DAVIDSON – REI Inc. has awarded Davidson Lands Conservancy a $9,981 grant to expand public access within Lake Davidson Nature Preserve, an 8-acre woodland jutting into the placid waters of Lake Davidson.

The land preservation group plans to construct 1,600 feet of walking trail that will loop around the shoreline of the peninsula, as well as a gazebo, picnic tables and trail furnishings. REI, the outdoor gear company, has provided Davidson Lands Conservancy $24,000 in the past two years and sponsored last year’s completion of a 900-foot trail that leads to a canoe/kayak launch site at the preserve.

Lake Davidson Nature Preserve provides the only public access point on Davidson Lake since the lake’s creation in the 1960s. The preserve is located behind Davidson Day School, at 750 Jetton St.

According to Roy Alexander, executive director of the conservancy, project leaders expect work to begin late this summer, continuing into the fall and are recruiting volunteers now. Find information about getting involved at the nonprofit’s website, www.davidsonlands.org, or contact the conservancy at 704-892-1910 or dlc@davidsonlands.org.