Update: About three dozen hikers braved a chilly drizzle to welcome the new year with an outdoor adventure at Wintonbury Hills Golf Course. Walkers and birdwatchers are welcome on the cart paths while the course is closed for the season, and snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are permitted when there is snow. Thanks to volunteer hike leaders Kevin Gough and Paula Jones and co-sponsors Bloomfield Leisure Services and Wintonbury Hills Golf Course. (Photos: Paula Jones)
Kick off the new year outdoors! Connect with nature and take a healthy hike (or snowshoe) co-sponsored by Wintonbury Land Trust, Bloomfield Leisure Services, and Wintonbury Hills Golf Course. We’ll highlight the natural beauty of this Town-owned property that is home to the award-winning course designed by Pete Dye and certified a Cooperative Bird Sanctuary by Audubon International.
The hike will be approximately 2.0-2.5 miles, depending on conditions, with stunning vistas of the Metacomet Range, Bloomfield Reservoir, and WLT’s latest acquisition, Beacon Hill Preserve. If there is snow on the ground we’ll snowshoe rather than hike. Meet at 11:00 in the parking lot. Leashed dogs are welcome. Please be prepared to take appropriate Covid-19 safety precautions as required, although this should be minimal for an outdoor event. Severe weather will cancel.
Please follow the free registration link at left to help us manage the group size for everyone’s safety. We invite you to take advantage of this opportunity to explore the Wintonbury Hills Golf Course property (if you’re not a regular golfer), one of Bloomfield’s most scenic locations! First Day Hikes are part of a nationwide initiative led by America’s State Parks to encourage people to get outdoors. For a list of additional hikes, visit the Connecticut State Parks & Forests events calendar.
The 6th annual Wine&Dine: Take-Home Harvest Dinner was a smashing, sold-out affair, netting over $22,000 (the highest to date). This will help steward our preserves and farms, expand access to the outdoors via trails, connect people with nature through educational programs, and support general operations (learn more about where the money goes).
We also celebrated the value of trees as part of the TREES FOR BLOOMFIELD campaign: participants received “PLANT TREES” reusable shopping bags, contributions helped the Arbor Day Foundation plant 230 trees in national forests devastated by wildfires, and a generous patron donated an extra $5,000 for our stewardship of notable trees and forest habitats.
It truly was an Eat Well and Do Good event! We are humbled by everyone’s generosity. 150 guests, 6 sponsors, 27 businesses, 26 volunteers, and 23 additional donors made this event successful. Please help us return the favor by supporting the businesses and people who supported us; they are listed on our acknowledgements page. Thank you for being part of our conservation community and supporting our mission!
Through colorful photographs and exceptional sound recordings, the birds in our backyards will vividly come alive in naturalist John Root’s online presentation. We’ll explore the role of song in these birds’ lives and learn about their diet, social behavior, and other adaptations for survival. He also will share practical tips for attracting songbirds to our backyards and answer our questions.
John teaches nature and gardening programs throughout New England, including edible wild plant walks in Massachusetts and how to create pollinator habitats. He studied biology and botany and is an organic landscaping professional certified by the Northeast Organic Farming Association.
The Nature Lecture Series is co-sponsored by the Town of Bloomfield Leisure Services. They will host this as a free Zoom webinar. No user account is required, just a device with a web browser. We need to send you a login password though, so definitely register for free as soon as possible.
Learn more about the work of the land trust! Everyone is welcome to participate, though current members will elect the board of directors. After the meeting, join us outside for light refreshments. It will be wonderful to see one another! For everyone’s safety, those not vaccinated against COVID-19 must wear a mask while indoors per Connecticut and CDC guidelines. You also may participate from home via Zoom using a computer, smart phone, or tablet web browser using the codes sent to our email list.
Meeting Slide Presentation (PDF)
Financial Activity Summary (PDF)
Proposed Agenda:
- Welcome & Review of Meeting Format
- President’s Report
- Election of the Board of Directors
- Treasurer’s Report
- Land Acquisition: How & Why
- Stewardship: How & Why
- Connecting People with Nature: Trails, Events & Communications
- Membership Highlights
- Plans for Next Year & Capital Needs
- Questions & Answers
This annual event from our partner, the Connecticut Land Conservation Council, is the state’s largest gathering of individuals and organizations using land conservation to protect natural resources and fight climate change for the benefit of all peoples in our communities. This year’s conference will be a series of online, lunchtime roundtables. Visit the website for complete details and registration.
- Connecticut Roundtable Tuesday, June 8
- Climate Roundtable Thursday, June 10
- Next Gen Roundtable Tuesday, June 15
- Roundtable across State Boards Thursday, June 17
Update: Thank you to Jim Trail and the Seabury Trails Committee for leading this walk and designing such a great trail (see the trail map).
This 2-mile loop on the Wildwoods Trail at Seabury Active Life Plan Community offers the perfect Connecticut Trails Day walk for families, new hikers, and botany enthusiasts. Wide, flat paths pass among massive oaks and hemlocks, groves of juvenile pines, soft ferns, and open meadows with fledging birds and lovely wildflowers. Our guides will describe the area’s history, natural features, and the adventures of constructing numerous footbridges. To help maintain social distancing, group size will be limited and additional groups will be scheduled at 1:30 and 2:00 as needed. Preregistration is required, beginning May 20. Rain postpones to Sunday, June 6.
Update: Thanks to Kevin Gough and Paula Jones for introducing our friends to this scenic, rustic spot. NBC Connecticut’s coverage of Connecticut Trails Day featured this site. If you were there, watch to see if you’re famous!
On Connecticut Trails Day, join us for an easy, 2.5-mile hike along the scenic Farmington River in Bloomfield and Windsor, perfect for families and new hikers. We’ll visit the remains of glacial Lake Hitchcock and discuss long-term plans for the park. Preregistration is required, beginning May 20. To help maintain social distancing, we’ll be in two groups staggered to start at 9:00 and 9:30. When you register for the event, we’ll contact you with your start time. Leashed dogs permitted. Rain postpones to Sunday, June 6.
Gardeners of all ages and physical condition can grow vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers organically! Naturalist John Root will provide inspiration and practical advice for composting and mulching for healthy soil, inviting beneficial wildlife, controlling weeds and pests naturally, preserving homegrown produce, and more. He’ll include time for questions and recommend additional resources for further learning.
John studied biology and botany and now is an organic landscaping professional certified by the Northeast Organic Farming Association, teaching gardening and nature programs throughout New England. He also leads edible wild plant walks in Massachusetts and promotes creating pollinator habitat on public and private land through the Western Massachusetts Pollinator Network.
The Nature Lecture Series is co-sponsored by the Town of Bloomfield Leisure Services. They will host this as a free Zoom webinar. No user account is required, just a device with a web browser. We need to send you a login password though, so definitely register for free as soon as possible.
Healthy meadows provide critical habitats for all-important pollinators and other wildlife, and every small space of meadow – including your yard – helps! In this free webinar, learn how various species interact in meadows, how they are influenced by environmental and human factors, and how we can create and enhance healthy meadows.
Peter Picone will share his experience in boosting our landscapes with native plants that attract and benefit wildlife, including beautiful slides and videos of native plant and wildlife interactions. He is a Wildlife Biologist in the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection and has been working in the field of wildlife habitat enhancement for over 30 years.
The Nature Lecture Series is co-sponsored by the Town of Bloomfield Leisure Services. They will host this as a free Zoom webinar. No user account is required, just a device with a web browser. We need to send you a login password though, so definitely register for free as soon as possible.