Avalon Nature Preserve reopens to grateful residents after August storm

For 18 years, Rich Malone has had the same ritual.

The Lake Grove man walks 4 or 5 miles with his 15-year-old lab/pit bull mix, Pepper, circles the meadows of the Avalon Nature Preserve, then strolls to Mill Pond by the preserve's Harbor Road entrance, walks by the Stony Brook Village shops, and then returns to his parking spot at the preserve.

"She likes to window shop," said Malone, of his canine companion.

Malone is one of the many regulars who returned to the preserve Tuesday morning, the first day it reopened after last month’s storms caused severe erosion to the trails.

The parking lot on Shep Jones Lane and Harbor Road, one of the designated parking lots for the preserve, was filled with cars.

Heather Harabedian, of St. James, said she comes to the preserve a few times a week in the early mornings with her 8-year-old cavapoo, Cooper. She spent Tuesday morning walking with a friend and their dog, happy to return to Avalon.

"Everything was awesome. They did such a good job," Harabedian said of the repairs. "We've been waiting and hoping that we would be able to come here for the fall."

The preserve closed Aug. 19 after the North Shore experienced extreme rainfall, causing extensive damage to homes, roads and businesses. The preserve mostly sustained water damage and erosion to its trails, pushing sediment and soil into other areas.

A dam under Harbor Road, which led to one of the preserve’s entrances and was an artery between Stony Brook and the preserve, collapsed during the storm, draining Mill Pond and Stump Lake in Blydenburgh County Park, as well as damaging several homes and killing wildlife.

Katharine Griffiths, executive director, said the preserve will operate its normal autumn hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and visitors can park at designated lots along Shep Jones Lane.

Staff used the closure as an opportunity to tend to trails that had needed restoration for a long time, Griffiths said.

With the Harbor Road entrance being indefinitely closed, Malone said Tuesday he got as far as the preserve’s Frog Pond, as beyond that is still off limits to visitors.

He took Pepper to an area near the Stony Brook University campus in the interim, but it wasn’t the same.

"That’s part of our routine everyday, is coming here," said Malone. "All of a sudden, we don't come here anymore. It was a big change for her."

Malone said he sees other preserve regulars on his walks and it helps to bring together the community. "You know, just a great group of people," he said.

Nick Robertson, of Stony Brook, is also a daily visitor at the preserve, spending at least an hour walking his two vizslas, Kodiak and Dahlia. He said he and his dogs missed walking in the preserve when it was closed, especially since the breed has high energy.

"I know the dogs are very excited," Robertson said. "I'm very excited to have this space back."