Gray Watkins looks at the Alplaus Kill from his property in Alplaus. Watkins and his wife recently donated 54 acres on the other side of the creek to the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy for the creation of a nature preserve.

Former farm fields in Alplaus will soon become part of a nature preserve.

The Alplaus Kill in winter.

Gray and Vicki Watkins walk across a field that will soon become part of a nature preserve in Alplaus. The Watkinses recently donated 54 acres to the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy for the creation of the preserve.

The Alplaus Kill was running high when Gray and Vicki Watkins walked me through their backyard earlier this week. The creek’s brown water, supplemented by recent rain, flowed over a mid-stream island, and rushed against muddy banks.

When the water is lower, paddlers can ease up the creek from the Mohawk River. This summer, thanks to the Watkins’ donation of 54 acres of land to the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy, visitors will be able to explore the creek area on foot as well.

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If you’d like to help get the preserve off the ground, Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy will be having a community workday from 9 a.m. to noon on........

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