It was gratifying to see so many trail supporters at the last night. Approximately 225 attended. I thought Jerry Good’s presentation was excellent. When we decided on a name for the trail back in the early 90s, we knew that we wanted “Pumpkinvine” to be part of it and “trail” seemed a natural, although we thought about “greenway” and path, too. It was Ervin Beck, one of the original board members who insisted that we include “nature” in the name. He did not want biking and hiking to be the only activities identified with the trail. And so, we agreed on the name, Pumpkinvine Nature Trail.
Jerry’s presentation that showed the many wildflowers, birds, small animals, wetlands and deer that benefit from the trail confirm the wisdom our naming. The trail is a rich wildlife habitat.
A highlight of Jerry’s presentation was showing several video clips of birds and other animals on the trail taken by the late Merle Jacobs. Merle was an intrepid videographer and made hours of video about wildlife along the Pumpkinvine. I remember him telling me that greenways were great for increasing biodiversity among birds and animals because they provided a way for them to travel safely from one area to another. That biodiversity led to healthier animals.
Should we care about the health of wild animals? I’m no expert, so these are just off the top-of-my-head thoughts. Selfishly we should since healthier ones are going to be more productive and enjoyable to watch. Sick wildlife also has the potential of passing diseases to domestic animals and humans.
