The Nature Conservancy. Protecting nature. Preserving life.™

The Nature Conservancy will unveil a trail for people with disabilities at its Nags Head Woods Preserve on June 8. The public is invited to the ribbon cutting at 1 p.m., followed by a hike on the one-mile trail and refreshments.

Nags Head Woods Steward Aaron McCall says the trail will give everyone the opportunity to experience the maritime forest. “The trail will go around an interdunal freshwater pond and through a maritime swamp forest with an overlook of a brackish marsh system,” he explains. “With this trail we hope to give visitors an idea of the many different types of natural communities that can be found in the preserve.” In addition to people with disabilities, McCall says it will also be a good place for families with small children in strollers.

Construction of the trail was made possible by a $100,000 grant from Dominion Energy, an $84,318 grant from the Dare County Tourism Board, $7,350 from the Outer Banks Community Foundation and $1,000 from the Kiwanis Club of the Outer Banks and North Banks Rotary Club.

Over 100 species of birds have been documented at the 1,092-acre preserve. The preserve is an important nesting area for more than 50 species, including green heron, wood duck, red-shouldered hawk, clapper rail, ruby-throated hummingbird, pileated woodpecker, prothonotary warbler, and summer tanager. Fifteen species of amphibians and 28 species of reptiles have been documented as well. The freshwater ponds are inhabited by seven species of fish and many reptiles and amphibians in addition to a great diversity of floating aquatic plant life, including the rare water violet. An extensive marsh system bordering Roanoke Sound on the western side of the preserve supports a wealth of wildlife including river otter, egrets, herons, and many species of migratory waterfowl.