Immersed in Nature

A story in The Star last week about the Montauk Observatory got us thinking about the number of opportunities here for getting in touch with nature. The observatory, now about to be operational at the Ross School in East Hampton, offers the farthest reach: a powerful telescope that can be booked remotely to view distant celestial objects over the internet. Organizations like the East Hampton Trails Preservation Society have free woodland hikes every weekend. The South Fork Natural History Museum has programs that help adults and children get close to some of the region’s smallest and most mysterious inhabitants, such as salamanders and elusive shoreline creatures. There are also many others.

We are blessed on the South Fork with a relative abundance of parks and preserved open spaces. The miles of untrammeled beaches provide overwhelming access to nature. Whether in an organized outing or on one’s own, we urge you to get outside this summer, and enjoy it.