Community Programs at Vlei Marsh
Connecting people to the land through programming is at the heart of Winnakee’s mission, and the community is its cornerstone.
Vlei Marsh has been a special gathering place since 2021. Here are some of the activities we have invited the public to enjoy over the years.
2021 WOODLAND CREATURES OUTDOOR EXHIBIT AT VLEI
View More ImagesIn 2021, during the pandemic, Winnakee created an outdoor experience to celebrate our forested lands and give people a chance to enjoy the newly protected Vlei Marsh.
“We wanted to introduce people to Vlei Marsh in a fun and creative way while offering the community a place to gather outdoors during COVID.”
The Woodland Creatures exhibit invited visitors to tiptoe through the forest in search of magical woodland creatures hidden along the trail. Each creature was crafted from all-natural materials by a fairy community led by our Master Fairy Maker, Richard Prouse, and his assistant Fairy Maker, Joanne Engle.
2022 WOODLAND NIGHT COLLABORATION WITH SINTERKLAAS AT VLEI
View More ImagesWoodland Night was a creative collaboration between Winnakee Land Trust and Sinterklaas.
Over 400 visitors stepped into Vlei forest after hours to visit Sinterklaas animals in their natural habitat before they emerge into town for the parade. The Seven Sisters, twinkling lights and Sinterklaas stars illuminated their path. This immersive experience of the nighttime forest and marsh was imagined through the lens of Rhinebeck’s cherished Sinterklaas tradition, as an awe-inspiring journey of our irreplaceable forests and the biodiversity within them.
Special thanks to Uri Perrin, Martha Tobias, Jeanne Flemming, Richard Prouse, Processional Arts (Alex & Sophia), Rhinebeck Interact Club and the many volunteers who made this special night happen.
ON GOING FAIRY HOUSES
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“The thing I love the most about making fairy houses for Winnakee’s Vlei Marsh preserve is the reaction from young visitors. They leave gifts for the fairies and little messages in the fairy book that capture their excitement and enthusiasm. I love knowing that a walk through those enchanted woods kindles their imagination and their appreciation of the natural world.”
Long after the original Woodland Creatures exhibit closed, fairy houses continued to appear mysteriously along the Vlei Marsh trail.
“We like to say that the fairies work their magic at night,” said Uri Perrin, Senior Director of External Affairs. “Then one day, we discovered our ‘Fairy Godmother,’ Julia Van Develder. We’re delighted to celebrate Julia and her fairy houses, which bring so much joy to visitors.”