Please NOTE: Parking available at the Federal Valley Resource Center;
we will have a shuttle from there to the nature preserve!
You are invited to a community celebration for our newest nature preserve at 1 pm Saturday, Oct. 12. The Lois Busch Winner Nature Preserve, or “Winner Woods,” is a 106-acre property just outside of Stewart, about 11 miles east of Athens. Accented with towering oak trees, a bubbling brook, and plenty of native wildflowers, the land was donated to the Conservancy by the Winner family — cousins Wid Winner, John Winner, and Linda Winner Beville – in honor of their grandmother.
The celebration at the preserve’s trailhead — presented in tandem with the Stewart community — will include remarks and refreshments, a ribbon-cutting, optional guided walks along the trail, and more. The celebration will continue with an open house at the Federal Valley Resource Center (8225 State Route 329 in Stewart) following the trailhead events.
“All of us at Athens Conservancy are delighted to become the caretakers of this precious property that has been in the Winner family for more than 100 years,” said Donna Goodman, president of the board of directors for Athens Conservancy.”We look forward to sharing it with the community, and hope many of you can join us to celebrate this beautiful preserve on the 12th.”
Parking is available nearby at the Federal Valley Resource Center, and a shuttle van will be available to take attendees back and forth. Or it’s a short walk!
Directions to Winner Woods: To reach Winner Woods from Athens, take US-50E 11 miles (from Parkersburg, take US-50W 26 miles). At the Marathon Station turn onto SR-329 and take it 2.6 miles to Fairfax St (0.2 mile beyond the SR-144 junction) in Stewart. Turn left and drive to the end of Fairfax St. (0.3 miles; steeply uphill at the end). There is a small parking area that serves the Stewart cemetery, a water tank, and Winner Woods. The preserve begins beyond the fenced-in cemetery north of the parking lot. Do not enter the cemetery. Look for signs next to the cemetery marking a narrow foot path along the outside of the fence, leading to the preserve. There is a large sign a short way inside the preserve entrance. Currently there is only one trail (0.75 mi long), which begins at the sign, but additional walking trails may be built in the future. Trail signs will be installed soon.