Paleobiology, Environmental Science and Practical Science classes visited Thacher Park to learn more about this natural wonder in our backyard.

The high school students spent the majority of the day hiking the Indian Ladder trail with teachers and a Parks Department guide. They also took a self-guided tour of the exhibits at the new Thacher Park Visitor Center, the Emma Treadwell Nature Center. They finished the day with a short hike to an eagle’s nest currently under observation.

Students learned about:

• the geologic process of the escarpment formation,
• how water movement, rock types, and environmental variables continue to form the terrain,
• where to find fossils in the park (and even found a few!),
• how to identify native plants and animals,
• seasonal shifts in leaf color and why this happens,
• how the Parks Department works closely with visitors and other agencies to conserve and preserve the natural flora and fauna of the park,
• the history of the removal and addition of some plants and animals,
  careers in the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Department.