Avalonia Land Conservancy

Stewardship and Trail walk at the Glemboski-Ous Preserve in Bozrah and Montville
2024-09-15 09:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Glemboski-Ous Preserve, 101 South Road, Bozrah, CT, United States
…an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful post-Labor Day autumnal weather…
We would like to invite you to join us from 9-12 Sunday, September 15th at the nearly 160 acre Glemboski-Ous Preserve to assist Avalonia’s stewardship team in posting our preserve boundaries, light trail maintenance, and blazing/marking our existing trail system.
As we traverse the old logging roads, cross and, in some cases, follow the wending Trading Cove Brook, and pass through rocky ledges and outcrops, there will be plenty of time to enjoy, not just the work and comradery, but also the splendor of this beautiful preserve. No experience is required and there will be opportunities to learn about the basics of preserve monitoring, boundary posting, methods for maintaining and enhancing wildlife habitat, and other aspects of preserve stewardship.

Volunteers are asked to bring gloves, sturdy footwear, drinking water, and bug spray. If you have loppers or clippers feel free to bring them. Please register so that we can better plan for this no-cost event. A confirmation email will contain additional event details including specifics regarding parking. Please contact Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza at tglaza@avalonialc.org for more information.
REGISTER HERE

Water Fest 2024!!
2024-09-21 07:30 - 15:00
Sponsored by the Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed, Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, and the Lantern Hill Valley Alliance, come immerse yourself in issues of Community, Collaboration, Water, and Watershed Protection!

7:30-9 For early-bird hikers! Choose easy or rugged hikes on Lantern Hill
​9:30-4 Waterfest 24, at 72a Long Pond Road (the area between Homestead and Long Pond roads)
​9:15, 11:45, 1:45 Boat-cleaning demos: With hydrilla threatening in nearby lakes, it is important for everyone to observe best practices when moving a boat (even a kayak) from place to place.
​10 Yootây Singers honor the water who gives us life
11 Conversation Circle : Rahiem Eleazer, Tobias Glaza, Ed Lamoreaux, Maggie Favretti, Brenda Geer lead a discussion about how to collaborate across local cultural boundaries.
12 and 2 Guided Paddles to see where the fishway to bring river herring home will go
1pm Conversation Circle : Pollution Solutions and How to Make a Difference

​All Day: Swimming and Paddling
Fun Learning Activities and opportunities to share your knowledge and hear from local experts about how to care for the water and keep each other safe.
Participate in building our huge relationship map that shows how among all of us we know everyone!
Take part in the Mashantucket Pequot Museum’s Harvest Moon Market, only four minutes away! (11-3)
Details and Registration by visiting the Alliance for the Mystic River Watershed homepage or by clicking here.

(CANCELED BOTH DAYS) Stewardship Work Party at Alden Fish Family Preserve
2024-09-21 09:00 - 12:00 | Alden Fish Family Preserve, 0 Sandy Hollow Rd., Groton, 06340, United States
Join us Saturday morning, September 21 at 9:00 a.m. (rain date 9/22) at Avalonia’s new Alden Fish Family Preserve in Groton and be a part of our efforts at managing this 42 acre preserve.

This event will focus on clearing the invasive Japanese Knotweed along Sandy Hollow Rd.
Volunteers are asked to bring gloves, sturdy footwear, drinking water, and bug spray. If you have loppers or clippers feel free to bring them. Please register so that we can better plan for this no-cost event. A confirmation email will contain additional event details including specifics regarding parking. Please contact Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza at tglaza@avalonialc.org for more information.
REGISTER HERE

Celebration of the Wood-Pawcatuck Wild and Scenic Rivers Stewardship Council Community Grant Program
2024-09-22 12:00 - 15:00 | Grey Sail Brewing, 63 Canal St., Westerly, RI, 02891, United States
Green Fall River at Yannatos Preserve
The Wood-Pawcatuck Wild & Scenic Rivers Stewardship Council is hosting an event at Grey Sail Brewing in Westerly, RI on September 22, 2024 from 11:00 – 3:00 to celebrate their Community Grants Program, their partners in conservation, and the various projects funded over the last year.
Avalonia will host an informational table with a poster presentation highlighting recent access and ecological enhancements at the Yannatos Preserve in North Stonington. All are welcome to join in the festivities.
Grey Sail will have wood fired pizza and beverages (including non-alcoholic) available for purchase. Complementary water and cups will be provided.

Stewardship and Trail Walk at Pike Marshall Preserve in Ledyard
2024-09-29 09:00 - 12:00 | Burton Property, Burton Property, Ledyard, CT, 06339, United States
Please join us Sunday morning, September 29 from 9:00 -12:00 at Avalonia’s Pike Marshall Preserve in Ledyard as we continue our efforts at managing this beautiful 272-acre property!
Moss covered stones at Pike Marshall
In June of last year, The Nature Conservancy transferred ownership of Pike Marshall Preserve to Avalonia and we, along with our various partners, are excited to initiate the next stages of preserve management. This particular event, sponsored in collaboration with Mike Marelli and the Ledyard Conservation Commission, will focus on light maintenance of portions of the existing trail network. This will have the combined effect of enhancing passive recreation opportunities, emergency access, and convenient passage to the interior of the preserve for stewardship activity. Whether you are new to Avalonia or a longtime volunteer this will be chance to get acquainted with (or reacquainted with) some of the basics of preserve stewardship in an informal and friendly setting.
Participants will meet at the Burton Property to the rear of Ledyard High School and the walk and trail work will go from there through the town owned Burton property to Avalonia’s Pike Marshall Preserve, focusing on clearing the causeway trail. Consider also setting aside time to hike the other trails and explore the diversity of habitats, from forest, to riparian, and to ridge lines.
Volunteers are asked to bring gloves, sturdy footwear, drinking water, and bug spray. If you have loppers or clippers feel free to bring them. Please register so that we can better plan for this no-cost event. A confirmation email will contain additional event details including specifics regarding parking. Please contact Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza at tglaza@avalonialc.org for more information.
REGISTER HERE

Stewardship Work Party at Leo Antonino Preserve
2024-10-05 09:00 - 12:00 | Leo Antonino Preserve, 0 Antonino Road, Groton, CT, United States
Join us Saturday morning, October 5 at 9:00 a.m. at Avalonia’s Leo Antonino Preserve as we continue to manage this hidden gem tucked behind the Gold Star Office Park on Route 184. Rain date is Sunday, October 6.
Leo Antonino Preserve Kiosk
We will be removing a Japanese Barberry infestation near the entrance.
Although the Leo Antonino Preserve is in a commercial area, it is a valuable connector between privately and publicly owned open space and drains into the Groton Reservoir. It was donated to Avalonia by Leo Antonino in 2018.
Volunteers are asked to bring gloves, sturdy footwear, drinking water, and bug spray. If you have loppers or clippers feel free to bring them. Please register so that we can better plan for this no-cost event. A confirmation email will contain additional event details including specifics regarding parking. Please contact Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza at tglaza@avalonialc.org for more information.
REGISTER HERE

Stewardship and Trail Walk at the Hunter Brook Preserve in Norwich
2024-10-13 09:00 - 12:00
Join us Sunday morning, October 13th from 9:00 -12:00 at Avalonia’s Hunter Brook Preserve in Norwich and be a part of our efforts at managing this beautiful 27-acre preserve!
Whether you are new to Avalonia or a longtime volunteer this will be chance to get acquainted with (or reacquainted with) some of the basics of preserve stewardship in an informal and friendly setting. This particular event will focus on invasive plant identification and removal, light trail maintenance, and trail blazing/marking.

Volunteers are asked to bring gloves, sturdy footwear, drinking water, and bug spray. If you have loppers or clippers feel free to bring them. Please register so that we can better plan for this no-cost event. A confirmation email will contain additional event details including specifics regarding parking. Please contact Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza at tglaza@avalonialc.org for more information.
REGISTER HERE

Short Notice Stewardship Event at Barrett Preserve in Ledyard
2024-10-26 09:00 - 23:00
Please join us Saturday morning, October 26th from 9:00 -11:00 at Avalonia’s Barrett Preserve in Ledyard and be a part of our efforts at managing this beautiful 70+ acre preserve!
Whether you are new to Avalonia or a longtime volunteer this will be chance to get acquainted with (or reacquainted with) some of the basics of preserve stewardship in an informal and friendly setting. This particular event will focus on the removal of black birch trees that have begun to take over clearings and sections of early emergent forest. Consider setting aside time to hike the trails and explore the diversity of habitats, from fields to forests.
Volunteers are asked to bring gloves, sturdy footwear, and drinking water. If you have loppers, clippers and or handsaws feel free to bring them. Due to the short notice nature of this event, there is no registration. On street parking is available at Mt. Vernon Dr. or in the field at 904 Long Cove Rd. Please contact Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza at tglaza@avalonialc.org for more information.

Stewardship and Trail Walk at the Glemboski-Ous Preserve in Bozrah and Montville
2024-10-27 09:00 - 12:00 | Glemboski-Ous Preserve, 101 South Road, Bozrah, CT, United States
We would like to invite you to join us from 9-12 Sunday, October 27th at the nearly 160 acre Glemboski-Ous Preserve to assist Avalonia’s stewardship team in light maintenance of an existing trail system.
As we traverse the old logging roads, cross and, in some cases, follow the wending Trading Cove Brook, and pass through rocky ledges and outcrops, there will be plenty of time to enjoy, not just the work and comradery, but also the splendor of this beautiful preserve. If time permits we may cross into the adjacent 343-acre Milo Light Preserve managed by the Nature Conservancy

No experience is required and there will be opportunities to learn about the basics of preserve monitoring, methods for maintaining and enhancing wildlife habitat, and other aspects of preserve stewardship.
Volunteers are asked to bring gloves, sturdy footwear, and drinking water. If you have loppers or clippers feel free to bring them. Please register so that we can better plan for this no-cost event. A confirmation email will contain additional event details including specifics regarding parking. Please contact Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza at tglaza@avalonialc.org for more information.
REGISTER HERE

Stewardship and Trail Walk at Cedar Wood Preserve in Norwich
2024-11-10 09:00 - 12:00 | Cedar Wood Preserve, 180 North Wawecus Hill Rd., Norwich, CT, 06360, United States
Join us Sunday morning, November 10th from 9:00 -12:00 at Avalonia’s Cedar Wood Preserve in Norwich and be a part of our efforts at managing this beautiful nearly 50-acre preserve!

Whether you are new to Avalonia or a longtime volunteer this will be chance to get acquainted with (or reacquainted with) some of the basics of preserve stewardship in an informal and friendly setting. This particular event will focus on invasive plant identification and removal and light trail maintenance. Consider setting aside time to hike the trails and explore the diversity of habitats, from fields to forests. Enjoy the boardwalk over the vernal pool, examine the chimney swift tower, and explore the stream-side hemlock grove.
Volunteers are asked to bring gloves, sturdy footwear, drinking water, and bug spray. If you have loppers or clippers feel free to bring them. Please register so that we can better plan for this no-cost event. A confirmation email will contain additional event details including specifics regarding parking. Please contact Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza at tglaza@avalonialc.org for more information.
REGISTER HERE

Stewardship and Trail Walk at Tefftweald at Birchenturn in North Stonington
2024-11-24 09:00 - 12:00 | Tefftweald at Birchenturn, 282 Grindstone Hill Road, North Stonington, CT, 06359, United States
Join us Sunday morning, November 24, from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm at Tefftweald at Birchenturn in North Stonington. This nearly 80-acre preserve, a former Girl Scout Camp, boasts forested uplands and wetlands, more than 2000 feet of frontage along Wyassup Brook, a woodland meadow, beaver pond, the historic Bell/York cemetery, and numerous foundations and other archaeological features.
Whether you are new to Avalonia or a longtime volunteer, this will be a chance to get acquainted with (or reacquainted with) some of the basics of preserve stewardship in an informal and friendly setting. We expect to perform trail maintenance, including refreshing some of the blazes, as well as the annual monitoring walk for the property.
Volunteers are asked to bring gloves, sturdy footwear, and drinking water. If you have loppers, clippers and or handsaws, feel free to bring them. While not required in order to participate, please consider registering here. This will help us in the planning process. A confirmation email will contain additional event details including specifics regarding parking.
Please contact the Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza at tglaza@avalonialc.org for more information.

Wildlife Habitat Enhancement at the Hunter Brook Preserve in Norwich
2025-03-29 09:00 - 12:00 | Hunter Brook Preserve
Please consider joining Avalonia Stewardship staff and volunteers on the morning of March 29th from 9:00 -12:00 at our Hunter Brook Preserve in Norwich and be a part of our larger efforts at enhancing wildlife habitat on this beautiful 27-acre preserve!
For this first phase, work will consist of implementing recommendations associated with the recent Audubon Forest Bird Habitat Assessments, in particular the management of invasive plants, primarily Japanese barberry along the brook. This time of year cutting, pulling, and digging out these plants is considered the most effective method. This is simple and unglamorous work, but with meaningful results as it will set the stage for a later effort at planting native trees and shrubs. Participants will receive training in invasive plant identification and best management practices.
The necessary tools will be supplied for volunteer use. It is suggested that volunteers bring thick gloves, sturdy and waterproof footwear, and drinking water. If you have loppers, clippers, or digging implements feel free to bring them. Light refeshments will be provided.
Please register so that we can better plan for this no-cost event. A confirmation email will contain additional event details including specifics regarding parking. Please contact Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza at tglaza@avalonialc.org for more information.
This Project is supported by Audubon.
REGISTER HERE

Cancelled due to weather-Wildlife Habitat Enhancement at Cedar Wood Preserve in Norwich
2025-04-12 09:00 - 12:00 | Cedar Wood Preserve, 180 North Wawecus Hill Rd., Norwich, CT, 06360, United States
Please consider joining Avalonia Stewardship staff and volunteers on the morning of Saturday April 12th from 9:00 -12:00 at our Cedar Wood Preserve in Norwich and be a part of our efforts at managing this beautiful nearly 50-acre preserve!
For this first phase of work, we will be implementing recommendations associated with a recent Audubon Forest Bird Habitat Assessment, in particular the management of invasive plants, along the edges of fields where they transiton into woodlands. This time of year cutting, pulling, and digging out of a wide variety of invasive plants in combination with the strategic application of herbicide are considered the most effective methods. This is simple and unglamorous work, but with meaningful results as it will set the stage for a later effort at planting native trees and shrubs in an effort to soften the forest edge and increase plant diversity and structure. Participants will receive training in invasive plant identification and best management practices.

The necessary tools will be supplied for volunteer use. It is suggested that volunteers bring thick gloves, sturdy and waterproof footwear, and drinking water. If you have loppers, clippers, or digging implements feel free to bring them. Light refeshments will be provided.
Please register so that we can better plan for this no-cost event. A confirmation email will contain additional event details including specifics regarding parking. Please contact Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza at tglaza@avalonialc.org for more information.

This Project is supported by Audubon.
REGISTER HERE

Wildlife Habitat Enhancement at Cedar Wood Preserve in Norwich- Phase II
2025-04-26 09:00 - 12:00 | Cedar Wood Preserve, 180 North Wawecus Hill Rd., Norwich, CT, 06360, United States
Please consider joining Avalonia Stewardship staff and volunteers on the morning of Saturday April 26th from 9:00 -12:00 at our Cedar Wood Preserve in Norwich and be a part of our efforts at managing this beautiful nearly 50-acre preserve!

During this second phase of work, we continue to implement recommendations associated with a recent Audubon Forest Bird Habitat Assessment, in particular the planting and protecting from herbivory of native shrubs and trees along the edges of fields where they transiton into woodlands. This softening of the forest edge will lead to an increase in plant diversity and structure. Participants will receive training in invasive plant identification, best management practices, and planting techniques.
The necessary tools will be supplied for volunteer use. It is suggested that volunteers bring thick gloves, sturdy and waterproof footwear, and drinking water. If you have loppers, clippers, or digging implements feel free to bring them. Light refeshments will be provided.
Please register so that we can better plan for this no-cost event. A confirmation email will contain additional event details including specifics regarding parking. Please contact Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza at tglaza@avalonialc.org for more information.
This Project is supported by Audubon.
REGISTER HERE

Wildlife Habitat Enhancement at the Hunter Brook Preserve in Norwich- Phase II
2025-05-03 09:00 - 12:00 | Hunter Brook Preserve
Please consider joining Avalonia Stewardship staff and volunteers on the morning of May 3rd from 9:00 -12:00 at our Hunter Brook Preserve in Norwich and be a part of our larger efforts at enhancing wildlife habitat on this beautiful 27-acre preserve!
For this second phase, work will consist of implementing recommendations associated with the recent Audubon Forest Bird Habitat Assessments, in particular the planting and protecting from herbivory of native shrubs and trees along the brook. Participants will receive training in invasive plant identification, best management practices, and planting techniques.
The necessary tools will be supplied for volunteer use. It is suggested that volunteers bring thick gloves, sturdy and waterproof footwear, and drinking water. If you have loppers, clippers, or digging implements feel free to bring them. Light refeshments will be provided.
Please register so that we can better plan for this no-cost event. A confirmation email will contain additional event details including specifics regarding parking. Please contact Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza at tglaza@avalonialc.org for more information.
This Project is supported by Audubon.
REGISTER HERE

Earthfest CT 2025 in East Lyme
2025-05-17 11:00 - 15:00 | McCook Park, Niantic, CT, 06357, United States
SAVE THE DATE!
Join Avalonia and scores of vendors at McCook Point Park in Niantic, CT on Saturday, May 17, 2025 (rain date Sunday, May 18), from 11 am – 3 PM for this annual event. There will be music, food, and fun activities for the kids.
Visit EarthDayEveryDay for more details about the day’s activities and events.

Volunteer Day: Invasive Species Removal at Anguilla Brook Northern Headwaters Preserve
2025-09-27 09:00 - 12:00 | Anguilla Brook Northern Headwaters Preserve, 33 N Anguilla Road, North Stonington, CT, 06359, United States
Join the Eastern Connecticut Conservation District (ECCD) and Avalonia Land Conservancy for a hands-on volunteer day at the Anguilla Brook Northern Headwaters Preserve in Stonington/North Stonington.

We’ll be working along the brook to remove invasive plants such as Autumn olive, multiflora rose, bittersweet, and Japanese barberry. This important first step will make way for planting native trees, including Atlantic white cedar, to restore a rare cedar swamp and establish a riparian buffer.

All participants will receive training in invasive plant identification and best management practices. Tools and light refreshments will be provided. Please wear sturdy footwear, bring thick gloves and water, and feel free to bring loppers or clippers if you have them.

Registration is required to participate. A confirmation email will include parking information and additional details.
Register here: https://InvasiveVolunteerDay1.eventbrite.com

Funding provided by the USDA Forest Service, administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

Upcoming Landscape Mobile App Tutorial
2025-10-07 18:30 - 19:30
The lifeblood of Avalonia has always been the passion and commitment of its volunteers! This is no more evident than in the realm of stewardship where we rely on volunteers to assist in maintaining trails, monitoring properties, and to engage in a variety of conservation projects.
Scan QR code to register
Avalonia’s volunteers have more than met the call by embracing the use of Landscape land conservation software and its accompanying mobile app. We began our transition to this program nearly two years ago and since then we’ve held numerous formal and informal training sessions. Since May of this year, we have dedicated the first Tuesday of each month for virtual tutorials and trouble shooting sessions for existing Landscape users.
Our “critical mass” of volunteers using the Landscape mobile app has certainly grown, with nearly 60 active users, but we are looking, this coming October 7 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm, to engage with first time users in a virtual training session. Prerequisites are few …access to a computer, use of a smart phone, a one hour attention span, and the desire to apply what you learn one one or more of our beautiful preserves.
Register here so that a user profile can be developed for you and so that any necessary information can be funneled your way in advance of October 7th.

Upcoming Landscape Mobile App Tutorial
2025-12-02 18:30 - 19:30
The lifeblood of Avalonia has always been the passion and commitment of its volunteers! This is no more evident than in the realm of stewardship where we rely on volunteers to assist in maintaining trails, monitoring properties, and to engage in a variety of conservation projects.
Scan QR code to register
Avalonia’s volunteers have more than met the call by embracing the use of Landscape land conservation software and its accompanying mobile app. We began our transition to this program nearly two years ago and since then we’ve held numerous formal and informal training sessions. Since May of this year, we have dedicated the first Tuesday of each month for virtual tutorials and trouble shooting sessions for existing Landscape users.
Our “critical mass” of volunteers using the Landscape mobile app has certainly grown, with nearly 60 active users, but we are looking, this coming December 2 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm, to engage with first time users in a virtual training session. Prerequisites are few …access to a computer, use of a smart phone, a one hour attention span, and the desire to apply what you learn one one or more of our beautiful preserves.
Register here so that a user profile can be developed for you and so that any necessary information can be funneled your way in advance of December 2th.

Fourth Annual Earth Day Expo at the Groton Public Library
2026-04-25 11:00 - 16:00 | Groton Public Library, 52 Newtown Road, Groton, CT, 06340
Avalonia is proud to be an exhibitor at this annual, family-friendly event, featuring 50+ exhibitors, community organizations, and vendors sharing resources and information on sustainable initiatives, green living, and more.

Join us for a fun-filled day of caring for our planet. This event will be held rain or shine, and additional parking will be available at Thrive 55+ Active Living Center.

Visit Fourth Annual Earth Day Expo to find out more

Wildlife Habitat Enhancement at the Hunter Brook Preserve in Norwich
2026-06-10 09:30 - 12:00 | Hunter Brook Preserve
Join Avalonia Stewardship staff, interns, and volunteers on the morning of June 10th from 9:30 -12:00 at our Hunter Brook Preserve in Norwich and be a part of our continuing efforts at enhancing wildlife habitat on this beautiful 27-acre preserve!
Work will consist of implementing recommendations associated with the recent Audubon Forest Bird Habitat Assessments, in particular the removal of the invasive plant, Japanese barberry from along the brook. Participants will receive training in invasive plant identification, best management practices, and removal techniques.
The necessary tools will be supplied for volunteer use. It is suggested that volunteers bring thick gloves, sturdy and waterproof footwear, and drinking water. If you have loppers, clippers, or digging implements feel free to bring them. Light refeshments will be provided.
Please register so that we can better plan for this no-cost event. A confirmation email will contain additional event details including specifics regarding parking. Please contact Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza at tglaza@avalonialc.org for more information.
This Project is supported by Audubon.
REGISTER HERE

Critter Confidential: Research Conducted on Avalonia Properties
2026-11-07 12:30 - 14:00 | Jonathan Trumbull Library, 580 Exeter Road, Lebanon, CT, 06249
Walktober is almost here!
The Last Green Valley’s fabulously successful annual series of activities starts in September, and Avalonia’s four offerings go right through the whole season! Registration is required for all Avalonia Walktober programs. (If an event is rescheduled because of weather, you’ll want to know.) Service animals only, please, at these events.
Saturday, November 7, 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Join researchers Salma Huque (Master’s student, Yale School on the Environment), Peter Paton (Professor Emeritus, URI), and Evan Zocco (Ph.D. student, UConn) as they present their research on, respectively, biodiversity, Great Black-backed Gulls, and beavers.

REGISTER HERE

Accessibility Note
One accessible space in the lot near the ramp. Automated entry doors. Accessible bathrooms. Sign language interpretation and amplification may be available upon request.
For more information about the accessibility of this event, contact Avalonia at info@avalonialc.org or 860-884-8500.

About the Presenters

Salma Huque with her colleague, Jake Frame
Salma Huque
Salma is a Master of Environmental Management candidate at the Yale School on the Environment specializing in Water Resources. She is interested in watershed management, public land use, and conservation in the American West. Salma holds a BA in Economics from Reed College. Her work experience includes time as an environmental consultant in Oregon, a research assistant for the U.S. Forest Service’s Intermountain West region, and a water conservation data scientist in western Colorado. She has a background in coding and loves the challenge of communicating data-heavy analyses to the public. With a Co-Researcher, Salma completed a project on Avalonia preserves that enabled the organization to submit twenty National Diversity Database requests to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Peter Paton
A conservation biologist, Peter Paton has studied the population ecology of birds and amphibians for the past 50 years. He grew up in Colorado, and earned a B.S. in Biology from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon; a M.S. from Colorado State University, where he studied birds as an airstrike hazard in Hilo, Hawaii; and a Ph.D. from Utah State University, where he studied the breeding ecology of Snowy Plovers at the Great Salt Lake. For two years after receiving his Ph.D., he monitored birds at Denali National Park. In 1995, Peter joined the Department of National Resources Science at the University of Rhode Island, from which he recently retired. During his time at URI, he and his students studied shorebirds, wading birds, and passerines throughout southern New England. For the past 14 years, he has been studying Common and Roseate Terns on Great Gull Island, where he still is active in research and management. From 2024-2025, he and his students tracked 30 adult Great Black-backed Gulls breeding on Block Island National Wildlife Refuge (R.I.) and Avalonia’s South Dumpling Island. The results of this research improve understanding of partial migration, offshore distribution, and year-round resource use of Great Black-backed Gulls in an increasingly important segment of the species’ range.

Evan Zocco
Evan Zocco is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Connecticut. His work looks at how drones, aerial photos, and computer programs can help us better understand changes in the environment. He studies how beavers change streams, wetlands, and floodplains by building dams and holding back water. His research focuses on finding better ways to map these changes over large areas, especially in places where water may be hidden by trees, shrubs, or other wetland plants. This work can help with wetland mapping, wildlife habitat monitoring, conservation planning, and decisions about land and water management.
