Fern Valley viewing platforms have been open for a week

Please accept my apologies for the image quality; try squinting! I was in a hurry.

Accessibility provided much of the impetus for the Fern Valley trail reconstruction project; we wanted as much of the Collection as possible to be accessible to as many people as possible. After much consideration, it was decided that it just wasn't feasible to install accessible trails along the stream itself. Two viewing platforms allow visual access to a large percentage of the streamside area. This is one of those platforms. Behind the camera the trail enters the shady cultivar area. The steps coming off the far side of the platform lead down to the main FV trail along the stream.

While Fern Valley is a created area, a very successful attempt was made at recreating natural ecosystems. Wildlife has appreciated this and we have been rewarded with many species of birds. Every year Barred Owls raise owlets?, migrating warblers pulse through, and we see Woodcocks. A good way to see wildlife is to stay in one place motionless for as long as you can; normal forest activities reconvene! On a crowded weekend this strategy may not work, but if you have half an hour on a weekday morning, there's a good chance you will see something interesting.