Dr. Charles Canham, a forest ecologist with the Cary Institute, will lead a free, two-mile interpretive walk along the Wappinger Creek Trail on September 24 at 10 a.m. He will discuss the history of Dutchess County’s forests, from the first settlers in 1750 to the current day—more than 250 years of land-use patterns that have transformed the Hudson Valley—and share facts and folklore about the forest, as well as changes underway due to human impact, including climate change, pests and pathogens and air pollution.

Participants should wear long pants and sturdy shoes (no sandals) for the walk, which encompasses habitats ranging from young forests and fallow fields to streams and wetlands. The walk will begin at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies (Gifford House) parking area, located at 2917 Sharon Turnpike (Route 44) in Millbrook.

Founded in 1983, the Cary Institute is one of the world’s leading independent environmental research organizations, with a team of scientists who investigate the complex interactions that govern the natural world. Their objective findings are intended to lead to more effective government policy and increased environmental literacy for people of all ages. The team’s areas of expertise include fresh water, the ecology of infectious diseases, environmental chemistry, invasive species and climate change. While most of the Cary Institute’s 2,000 acres in the mid-Hudson Valley are set aside for field studies, parts of the campus have been reserved for public education and enjoyment.

Reservations are required for the free walk. For more info, visit CaryInstitute.org.