Last weekend in the sunny spring weather, I went for a long rambling hike at Riverland Conservancy. It felt great to get out in nature and stretch my legs after several months of being mostly indoors.
I quickly remembered my love of this place. Riverland Conservancy is a large tract of land near Merrimac that’s open for hiking. There are many different trails to wander on, although they are not well marked. The best way to get familiar with this land is to go exploring.
The landscape is a mixture of prairie, oak savannas, forests, and wetlands. Much restoration has already been done, and some is still ongoing. The trails are fairly well maintained, and there are numerous boardwalks over the marshy areas.
I especially like walking here in spring. The sandy soil doesn’t hold water, so it’s not muddy this time of year like other places (such as Steinke Basin).
The vibrant turquoise of the sunny sky and streams is a beautiful contrast to the golden tones of last year’s vegetation.
Soon the marsh marigolds will bloom – one of the first signs that the earth is greening up and coming back to life again. Many sandhill cranes build their nests here, and you can often hear their primal call and catch a glimpse of them in the wetlands or flying overhead. Every year when I hear their bugling for the first time, it sends shivers down my spine.
As always, I am more connected to my self when I’m in nature.
This work is real, and it matters.
March 26, 2022