Avalonia Land Conservancy

Honoring Earth Day with a Wild Flora Walk at the Benedict Benson Preserve
2024-04-21 10:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Benedict Benson Preserve, Swantown Hill Road, North Stonington, CT, 06359, United States
Led by Avalonia naturalist Bruce Fellman, trek through the Benedict Benson Preserve to watch its uplands, centerpiece stream, and wetlands come to life with greening ferns, mosses, and wildflowers, from the rare Hepatica to the ubiquitous marsh marigolds.
REGISTER HERE

One of the critical precursors of the passage of the Clean Water Act, the landmark federal legislation whose 50 years of making a difference was celebrated in 2022, is Earth Day, the consciousness-raising holiday for the planet that began in 1970. As part of Avalonia’s ongoing tribute to the CWA, join naturalist and guide Bruce Fellman as we wade into moving waters, figuratively, if not literally, at the Benedict Benson Preserve on Sunday, April 21, shortly after Earth Day, from 10 a.m. until noon, in North Stonington to watch the refuge’s wetlands and its centerpiece stream come to life: a tribute to wise stewardship.
In keeping with our theme, we’ll pay close attention to the area around Lantern Brook, a delightful woodland stream that flows through the heart of the preserve and is wonderfully photogenic as it tumbles down a boulder field left behind by the glaciers that shaped this land. The area around the brook is paradise for botanists interested in mosses, ferns, lichens, and wildflowers, and while there are certain to be such stalwarts as Wood anemones, a number of violets, and Marsh marigolds in bloom, there’s one botanical gem known as the hepatica that we’ll scramble up a favored hillside to seek out. Hepaticas thrive in specific, rather “sweet” soil conditions unusual in our woods, but Benson has the right stuff in one area.
The Preserve features a typical Southern New England post-agricultural-abandonment upland forest dominated by oaks, beeches, birches, and hickories, many of them fully mature. Some are home to striking Pileated Woodpeckers, while others support a wide array of hardwood-forest songbirds, the most intriguing of which is the Cerulean Warbler. This stunning bird, which is listed as a Species of Special Concern in Connecticut, has been seen and heard at Benson and the surrounding area, and is one of the treasures we’ll be looking for as we walk the approximately mile and a half trail system in search of signs of spring.
The trailhead for the Benedict Benson Preserve is located at 100 Swantown Hill Road in North Stonington. A small parking area is on the West side of the road and there’s more parking on either side of Swantown. For more information and to register, visit the Events Calendar of Avalonia’s website: avalonia.org/events/ Please note: parts of the trail are pretty rugged, so while my pace is always family-friendly, the terrain, particularly our scramble up a rocky hillside in search of wildflowers, might not be suitable for small kids and the occasional elder. You’ll want to wear waterproof hiking boots, and trekking poles might be a good idea, too. Bring water and an energy bar, and, of course, binoculars and cameras. Don’t hesitate to call or email: 860-599-4867, or fellnature@sbcglobal.net.
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Accessibility Note
Avalonia Accessibility Statement: https://avalonia.org/accessibility-for-people-with-disabilities-statement/
Accessibility point person: Mary Anne Sherman, 860-884-3500 or avalonialc@yahoo.com

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The featured image is by Jodi Williams taken at Benedict Benson Preserve. Jodi received an Honorable Mention in the Wildflowers category in Avalonia’s 2023 Photo Contest.

Earthfest CT 2024
2024-05-18 11:00 - 15:00 | McCook Park, Niantic, CT, 06357, United States
The community comes together for an expressive celebration featuring environmental organizations (like us!), live animal exhibits, fun food vendors, and musical guests at McCook Point Park.
Come visit and say hello. We’ll have lots of info to share and a fun activity for the kids!
Visit www.earthdayeverydayct.org for more info.

Wequetequock Cove Clean Water Coalition Festival
2024-07-14 10:00 - 14:00 | CT
Avalonia will join other organizations and core communities on Sunday July 14 for the Wequetequock Cove Clean Water Coalition (WCCWC) Festival!
Funded in part through a grant from the Long Island Sound Stewardship Fund, this free festival is designed to engage the local community, recruit members for the WCCWC, and provide education about the watershed. Avalonia has a number of preserves and conservation easements within the watershed and is committed to the coalition’s efforts to enhance the quality of drinking water and recreational and ecological values within the Anguilla Brook/Inner Wequetequock Cove watershed.
This promises to be an educational, fun-filled, family-friendly experience, with music, food, and drink as well as an optional post-festival paddle in the outer Cove.
DETAILS:
Date: July 14, 2024
Time: 10 AM – 2 PM (Optional paddle: 3 PM – 5 PM)

Location:

Landside: The Hounds
769 Stonington Rd
Stonington, CT 06378
Paddle Launch Site: Barn Island boat launch

Secondary Launch Site: Stonington Marina (for equipment rental and non-paddlers)
Entry: Free to outdoor exhibits

Hope to see you there!

Water Fest 2024!!
2024-09-21 07:30 - 15:00 | CT
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.

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
