While social distancing is recommended right now, there’s no reason you cannot get up close and personal with Mother Nature. Health researchers have found that spending two hours a week or more outdoors may help fight depression and anxiety, lower blood pressure, boost your immune system and even improve memory.

We put together a list of ten preserves we own or manage that are currently open to the public. You are welcomed to take a hike or jog along a preserve trail or pack a picnic lunch and enjoy “forest bathing” in a forest like Fox Hollow. A small dose of Vitamin D will go a long way during these stressful times. Enjoy!

Hope Goddard Iselin Preserve, 42 acres
Chicken Valley Road (near Laurel Woods Drive), Upper Brookville

Cushman Woods, 28 acres
Southside of 25A just east of Yellow Cote Road, Oyster Bay Cove

Humes Japanese Stroll Garden, 7 acres (opening in May)
3 Dogwood Lane, Locust Valley

Shore Road Sanctuary, 8 acres
95 Shore Road, Cold Spring Harbor

Wawapek, 32 acres
3 Mowbray Lane, Cold Spring Harbor

Cordelia H. Cushman Preserve, 15 acres
Tall Oak Crescent (off Rt. 25A), Oyster Bay

Red Cote Preserve, 30 acres
Yellow Cote Road (off Rt. 25A), Oyster Bay

Tiffany Creek Preserve, 15 acres
45 Sandy Hill Road, Oyster Bay

Fox Hollow Preserve, 26 acres
25A just east of White Oak Tree Road, Laurel Hollow
(There is no car parking but there is parking at nearby Cordelia H. Cushman Preserve.)

Roosevelt Preserve, 73 acres
The intersection of Frederick Avenue and Brooklyn Avenue, Roosevelt

P.S. – Long Island Weekly featured the Land Alliance preserves on their website this week. Click here to preview the article: https://longislandweekly.com/10-nature-preserves-to-visit-on-long-island/.