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, South Road, Bozrah, 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

Help to Build Screech-Owl Nesting Boxes
2024-09-16 18:00 - 19:30 | First Congregational Church, Norwich , CT, 81 East Town Street, Norwich, CT, 06360, United States
As part of a Girl Scout Gold Award Project, you are invited you to join in with other members of the community to assist in building a total of 20 screech-owl nesting boxes. The event will take place on the evening of September 16 from 6:00-7:30 at the First Congregational Church in Norwich and has been planned and organized by the prospective Gold Award recipient. If needed there will be a second day of building on September 30th (more details to follow) All are welcome!
The Eastern Screech-Owl is thought to be a species in gradual decline in the region. These boxes will serve as enhancements to their natural habitat and provide a safe and secure nesting area for these small owls. Our stewardship team has identified a number of suitable locations across Avalonia Preserves where these boxes will eventually be installed. Please REGISTER HERE for this free event!
-This project is funded in part by a grant from the Connecticut Ornithological Society.

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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.

(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 | CT
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 | CT
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, South Road, Bozrah, 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.

Public Forum on Cedar Wood Preserve Trail Accessibility
2024-12-06 13:00 - 14:00 | Otis Library Community Room, 261 Main Street, Norwich, 06360, United States
Calling all Avalonia members and their friends!
You are encouraged to attend a public forum on the design of a highly accessible trail at Cedar Wood Preserve in Norwich. Part of Avalonia’s comprehensive accessibility initiative, this event will feature landscape architect Chad Frost of Kent+Frost, who will present his provisional design. No advance registration is required.
The trail, in the meadow portion of this 47-acre property on North Wawecus Hill Road, will be Avalonia’s first to meet the stringent requirements of the Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines. The forum, organized in conjunction with the Disabilities Network of Eastern Connecticut, will provide an opportunity for the Avalonia community and the public to offer ideas and feedback before the design is finalized. Once completed, the plan will be the centerpiece of a grant application to the State of Connecticut for the funding of trail construction.

Details:
Friday, December 6, 2024
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Otis Library Community Room
261 Main Street
Norwich, CT 06360

Otis Library is accessible to people with disabilities. Two accessible parking spaces are available in front of the building. This event will be sign language interpreted.
For more information, please contact Elanah Sherman, elanahs@gmail.com or 860-614-7200.

Avalonia Annual Meeting 2024
2024-12-08 15:00 - 17:00 | La Grua Center, 32 Water Street, Stonington, Connecticut, 06378
Join us for Avalonia’s Annual Members Meeting on Sunday, December 8 from 3 pm – 5 pm at the La Grua Center in Stonington Borough. Catch up with friends while you hear what Avalonia’s been up to, and what we have planned for 2025. Light refreshments will be served.

Unfortunately, this event is at capacity.
Please add your name to the waitlist
Email avalonialc@yahoo.com
call (860) 884-3500

Accessibility Note:
Structural: Accessible parking, entrances, and bathroom stalls.
Communication: The program will be amplified. For sign language interpretation or written material in alternative format, please submit your request by 11/27/24. For more info, contact: accessibility@avalonialc.org (860) 884-3500

Directions and Parking:
For directions and parking information, please visit the La Grua Center’s website.

Trust for Public Land (TPL) Presentation at Norwich City Hall
2025-03-03 18:30 - 19:20 | Norwich City Hall, 100 Broadway, Norwich, CT, 06360, United States
Honor Lawler, Trust for Public Land (TPL) Project Manager, will present a review of the work TPL, a frequent Avalonia collaborator, does across Connecticut, including projects in the State’s distressed municipalities.
Accessibility Note: One on-street accessible parking space, plus additional accessible parking across the street on the upper level of parking garage. Building is highly accessible to people with disabilities. For more information about accessibility, including communication access, please contact Elanah Sherman at elanahs@gmail.com or (860) 614-7200.

Vernal Pool Adventure at Babcock Ridge in North Stonington
2025-03-26 18:00 - 20:00 | Babcock Ridge, 113 Babcock Road, North Stonington, CT, United States
There’s no better way to celebrate the arrival of spring than to visit a woodland pond alive with the sounds and sights of newly awakened amphibians and invertebrates—and there’s no more exciting time to do so than at dusk, when the local vernal pools are a noisy chorus of quacking wood frogs and bell-ringing spring peepers. As the skies darken, we’ll follow our ears for about a half-mile hike to a brimful temporary pond at the center of the Babcock Ridge Preserve that was a dry hole last autumn and is now filled with a variety of exciting creatures. In addition to frogs, we’ll likely see marbled salamander youngsters, fairy shrimp, giant predaceous diving beetles, and the stars of the show, the exquisite yellow-spotted salamanders. We’ll use nets to collect pond residents and examine them at close range before releasing them unharmed, and if we’re especially lucky, we might also hear the booming hoots of barred owls and the peents of woodcock.

Bring a flashlight and a headlamp, wear warm clothes and waterproof boots, and don’t forget your spirit of adventure on this family-friendly exploration of a fascinating part of the natural world.

Walk leader Bruce Fellman has been introducing people to vernal pool life for almost half-a-century. For more information, contact the leader at bruce.fellman@yale.edu or (860) 599-4867.

REGISTER HERE

To register for the adventure, which is free and open to the public but limited to 25 people, click on the link above. This program tends to fill up quickly, but if there’s sufficient interest, we’ll try to schedule additional walks.

Note: heavy rain will postpone to April 2nd, same time, but light rain will be just perfect for bringing out the critters—and rain-coat-clad naturalists.

***
Accessibility Note
Parking: Small off-street lot, packed dirt surface, no accessible space, room for 7-8 cars. The lot is located at Babcock Ridge Preserve trailhead. Additional parking is available along the road.
Trails: Narrow in spots, some slopes, some protrusions into the pathway with occasional wet areas. Off-pathway walking through open woods to vernal pool. Sampling for organisms involves dip-netting and getting hands wet. The hike back to the parking area takes place in the dark and is illuminated by flashlights and headlamps.
Communication: This walk will be amplified and may include live sonograms that provide pictorial representations of frog and bird calls.
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
Sign language interpretation request deadline: End of day on Tuesday, March 18.

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

Avalonia's 2025 Photo Contest
2025-04-01 06:00 - 2025-09-01 23:30 | CT
Mark your calendars!
Avalonia’s 2025 Photo Contest is in the works, and we wanted to make sure you have ample time to take and submit images. Participants will be asked to submit photos in one or all three categories, soon to be announced.
The contest will run April 1, 2025 – September 1, 2025
For info on past contests and winners, visit the 2024 Photo Contest page.

Featured image by Galo M. Sarmiento, taken at Barrett Preserve

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

Restoration Planting at Parke Memorial Preserve along the Shunock River
2025-04-19 09:00 - 12:00 | CT
Please join Avalonia stewardship staff and volunteers at the Parke Memorial Preserve in North Stonington, on Saturday April 19 at 9:00 to help in the restoration of floodplain/riparian habitat along the Shunock River. This free event is open to all-comers!
Over the years great strides have been made at Parke Memorial in reducing the amount of Japanese knotweed and in encouraging native pollinators species along the dam. While the efforts to manage the knotweed continue, we have now reached a point where it is appropriate to plant native trees and shrubs east of the dam and along the Shunock River. Ninebark, sweetspire, spicebush, elderberry, basswood, and sycamore are just a few of the species we hope to reestablish on this site.
The parking area at the preserve can only safely accommodate 2 vehicles, so we plan to meet at the parking lot across from the North Stonington Town Hall (40 Main Street). Depending on the number of participants, we’ll either walk or carpool (less than a 1/4 of a mile) to the Parke Memorial Preserve, one of several that Avalonia stewards along the Shunock River. There is a fairly steep decline from the trailhead to the work site, but it is otherwise close to and visible from the road.
Gloves, sturdy footwear, bug repellent, and drinking water are recommended. While tools will be provided for your use, feel free to bring your own shovel or other planting implements.
We will begin at 9:00 and work as long as spirits remain high, and as weather allows (Rain date of Sunday April 20). Work at your own pace and stay as long as you wish.
Please consider registering as it will help us in planning for this free event.

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

Groton Earth Day 2025
2025-04-26 11:00 - 16:00 | Groton Public Library, 52 Newtown Road, Groton, CT, 06340
SAVE THE DATE!
Join Avalonia and scores of vendors at the Groton Public Library on Saturday, April 26, 2025 (rain or shine), from 11 am – 4 PM for this annual event that aims to educate and inspire attendees to live more sustainably and take meaningful action against climate change.
Stay tuned for more details about the day’s activities and events.

A Near-Earth-Day Wildflower, Amphibian, and Early Returning Songbirds Saunter at Benedict Benson Preserve
2025-04-27 10:00 - 12:00 | Benedict Benson Preserve, Swantown Hill Road, North Stonington, CT, 06359, United States
The Benson Preserve, a typical Southern New England post-agricultural-abandonment upland forest dominated by oaks, beeches, birches, and hickories, features many mature trees, some of them home to Pileated Woodpeckers, as well as to 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: everything from Wood Frogs and Spring Peepers to Mourning Cloak butterflies and the rare Spotted Turtles that I’ve, well, spotted here.
We’ll pay especially 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. Spotting hepaticas, which are among our earliest wild blossoms, is cause for celebration—and at Benson, there’s always something special to celebrate.
Accessibility Note
Parking: Small lot off Swantown Hill Road (approximately 101 Swantown Hill Road)) at the start of the Benedict Benson main trail. Lot with packed dirt surface, no accessible space, room for 6 cars. Additional parking available along the road.
Trails: Narrow in spots, numerous slopes, some protrusions into pathway, occasional wet areas, and occasional off-trail walking. Two stream crossings over small wooden bridges with no handrails, one with fairly steep stone steps.
Communication: This walk will be amplified.

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

Registration
Fill out my LGL Form!

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

Trail work at Reed Memorial Woodlands and Mitchell Preserve in Preston and North Stonington!
2025-05-10 09:00 - 12:00 | Reed Mitchell Preserve, Near 371 Northwest Corner Road (right side) in North Stonington, North Stonington, CT, 06359, United States
Avalonia and the Sustainability Team of Preston invite you join them at the Reed Memorial Woodlands and Mitchell Preserve in North Stonington/Preston, on Saturday May 10 from 9-12.

Sometimes simple tasks are the most enjoyable! Take in the lush greenery fed by Main Brook, the ingenuity of the beavers, and breathtaking views from atop cedar dotted knolls all while helping us cut back overgrowth and revive and re-blaze sections of the trails. 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.
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.
Hope to see you on the trails!

Rocky Road: A Geological Exploration of Pine Swamp Wildlife Corridor in Ledyard
2025-05-10 10:00 - 11:30 | Pine Swamp and Wildlife Corridor, 113 Whalehead Rd, Gales Ferry, CT, 06335, United States
You’ve heard of tree-hugging…but boulder-hugging?
Join geologist Mary DiGiacomi-Cohen for a tour of Pine Swamp Preserve that explores the physical characteristics and geologic history of the area. We’ll learn to understand and apply terms like glaciation, dirt machine, shear zone, meltwater deposition, and eolian processes. We’ll deploy several of our senses, including sight, touch, and taste, during our exploration of this special environment.
Saturday, May 10, 2025
10 am – 11:30 am
Rain date: Saturday, May 17, 2025 (same time)
Participants will have the opportunity to get a little gritty, get a handle on a gneiss vug (huh?), and, yes, hug a boulder.
Post-tour reception will include beverages and gluten-free Rocky Road brownies. (No rocks will have been hurt in the making of these brownies!)
Parking: Room for up to three vehicles in a small lot. Additional parking is available on the side of the road on Stone Court (diagonally across from the lot).
Accessibility Note:
Parking: No accessible parking.
Trail: Trail begins at lot. Surface ranges from stony to packed earth and grass, with some roots and widths of two feet to six feet. Slope varies from level to some short, steep areas with slope as high as 1:4 (one inch of slope for every four inches of travel). An approximately 30 foot area may require some scrambling.
Communication: Walk will be amplified. Tour will include rich verbal description.
< The sign language interpretation for this event has been cancelled >

For more info, contact: accessibility@avalonialc.org (860) 884-3500.
Register:
Fill out my LGL Form!

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.

Leave It to the Beavers: A Journey into the Heart of the Henne
2025-05-21 10:00 - 12:00 | Donald R. Henne Memorial Preserve, Babcock Road, North Stonington, CT, 06359, United States
Wednesday, May 21, 2025. 10:00 AM to 12 noon
Avalonia Land Conservancy’s Donald R. Henne Memorial Preserve.
Join naturalist Bruce Fellman for a special exploration, co-hosted by Avalonia and the Wood-Pawcatuck Wild and Scenic Rivers, of the Henne Preserve’s 100 acres of uplands and wetlands, which include an abundance of ecological diversity. The walk is free and open to the public, and along the trail, we’ll comb the uplands for its array of wildflowers and ferns; vernal pools filled with amphibians, gray tree frogs in particular; reptiles such as nest-making Snapping turtles and personal space defending Black racers; and colorful songbirds, from Baltimore orioles and Yellowthroat warblers, to Tree swallows and various woodpeckers. We’ll also learn how to convert bird calls into accessible and identifiable sound prints, and examine the beaver-created wetlands to see, first hand, how these “eager” rodents have transformed local habitats throughout North America.
At Henne, beavers have helped make the preserve home to numerous dragonflies and butterflies, geese and ducks, and wetlands plants, as well as the site of a large and thriving Great Blue Heron rookery—more than 22 active and noisy nests, according to a recent count.
The refuge, and its Shunock River centerpiece, is part of an integrated system of the adjoining Babcock Ridge and Erisman preserves that together emphasize the critical importance of protecting intact watershed ecosystems. We’ll get to see this up close and personal along the trail.
Meet at 113 Babcock Road (0.9 miles from Wyassup Road or 0.8 miles from Route 49). The parking area is on the north side of the road. The trailhead for the Henne walk is nearby. Bring binoculars, camera gear, hand lenses, water, insect repellent, and sunscreen, and please download the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology’s Merlin Bird ID app to your smartphone in advance of our walk. (merlin.allaboutbirds.org/download/)

REGISTER HERE

Accessibility Note for Donald R. Henne Memorial Preserve
Parking: Small off-street lot, packed dirt surface, no accessible space, room for 7-8 cars. Lot located at Babcock Ridge Preserve trailhead, 113 Babcock Road, North Stonington, CT. Additional parking available along the road. Short walk, approximately 100 feet, along the side of Babcock Road to access the Henne trailhead at the north end of the Preserve.
Trails: Narrow throughout, often with room enough for only one person to walk, some slopes, some protrusions into pathway, and occasional wet areas, some of which are crossed using narrow wooden bridges. Off-pathway walking through open woods to a hillside of downed trees felled by beavers. Wildlife observation area atop five-foot-wide boardwalk that spans open water and, though designed to accommodate horse traffic, is somewhat rough, uneven, and can feel wobbly in places, especially during periods of high water.
Communication: This walk will be amplified and may include live sonograms that provide pictorial representation of frog and bird calls.
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

Greet-the-Morning Hike at Tefftweald at Birchenturn Preserve in North Stonington
2025-06-08 10:00 - 12:00 | Tefftweald at Birchenturn, 282 Grindstone Hill Road, North Stonington, CT, 06359, United States
From time immemorial, observers have found poetry—and poetic prose—in nature. Whatever form your observations have taken, we’ll have plenty to observe and record as we greet the morning and hike Avalonia Land Conservancy’s Tefftweald at Birchenturn Preserve in North Stonington.
Tefftweald, a former Girl Scout camp, is a 77-acre masterpiece of upland forest, meadows, wetlands, old graveyards and cellar holes, and its wonderfully photogenic Wyassup Brook always offers inspiration. We’ll explore the woodland trails at a pace leisurely enough to enable everyone to give the Preserve a close read and stop often enough to capture the abundant plants and animals, from early blooming Mountain laurels to birds, butterflies, and dragonflies.
At the Poet’s Bench, we’ll pause to give everyone who’s willing the chance to share a treasured bit of verse. Walk leader Bruce Fellman is a veteran photojournalist, naturalist, and documentarian who has kept and published a weekly Naturalist’s Journal in a number of local newspapers for the past 47 years.
Registration is limited to 25.
Register Here

Accessibility Note:

Parking: Small lot located about 100 yards down an unnamed gravel-and-dirt side street off of Grindstone Hill Road (approximately 281 Grindstone Hill Road) at the start of the Tefftweald at Birchenturn Preserve’s main trail. Lot with packed dirt surface, no accessible space, room for 8–10 cars. Additional parking available along the road.
Trails: Narrow in spots, some slopes, some protrusions into pathway, occasional wet areas, and occasional off-trail walking.
Communication: This walk will be amplified; sign language interpretation will be provided.

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

Featured image: Avalonia’s Tefftweald at Birchenturn by Sherry April

Glemboski-Ous Preserve Opening
2025-08-09 10:00 - 12:00 | Glemboski-Ous Preserve, South Road, Bozrah, United States
Please join us for the opening of our newest preserve, Glemboski-Ous, a beautiful 160-acre jewel that crosses Trading Cove Brook in Bozrah, Connecticut, with a dedication, ribbon cutting, refreshments, and a guided hike.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9 at 10 AM
Rain date: Sunday, August 10, 2025
REGISTER HERE
South Road (approximately 1 mile from Route 163), Bozrah, CT
Park in the lot on South Road (across from 102 South Road)

Accessibility details:
Structural: Parking lot includes one accessible space adjacent to the trailhead. Entry trail is about five feet wide, with a packed stone dust surface. This trail leads to a bridge with a threshold at each end of about one and one-half inches. Bridge is six feet wide. Handrails are about four and one-half feet tall. After the bridge, the trail widens to about seven feet and has a slope from 1:8 to 1:6. Surface is rocky and uneven. Side trails are narrow, with surface obstructions.
Communication: This event will be amplified. Sign language interpretation upon request and based upon availability.

For more information, please contact accessibility point person, Mary Anne Sherman at avalonialc@yahoo.com or 860-884-3500.
