Guided Nature Walks for Families & Adults

Come with your family & friends to explore Port Washington and New York’s little-known and rich habitats and wildlife--with nature guide David Jakim. Observe pond life close in-hand, track animal footprints of fox, deer, and coyote in the sand and after the rain. Learn about our edible and medicinal plants and their age-old stories—something that kids especially like to do. We’ll learn to identify, prepare, and enjoy our wild edible invasive species. As we investigate the secret lives of different plants and animals, their diverse habitats, soils, and waters, we will gain an understanding of how human life connects to the forests, fields, and streams in surprising ways. Shakespeare’s Duke Theseus tells us that, of

“The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen,

Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing

A local habitation and a name.”

You will likely find that discovering “the forms of things unknown”

and giving them “a local habitation and a name” may well be as

creative and enriching as the poet’s pen. 

Activities for Children:

David’s walks provide engaging and immersive activities for children as well as adults. What fun it is walking down forest trails when children use wicker baskets to collect their own cornucopia, with beautiful treasures they’re encountering for the first time—colored leaves shining out among rocks, mica and quartz crystals, acorns, walnuts, flowers, seeds and spices! Focusing on colors and aromatic plants, we’ll find their first leaves and flowers in the spring and the last of the brilliant leaves falling from the trees in the fall! Gathered around campfires and sitting stones, we’ll share observations of flora and fauna, and our collective cornucopias of treasures and stories, folklore, jokes, and poetry. Through building a connection to specific places, we will also build our sense of connection to the Indigenous Matinnecock tribe that inhabited Port Washington until the 19th century.

All that we learn and observe in the stories that we share will be posted on this website under “Word From The Woods” to reinforce content knowledge and skills learned during our walks. As we walk, We will be noting our observations of natural phenomena—conducting citizen science to better understand Port Washington’s ecology, biodiversity, water quality, and conservation—and our own place in the natural order of things.

Stewarding Nature & Adding to Collective Knowledge through Citizen Science

Nature walks will incorporate citizen science activities such as measuring pond health or sighting certain birds. Through our investigations, participants will not only gain personal knowledge but also contribute to a regional and global body of scientific knowledge that helps us better understand and conserve the natural world. Even the youngest children can become citizen scientists. During every walk, we will monitor the clouds to help scientists track and learn about weather and climate. We will study water quality to learn about pond and stream health. Our records of flowering plants and budding trees will help scientists understand the growing season and how weather and climate change affect particular plants and wildlife. We will report sightings of birds and butterflies to help specialists monitor and understand their migrations and populations. Systematically exploring habitats across Sands Point Preserve and our region, we will also provide the service of reporting on and removing invasive species early in their establishment, when they can still be removed to prevent widespread economic and ecological damage. All the records that we collect will be uploaded directly to online databases and maps to share with the community and for immediate use. Over time, our nature walk citizen science projects will make Sands Point Preserve and Port Washington a model citizen science and environmental stewardship community.

All that we learn and observe in the stories that we share will be posted on this website under “Word From The Woods” to reinforce content knowledge and skills learned during our walks. As we walk, We will be noting our observations of natural phenomena—conducting citizen science to better understand Port Washington’s ecology, biodiversity, water quality, and conservation—and our own place in the natural order of things.

Experience the Wild Beauty of our Local Habitats & Biodiversity

Walk Location Settings and Hosts

To date, nature walks have been located in Nassau and Suffolk counties. The walks are supported by local organizations and community groups including the Port Washington Monarch Butterfly Alliance, Transition Town Port Washington, ReWild Long Island, Sands Point Preserve, PW Green, Baxter's Pond Foundation, the Unitarian Universalist Church, the Science Museum of Long Island, the Brentwood Public Library, and the Coindre Hall Park Community. This virtual map allows the viewer to dive deep into the geography and ecology of diverse locations where nature Dave has hosted or will be hosting walks. For more detailed information about what Washington's habitats and biodiversity, see ReWIld Port Washington.

A monarch butterfly comes out of its chrysalis and the children come running! Earth Day, 2022.

Jakim is also founder of ReWild Long Island 501(c)(3), the Port Washington Coalition for Biodiversity,the Coalition to Protect and Preserve the Hempstead Harbor Woods, Port Washington, NY, the NYC Monarch Butterfly Alliance with Queens College,, and currently serves as the Director of the Biodiversity Protection, Restoration and Protection with Transition Town Port Washington 501(c)(3).

Jakim has ten years of experience researching, mapping, describing, and protecting Key Biodiversity Areas on the Port Washington peninsula. The Port Washington and Long Island Monarch Alliance is a research group that studies Monarch Butterflies and Local Biodiversity in Port Washington. Jakim’s Applied M.S. in Environmental Geoscience Masters Thesis was mapping the wetland habitats on the Port Washington Peninsula (see below. This wetland map provides critical information needed to protect habitats of conservation concern. Jakim’s M.A. in Earth Science Education and decade of experience working with citizen science programs at Queens College have provided him with skills to select ideal habitats for guided nature walks and learning. More information on Jakim’s research can be found online at: Port Washington & Long Island Monarch Butterfly Alliance.

About Nature Dave

David Jakim has 15 years of experience in field biology and ten years of award-winning experience guiding nature walks for diverse groups including adults, children, teachers, and classes. With an M.S. in Environmental Geoscience, an M.A. in Earth Science Education, Jakim has a broad background in earth science, ecology, botany, and is a top expert on the local habitats, flora, and fauna on the Port Washington Peninsula, NY. In addition, Jakim is familiar with the biodiversity and ecology of Long Island and NYC. He is also a tutor in math, science, and writing.

Working with Queens College since 2013, he has been training teachers and taking classes of students from public schools into the woods to have learning experiences in nature and to conduct citizen science and authentic environmental research. He has been leading guided nature walks at Sands Point Preserve since 2018. Nature Dave frequently receives testimonials from both children and adults that “this is the best nature walk I have ever been on, or “this is the best day of my life!” Sharing these experiences is a driver for people to want to attend future walks.