Celebrating 10 years of partnership: past, present, and future

The Cayuga Nature Center (CNC) hosted its Summer Celebration July 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but this celebration was more than a summer kick-off. CNC also celebrated its 10 year anniversary with the Paleontological Research Institution (PRI).

In 2013, the CNC officially became part of the Paleontological Research Institution to provide the community with a full spectrum of Earth and environmental science education which includes evolution, climate science, geology, and biodiversity, from both the past and present. 

The lodge that is now the CNC was built by the Work Projects Administration (WPA) in 1939 as a preventorium, a place where children were sent to prevent the spread of communicable diseases such as tuberculosis. It operated as the Cayuga Preventorium for three years until 1942 when it was closed. The associate director for Nature Center programs, Katie Bagnall-Newman, said there were various reasons for this with one of those reasons being drafts during World War II.

In 1950, Cornell University leased the building for student housing and, for a short period, was a camp for children with both parents working, similar to a daycare. However, as more camps such as this sprung up around the local area, the need for the lodge’s camp became nonexistent. It was not until the 1960s that it became a conference center.

“Even today if you walk into the lodge and you look at it, you’re like, oh my gosh it’s totally a bunkhouse. After it closed, the community had a relatively brief period of time where it just sat empty,” Bagnall-Newman said. “For a short period it was a conference center and then it became an outdoor education center. It officially became the Cayuga Nature Center in 1981 and was its own organization until 2013 when we merged with PRI.” 

Bagnall-Newman said that while she was not yet working at the CNC, the records show that the center was looking to merge or partner with another organization that shared its goals and values of Earth and nature history and education. It just so happened that PRI was looking for the same thing.

“We thought we could do it better together and had aligned missions and values,” Bagnall-Newman said. “ One of the ways that I think the partnership is really cool is because it provides a piece of the past in the present and looks towards building a better future. PRI also has the Museum of the Earth which examines our history and brings us to the present day and the Nature Center goes from there sharing all of our natural history and looking at how we can protect it.” 

The celebration of the partnership featured a variety of exhibits from different parts of both CNC and PRI that were informational and interactive for all visitors. The Museum of the Earth was also present with displays and specimens for visitors to interact with. 

CNC also hosted an animal program for visitors to learn about the critters that call the Nature Center home as well as a trail tour to help visitors become better acquainted with the various trails.

Bagnall-Newman was also excited to share that Cornell Dairy attended the celebration with a special flavor just for the CNC and PRI partnership titled “Layers of Life.” Bagnall-Newman said that after her initial taste-test, she was very happy to share the flavor with visitors and hopes that it will also help spread more awareness about CNC and all of PRI’s programs while it is on Cornell’s menu.

While the celebration was fun and exciting, visitors can always access parts of the Nature Center, even without a celebration. The lodge is open Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the trails are always open to the public, even when the lodge is closed. The six-story treehouse is also always open.

With over five miles of hiking trails, the view from the treehouse, a pollinator garden, and so many more pieces to explore, there is something for everyone at the Cayuga Nature Center “where the Earth comes to life.”

PRI has more information about all of the museums online which also includes an “Earth@Home” section for everyone, not just locals, to enjoy.