Page 10 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • June 19, 2013 Area Audubon to host June 23 Bluebird Nature Walk Area residents are invited to learn about the New Jersey Botanical Garden’s many beautiful residents on a Bluebird Nature Walk set for 10 a.m. on June 23. Visitors will take an easy walk through the garden and fields to visit the volunteerinstalled bluebird nest boxes and learn why those boxes are important to the eastern bluebird. Guests will also learn to identify some of the many other birds, butterflies, and plants that call NJBG home. Wear comfortable shoes and meet at the Carriage House Visitor Center. Rain cancels this event. This program is free, but there is a $5 per car state park parking fee. 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 pur- Visitors to the NJBG will be looking for eastern bluebirds, such as this one, on June 23. (Photo courtesy of Bergen County Audubon Society.) chased the 1,117 acres of Skylands, a former country estate and the state’s first acquisition under the Green Acres preservation program. In 1984, Governor Thomas Kean designated the central 96 acres surrounding the manor house as the state’s official botanical garden. Since 1976, NJBG/Skylands Association, an incorporated, member-supported non-profit organization, has worked with the state to preserve and protect Skylands and its historic structures. NJBG sponsors volunteer gardeners, educational programs, concerts and events throughout the year at the botanical garden. NJBG receives no funding from the State of New Jersey or from on-site operators. Donations and sponsorships are always appreciated. NJBG/Skylands is located on Morris Road in Ringwood. For an event schedule, membership brochure, directions, or more information, call (973) 962-9534 or visit www.njbg.org.