For anyone looking for an easy, enjoyable outing in the Catskills, the new East Branch Nature Preserve in Arkville offers an eye-opening look at the history and ecology of the Catskill/Delaware Watershed Region.
Around the Catskills, it’s well-known that New York City is one of the only major metro areas in the US that is able to supply millions of residents with pristine drinking water without the need for filtration. This near-miracle is made possible in large part by decades of collaboration between communities in the Catskills and New York City to build the system of 19 reservoirs that supply the city. Nearly 90 percent of this water comes from the Catskill/Delaware Watershed Region, a nearly-1,600-square-mile area across Ulster, Delaware, Sullivan, and Greene counties.
As part of its mission to educate the public about the importance of protecting precious Catskills-source water resources for the benefit of generations to come, the Catskill Water Discovery Center in Arkville invites visitors to explore the newly opened East Branch Nature Preserve and its museum gallery in the Catskill Watershed Corporation building. The Preserve is a 33-acre stretch along a central Catskills riverbank located between the East Branch and tracks of the historic Delaware & Ulster Railroad. The Preserve is now open to the public for recreational walks with an educational focus on the Watershed Region’s history and its distinctive riparian ecology.
“It’s a tranquil stretch of flatland,” says Ed Wood, a board member with the WDC and chair of the committee that created the Preserve. “Visitors will learn the story of how that land has transformed over the years. We’re hoping people will stop, and fall in love with the river.”
Two new trails forged through the floodplain guide visitors past interpretive stations on native and invasive vegetation, birds and other wildlife, the region’s flood patterns, and how land use around the river has changed over time. Together, they offer a look at the complex web of life that centers around the Delaware River’s East Branch—complete with inspiring glimpses of bald eagles, rabbits, deer, and more.
At around a half-mile long, these pathways—one accessible with assistance and the other a more primitive footpath closer to the water’s edge—don’t call for a huge commitment. They offer a restorative spot to stretch the legs while admiring the natural world, or make a perfect complement to any number of Catskills outings. Anglers are also welcome to try their luck in the river, as the Preserve is to become a stocking location for the DEC fisheries program.
The Preserve, considered a “living classroom,” also includes an outdoor classroom that will host school groups and programs, including “The River Speaks Everyday,” an upcoming speaker series that features local experts covering topics such as “How to Read a Landscape” and “Woods Keep Water Clean.”
The East Branch Nature Preserve is open to the public dusk till dawn, free of charge. For more information, visit waterdiscoverycenter.org/nature-preserve or call (845) 586-6622.
