Up Yonda Farm Environmental Education Center, owned and operated by Warren County in the Town of Bolton, was honored recently as the region's "Best Museum" in The Post-Star's annual Reader's Choice awards program!
The honor is wonderful recognition of the improvements and outreach that have done by the staff at Up Yonda, Warren County Department of Parks, Recreation and Railroad and Warren County DPW in recent years. Up Yonda is home not only a natural history museum but also to hiking trails, butterfly garden, pond, maple sugarhouse, sensory garden, and more.
Kristen Wilde, who was hired as Environmental Education Administrator at Up Yonda Farm in 2022, longtime Up Yonda Naturalist Rick Landry and new Naturalist Andrea Smith, have expanded programs and guided property improvements in recent years to increase opportunities for visitors, while also expanding off-site programming in conjunction with community groups and environmental organizations.
Wilde said it was an honor just to be nominated for the award in light of the outstanding museums in the region, but to win was particularly rewarding.
Kevin Hajos, Warren County Superintendent of Public Works, said credit goes to the Up Yonda and Parks and Recreation Department staff, under the leadership of Director Dean Moore.
"They have been doing a phenomenal job, doing more outreach and school programs and increasing donations and sponsorships. It is great to see that the public is seeing the great things happening at Up Yonda," Hajos said.
Said Dean Moore: "I am very proud to see Up Yonda received the Best of the Region for a Local Museum. Kristen and the staff have been working very hard at the facility to continue to present quality educational programs. It has been great to see the steady growth in attendance over the last couple years, and we are blessed to have a facility with the diversity of habitats and resources to teach with. The support we have received form the Friends of Up Yonda Farm, schools, partner agencies and the public has played a big role in our success."
The non-profit Friends of Up Yonda provide invaluable support for the facility as well!
Up Yonda is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is a $5 per vehicle day use parking fee.
The grounds include about 3 miles of marked trails, a Natural History Museum, enclosed Butterfly Garden, Sensory Garden, StoryWalk, Sugarhouse, pond, pavilion, auditorium, and native and exotic turtle exhibit in the Farmhouse.