Mariton: Enjoy Winter!

by Tim Burris, Preserve Manager

Sometimes it takes awhile to get shoveled out.

With the onset of snow season again it is a good time to remind our visitors to give us a little time to clear parking areas after it snows.  When the TV announcers advise “Don’t drive if you don’t have to”, visiting a preserve is something you don’t have to do.  While people may want to take advantage of the fresh snow, it isn’t worth the danger of ending up in a ditch just to take a walk.  Tow trucks are expensive, not to mention the amount of damage just sliding into a snow bank can do to your car on your way to the preserve.  It takes me a few hours to clear Mariton’s parking lot.  Until the parking lot is plowed it is ice underneath and cars often get stuck (even with AWD).  Plus, I can’t plow the snow when there are cars in the parking lot.

Keep in mind that Mariton and many other preserves are on very rural roads that are the last to be plowed.  If you go off the road on one of these one lane roads, the plows often won’t be able to plow it.  That makes your rescue even longer, and clogs the road for real emergencies.

The snow will still be here.

Finally, the weather and roads can be vastly different between your house and the preserve.  On Monday while it was snowing heavily at Mariton, it was raining only a mile away in Riegelsville.  Trust me there will still be snow if you wait a little bit and let the sun come out.  We want to make sure you are able to arrive here safely to enjoy it.  Dress appropriately and wear the right footwear for the conditions.