Westmoreland Sanctuary is building an Environmental Education Center (EEC) that will serve as a visitor center, experiential classroom, and rustic rental space. The building is expected to be open to the public in November 2023. The Center will be sustainably built featuring a zero-carbon geothermal energy system, responsibly harvested timber materials, and a native plant rainwater garden. The building will be handicap-accessible and conveniently located in front of Westmoreland’s parking lot and next to our Natural Science Museum.
Environmental Education Center Signage Naming Opportunities
Sponsorships will be entitled to building naming. Please select the buttons below to purchase. Sponsorship signs will be in carved mahogany.
The Bechtel Lake sign has a water symbol. This is the most popular and photographed location on our land. It is also the most utilized site for environmental programs.
The Sanctuary Summit sign has a mountain symbol. This is the name of the Sanctuary’s new land. It is one of the highest points in Westchester. This point is 815 feet above sea level and will be marked with the elevation. This creates a range of elevation of 407 feet within the Sanctuary.
The sugar maple sign has a leaf for its symbol. This is a corner stone to our tree ecology program. The tree has also inspired the Westmoreland Sugarfest! event that has been held for the past 20 years.
The American elm sign has a leaf for its symbol. This tree has been listed as endangered on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red list. A small grove is over in the Wildlife Management Area. Westmoreland has made concerted efforts to protect these elms from deer browsing and hope to harvest seeds next year.
Cole Kettle is the yellow circle and is the longest trail in the preserve. It also has a unique feature of a boardwalk that allows you to walk over a swamp and through the trees.
The Brookside trail is so-named as it is parallel to the stream that bisects the Sanctuary. In the spring and summer, the trail hosts jack-in-the-pulpits, waterthrush, and red trillium flowers. At 407 feet above sea level, it is the lowest point in the Sanctuary.