Nature Trail

While not officially a sanctuary, we like to think of The Nature Trail as a safe haven for our precious wildlife. The wildlife that return year after year know that it is here they are protected, wanted and appreciated by generations of villagers. It is our privilege to support this rich tradition.

In the heart of the most prime acreage in the Village of East Hampton lies the woodsy 24-acre Nature Trail, or the “Duck Pond” as it is affectionately known. The LVIS is proud to support this revered spot, and the Nature Trail Committee is always welcoming to new nature-loving members.  Now a 12-person committee, we put the care and feeding of all of our diverse waterfowl and birds at the forefront of our responsibility. It is in the most frigid months of winter, as well as days of deluge or snow, that our now nearly domesticated ducks need us the most. We encourage nutritional feeding (poultry feed, cracked corn) and try to dissuade tossing of commercial bread products, especially bagels, into the water. 

The Duck Pond lies in an area of Hook Pond, locally known as the ‘dreen’, which never fully freezes over and thus we have a year-round, ever-growing population of waterfowl.  We are especially proud of the proliferation of wood ducks (the most dramatic and colorful) in the past few seasons since special nesting boxes have been installed to encourage them.

Although the Nature Trail has a purposefully wild and effortless look, the LVIS – in conjunction with the Garden Club of East Hampton – provides for seasonal maintenance of the trails, while East Hampton Village oversees general preservation and protection.

A little history…

The Nature Trail was once a magnificent private Japanese garden. Mrs. Mary Woodhouse, the garden’s originator and keeper at the beginnings of the 20th century, had very romantic notions that included gently arching bright red bridges, a thatched-roof teahouse and her own red boat for getting around named ‘The Swamp Angel’. The smaller garden and surrounds were opened to the public in the 1940’s and the first eight acres were given to the Village in 1951 by Mrs. Woodhouse. Our resident waterfowl were introduced at this time. The adjacent 16 acres were eventually donated to the Village by the generous neighbors surrounding Mrs. Woodhouse’s garden. Today the Nature Trail totals 23.92 acres and is home to many paths, myriad benches, 25 charming wooden footbridges and a much-beloved shrine to St. Francis.