The Northern Neck Chapters of the Virginia Audubon Society, the Virginia Native Plant Society and Virginia Master Naturalists has a trail clean up on Saturday, November 9th, from 10 to noon. The clean-up will be at Hickory Hollow Natural Area Preserve on Regina Rd., off Rt. 3, just south of Lancaster in Lancaster County. All members are invited as well as friends, countrymen and anyone who would like to help and/or meet members of these nature-loving groups. All ages are welcome.

Snacks and drinks will be provided but if folks could bring gloves, clippers and rakes, that would be great. The Preserve contains over five miles of trails and a trail cleanup is held twice a year.

A nature walk will follow the clean-up so come and learn and/or share your knowledge and get to know Hickory Hollow even better.

Virginia has 63 Natural Area Preserves (NAP) all of which were created and are protected because they contain some of the rarest natural communities and unique species habitats in North America. The Preserve system is managed by the Natural Heritage Division of the Virginia Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and began in the late 1980’s. Many Preserves are open to the public and Hickory Hollow is open with many trails.

Each Preserve is an ecological treasure (the Northern Neck has four) and Hickory Hollow is no exception. Hickory Hollow contains 254 acres of mixed pine-hardwood forest, ravines and a exceptional swamp/wetlands community that supports a very high diversity of plants including several plants found normally in more mountainous areas. Called Cabin Swamp, it is unusual because of its chemical nature and combination of plants. Please join us.