By Christina Rucinski
Courtesy of alivecampus.com
This year Ithaca College’s Natural Lands (ICNL) will be ten years old. Celebrate its birthday by going jogging, hiking, or camping with equipment from the A&E Center.
Ithaca College owns five hundred and sixty acres of natural lands, which is preserved by students and staff. Many teachers use this land as outdoor classrooms to create an educational environment. The ICNL staff consists of around twenty core members with paid interns who monitor students enrolled for course credit in the Student Intern Training Program.
The ICNL consists of four reserves—South Hill Natural Area West (SHNA West), South Hill Natural Area East (SHNA East), Natural Resource Reserve, and Robinson Family Preserve—that have specific objectives. The South Hill Natural Area East and West are the acres that surround the built campus of Ithaca College. SHNA East consists of 365 acres that provide easy access for teaching, research, and recreational use. This land is managed for products such as maple syrup, mushrooms, and honey. There is also 67 acres of SHNA West adjacent to Buttermilk Falls State Park used for ecological regeneration.
More than just an educational experience, students should take advantage of Ithaca’s beautiful nature. The ICNL provides free exercise and a wonderful view of Cayuga Lake. Hikers and runners may even venture through the woods with deer as their companions. There are five miles of trails to explore around South Hill. The Blue and Gold Trails are easy to walk to and great for biking because of their wide and flat surfaces. The Self-Guided Nature Trail takes hikers on a tour of the land marked by twenty-six posts, pointing out historical aspects of the land. The East Trail joins with the Blue and Gold Trails to create a 2.6-mile loop, while the West Trail provides 2.0 miles of hills, narrow climbing, and stream crossing for more adventurous people.
Many first-year students may be unaware of these lands that are here for their enjoyment. Before the weather turns cold and snowy, head up to the natural lands near Towers Parking Lot!
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