Spring has sprung and it’s time to clean up the trails!  If you are itching to get outside, we have multiple opportunities to help clear the trails, remove invasives, and more.   Stewardship activities will be on Saturday, April 15 and Sunday, April 16. Times vary by location – see below for preserve locations and details. 

In general, bring gloves, bug spray, and loppers (if you have them.)  If you don’t have them, that is OK – we try to have extras.  

Register here!

Griswold

• Date: Sunday April 16, 2023 (rain date Saturday April 22)
• Location: Dutka Nature Preserve  (Dutka Lane parking lot immediately off Bethel Road on right-hand side)
• Time: 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
• Activity: Clearing, cutting, blazing nature trail
• What to Bring: Gloves, rakes, bug spray, water, loppers
• Leader: Dick Conant (contact details will be sent out to registrants)

Groton

• Date: Saturday April 15, 2023 (rain date Sunday April 16)
• Location: Leo Antonino Preserve (parking area at the cul de sac at the end of Antonino Road).
• Time: 9:00 am -12:00 pm
• Activity: Removal of stumps, branches and brush in a large area that will be mowed and replanted this spring. Parking and roadside/trail clean-up
• What to Bring: Gloves, bug spray, water, loppers
• Leader: Bonnie Castellani (contact details will be sent out to registrants)

North Stonington 

• Date: Saturday April 15, 2023 (rain date Sunday April 16)
• Location: Yannatos/Jones Preserve (parking area between 111 and 117 Clark Falls Road, adjacent to Green Fall River). Carpool if possible.
• Time: 9:00 am -12:00 pm
• Activity: Parking and riverside area clean-up (invasives and brush), re-routing of small section of trail, and removal of livestock fencing
• What to Bring: Gloves, bug spray, water, loppers
• Leader: Tobias Glaza (contact details will be sent out to registrants)

Stonington

• Date: Saturday April 15, 2023
• Location: Copps Brook Preserve (parking just north of 115 Al Harvey Road)
• Time: 9:30 am – 12:00 pm 
• Activity: Invasive removal, pollinator garden preparation, and trail, fence, and stone wall maintenance 
• What to Bring: Gloves, bug spray, water, loppers, and/or rake 
• Leader: Beth Sullivan, Rick Newton, MaryEllen Mateleska  (contact details will be sent out to registrants)

Ledyard

• Date: Saturday April 15, 2023
• Location: Avery Preserve (parking in lot at 32 Avery Hill Road)
• Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm 
• Ages: 12 years and above
• Activity: Thinning/release cutting Beech tree saplings 
• Description: Beech trees in the eastern US are under threat from a number of new and specific pests, both fungal and insect.  Beech Bark Disease and Beech leaf disease are examples.  The Western parcel of the Avery preserve contains many American Beech trees ranging from very large mature specimens to much smaller saplings usually arising from suckering from roots of more mature trees.  There is evidence of early-stage Beech Bark disease on some of the Beech including many of the larger trees.  This will be fatal for the trees so infected.  Beech Sooty fungus is also prevalent on branches in areas of concentrated tree numbers.  The objective of the work party is to cut small saplings to release healthy looking specimens and encourage their growth so that they can eventually replace the infected larger trees.      
• What to Bring: Gloves, water bottle, hand saw and/or loppers, tick repellant
• Leader: Laurie Gorham (contact details will be sent out to registrants)

Register here!