Update: A recording of Mark’s presentation can be found on the Land Trust’s YouTube Channel.
Honey Bees pollinate more than 100 crops in North America that account for approximately one-third of our food! Yet pesticides used by homeowners and farmers are among many stressors threatening commercially managed and wild colonies. Mark Creighton’s webinar will discuss the important ecological role of Honey Bees, how they differ from related insects in your yard, and what researchers are learning about their decline.
Mark first began beekeeping on his family’s New Hampshire farm and after serving in the U.S. Coast Guard became a Master Beekeeper. In 2012 he became the State Apiary Inspector at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, responsible for licensing honeybee apiaries and monitoring the health of Connecticut’s bees. He is a frequent speaker who the Connecticut Beekeepers Association recognized as Beekeeper of the Year in 2014.
The Nature Lecture Series is co-sponsored with the Town of Bloomfield Leisure Services, who will host the webinar. You may participate on any internet-connected device with a web browser. Please register for free at left to receive login details in advance.
Update: A recording of Ginny’s presentation can be found on the Land Trust’s YouTube Channel, along with a brief BBC Earth video of beavers in action.
Do you wonder why Beavers are called eager, or why they gnaw trees to build their dams? Ginny Apple will answer these questions – and your questions – in our webinar about Beaver behavior and history. She also will discuss the unique role of nature’s engineers in shaping North American landscapes and helping us fight water pollution, erosion, and maybe even climate change.
Ginny is a communications professional who hikes, climbs, kayaks, skis, and pokes her way through the outdoors with a passion for all things natural. She volunteers for the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection as a certified Master Wildlife Conservationist and serves on the boards of the Farmington River Watershed Association and Friends of Connecticut State Parks, to name just a few.
The Nature Lecture Series is co-sponsored with the Town of Bloomfield Leisure Services, who will host the webinar. You may participate on any internet-connected device with a web browser. Please register for free at left to receive login details in advance.
Update: Fifteen hikers and three dogs joined John Cappadona, our volunteer property steward, on a cold and blustery morning. We were well prepared with micro cleats, walking sticks, and ski poles to safely negotiate the varied hiking conditions we encountered. Everyone felt the extra effort was rewarded by a tremendous morning enjoying the stunning scenery and being out in nature in Speer Preserve and MDC Reservoir 6. (Photos by Vikki Reski)
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. Please be prepared to take appropriate Covid-19 safety precautions as required, although this should be minimal for an outdoor event. Rain date is Sunday, February 20.
Update: If you missed it, a recording of Ginny Apple’s fascinating presentation about Bald Eagles can be found on the Land Trust’s YouTube Channel. We also recommend the live webcam of a Bald Eagle nest protected by our friends at the Hilton Head Island Land Trust, and of course CT-DEEP’s Bald Eagles webpage provides a quick overview with links for more information.
Bald Eagles were once so endangered many contemplated whether to replace them as America’s national symbol. Now they fascinate onlookers along the Farmington River in Bloomfield’s north end. Their ongoing local and national recovery is a comeback story worth hearing. In this webinar Ginny Apple will discuss these magnificent birds of prey, their contributions to our ecosystem, and their resurging population. There will be time for your questions, too.
Ginny is a State-certified Master Wildlife Conservationist and Bald Eagle interpreter for the Shepaug Dam Eagle Viewing Area and Essex Steam Train’s Eagle Flyer. She also volunteers for the Farmington River Watershed Association, Friends of American Legion & Peoples State Forests, and more. Ginny was among the nation’s first female sportswriters and has hiked, climbed, kayaked, and skied her way through the outdoors.
The Nature Lecture Series is co-sponsored with the Town of Bloomfield Leisure Services, who will host the webinar. You may participate on any internet-connected device with a web browser. Please register for free at left to receive login details in advance.
Update: The 2022 Nature Lecture Series began with Master Wildlife Conservationist Richard Taylor’s presentation on the elusive Fisher. Thanks to event coordinator Sharon Mann and co-sponsor Bloomfield Leisure Services. If you missed it, a recording can be found on the Land Trust’s YouTube Channel.
Have you spotted an elusive Fisher yet? In recent decades these members of the weasel family have been recovering from habitat loss and over-trapping in Connecticut in part thanks to efforts of the State Wildlife Division. Our webinar with Richard Taylor will explore Fisher habitat, diet, and life cycle, its history in our state, and current research programs in our region. There will be time for your questions, too.
Richard is a former human resources executive with a passion for education and continuous learning, and a lifelong interest in fishing and wildlife. In retirement he combined them to become a certified Master Wildlife Conservationist who presents education programs about wildlife for the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection.
The Nature Lecture Series is co-sponsored with the Town of Bloomfield Leisure Services, who will host the webinar. You may participate on any internet-connected device with a web browser. Please register for free at left to receive login details in advance.
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