

Its history starts back in 1973, when residents of the Town of Greenburgh voted to allocate funds of what was then known as the “Hall Estate,” and funds were also secured by a federal grant through the Land Water Conservation Fund, which made it the first Greenburgh property acquired specifically to protect wildlife. In 1975, the Hall Estate officially became the Greenburgh Nature Center. From the start, the group that was working to save the site believed that it should be a refuge for wildlife, with an active educational program to promote the appreciation and understanding of nature and the environment. What they have today on their 33 acres includes trails, a vernal pond, a native plant meadow, a Native American replica village, a barnyard, and an organic garden, which brings almost 90,000 visitors every year. 

There are exhibits that span two floors inside the Manor House. The first floor features animals and a greenhouse. The second floor features a chance for guests to come up close and hands-on with live animals from all over the world. There will also be staff members and volunteers nearby that will share their wild experiences and help you navigate yours. The main purpose behind the indoor exhibit is in their words, to reflect the fascinating wonders that are often easily overlooked, yet right under our nose or right outside our front doors.

There are also many outdoor sites for people to explore at the Nature Center. The first of these is the Sulcata Barnyard, which is home to their Sulcata Tortoise. The next site is the barnyard that has goats and chickens. The next site is the Birds of Prey Exhibit, which has eagles, owls, and a white-necked raven that can mimic human speech. The next site is a replica of Native American structures, which includes a life-sized wigwam, longhouse, dugout canoe, and hide drying rack. The next site is called Nature Discovery’s Playground, which is described as being nestled within the natural setting of their forest. The next site is the Organic Garden, which during its season, showcases organic approaches to garden design, planting, cultivating, and harvesting of fresh vegetables and herbs. The next site is Native Plant Meadow, which has a variety of local species and is also a good place to spend some quiet time. The next site is Butterfly Arbor, which is open from July to August and highlights butterflies found throughout the United States. The next site is the Beehives, which are home to honeybees that pollinate the plants and flowers surrounding their grounds. The last site is the Great Lawn, which is described on the website as being the perfect place to start your adventure there, and after looking at the map on the website, I agree, because it is next to almost every other site I have written about. 

There are also five marked trails for people to walk along that go through the forest, past a pond, and through the Native Plant Meadow. These trails range from one-tenth of a mile to just over one half-mile in length. These trails can also be connected if you want to go for a more robust walk. Various forms of life can also be found in the forest along the trails, such as pines, oaks, dogwoods, viburnums, wildflowers, mushrooms, and the vernal pond, which is a resting spot for migratory birds and other wildlife.

They also have two events that are happening this fall. The first event that is coming up is on September 28 and September 29 and is called Run Wild. It is a 1.25-mile forest run and obstacle course where you will be navigating the forest trails, and using obstacles such as climbing walls, balance beams, rope challenges, and belly crawls. The second event that they have coming up is one that will be taking place from Tuesdays to Sundays until October called Dinosaur Dig. As its name suggests, it is an archaeological dig site where kids can dig, scrape, and brush off layers of sand to reveal dinosaur bones.

They also have a lot of fun events that are part of their Back to Nature Series. The first of these is Apple Cidering, where you will operate an old-fashioned cider press and create fresh apple cider from locally sourced apples. The next event in the series is called Creepy Crawlers, where guests will have up close encounters with snakes, tarantulas, hissing roaches, and other creatures. The next event in the series is Goat Walks, which features their two Nigerian Pygmy goats, and serves as a way of them getting enrichment and exercise to stay happy and healthy. The next event in the series is Night Hikes, which consists of meeting a naturalist around a campfire, getting introduced to the nocturnal animals in their collection, including a great horned owl, and a hike through their 33-acre forest where you will learn about all the ways that their woods changes at night. The next event in the series is the Barnyard Opening and Closing, which gives you the opportunity to meet the workers in the morning or evening to go through the barnyard routine of feeding, watering, animal enrichment, brushing off chickens and goats, and a short goat walk. The last event in the series is a free program called Meet the Raptors, which is at their Birds of Prey aviary, and gives guests a chance to learn more about them and witness feeding time. 

The nature center also offers a variety of seasonal camps during the fall, the summer, winter break, and spring break. They also offer school programs for students from pre-K through 12th, which are Environmental Education Programs and Sustainability Programs. They also offer preschool students the opportunity to spend the morning exploring nature and learning about ecology. The center also allows you to have your child’s birthday party there.

The center also has a few sustainable operations. These include a Native Meadow, a Pollinator Garden, a Greenhouse & Hydroponics, which is growing plants in water without soil, Native Bee Housing, Vermiculture, which is a type of composting done with a certain type of worm, and a Compost Bin System. 

Overall, there are many fun things to do here, so come on down and enjoy nature in Westchester County!