Avalonia was pleased to once again offer its Yannatos/Jones Preserve in North Stonington as a sampling site for the Dragonfly Mercury Project administered by the National Park Service (NPS). Two weeks ago, a group of staff and volunteers representing NPS,…
By Susan Hibbard The Stonington Town Committee held a work party at the Paffard Woods Preserve on Thursday, August 6. We were fortunate to have an able-bodied team of 9 volunteers from the Mystic Aquarium, along with STC members…
By Amelia Newstadt and Kennedy Holsapple This summer, we have been interning with Avalonia as land stewards, working with staff, other interns and volunteers. This internship is a first for both of us when it comes to immersive fieldwork, and…
We are excited to welcome Adam Heckle to Avalonia’s stewardship team! Adam brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and enthusiasm to the full-time land steward position. Among his many duties are the annual monitoring of preserves, trail maintenance and design,…
On November 12, 2025, the Stonington Town Committee (STC) was able to undertake a long-awaited fencing repair project at Copps Brook Preserve on Al Harvey Road. While STC had previously received a grant from the Stonington Garden Club for equipment…
Over the last decade Avalonia has grown in size and earned national accreditation! In order to better understand and care for our burgeoning system of preserves, we are working on a project to document and gather data on the flora…
In an effort to keep hikers safe and the integrity of cultural and stone features intact, stewardship has begun to install new signs on certain of our trailed preserves. At least initially, the focus will be on those foundations, chambers,…
More than a dozen staff, interns, and volunteers converged on Hunter Brook Preserve last Wednesday as part of a longer term project aimed at enhancing wildlife habitat along a riparian area. It wasn't easy work, but with all the help…
In partnership with Eastern Connecticut Conservation District (ECCD), Avalonia builds off its past success in the restoration of a portion of the Anguilla Brook Northern Headwaters preserve. Last year ECCD was awarded an Urban Forested Natural Areas and Riparian Corridor…
Avalonia is pleased to welcome Kennedy Holsapple and Amelia Newstadt as our new Land Stewardship Interns for the 2026 summer season! This internship program is once again generously sponsored by the Southeastern New England Educational and Charitable Foundation (SNEC) and,…