ALBANY, N.Y. — The Albany Nature bus is returning for its fourth year on May 25.
The special bus line kicks off on May 25 with the Beaver Line. On June 1, the Warbler Line will be added. The Nature Bus program is a collaborative effort between Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy (MHLC) and the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA). Since 2021, it has connected thousands of people with nature in and around Albany.
The Albany Nature Bus is a free service. It will run for twenty Saturdays through Oct. 5. Stops this year include Tivoli Lake Preserve and Farm, the Heldeberg-Hudson Rail Trail, the Five Rivers Environmental Education Center, John Boyd Thacher State Park, and Fisher Trail.
New this year will be the Butterfly Line, which will run to Schenectady and nearby areas for ten Saturdays beginning July 6 and ending Sept. 7. Stops on the Butterfly Line include Collins Park, Central Park, the Reist Sanctuary, the Kelly Adirondack Center, and the Pine Bush Discovery Center.
“We’re thrilled to bring back the Nature Bus for another season with expanded service in Schenectady,” CDTA CEO Carm Basile said in a news release. “Thank you to the community for your continued support and excitement for this valuable service. One of our priorities is to offer accessibility and opportunities to our local community. The Nature Bus is a first of its kind initiative that offers an enriching experience to community members, many of whom were previously unable to access the area’s picturesque nature sites.”
“This service has grown exponentially since its inception and has successfully connected so many to the outdoors. We are beyond excited to see this service expand into a regular, weekly route, connecting people to nature in and around Schenectady this year especially,” MHLC Associate Director Sarah Walsh said in the release.
Tivoli Lake Preserve and Farm is hosting a “Meet the Nature Bus” event in partnership with MHLC on June 1 from noon to 3 pm. Representatives from Nature Bus locations will have tables with information including free programming that participants can experience at each location.
“We are so thrilled to be partnering with Nature Bus and to be one of the stops on the route. Getting out in nature is soothing for the soul and it’s a wonderful way to remember that we are all connected by this beautiful Earth. We encourage you to take the bus to these spaces, whether it’s Tivoli or another location. Take a few moments to connect with your senses, notice what you see, hear, smell, feel, taste, and breathe. Check out our website and calendar for information about our season which will go from mid-May to mid-October. We hope to see you on the trails or in the garden!” Tivoli Lake Preserve and Farm Executive Director Kim Tateo said in the release.
To learn more, visit MHLC’s Nature Bus website: https://mohawkhudson.org/nature-bus/.
