A group of Paul Smith’s College veterans and The Nature Conservancy staff worked on the Boquet Nature Preserve late last month. In the back row from left are Dave Conlan (TNC), Forrest Walleer, Gregory Davis, Dallas Olsen, Cassandra McCuen, Denis Dean, Bill Martin (TNC), Jeff Webber (TNC), Beth Pelkey (TNC) and Joseph Ordway. In the bottom row from left are Tu Ngo, Ryan Novak, Dan D’Apice, Duris Walker, Karsen Granger, Sara Dougherty, Sophie McClelland (TNC) (Photo provided)

KEENE VALLEY — The Adirondack Chapter of The Nature Conservancy partnered for the second year in a row with veterans attending Paul Smith’s College to get a nature preserve open for spring.

Eighteen people, including six Conservancy staff and a dozen people from the college, worked on the Boquet River Nature Preserve in celebration of Earth Day, April 22. The group completed work on a split-rail fence, cleared trails and removed about 200 pounds of trash from the preserve and the area near it.

“Working with the Conservancy at Silver Lake Bog Preserve last year for Earth Day gave us a unique way to give back to communities that do so much to support veterans,” Paul Smith’s College Veterans Association student president Daniel D’Apice said in a press release. “It was such a powerful experience that we opened this year’s event to all students on campus. It’s a great opportunity for students to have an active role in preserving and protecting the environment here in the Adirondacks.”