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The Edgewood Preserve is an 843 acre site, located mainly in Deer Park and Dix Hills. It is owned by New York State and managed by the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation. The site is open to the public, but a free NYS DEC permit is required for all activities including walking and biking, except during special organized events. Get it here at: DEC ONLINE PERMITS. Activities that are approved are hiking, walking, running, road bicycling, mountain bicycling, falconry, geocaching and dog training (seasonal). The Old Commack Road Bike and Walking path was cleared by NYDEC last summer so it now has clear sight-lines and a good paved surface for all bicycles and road runners. The Pavilion is now complete, and was dedicated to former State Senator Owen Johnson in an Earth day ceremony in spring 2014. There are several picnic benches now available for public use at the site. Model remote-control airplanes are also flown just east of the parking lot but you must become a member of the Edgewood Flyers. No motorized vehicles of any sort are allowed beyond the parking area on Commack Road, except for access to the Flyers Field by members. No ATV's or motorcycles are allowed under any circumstances. Please leave before it gets dark! The preserve was created in the late 1980's when the state decided a renovation (which I supported) of the old abandoned Edgewood hospital buildings into condominiums was too controversial, and it was decided the entire site would remain undeveloped. We have to thank NYS Senator Owen Johnson for having the vision to create this wonderful preserve and writing the key legislation behind it. It is a rare ecosystem, and we are lucky it is there at all, since the early design plans for the hospital called for a much larger complex that would have wiped out almost all of the wooded area that is now preserved.
2004 through 2014 were indeed busy years at the preserve. Many events and cleanups took place, the perimeter was secured,
and I hope the future will be even better! Your support and participation is important.
In 2011, LIGHT signed on as one of the preserve stewards and has been maintaining the entire hiking trail system, and also helps CLIMB
maintain the mountain biking trails if and when needed. LIGHT also maintains Old Commack Road as a paved bike and
walking path.
Send info to denisbyrne@yahoo.com
Help is needed with getting a new bridge in place of the one demolished in June 2009, building more regional
recreational trails, saving more forests and key open space parcels, and helping with the preserve and stopping illegal
dumping and preventing construction of the TRIM intermodal facility. I will gladly lead hikes and bike rides for any person
or group that would like a tour of the preserve and nearby lands. We are working to expand the mountain bicycle trail system at the preserve and on some adjacent property.
Join in for a hike or bike ride now and then all over LI. Anything you can do to help out is deeply appreciated!