The Brandwein Nature Learning Preserve: A Legacy of Nature Education and Appreciation

Nestled in the Hudson Valley, spanning parts of Orange and Rockland counties, lies a natural treasure: the Brandwein Nature Learning Preserve. This preserve is more than just a scenic location; it represents a commitment to conservation, education, and fostering a deep appreciation for the natural world. This article explores the history of the Brandwein Nature Learning Preserve, its establishment, features, programs, and its connection to broader movements in nature study and conservation.

Genesis of the Preserve: Honoring the Brandwein Legacy

The Brandwein Nature Learning Preserve was established in 2008 by the Brandwein Institute. It was created on a section of the Rutgers Creek Wildlife Conservancy. This initiative was undertaken to honor the wishes of Paul and Mary Brandwein, aiming to actively involve the local community in nature learning and appreciation.

Location and Accessibility

The Preserve is conveniently located about 25 minutes from downtown Milford, PA, 15 minutes from Port Jervis, and 25 minutes from Middletown, NY, making it easily accessible to residents and visitors from various areas.

A Diverse Ecosystem: Features of the Preserve

The Brandwein Nature Learning Preserve spans a 30-acre parcel within the larger 72-acre Rutgers Creek Wildlife Conservancy. It features interpretive hiking trails that wind through a variety of natural communities, including:

An arrested succession area
Early succession forest
Meadow and woods ecotone
Mowed meadow
Northern riverine forest
Northern swamp forest
A stream
Upland mixed deciduous forest

This ecological diversity supports a wide array of natural flora and fauna, making it an ideal location for nature study and exploration. The Preserve is equipped with a pavilion, information kiosks, boardwalks, benches, and a parking area to enhance the visitor experience.

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Educational Programs and Activities

The Brandwein Nature Learning Preserve offers a range of educational programs and activities designed to engage people of all ages.

Summer Science Camp Programs

Each summer, the Preserve hosts Summer Science Camp Programs for students in grades 1-6. These week-long day programs, held in July from 9 am to 3 pm, focus on Nature Observation and Appreciation and Field Science Investigations. Activities are tailored to different age groups (Grades 1-3 and Grades 4-6) and are led by nationally-recognized science teachers from the Port Jervis, New York School District, as well as invited special nature scientist guests.

Sunday Programs

Sundays at the Preserve feature naturalist-led outdoor activities for families. These sessions, held from spring through fall, cover a variety of topics such as:

Search for Eagles
Beginning and Intermediate Geocaching
Become a Bottle Rocketeer
I Spy Nature
Mushroom Mania

Group Visits and Field Investigations

Local clubs, Scout groups, teachers, and students are encouraged to use the site for water quality studies and field investigations. Those interested in visiting the site can call 845-672-9297 to inquire about available dates.

Virtual Investigations

To extend its reach, the Preserve encourages virtual investigations, allowing students around the country to participate in activities within their own communities and share data with their counterparts. Lesson plans written by award-winning science educators are available online.

Read also: Cultivating Well-being Outdoors

In a Brandwein Minute

A new online offering from the Brandwein Institute called "In a Brandwein Minute," led by Sara Mayes, features minute-long explorations into the natural world. These are designed to spur additional investigations and provide comfort in times of stress.

The American Nature Study Society: A Foundation for Nature Education

The American Nature Study Society (ANSS), founded in 1908, played a crucial role in bringing about and nurturing the Nature-Study movement in the early 20th century. It is America’s oldest organization for environment, devoted to the appreciation and understanding of our natural world.

Founding and Early Influences

ANSS was founded at the 1908 annual meeting in Chicago of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). It was established by a large and distinguished group of academic members to promote and teach school science. In the same year, President Theodore Roosevelt convened his famous Conference of Governors, which led to the creation of state conservation departments throughout the United States.

Key Figures: Bailey and Comstock

Cornell University’s Liberty Hyde Bailey, ANSS’ first and sixth president, was appointed by Roosevelt as the first Chairman of the National Commission on Country Life, which called for revitalizing American agriculture. Bailey's accomplishments included agricultural extension services, the 4-H movement, the nature study movement, parcel post, and rural electrification.

ANSS’ fifth president, Anna Botsford Comstock, worked extensively with Bailey at Cornell, establishing New York State’s conservation efforts and subsequent education programs. Comstock’s Handbook of Nature Study (1911) and the Rural School Leaflets series were integral pieces of a major campaign to educate children and families and keep them on the farm.

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Publications and Impact

ANSS’ official publications helped the public gain a deeper appreciation for nature. The Nature Study Review, edited by Comstock, was succeeded in the 1920s by Nature Magazine, edited by Cornell’s E. Laurence Palmer. In the 1970s, ANSS’ Nature Study Journal became the Society’s most treasured official publication series. The Journal, edited by John Gustafson and Helen Ross Russell, contained in-depth articles on environmental education, its trends, and issues written and compiled by its members and guest writers.

Awards and Recognition

In the 1960s, the annual Eva L. Gordon Award for Outstanding Children’s Science Literature was created and presented to an outstanding author. Named for an author, teacher, and reviewer of children’s literature at Cornell University’s College of Agriculture, the award recognized many literary heroes and writers. The Liberty Hyde Bailey Award was established in 1987 on the Society’s 80th Anniversary, bestowed to individuals espousing his highest ideals.

The Essence of Nature Study

Liberty Hyde Bailey wrote in 1903: “Nature-study is not synonymous with the old term “natural history”, nor with “biology”, nor with “elementary science”. It is not “popular science”. It is not the study of nature merely…to put the pupil in a sympathetic attitude toward nature for the purpose of increasing his joy of living.” Anna Botsford Comstock clarified: “Nature-study is science brought home. It is a knowledge of botany, zoology and geology as illustrated in the dooryard, the cornfield or the woods back of the house. …nature has furnished the material and laboratories on every farm in the land.”

Evolution and Legacy

ANSS functioned as a volunteer organization, with its operations, membership, publications, and events initiated, maintained, and facilitated by committed individuals. In 1997, ANSS’ operations found a home at the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) in PA, and in 2015, the Brandwein Institute (NY) agreed to help manage ANSS resources and communications.

The American Nature Study Society’s legacy of Excellence in Nature Writing, Nature-Study, and Appreciation is now available to educators everywhere, brought to you in part by the American Nature Study Society, the Brandwein Institute, The New York State Outdoor Education Association, the Lime Hollow Nature Center, the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC), and the individual archive ‘collections’ of Jack Padalino, Frank Knight, and John Gustafson.

The Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act

The commitment to preserving open spaces and natural resources in the region is further exemplified by legislative efforts such as the Hudson Valley Community Preservation Act. Co-sponsored in 2019, this law empowers Orange County communities to fund the protection of open spaces, farmland, and natural resources, ensuring the region’s beauty endures.

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