Welcome to our December Newsletter, the final edition of 2020. Thanks to your support during this most trying year, Wintonbury Land Trust has continued conserving open spaces, protecting natural resources, and connecting people with nature. In addition to the community-building and fundraising success of the Take Home Harvest Dinner, we have been actively engaging members and friends with organized hikes and online seminars, while maintaining and improving our trails, farms, and open spaces. Among our priorities for 2021 are development of exciting new trails on Beacon Hill and Evans Family Meadows as well as capital improvement (new foundation) at the Hawk Hill Barn.
Annual membership in the Wintonbury Land Trust is by calendar year, so I’d like to take this opportunity to remind you to renew. You can download a form or use a credit card online. You’ll receive additional reminders as well as information on how to make a year-end contribution to our annual campaign. These donations are vital in enabling us to accomplish our goals. Thank you for your trust and support. As the holiday season arrives, we wish you health and happiness now, and in the New Year.
Vic Herson, President
|
|
Member Profile: Brenda Watson
|
|
|
 Brenda Watson, a member since 2016, describes herself as a “bike-head” who found the WLT while looking for local groups with which to share her love of the outdoors. She met several active members through Auerfarm, attended a snowshoe hike and then joined other hikes during Celebrate Bloomfield. She signed up to host a Wine & Dine dinner twice. She and her husband cooked dishes expressing their respective roots in Jamaica and the Philippines. Her mother-in-law made sure to marinate the stew so it was authentic!
In the Land Trust, she found a place where she could share her love of the outdoors and learn more about the natural world and why protecting it is so important. For example, she discovered through a WLT talk that some birds nest on the ground and need to have their nesting sites protected until their young can fledge. She also found the Wine & Dine dinners provided a joyful opportunity to celebrate connecting in ways we don’t usually do, with people we might not otherwise meet. People are so happy at these events – and she looks forward to being able to reconnect in person soon!
Brenda finds time to be an active member of the WLT despite her demanding job as the Executive Director of Operation Fuel, Inc. a statewide non-profit which provides energy and utility assistance to struggling, low-to-moderate income households. She has a Bachelor’s degree in political science and public administration and a Master’s in public policy. Prior to joining Operation Fuel in 2010, her career was spent in the areas of transportation planning, municipal government, community organizing, program planning, and fundraising. She serves on several statewide and national boards and recently served on Governor Lamont’s Transition Committee for Energy Policy. She also is parenting two active daughters still living at home!
Brenda has long been involved in issues of environmental justice and equity. She encourages the Land Trust to look at ways its unique role in land preservation could be part of remediating past inequities and planning for the future, for example, a new role in addressing blighted and abandoned properties and access to housing issues.
Brenda stated that it is great to be around people who love the outdoors, and she has made lifelong friends through the Land Trust. She encourages others to find an activity they love to do outdoors and, if you are looking for others with whom to enjoy nature, support the WLT community by becoming a member!
|
|
This newsletter periodically spotlights a donor, volunteer, and this month, during our membership renewal campaign, a member. These short articles are a way to connect our community ... and encourage members to renew and invite non-members to join!
Member dues help pay for the "boring" operational stuff - insurance, land record fees, web hosting, etc. - that actually are critical to connecting you with the outdoors, engaging volunteers in stewardship work, and keeping farm land and structures available for use.
To join or renew your annual (January-December) membership,
visit our website.
|
|
|
Evans Family Meadows Dedication
|
|
|
Evans Family Meadows was dedicated to the Evans family on Saturday, November 14. Seven family members were present: Marguerite Evans (left), her daughter Dayle and husband Mike Williams, her son Donald Evans Jr. and wife Patricia, his daughter Deborah Quigley, and grandson Kaie Quigley.
This property on Tunxis Avenue at the outflow of Reservoir #3 was purchased from the Evans family in 2017 with funding from the Connecticut DEEP Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition (OSWA) fund, the Bafflin Foundation, Fields Ponds Foundation Inc., and private donations. It is a significant parcel because Wash Brook meanders through the middle, with some sections still within its original banks. The flood plain serves as a critical piece of resilience protection by preserving a valuable flood retention zone to control flooding of the Town Center just 1.25 miles away in future years.
It also contains several vernal pools, hardwood forest sections, and a beautiful meadow. Neighbors often see all types of wildlife on the preserve: deer, turkey, bobcat, coyote, beaver, and even bear have taken up residence here. Two public access points along Tunxis Avenue will support a new wooded trail that can become part of the planned rail-to-trail East Coast Greenway through Bloomfield and links to the Reservoir #3 public access directly to the west.
At the dedication ceremony, Dayle reminisced about growing up on the property. When she was 10 years old, she had her own ‘jeep’ and would roam this mini-farm with her pet goat on board. Marguerite would have lunches ready for the children and their friends when the crew would return from their morning adventures exploring the 23-acre wood. The family also maintained riding horses in the 2-acre pasture. The Wintonbury Land Trust is truly grateful to Marguerite and Don Evans for choosing to keep this precious land in conservation for future generations to enjoy!
|
|
|
In 2021 we look forward to building a new trail at the Evans Family Meadows. We also are planning a trail at Beacon Hill Preserve. In fact, with the increased number of people finding respite from the pandemic by exploring Land Trust properties, we have many opportunities to help connect people with nature through our trails.
And a number of generous donors have pledged to match up to
$7,000 in contributions to support these efforts!
It's simple: make a year-end donation to our Trails Fund, and it will be doubled. Donate online and note "Trails Fund" as the special project, or mail a check to "Wintonbury Land Trust," PO Box 734, Bloomfield, CT 06002, with "Trails Fund" in the memo. Thank you! |
|
|
On October 24, 33 hikers participated in a four-mile loop hike from Old Saint Andrew's Church through Bloomfield's Wilcox Park (pictured) to the Bartlett Tower ruins in Tariffville and back. Thanks to Kevin Gough and Paula Jones for guiding the hike. Everyone enjoyed both the hike and fellowship - and social-distancing and mask-wearing guidelines were followed by all.
|
|
|
On October 31, the “Hallowe’en Hike” showcased the new ADA-compliant portion of the LaSalette Trail in Bloomfield's LaSalette Open Space. Braving the fall chill and snow from the previous day, a diverse and dedicated group of 12 hardy hikers (and dog Tucker), met at the Oliver Filley House, which WLT board member Sharon Mann decorated for Halloween. The newly created Universal Walking Trail runs north-south along the east side of the park linking two beautiful ponds. It was a joint project of Ironwood Community Partners (ICP), Duncaster Retirement Community, the Land Trust, and the Town of Bloomfield. Vikki Reski and Dale Bertoldi, founders of ICP, guided the hike, which continued northward along the LaSalette Trail to the upper meadows offering stunning views of Hartford valley to the south.
|
|
 On September 16, Mary-Beth Kaeser and staff from Horizon Wings Raptor Rehabilitation & Education in Ashford presented a webinar on the extraordinary features of owls, including their exceptional eyesight, hearing, and ability to fly silently. Over 33 people attended and were treated to a live Northern Saw-Whet Owl, Barred Owl, Barn Owl, Great-Horned Owl, and two Eastern Screech Owls!
The most important take-away message was to avoid using rodenticides to kill mice. The mice can take up to ten days to die and are easy prey for the owls. The poison can kill an adult owl and even wipe out an entire nest if the adult takes it to its young.
Horizon Wing’s mission is to rehabilitate birds of prey for release into the wild in order to maintain their population and to educate the community to enhance awareness of the environment. “Asha” (pictured) is one of the Barred Owls in their care. This webinar was part of WLT's on-going Nature Lecture Series with Bloomfield Leisure Services.
|
|
|
 Nature Lecture Series
Wintonbury Land Trust & Bloomfield Leisure Services will continue these lectures in 2021. Paul Coburn, a Connecticut DEEP-certified Master Wildlife Conservationist will present. Visit our webpage for more details and a complete schedule.
“Bobcat – Connecticut’s Secretive Wild Cat,” January 6, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
This webinar will focus on the natural history of Bobcats, including habitat, diet, behavior, reproduction, and current research efforts. Mountain lions also will be discussed. Register here.
“White-Tailed Deer in Connecticut,” February 3, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
The webinar will present the history of White-Tailed Deer in Connecticut and discuss how to coexist with them by understanding of their habitat, preferred diet, behavior, and reproduction. Register here.
Vermicomposting Lecture
Thursday, January 7, 6:30 pm
This webinar is presented by the Bloomfield Public Library and the Conservation, Energy & Environment Committee. Peter & Tricia Halvordson will discuss using worm castings to add nutrients to the soil in a process called vermicomposting. Sign up at Bloomfield Public Library.
Auerfarm State Park Scenic Reserve Photo Contest
The Friends of Auerfarm Scenic Reserve encourage you to visit the Scenic Reserve in Bloomfield and share your experience. Submit photos on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #AuerfarmScenicReserve by December 31 for a chance to win a $50 or $25 REI Co-Op Gift Card.
|
|
|
As most of you are aware, the Black Bear population in CT has increased dramatically over the past 20 years resulting in a major rise in bear/human interaction or sightings. Bloomfield is surpassed only by Avon, Farmington, and Simsbury in the frequency of such reports to Connecticut DEEP. Although some of these incidents include bears invading cars and homes, human attacks are extremely rare. An important measure to promote safe coexistence with the bear population is avoiding behaviors that will attract bears to our homes. DEEP has produced the following video to provide guidance for homeowners:
|
|
|
|
|
