The Equinox Preservation Trust (EPT) - To encourage the responsible use of the land and protection of our natural and cultural history.

Looking for Berries

2007 Mountain Crew!

VINS Programs
VINS - VERMONT INSTITUTE OF NATURAL SCIENCES
Manchester Office

A satellite office of VINS (based in Quechee, VT) was established in Manchester in the mid-1990s in cooperation with the ongoing programming and maintenance supervised by the Equinox Preservation Trust.

The VINS Manchester office handles the day-to-day field work on the trails, clearing downed trees, overseeing trail maintenance, and casting a watchful eye over the Preserve to assure against illegal vehicle use or other improper uses of the lands in general.

VINS also brings its topnotch educational programs to the Preserve, with regularly scheduled events that appeal to all ages and attract both local residents and tourists alike.

SCHEDULE of PROGRAMS & SPECIAL EVENTS:

VINS-Manchester Fall programs
Pre-registration for all programs is required. Contact the VINS-Manchester office at 362-4374 for program costs and to register.
Unless specified, programs are open to nature enthusiasts of all ages!

Nature and Nurture Hikes
SUMMER 2010
Nurture your body and soul while enjoying an exploration of the natural world with a naturalist from the Manchester office of the Vermont Institute of Natural Science. Each week we will explore a different trail on the Equinox Preserve, from the peaceful Trillium Trail and rugged Mountain Bluff Trail, to the more challenging Maidenhair Trail, and beyond. As the summer progresses you will witness the seasonal changes apparent in the plant kingdom, listen to the calls of the thrushes and ovenbirds, enjoy the ripening wild berries and spy the signs of the resident animals.

These hikes are free and open to explorers of all ages. Hikes will start on Thursday, June 17, from 9-10:30 am, and continue each Thursday through Labor Day, weather permitting. Hikes will start from the Red Gate parking lot on West Union Street.

Contact the VINS - Manchester office at 802.362.4374 for more information.

INTERPRETIVE HIKES & PROGRAMS
VINS naturalists provide fascinating educational programs in the field and in indoor settings nearby to provide Nature lovers with solid background on the impressive array of plants and animals found in the Preserve. A calendar of upcoming special programs will be posted at the information kiosks at the entrance to the Preserve, and online at www.vinsweb.org.

NATURE DAY CAMPS
VINS schedules Nature Day Camps to coincide with school holiday and summer vacations, to encourage youngsters to celebrate the extraordinary flora and fauna found in the Preserve. Camp counselors lead their young charges along forested trails, and point out interesting ecological phenomena along the way. The campers learn how to become good stewards of the preserved lands through a variety of investigations, games and outdoor adventures.
Programming examples:

Mountain Time Camps investigate what lies below the trees, flowers and ferns.
Earth Explorers Camps take campers on a scientific mission to find what flies, crawls, sings, swims and grows in the woodlands of Mt. Equinox.

(NOTE: Some camp tuition scholarships may be available to Bennington County, VT school children)
For more information, contact VINS-Manchester at 802-362-4374, or visit www.vinsweb.org.

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© 2008 The Equinox Preservation Trust • Historic Route 7A • Manchester, VT 05254

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