VETERAN, NY (WENY) -- If you like to hike or take a walk through nature, there's a new pavilion and birding trail in the town of Veteran. The two new additions at Mark Twain State Park were spearheaded by Rick Ek, who loved seeing families enjoy the outdoors and who had long supported the Catharine Valley Trail.

"He had worked on the Catharine Valley Trail (CVT) a lot and looked at this land here, and then worked carefully with the state and CVT to work on that trail. He looked at this terrain and said, 'This would be really good for a birding trail.' He had been passionate about birds for a long, long time. He could tell you on any spot in the trail whatever birds you’re going to see," said Bette Ek, the wife of Rick Ek.

Rick worked for several years to help plan and create the new E

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