April 28 update: This event is POSTPONED due to the weather, new date to be determined.
Ron Pitz returns for another interactive workshop on invasive species in our Connecticut landscapes. Join fellow residents in tackling some of these plants at Wintonbury Land Trust’s Hawk Hill Farm. You will walk away feeling confident in knowing how to identify and remove some of these harmful plants from your own backyards while socializing with other participants and getting physical exercise.
Ron is a Land Trust volunteer steward, DEEP-certified Master Wildlife Conservationist, and former executive director of the Knox Foundation. This program is provided in partnership with Bloomfield Public Library.
Please RSVP to help the organizers prepare. Recommended dress: long pants, long sleeved shirts, and gloves. Bring water, insect repellant, and any cutting and digging tools you have along with your fun spirit!
Celebrate Earth Month in Bloomfield with a free tour of our Hawk Hill Farm. The Land Trust and its partners preserved Hawk Hill Farm because it is one of the oldest continuously operating farms in Bloomfield and its gently sloping farm roads lead to beautiful views of the Metacomet Traprock Ridge and Hartford skyline.
We will walk approximately 2 miles to learn about the historic property’s many champion trees, volunteer efforts to manage invasive plants, and local birds that can be spotted on the pastures, pond, and forest (binoculars optional). Our guide will be Ron Pitz, a Land Trust volunteer steward, DEEP-certified Master Wildlife Conservationist, and former executive director of the Knox Foundation.
Please RSVP in advance to help us manage the group size. The rain date is Sunday, April 23. This event is co-sponsored by the North Central Conservation District and is part of the Town’s TREES FOR BLOOMFIELD initiative.
Update: Thank you to the 57 citizen volunteers who joined Town staff, the Bloomfield Beautification Committee, and other local organizations to remove 80 bags of litter from three parks and three streets on Earth Day. Your efforts make a positive impact on the environment and inspire others to take action as well. Thank you for helping to make Bloomfield a cleaner and healthier place. (Photo by Sharon Mann)
Your help is needed on Earth Day! Let’s prove we’re the “cleanest” town in Connecticut. Meet on the West side of the Human Services Center to pick up supplies. Gloves, pickers, bags, buckets, and safety vests will be provided. Then teams of volunteers will pick up debris on specific streets with guided assistance from team leaders. Volunteers will drop off garbage bags at a designated spot, and Public Works will come get them. Please preregister for free by April 14 to help organizers prepare supplies … including fun buttons for participants. Cosponsored with the Bloomfield Beautification Committee, Bloomfield Parks, Recreation & Leisure Services Department, and Bloomfield Public Works Department.
UPDATE: If you missed this important presentation, a recording is available on the Land Conservancy’s YouTube Channel! Many thanks to David Pogue for allowing us to record it and to Matt Mace at Bloomfield Parks, Recreation & Leisure Services for technical support.
Wintonbury Land Trust joins with Bloomfield Parks, Recreation & Leisure Services Department, Bloomfield Public Library, and TREES FOR BLOOMFIELD Initiative to sponsor a live webinar and important discussion on climate change.
David Pogue will offer sensible, researched advice on how we can start to ready ourselves for what’s ahead. Mr. Pogue is the host of 20 “NOVA” science specials on PBS, a six-time Emmy Award-winning technology and science correspondent for “Sunday Morning” on CBS, a five-time TED speaker, and a New York Times best-selling author! Bloomfield Mayor Danielle C. Wong will serve as moderator.
Pre-register to receive the link for this free webinar. Attendees at the talk will be eligible for a special drawing to receive a signed copy of David’s recent book, How to Prepare for Climate Change: A Practical Guide to Surviving the Chaos.
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Update: While this webinar was not recorded, Roger has shared his presentation slides in PDF file format. Thank you, Roger, for helping us learn more about the risks of mosquito- and tick-borne illnesses and steps we may take individually and together to confidently enjoy the outdoors.
Whether in your backyard, walking Land Trust trails, or other outdoor adventures, staying safe from diseases transmitted by insects and ticks is an important part of being prepared to enjoy connecting with nature. In this free webinar, environmental scientist Roger Wolfe will help us learn about mosquitoes and ticks, efforts to manage their habitats, and how we can reduce our risks individually. As the Wetland Restoration Biologist at the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, Roger coordinates the Wetland Habitat & Mosquito Management program.
The Nature Lecture Series is co-sponsored with Bloomfield Parks, Recreation & Leisure Services, who will host the webinar. You may participate on any device with a web browser and email access. A link to login will be sent to your email when you register online.
Want to make a difference for wildlife by managing the vegetation in your surroundings? Join DEEP Wildlife Biologist Peter Picone as he shares tips and strategies for managing invasive, non-native plants and enhancing your gardens with the addition of native plants. You will leave this talk prepared with practical knowledge and tips on creating a more biologically diverse area and the ability to make a difference for wildlife from monarch butterflies to wild turkeys.
Managing invasive plants often is one of the key land conservation tasks of Land Trust stewards when we acquire a property. Recent efforts have focused on Hawk Hill Farm where invasive plants are encroaching upon champion trees. The more volunteers, neighbors, and residents who undertake similar efforts across town, the better it is for all of us!
This program is provided in partnership with Stephanie Bahramian, Bloomfield Town Environmental Planner, Bloomfield Public Library, and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. You must RSVP with your email address to receive the Zoom link. Your Confirmation Notice will include the Zoom link for the program. This program may be recorded.
Update: A recording of this webinar now is available on Wintonbury Land Trust’s YouTube Channel. Thank you, Ginny, for helping us learn so much about squirrels.
Cute and cuddly or invasive pests? Actually, Squirrels play an important role helping to shape the plant composition of our ecosystem. By burying their main source of nutrients, seeds, throughout the environment, they effectively influence the number and distribution of different plant species. But they also are drawn to human-provided resources like bird seed and often create nests around our homes.
This free webinar will look at the balance of their lives and their overall effect on nature and humans. State-certified Master Wildlife Conservationist Ginny Apple will lead our discussion with time for your questions. Ginny has hiked, climbed, kayaked, skied, and poked her way through the outdoors and developed a passion for all things natural around her home within Peoples State Forest in Barkhamsted.
You may participate on any device with a web browser and email access. Please register in advance with our co-sponsor, Bloomfield Parks, Recreation & Leisure Services. A link to login will be sent to your email after you register.
Update: Well, no snow this year! Nonetheless it was a beautiful day to explore the quiet woods of Speer Preserve and adjacent MDC Reservoir 6 and Talcott Mountain State Park. Photos: Paula Jones & Ashley Stewart.
Join us at the Land Trust’s Speer Preserve annual outing. This short trail connects to more remote sections of MDC Reservoir 6 and Talcott Mountain State Park, which can feel very much like one is in the deep woods. The route is easy-to-moderate and will last 1.5-2.0 hours. Please come with snowshoes if we have snow, waterproof hiking boots if not, and seasonal outdoor clothing.
Come early, ready to be on the trail at 9:30 a.m. Meet at the cul-de-sac at the top of Juniper Road in Bloomfield. Rain date is Sunday, February 19. (Photo by Vikki Reski)
Update: Thank you, Ginny, for helping us learn so much about foxes! If you missed it, a recording of this webinar is available on Wintonbury Land Trust’s YouTube Channel.
Connecticut is home to two species of fox: the brilliantly colored Red Fox with its white-tipped tail and black legs celebrated in literature from Reynard the Fox to Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss and the smaller, lesser-known Grey Fox which, believe it or not, can climb trees. These efficient omnivores play important roles in our ecosystem keeping the balance of nature in sync.
Tune-in to our next Nature Lecture to learn more about these fascinating creatures, including time for your questions. Ginny Apple, a State-certified Master Wildlife Conservationist, will lead our discussion. As a sportswriter and communications professional, she hiked, climbed, kayaked, skied, and poked her way through the outdoors. Now her home within Peoples State Forest in Barkhamsted, surrounded by bears and other wildlife, inspires her passion for sharing all things natural with us.
This free, informational webinar is a great way to learn about some of the wildlife in our community. You may participate on any device with a web browser and email access. Bloomfield Parks, Recreation & Leisure Services, our event co-sponsor, will host the webinar and email you the weblink when you register online.
Update: If you want to learn why these furry neighbors are not to be feared, view a recording of this webinar on Wintonbury Land Trust’s YouTube Channel!
Join us for the return of the Nature Lecture Series! These free, informational webinars are a great way to learn about wildlife in our community. Enjoy 60-minute live talks including a Question-and-Answer segment.
Our first webinar will present what you always wanted to know about raccoons, opossums, skunks, and porcupines. Often overlooked and misunderstood, these unique and fascinating animals have spectacular characteristics and adaptations for life in their environments. Come learn about these captivating critters that wander among nature – and our neighborhoods – with courage and tenacity.
Our presenter will be Ginny Apple, a State-certified Master Wildlife Conservationist inspired by a life filled with bears and other wildlife around her home within Peoples State Forest in Barkhamsted. Previously she was one of the first full-time women sportswriters in the country, and hiked, climbed, kayaked, skied, and poked her way through the outdoors developing a passion for all things natural.
The Nature Lecture Series is co-sponsored with Bloomfield Parks, Recreation & Leisure Services, who will host the webinar. You may participate on any device with a web browser and email access. A link to login will be sent to your email when you register online.