Visitors to the Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farm paraded down the Saw-whet Owl Trail, in cadence to folk-bluegrass music, to celebrate the dedication of the new Forest Learning Shelter and Interpretive Trail. Some visitors stood, while others rested on tree stump seats, as Don Somers, Paul Dest, and Sherry Huber spoke of the mission of the Forest Learning Shelter and the importance of educating people to be stewards and good users of the forest.

To conform to environmentally sustainable practices, a birch bark strip (collected from the forest floor) was cut instead of the typical ceremonial ribbon. As it fell to the ground, onlookers threw oak-leaf confetti into the air in celebration. Afterwards, people filed into the Shelter to eat forest-themed refreshments, including ants on a log (raisins on celery sticks) and dirt (brownies topped with gummie worms and frogs).

This dedication ceremony kicked off the Earth Day festivities at Laudholm Farm, and the mild April day encouraged a high attendance of hundreds of visitors from all over New England. Laughter echoed through the barn and the band fiddled and strummed—creating a hum of activity melodious of a successful Earth Day.