Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • October 24, 2012 Area Area residents are invited to participate in a Family Woodland Hike at the New Jersey State Botanical Garden. Hikes are scheduled for 1 p.m. on Nov. 18 and Dec. 16. These easy, family-friendly hikes are designed for all nature-lovers ages six and up. Younger children are welcome, but may need to be carried. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Participants should wear comfortable shoes and meet at the Carriage House State botanical garden hosts Family Woodland Hikes Hikers, strollers and mountain bikers enjoy the changing seasons on the woodland roads and paths surrounding the New Jersey State Botanical Garden. (Photo courtesy of Maja Britton.) Visitor Center. Rain or snow cancels these hikes. NJBG offers these Family Woodland Hikes on the third Sunday afternoon each month, and each hike is structured to fit the group. Depending on the weather, the hike may include meanders along the garden’s charming woodland and meadow paths, with steppingstone bridges to navigate. More ambitious groups may make the easy trip to the top of Mount Defiance for a splendid view across the Ramapo Mountains. Each hike will include an exploration of local geology, and the plants and animals that call the Botanical Garden home. The New Jersey State Botanical Garden at Skylands, which appears on both the State and National registers of historic places, is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day of the year. Admission to the garden is always free. Parking is also free in the fall, winter, and spring. In 1966, the State of New Jersey purchased the 1,117 acres of Skylands, a former country estate and the state’s first acquisition under the Green Acres preservation program. Governor Thomas Kean designated the central 96 acres surrounding the manor house as the state’s official botanical garden in 1984. (continued on page 8)