Site Spotlight: Fred Stanback Jr. Ecological Preserve at Catawba College

Salisbury, the Seat of Rowan County, has much to offer its residents, businesspeople, and guests. The town is rich in history, has a busy tourist market, and a main street full of shops housed in historic buildings.

What most don’t expect to find in this quaint, bustling Piedmont suburb is a green space that embodies the word “wilderness.”

A refuge for wildlife (and for citizens seeking peace and solitude) lies in the heart of Salisbury. It is the Fred Stanback Jr. Ecological Preserve. Managed by Catawba College, the Preserve acts as a living classroom. It’s also a testament to the school’s decades-long practice in preservation and conservation.

Since 2017, Muddy Sneakers and the Catawba College Center for the Environment have worked together to introduce local students to the Preserve. Muddy Sneakers’ efforts to bring education outdoors align seamlessly with the site’s values. Preserve Keeper Josh Cool says, “The work of educating about and inspiring a passion for the environment is some of the most important and critical work that can be done on this planet. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for the Muddy Sneakers organization.”

Curious students gather around a clear container holding a brown bat.

Preserve Manager Josh shows students a brown bat on its way to being released in the safety of the preserve

Muddy Sneakers students from partner schools within the Rowan-Salisbury School System delight in exploring and observing the Preserve’s diversity. Animal sightings are common when students practice mindfulness moments. Quiet, still moments that allow students to observe movements and sounds they may have missed otherwise.

In a recent article by YourRowan.com, Josh shares the best way to experience the Preserve. “Being fully present and aware of the moment in time and place you are experiencing will drastically increase one’s enjoyment of the Preserve.”

Josh, along with students at Catawba College and a tight-knit staff, constantly maintain trails. This ensures visitors enjoy the beautiful views along the 3.2-mile network of trails connecting the Preserve.

As you enter the Preserve through one of the two access points behind the Center for the Environment, you’ll be immersed in a straightaway lined with ash trees, where the effects of the ash-boring beetle can be observed. In the spring and summer, the area is a concert of bird calls. For example, you may hear cardinals, songbirds, woodpeckers, and even the occasional barred owl. If you venture onto the Bill Stanback Birding Loop (noted by the yellow trail on this map), you will be delighted by a winding path surrounded by blooming swampland. This trail winds around to Lake Baranski, where you may spot a hawk, heron, or busy beaver.

This vibrant, diverse landscape is full of wildlife. Josh shared some of the more common organisms you may see during your visit. You can download a checklist here and bring it on your next adventure to the Preserve. How many species can you find?

Student holds toad in hand while additional students gather around to look Student holding a leaf with a snail on it while others gather around to look.