Scenic Route 20/Landis Arboretum Beckon Bikers, Birders

ESPERANCE, NY (05/08/2007)(readMedia)-- The call of the open road, the lure of picturesque US Route 20, and the natural splendors of the Landis Arboretum and its Old Growth Forest converge to create a triple-lane thoroughfare to fun and entertainment that adventurous bikers will find hard to resist.

They’ll discover an area as alive and well as the familiar faces they expect to see at the 22nd Annual AM-JAM at the Sunshine Fairgrounds in Cobleskill, May 24th - 27th.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors pass through the towns and villages of upstate New York each year, many intent on destinations as diverse as the venerable Old Stone Fort Museum Complex and Howe Caverns before moving on to Lake George, Cooperstown, and even Ithaca and Buffalo. Since Route 20s hard-won designation as a New York State Scenic Byway in August 2005, savvy bikers are enticed to choose this centuries’ old, rural highway over higher-speed routes and to explore roadside venues they may have overlooked just a year ago. The George Landis Arboretum in Esperance, NY, is one of those treasures; its grounds are wide open to everyone who appreciates beauty and serenity mixed with adventure.

Multifaceted Jewel Worth Exploration

The 548-acres of the Landis Arboretum comprise a national treasure that includes 163 acres of cultivated and native plants on the site of a 19th century farm, the home of Fred Lape, the Arboretum's founder. It has long been a coveted destination for horticulturalists, environmentalists, “earth watchers,” “tree huggers,” and amateur and professional birders — particularly from the extended Capital District. The Arboretum is central to the New York State Wine and Spa Trails and in close proximity to historic Sharon Springs. And, it is a natural stop for those traveling to the high-volume tourist attractions between the Albany, Cooperstown, and Finger Lakes Regions.

The Landis Arboretum includes a nationally recognized collection of oaks and is registered with the North American Plant Collections Consortium (NAPCC). The Arboretum also is included in the New York State Route 20 Bluebird Trail, bringing even more birdwatchers to the site. The Arboretum’s vast dark sky and wide horizons attract area astronomers to its meeting house and parking field for sky-watching events.

Trees That Tell a Story

The Arboretum's most recent land acquisition contains a horticulture bonanza. Last summer, a team of old-growth-forest experts surveyed the site and found trees ranging from 150 to 350 years old. One parcel of land near the Montgomery County line contains one of the oldest forests in the area. This ancient forest is approximately 30 acres in size and is located in the northeast corner of the Arboretum. The old growth forest is accessible to visitors by walking the Great Oak/Woodland Trail, starting in the corner of the field behind the Arboretum’s greenhouse to the Great Oak. The route, approximately three miles round trip from the parking lot to the Old Growth Forest area and back, is clearly marked for visitors to the Arboretum.

Calling Adventurers of All Ages

The Arboretum offers classes, workshops, guided and self-guided nature study. Workshop subjects include hawks, moths, birds, amphibians and reptiles, and arthropods. Horticultural interests are the focus of classes in pruning, tree identification, daylilies, and plant propagation. Ancillary workshops have focused on photography, basket making, botanical illustration and landscape painting.

Horticultural interests are the focus of classes in pruning, tree identification, daylilies, and plant propagation. And, the Arboretum offers two very popular and coveted certificates in Horticulture in conjunction with the State University of New York (SUNY) Cobleskill campus plant-science department.

Open to All

The Landis Arboretum is open to all and offers both self-guided and guided tours of the Arboretum and the Old Growth Forest (OGF). Funding for the Landis Arboretum’s upkeep and extensive community-focused programs is derived primarily from grants, donations, membership, and the increasingly popular Spring and Fall Plant Sales that have become hallmarks of the Arboretum. A Suggested Donation of $5/biker, $15/family helps to defray basic costs for this multifaceted operation.

Interaction with Route 20 Communities

Visitors to the Landis Arboretum also find themselves within minutes of the adventures of Howe Caverns (518-296-8900/www.HoweCaverns.com); the 25-acre Old Stone Fort Museums Complex in Schoharie (518) 295-7192, www.TheOldStoneFort.org); Homegrown Designs: Garden Accessory Shop (518-875-6307, bweloth@netzero.com ); the eclectic offerings of Thyme for Tea (518-234-1640); and historic Sharon Springs www.sharonspringschamber.com). Close by Stewart’s Shops (Route 20) and the Hillview.

Biker-Birders Flock to Paradise

As cited in Birding New York's Hudson-Mohawk Region [revised (2005) and expanded to include more than 70 sites in and around the Capital Region] the Landis Arboretum plays host to more than 100 species of birds, rare and common. Among them:

Bluebirds

American Crows

Pine Siskin

Red-bellied Woodpeckers

Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers

Common Redpolls

Common Grackles

Dark-eyed Juncos

American Goldfinches

Song Sparrows

Tufted Titmouse

Blue Jays

Northern Cardinals

Black-capped Chickadees

White-breasted Nuthatches

Red-breasted Nuthatches

Wild Turkey

Warblers

Scarlet Tanagers

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks

Indigo Buntings

Bobolinks

Vultures

And many others

The Eastern Chipmunk and Gray Squirrel also are commonly seen at the Arboretum along with dozens of native wildlife species. The natural habitat of the Arboretum makes it an ideal setting for scientific studies and the destination of choice by biologists from throughout the northeast.

Enjoy the Arboretum

• The Arboretum grounds are open every day of the year from dawn until dusk. Please sign in each time you visit.

• Recreational vehicles are not allowed beyond the parking area.

• Picnickers are welcomed, but there are no trash facilities. Guests are asked to carry out what they carry in.

• Dogs are welcomed but must be leashed, cleaned up after, and kept away from all flower gardens.

• Collection of flowers, cuttings, seeds, or other plant material is prohibited without prior approval from the Arboretum staff.

• For your comfort, insect repellent is advisable. Guests are invited to bring their own, or to buy it in the Acorn shop during business hours.

• For your enjoyment, wear sensible shoes for walking along the natural trails of the Arboretum.

From Esperance

Turn at the Town Hall onto Charleston Street which turns into Conover Road. There is a green sign for Landis on Route 20 by this road. Follow for 1 ¼ miles. The road bears right 90 degrees at one point. Turn right onto Lape Road. There is a sign for Landis and a dead end sign. Our main parking lot is ¼ mile down on your left. Across the street from this parking lot are our offices, located in the farmhouse, our barn and our library and greenhouse. Farther up Lape Road you will see a small sign for the Meeting House on the right. You may pull into this driveway and park by the Meeting House. Our collections are accessible from either parking area.

From Cobleskill / Howe Caverns

Take Route 7 east to Route 30A. There will be a Red Barrel convenience store on the corner. Turn left on Route 30A north. Turn right on Route 20 east. There will be a Mobil convenience store on your left. Go into the village of Esperance. Pass Eastman’s Cheese House and the post office on your right. Make your next left onto Charleston Street which turns into Conover Road. Follow directions from Esperance.

From Schoharie/Middleburgh

Take Route 30 north to route 20. Turn left onto Route 20 west. As you enter Esperance you will cross the Schoharie Creek. Make your first right a the Town Hall. Follow directions from Esperance.

From Amsterdam

Take Route 30 south to intersection with Route 20. At the traffic light turn right onto Route 20 west. As you enter Esperance you will cross the Schoharie Creek. Make your first right a the Town Hall. Follow directions from Esperance.

From Saratoga and the North

Take Northway (I-87) south to the NYS Thruway. Take the Thruway west to exit 25A. Take I-88 west to exit 24 – Duanesburg. Take Route 20 west six miles through Duanesburg to Esperance. Make your first right in Esperance at the Town Hall. Follow directions from Esperance.

From Albany and the East

Take route 20 west to Duanesburg, or Take the NYS Thruway west to exit 25A. Take I-88 west to exit 24 – Duanesburg. Take Route 20 west six miles through Duanesburg to Esperance. Make your first right in Esperance at the Town Hall. Follow directions from Esperance.

From Schenectady

Take Route 7 west or I-88 west to exit 24 – Duanesburg. Take Route 20 west for six miles through Duanesburg to Esperance. Make your first right in Esperance at the Town Hall. Follow signs from Esperance.

From Canajoharie

Take Route 10 south to Sharon Springs. Turn left onto Route 20 east. Follow through Carlisle, Sloansville and into the village of Esperance. Pass Eastman’s Cheese House and the post office on your right. Make your next left onto Charleston Street which turns into Conover Road. The Town Hall is on the corner and there is a sign for Landis. Follow directions from Esperance.

From the West on the NYS Thruway

Take exit 29 for Canajoharie. Follow direction from Canajoharie.

From Oneonta and the West

Take route 20 east, or

Take I-88 east to Cobleskill/Middleburgh exit (not Cobleskill/Richmondville exit). Take Route 7 east. Turn left on route 30A. There will be a Red Barrel convenience store on the corner Turn left on Route 30A north. Turn right on Route 20 east. There will be a Mobil convenience store on your left. Go into the village of Esperance. Pass Eastman’s Cheese House and the post office on your right. Make your next left onto Charleston Street which turns into Conover Road. The Town Hall is on the corner and there is a sign for Landis. Follow directions from Esperance. For more information:

-- Am-Jam, PO Box 336, Corinth, NY 12822, 518-893-2273; Amjamtat2@aol.com

-- Landis Arboretum, PO Box 186, Lape Road, Esperance, NY 12066-0186; 518-875-6935/ 518-875-6394 (Fax), www.landisarboretum.org.

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Posted Tuesday May 08, 2007 at 05:05 pm by Landis Arboretum