I am typing this while sitting, 1300 miles away from Ithaca, at my home. I truly wish in this moment that I could be surrounded by the nature of Ithaca, from its gorges to the nature hikes. Ithaca is truly a unique place that offers unequivocal nature escapes. So while you are still in Ithaca make sure to explore your surroundings, and take a break from classes, you never know when you will be sent home.

Here are you can find more resources to explore Ithaca and the Cornell surrounding areas: visitithaca.com/hike-bike-run

While I’m intimately familiar with Cornell libraries and workspaces, I admittedly haven’t taken advantage of most of Ithaca’s natural wonders. This discussion makes me want to change that.

Todd Bittner went in depth on Ithaca’s current trail system and plans for expansion. Cornell’s system of trails is expansive and ever growing. One particular planned trail that Todd described would go all the way to the FH FOX bridge, and the idea behind it is that it will be much more than just a place for nature lovers and runners; it could become an excellent option for commuters. We discussed the process of planning such a trail, the pros and cons of paving it, and its utility in the winter, amongst other things. As it turns out, a lot more thought goes into such matters than I’d previously considered, which, in turn, makes me feel a bit guilty about not taking advantage of all of Cornell’s trails and natural areas. These natural areas aren’t just limited to Ithaca either; Cornell’s campus is massive on its own right, but, as it turns out, Cornell owns many off-campus pieces of land as well. These holdings aren’t simply kept for the sake of expanding Cornell’s reach; Cornell prioritized acquiring a variety of types of property with different geological significance.

Currently, it’s a bit too snowy outside for me to want to explore much. However, when it begins to warm up, I genuinely want to set aside a few days to walk around, maybe get lost a few times, and get to know Ithaca and its trails a bit better.

I learned a lot from Mr.Bittner; he told us lots of plant history and the history of cornell plants. He introduced us some plants that we have never seen before. I really like to learn more about different species and natural areas because natural areas are really important to our environment. He also invited us to apply for the Botanic Garden summer internship program.

Last Wednesday, I attended a Rose Café even on Cornell’s Botanical Gardens and other natural areas led by Todd Bittner. I visited Cornell Botanical Gardens several times in the past for my plant science courses both for observational and conservation purposes. However, I didn’t know about other natural areas that Cornell has. Mr. Bittner’s introduction to these areas helped me to realize how diverse Cornell is. There are so many places including Cayuga lake that I haven’t visited for the past two and a half years. I hope to visit these areas more often and explore Cornell and Ithaca’s natural areas with my friends before I graduate.

I grew up in Upstate New York, twenty minutes outside Rochester. I’ve gone camping in the Adirondacks and hiking through the trails around my home. While I wouldn’t call myself “outdoorsy,” I have always been interested in exploring nature. So, during Todd Bittner’s talk, I was surprised to hear that Cornell owned literally tens of miles of trails that I have barely heard of, let alone hiked. Of course, now I think “of course, why wouldn’t we?” Especially given Cornell’s Land-Grant status and historical involvement with agriculture and the life sciences. Still, I wonder why it took until my junior year to find out just how many trails surrounded Cornell, and how much natural area we as Cornellians have access to (alongside the general Tompkins County community). Now, I wonder what other natural (and other) wonders are here that I don’t know about. I can’t wait to start exploring to find out.