![]() Phase 2 of the project will include more native plantings. "If I ever lose my vision, what would it be like?" What happens, says Carl Martin, the Wildlands Conservancy's director of property stewardship, is that visitors, to experience their surroundings, "start to use those other senses that often get ignored." What do they hear and feel?Ĭope said visitors also become more aware of the challenges that face those with impaired vision. Some are blindfolded by bandanas, others wear vision impairment goggles to simulate the experiences of people who are blind or have low vision because of glaucoma or cataracts. Photos on the Wildlands Conservancy's Facebook page show a group of children recently walking the trail. It also will be used to highlight how vision loss can have an impact on a person's life. The Wildlands Conservancy and the area Center for Vision Loss will use the trail to educate students, teachers and parents about their senses of sight, sound, smell and touch. There is also a Seasonal Box, changed for fall, winter, spring and summer, where visitors can reach in and touch different items, whether acorns, a bird's nest or deer antlers. There, at that station, for example, visitors also can feel the tracks of a bear, coyote and wolf set in concrete. Sensory stations were added, with educational panels that are also in Braille, such as a station on predators. Volunteers cleared brush, ran ropes, painted and planted. In keeping with one of the Wildlands' tenants-to connect nature and communities-the trail was designed to create a safe place where nature could be made more accessible to a broader group of people. It became a reality this summer, thanks to the Wildlands Conservancy, scores of volunteers from businesses and Cedar Crest College and volunteer Devin Garcia from Troop 43, who earned his Boy Scouts Eagle Badge for work on the project. Inspired by that long-ago walk, Cope hoped that a similar trail could be developed in the Lehigh Valley. Months-long in the making, the trail was conceived by Lehigh Valley Business Group CEO and Founder Kevin Cope, who had been invigorated as a teen when he walked a sensory trail, blindfolded with a bandana, in western Pennsylvania. 27, at the sanctuary, 3701 Orchid Place, Lower Macungie. The trail will be dedicated at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. Many miles of hiking trails right in Emmaus with over a 500 ft rise.Guided by ropes along hilly terrain, visitors to a new nature trail at the Pool Wildlife Sanctuary can now learn about birds, insects, native plants and wildlife in new way-less by what they see, and more by what they hear, feel and smell.įittingly called the Sensory Trail, the new half-mile walking trail cuts atop the Wildlands Conservancy's Pool Wildlife Sanctuary in Lower Macungie and offers unique opportunities for learning and for stimulating the senses, while also meeting the needs of the region's visually impaired. Among other things, its a great place to hike with the dog, run, or bike. Great mix use nature area in the Lehigh Valley. Great for exercise, biking, or dog walking. The busy Lehigh Valley has a number of good places for walking in nature but this one feels like you are far away from civilization although you arent. ![]() ![]() This place is a real treasure for local residents who want to hike in the woods on well marked but somewhat rough trails. ![]() The trails are all marked clearly except for the Red Trail which can be difficult to find the second half as the markers are at greater distances in the clearing than they are in the woods. I had lived in emmaus for a few years and never knew it existed. ![]() Super easy to get to, but kind of hidden. Also, there is no entrance from a Nunziata Drive which appears to have disappeared into housing. And a trail guide would be quite useful, although the blazes do help a bit. More education is needed to educate people about its existence and value. I have a photo of 3 of my family members taken by the Morning Call, of the butterfly count in progess June 29, 1980. 30 some years ago our family began our lifelong love affair with nature, including forays into The Wildlands Conservancy on Orchid Place. But too many people abuse it, evidenced by the insensitively discarded trash, and by the marring of the terrain with vehicles of some sort such as mtn./dirt bikes. I never knew about the Reserve till 3/20/10 when 2 out of 3 generations were introduced to it and I loved its heritage. ![]()
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