Zoar Valley Presentation to the Springville Woman's Club
Tuesday, March 13, 2007, 2:00
The history, natural features, and latest news about Zoar Valley.

Earth Day Festival at the Beaver Meadow Audubon Center
Saturday, April 21, 2007, 10:00-4:00
The ZVNS will present information about Zoar Valley at the Buffalo Audubon's Earth Day Festival at the Beaver Meadow Audubon Center. The whole family can enjoy guided hikes, games, crafts, and food. See the latest efforts in energy conservation - hybrid cars, wind and solar power technologies. Learn how to compost your yard clippings, sample locally grown organic foods, see live birds of prey, and talk with many local environmental organizations. (Beaver Meadow Audubon Center, 1610 Welch Road, N. Java, NY 14113, 800-377-1520, $5 adults, $3 children 12 & under. Under 3 free.)

The American Chestnut Foundation's Planting and Maintenance Day at the William W. White American Chestnut Plantation in Zoar Valley
Saturday, April 28, 2007 (time TBA)
Help in the effort to restore the American Chestnut tree to the eastern forests and celebrate National Arbor Day (4/27) by taking part in Spring Planting and Maintenance Day at the Chestnut Plantation. Meet at the Vail & Unger Rd. parking area. Rain or shine. Bring a lunch and join the campfire roast afterward.

Bird Watching
Sunday, May 20, 2007, 7:00 - 9:30 a.m.
We'll take the North Rim trails (easy terrain) to a variety of habitats: meadow, forest, wetlands and ponds. Each year we encounter more than 50 species, including the beautiful Indigo Bunting, Scarlet Tanager and Black Throated Green Warbler, and the rare Red Shouldered Hawk. Bald Eagles are frequently seen in the area. Binoculars recommended.

Rodger Sweetland Memorial Preserve Dedication and Hikes
Saturday, June 16, 2007, 11:00
The Nature Sanctuary Society of WNY dedicates the recently acquired Rodger Sweetland Memorial Preserve (Big Falls area of South Branch Cattaraugus Creek). The dedication will be held at The Nature Sanctuary Society's Deer Lick Preserve Kiosk. The Nature Conservancy is celebrating 50 years of conservation efforts. The plaque unveiling will be followed by an organic lunch by Rainbow's End Herbs of Perrysburg and a variety of hikes in the afternoon. Contact Preserve Custodian Steve McCabe for more information (627-3068).

The Art of Zoar Valley
July 5 - August 4, 2007
The Springville Center for the Arts is hosting a multimedia exhibit about the legendary beauty of Zoar Valley. Artists have long honored the awe-inspiring beauty of the valley and its vistas. This month-long exhibit will feature paintings, photography, poetry, and more, including guided hikes in Zoar Valley. The Opening Reception is Friday, July 13 at 7:00 p.m.

Gallery of Giants ~ Old Growth Forest Hike
Saturday, July 14, 2007 (meet at Springville Center for the Arts)
9:30 Refreshments
10:00 Slide Show and Presentation
11:30 - 3:30 Hike (strenuous - hiking and water shoes recommended)
Don't miss this rare opportunity to hike through the forest and into Zoar's canyon gorges to the magnificent Gallery of Giants - riverine terraces of ancient trees, some of the oldest and tallest in the Eastern U.S. We'll be led by Professor Thomas Diggins of Ohio's Youngstown State University and the Eastern Native Tree Society (ENTS). Tom has gained a reputation as one of the most knowledgeable forest ecologists on Eastern old growth forests, and is the undisputed authority on Zoar's unique old growth communities and riverine ecosystems. Over the past several years, YSU's integrated science program has been studying the ecosystems of Zoar Valley and Cattaraugus Creek. With less than 2% of the original forest cover remaining in the East, this is a wonderful opportunity to experience the unspoiled and thriving ancient forests of Zoar Valley.

Nature Walk on the North Rim
Sunday, July 15, 2007 (meet at Springville Center for the Arts)
12:30 Refreshments and Presentation
1:30 - 3:30 Walk (easy to moderate)
Enjoy a relaxing nature walk through meadows and forest to wetlands and ponds. We'll identify trees (Zoar Valley has over 45 species!) and explore summer flora, including ferns and wetland species, and look for one of the rare and protected plants in Zoar Valley - the forest dwelling Giant Pine Drops. Local plant expert Mike Siuta of the Niagara Frontier Botanical Society will lead us on this informative nature walk.

History of Zoar Valley
Wednesday, July 18, 2007 (at Springville Center for the Arts)
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
The Gowanda Historical Society and the Zoar Valley Nature Society present an informative discussion on the history of Zoar Valley, from its prehistoric inhabitants, through its earliest European settlers and depression-era farmers, to recent events. Slide show, photos, maps, and more. Find out where ancient inhabitants lived in Zoar Valley and why, how Zoar Valley got its name, and how it was all once planned to be under water.

Geology of Zoar Valley - South Branch Creek Walk
Saturday, July 21, 2007 (meet at Springville Center for the Arts)
9:30 Refreshments
10:00 Presentation
11:30 - 3:30 Creek Walk (moderate - water shoes recommended)
Local geology experts will guide us in small, hands-on groups through the towering canyon gorges of the South Branch Cattaraugus Creek, where the gorge walls rise up to heights of 400 feet, about the same height as Buffalo's City Hall tower. From glacial debris to Devonian Shale, we'll see the variety of rock found in Zoar Valley. We'll explore waterfalls and a fossil bed as we find out how the gorges were formed beginning 12,000 years ago. Joe Sullivan of the Buffalo Geological Society and Ray Vaughan, U.B. Geology graduate student, will lead the event.

William P. White American Chestnut Plantation
Sunday, July 22, 2007 (meet at Springville Center for the Arts)
12:30 Refreshments and Presentation
1:30 Chestnut Plantation Tour (easy)
John Spagnoli of the New York State Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation will teach us about the effort to restore the formerly blighted American Chestnut to Eastern forests. The New York Chapter has taken a unique approach to its research and experimentation, and is nearing success in restoring this once dominant Eastern tree, with its incredibly light and strong wood and its abundant food source for wildlife.

William P. Alexander Preserve Hike
Saturday, July 28, 2007 (meet at Springville Center for the Arts)
9:30 Refreshments
10:00 Presentation
11:00 - 2:00 Hike (moderate to strenuous)
Come explore this beautiful 118-acre preserve maintained by the Nature Sanctuary Society of Western New York. The Alexander Preserve has some of the most striking landscapes in Zoar Valley - from low flood-plains to striking slopes - with the Cattaraugus Creek sweeping around the preserve in a wide, graceful curve. This long-protected ecosystem has abundant, undisturbed plant life, mature hardwood forests, and one of the highest diversities of breeding birds anywhere in Western New York. Preserve Custodian Boyd Wible will guide us through the preserve.

Exploring Deer Lick Conservation Area
Saturday, August 4, 2007 (meet at Springville Center for the Arts)
9:30 Refreshments
10:00 Slide Show and Presentation
11:30 - 2:30 Hike (moderate)
Volunteer Naturalist David Griffin will lead us as we explore The Nature Conservancy's Deer Lick Preserve, a 398-acre National Natural Landmark located on the South Branch of Cattaraugus Creek. This preserve offers five hiking trails, from easy ventures to more challenging treks. Hikers can enjoy a variety of landscapes, from the quiet splendor of meadows and mature northern forests to striking vistas of waterfalls in deep, rugged gorge canyons. The serenity and beauty of Deer Lick Falls is not to be missed!

The American Chestnut Foundation's Fall Harvest Day at Zoar
Fall 2007 - TBA
Join in this important community effort of harvesting seeds for research efforts to help restore the American Chestnut tree to its native eastern woodlands. Wear thick gloves for gathering the chestnut burs. Rain or shine. Meet at the Vail & Unger Rd. parking area.

Fall Colors Hike ~ Ancient Forests and Beautiful Vistas
Saturday, October 13, 2007, 11:00 - 3:00
We'll explore the South Rim old growth and enjoy the fall vistas from Valentine Point and more (easy terrain).

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you, as sunlight flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drip off like autumn leaves." ~ John Muir, naturalist and founder of the National Park System