The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

Pileated Woodpecker. © Andrew Brownsword

Open to the Public

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Things To Do

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Plan Your Visit

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At the O.D. von Engeln Preserve at Malloryville, more than a mile of eskers — ancient river beds that once ran through glaciers — wind through a pocket of forest adjacent to Fall Creek. At the foot of the eskers, groundwater bubbles up in a constant stream of minerals that nurture rare plants and a wide variety of animals.

The amazing diversity of wetland habitats within the preserve, from bogs to fens to wooded swamps, nurtures a variety of rare plants and natural communities found in few other places in New York.

In 2001, AES Cayuga, the NY State Electric & Gas Company, the Howland Foundation and the Rothenberg Family Foundation helped support construction of a new trail system and information kiosk, and publication of a new preserve brochure.

Much of Malloryville's original funding was bequeathed in the 1960s by Cornell geology professor O.D. von Engeln, who wished to see it managed and protected as a nature preserve. Neighbors and longtime Conservancy supporters Bob, Gwen, Nathan and Gordon Beck later made a critical donation of 35 acres at the heart of the preserve.

The preserve is open daylight hours for bird watching and hiking the 1.75-mile trail. Try the Bog Loop Trail, the Esker Trail, or walk along an eco-friendly boardwalk built with recycled plastic composite lumber. Please tread lightly! Stay on marked trails at all times and leave the plants and wildlife for others to see. For the protection of wildlife, no pets, motor vehicles, horses, bicycles, hunting, trapping, camping or fires are allowed. Fishing is allowed in Fall Creek, which forms the eastern boundary of the preserve for several thousand feet.

Things To Do

Perennial spring-fed streams harbor small freshwater clams, snails, crustaceans such as amphipods, and a diversity of insects. Birds at Malloryville are diverse and abundant including northern waterthrush, Cooper's hawk, ovenbirds, owls, redstarts, scarlet tanagers, pileated woodpeckers, osprey and great blue herons.

Look for animals such as wild turkeys, gray and red fox, and ruffed grouse. A bobcat was seen here in recent years.

Many distinct plant communities thrive on the preserve's bogs, swamps, marshes and fens. Look for the pitcher plant, which lives in a nutrient-poor environment and traps insects to obtain nitrogen, from the Florence G. Beck Bog Viewing Platform. Also look for marsh marigolds, arrow arum, New England asters, trillium, jack-in-the pulpits, blueberries, and round leaf sundews. To protect these species, volunteers are trying to stem the growth of invasives such as garlic mustard, swallow-wort, buckthorn and honeysuckle.

Plan Your Visit

At 309 acres, this preserve is located in Dryden, NY, within Tompkins County.

Directions

From the north or south:

• From I-81, take exit 12 to Route 281 south (left turn).
• Continue 3 miles. Turn right onto McLean Road and drive 5 miles to McLean.
• When you reach the gas station, bear left on Fall Creek Road and continue for 1.3 miles.
• Turn right on West Malloryville Road and continue 0.5 miles to the large white preserve sign and parking area on the right.

From the Ithaca area:

• Take route 13 north toward Cortland.
• Turn left on Route 366 and follow to Freeville.
• Continue straight on Fall Creek Road for 2.5 miles, then turn left onto West Malloryville Road.
• Follow for 0.5 miles to the large white preserve sign and the parking area on the right.

Discussion

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Time for you to join the discussion. Tell us about your experience at this preserve. What plants and animals did you see? When did you go? You can help others plan their visit when you share your thoughts. And thank you for visiting one of our nature preserves!

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