Sugar Pond

Beloved by people of all ages, Sugar Pond is a man-made pond that was created by damming Scheckler's Brook. It is home to American bullfrogs, various turtles, sunnies, invasive carp, a variety birds and other creatures. We've even identified a freshwater jellyfish from the Yangtze! The greens you see growing in the pond are likely invasive elodea, from Brazil – never dump your aquarium into a wild pond! More info.

Vernal Pond

Vernal (spring) pools are a special eco niche: they come and go, so they have no fish, and therefore provide a home to spring peepers and salamanders, normally vulnerable to fish predation. These amphibians spend dry seasons and winter in leaf litter in the surrounding areas, and hop to a vernal pool to spawn. They are tiny, but make an impressive racket. There were likely once various species of salamanders spawning in Vernal Pond, but no longer. See this short, DEC video about vernal pools and amphibian habitats (5 mins).

Scheckler's Brook

This brook begins from underground streams that burble up in the marshy wetland in the southwest corner of Children's Village.

Read Hastings’ Hidden Waterway from the Hastings Historical Society. Scheckler's is the same brook that trickles through the ravine behind the Community Center, and once fed the horse trough at Five Corners.

Three Islands Pond

This area was once quite a bit different than it is now. It is now more of a wetland area and the islands are surrounded by ground instead of water.