>> Naturalist Notes & Musings:
Another round of summer programs is in the books, and it is time to look back and reflect on the last 9 weeks. First off, being the front man of the Nature Center, I too often end up getting more credit than I deserve. It is all too easy for people to associate our successes with me, but in reality there are quite a few people that help to make them possible. It all starts with The Closter Nature Center Board of Trustees. Without this group of local and devoted nature lovers none of this would happen. There is lots of work for the board to do: a combination of addressing day-to-day issues to keep our grounds and programs going strong, but also looking to the future, insuring that we can continue to be a natural history education and outdoor recreation asset for our community.
I would like to thank one board member in particular for her years of service and commitment to the Nature Center’s Summer Program. Year after year, Leslie Brunell starts work on the program in the winter, and doesn't stop until after it is all over. In addition, the other shining stars that make our programs so great are our teen-aged volunteers. Most of them have been coming here since they were 4 or 5, and apparently can't get enough of my corny jokes. These kids come day after day and take a great sense of pride in the fact that they are not only helping the Nature Center, but getting a chance to spread their love for nature and animals with visitors and summer program kids. This year my "helpers" not only assisted in making this summer the best ever- even with the highest attendance rates and the most rain- but also, the amount of trail work they tackled and completed was unprecedented! I would like to thank everyone that helped to make this possible, including all of the program attendees and the parents that drove them, for letting me have the best job on earth!
See you on the trails...Marc Gussen, Naturalist
