Photos submitted Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy A line of attendees sip and listen during the Wine on the Trails event in February 2025.

ASHVILLE – The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy will be holding its next Wine on the Trail event this week to encourage members of the community to get outside and active.

Conservancy members noted that this monthly event has proven incredibly successful so far in giving people a fun and exciting reason to get closer with nature. This week’s walk is Friday, Dec. 19, at 3:30 p.m. at the Dobbins Woods Preserve, located at 5273 Bly Hill Road in Ashville.

According to Bethany O’Hagan, Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy land specialist, guests will be able to bring any alcoholic beverage to sip throughout the walk. O’Hagan mentioned seeing people bring beer, bottles of wine to share, or warm drinks mixed with a favorite alcohol mixed in. O’Hagan noted that some people will even just bring water, pointing out that it is not necessary to consume alcohol on the walk.

O’Hagan stated that the inspiration for this event came from a visit to the New York Land Trust Conference. During this conference, O’Hagan would sit in on a seminar that discussed different ways to engage the public, and different generations of people. O’Hagan would hear of a different land trust within the state that was doing this same wine on the trail idea during the conference. This would inspire O’Hagan to take this idea to the conservancy board, which would eventually be implemented by the organization.

“I took it back to the board and a bunch of committees, presented it as an idea, and said that I would love to single-handedly develop it and run it with Carol,” said O’Hagan. “It just took off. So it’s just been a fabulous event that has drawn so many different types of people.”

The event is put on along with conservationist Carol Markham, with it occurring about once per month. The event continues throughout the winter months as a way of continuing to offer the opportunity to get out into nature, even when the weather limits most other outdoor activities. O’Hagan noted that the organization has only had to cancel once due to the weather, which was in January 2025 in response to severe weather.

O’Hagan stated that the event will take place on Friday Dec. 19, at 3:30 p.m. Upon arriving, the group typically waits around for about ten minutes to account for any stragglers, according to O’Hagan. Once the walk commences, guests will walk around and discuss observations, and grow connections to nature and the fellow guests. O’Hagan stated that the organization also enjoys trying to get the stewards of the land preserves to come out and give occasional talks during these walks. These experts give another fun aspect to the event, by providing expertise and knowledge of the local wilderness.

“We just take it really slow and kind of just stop, and we’ll notice things and talk,” said O’Hagan. “It’s just lots of giggles by the end of it, and people make new friends by the end.”

No reservations are required for the event. For more information call 716-204-908.