Photos: Southborough kids explore nature at the Beals Preserve

I take a lot of walks at the Beals Preserve, on quiet trails that wind through 55 acres of woods and old pastures. But my walk there last Friday was like none other, because on that morning the usual tranquility of that parcel of nature was wonderfully disrupted by the whoops and shouts of 29 very enthusiastic school children.

The kids were at the Beals Preserve as part of a new collaboration between the Southborough Extended Day Program and the Southborough Open Land Foundation which maintains the preserve.

“The goal of the program was to get kids out here and to get them to love being here,” SOLF trustee Deb Costine said.

And love it they did. They turned over rocks and logs to see what might be living underneath. They discovered a den at the base of tree and puzzled over what might live there. They did crayon rubbings of bark and rocks and leaves. They searched for frogs in the old ice pond. They marveled at coyote scat.

SEDP plans to continue the trips to the Beals Preserve as part of their summer program. You can learn more on their website: www.southboroughextendedday.com.

Here are some photos from the trip. Click an image in the gallery to enlarge and view as a slideshow.