Mt Loretto State Park Wild Foods Walk

Mt Loretta woodland

The summer wild food walk season kicks off on Staten Island.

13 June 2015, 1.15pm - 4.30pm (plus travel time)
Mt Loretto Unique Area, Staten Island
$45

This is an adventure. The New York kind. Plus lots of nature. In one outing we combine the big city, a sea voyage, a perfect view of the Statue of Liberty, a woodland walk, a grassland ramble and a shoreline visit.

Staten Island is one of the city's best-kept green secrets. Mt Loretta is a state park on the island.

From the entrance meeting point we'll spend some time scouting the woodland floor, and will emerge into the light to walk through grasslands.

Trifolium repens

If we are lucky we will see native roses, a little choked by mugwort.

Rosa virginiana

We will encounter wild edible weeds and indigenous common milkweed (and hopefully also some poisonous dogbane, often confused with edible milkweed).

Apocynum cannabinum

We may spot the occasional bunny, ospreys on the hunt and perhaps a taciturn groundhog (perhaps even the one that made the New York Times?).

Asclepias syriaca

On the beach we may find edible sea rocket.

For variety it is hard to beat.

Cakile edentula

Pack a picnic, drinks and tick repellent. This walk requires a reasonable level of fitness, and the day is long, but you will think of the forgotten borough quite differently, afterwards.

For the mass transiters:  Catch the 12pm Staten Island ferry across New York Harbor to St George. From St George take the 12.36pm SIR subway to Richmond Valley (37 minutes).

Here is the SIR schedule.

Drivers: Here is a map of where to park and rendevouz. We will meet up in the carpark at 1.15pm.

WALK COMPLETED