Join Us to Paint the Preserve at Preston Nature Preserve *CANCELLED*
2023-10-07 09:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Preston Nature Preserve, Krug Road, Preston, CT, United States
*THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED*
Join fellow artists and Avalonia’s Office Manager, Mary Anne Sherman, who will lead you on a short hike through the Preston Nature Preserve to paint en plein air. It’s an idyllic place for an outdoor painting event. Artists of all skill levels and mediums are invited. Learn from and share with other artists, enjoy being in nature, and create your next masterpiece. We will meet at the parking area, hike a short distance, and paint to our heart’s content.

This is the second of two Paint the Preserve events. The first event is planned for Knox Preserve in Stonington on Saturday, September 9, 2023.

PLEASE REGISTER HERE

Suggestions: Bring your own easel and painting equipment, water, bug spray, and sunscreen.

Parking: Ample off-street lot, grass surface, room for about a dozen cars, no parking space accessible to people with disabilities. The lot is located on 38 Krug Road at the PNP trailhead. Additional parking is available along Krug Road.
Trails: Mostly mowed grass surface pathways through open meadows, some slopes, some areas with roots and rocks in the pathway, as well as occasional protruding branches.
In case of inclement weather, participants will be notified of a cancellation via email no later than 2 hours before the event.
Avalonia Accessibility Statement
For more information, please contact Mary Anne Sherman at info@avalonialc.com or (860) 884-3500.

Fall Clean-up of Avery Preserve Parking Area
2023-10-14 09:00 - 11:00
Work Party!!!
Avery Preserve Parking Area
Saturday, October 14th, 9-11 am (or until we get tired).
Our efforts will be focused on clearing the sightlines inside and outside of the parking area. Over the years it has been a challenge to keep this spot open and the encroaching vegetation at bay. With increased visibility, both entering and exiting the preserve will be safer and will allow for more maneuverability within the lot itself. This improvement will also serve to discourage unauthorized dumping in the area.

If you can make it, bring gloves and loppers or pruners if you have them, or any other brush removal device (cordless hedge trimmers, for example). Come when you can and work at your own pace.

To limit the number of vehicles in our work area, we will meet at the Avery Cemetery at the corner of Avery Hill Road and 214 (Stoddards Wharf Road) and either carpool, drop-off, or walk from there. We plan to close the preserve parking area to the public for the duration of the work party. There is no rain date set for this event, so hopefully the weather holds.

Please consider setting aside additional time to explore this beautiful preserve!
Hope to see you on the 14th!

Documenting Discoveries at Tefftweald at Birchenturn Preserve
2023-10-28 10:00 - 12:00 | Tefftweald at Birchenturn, 282 Grindstone Hill Road, North Stonington, CT, 06359, United States
RESCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2023 / 10 AM – 12 PM
Documenting discoveries on the trail is a key skill that needs to be in every naturalist’s toolkit. We’ll have plenty to observe and record as we enjoy the fall colors at Avalonia’s Tefftweald at Birchenturn Preserve on 280 Grindstone Hill Road.
Tefftweald, a former Girl Scout camp, is a 77-acre masterpiece of upland forest, meadows, wetlands, old graveyards and cellar holes, and the wonderfully photogenic Wyassup Brook.
This is a family-friendly excursion, and we’ll explore the woodland trails at a pace moderate enough to give the Preserve a close read and capture the experience in whatever form, from pen and ink on paper to digital drawings, photos, and text entered on a smart device, your journaling takes. 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 45 years.
PLEASE REGISTER HERE
For more information, e-mail Bruce Fellman at fellnature@scbglobal.net, or call 860-599-4867.
In case of inclement weather, participants will be notified of a cancellation via email no later than 2 hours before the event.

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 is 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 and sign language interpreted.

Accessibility point person: Mary Anne Sherman, 860-884-3500 or avalonialc@yahoo.com.

Avalonia’s Accessibility Statement

Volunteer work party at our model climate resilient forest, the Hoffman Preserve, in Stonington
2023-11-19 09:00 - 12:00 | Hoffman Evergreen Preserve, 580-632 CT-201, Stonington, CT, 06378, United States
In 2018 Avalonia initiated a climate resiliency forestry plan at this preserve, including the planting of many tree species projected to do well in the face of ongoing climate change. While most of these have succeeded in becoming established, we do need to help them out by cutting back surrounding vegetation, including grey birch suckers and saplings.
Please consider joining us on Sunday, November 19th from 9-12 at the Hoffman Preserve. If you haven’t volunteered with us before, this is a perfect entry point into Avalonia conservation and stewardship efforts. You’ll have an opportunity to do a bit of hiking, learn more about on-the-ground climate resiliency work, and help us to give our planted seedlings/saplings every advantage!
Parking will be at the southernmost entrance off of Route 201, the usual place for those of you who have joined us before. Sturdy footwear, gloves, and drinking water are recommended. Feel free to bring your favorite pair of loppers, but extra tools will be available for your use. If you have experience and the necessary PPE, brush saws and small chainsaws are also particularly effective tools for this sort of work.
Work at your own pace and stay for as long as your time and energy allow. It looks, for now, like it will be perfect weather for this sort of work. There is no rain date scheduled.

Avalonia Annual Members Meeting 2023
2023-12-03 16:00 - 18:00
Join us for Avalonia’s 2023 Annual Members Meeting on Sunday, December 3 from 4 – 6 pm.

The event is at Fellowship Hall in the Ledyard Congregational Church.
722 Colonel Ledyard Highway, Ledyard, CT.
Light refreshments will be served.

Accessibility Note:
Structural: Accessible parking, entrances, and bathroom stalls.
Communication: Program will be amplified. For sign language interpretation or written material in alternative format, please submit your request by 11/27/23.
For more info, contact: accessibility@avalonialc.org or call (860) 884-3500.

RSVPs are required. Please email avalonialc@yahoo.com by 11/25.

Avalonia's 2024 Membership Drive
2024-01-26 - 2024-03-31
Our team is shivering with excitement! January has proven to be a busy and productive time as we plan 2024. From upcoming acquisitions to engaging events, there’s a lot to look forward to.

Join Avalonia or renew your membership to support the important initiatives on the horizon that will help preserve and protect the natural beauty that surrounds us. Don’t miss out on all that’s ahead!

JOIN OR RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP

Volunteer work party at Samuel Lamb and Forsberg Preserve, in Ledyard
2024-02-24 10:00 - 12:00 | Samuel Lamb and Forsberg Preserve, Town Farm Road, Ledyard, CT, United States
Please consider joining us for our inaugural stewardship event of 2024. Avalonia’s Ledyard Town Committee is organizing a work party at the Samuel Lamb and Forsberg Preserve in Ledyard for this coming Saturday (2/24). Our efforts will be devoted to clearing vegetation from the stone wall that runs along Shewville Road.
This work will complement our earlier mowing efforts, designed to keep the fields open for birds and pollinators. Over the years invasive vines and shrubs have found refuge along the boundaries of this field and have begun to encroach inward. Winter season is a great time to cut these back, allowing for increased access in the spring for another round of more intensive management efforts. Work at your own pace and stay for as long as your time and energy allow.
There is no designated parking area for this preserve, but there is ample parking along Town Farm Road. Please exercise caution exiting and entering your vehicles.
Please bring any clippers, pruners, or loppers you may have. If you don’t have any, there will be extras on site for your use. The weather looks like it will cooperate, but in the event that it’s necessary, we’ve set aside the next day, Sunday 2/25, as an alternate.
While not required, by registering here we will be able to better plan for this free event.
Looking forward to seeing you!!
Location: Samuel Lamb and Forsberg Preserve
Date/Time: February 24th 10-12
Rain/Snow Date: Sunday February 25th 10-12
Wear/bring: warm clothing, boots, sturdy pants, gloves, hand tool(s) of choice

Forum on Proposed Accessible Trail
2024-03-07 11:00 - 12:00 | Otis Library Community Room, 261 Main Street, Norwich, 06360, United States
Join Avalonia Land Conservancy at Otis Library in Norwich for a forum on a proposed accessible trail at Cedar Wood Preserve, Avalonia’s first fully owned open space property in Norwich. A PowerPoint presentation on the meadow section of this beautiful 47-acre parcel will be followed by questions, answers, and discussion. Bring your ideas and perspectives about outdoor equity for people with disabilities!
Sign language interpretation will be provided.
For more information, please contact Mary Anne Sherman at avalonialc@yahoo.com or (860) 884-3500.

Vernal Pool Adventure at Babcock Ridge - CANCELLED
2024-04-03 18:00 - 20:00 | Babcock Ridge, 113 Babcock Road, North Stonington, CT, United States
CANCELLED DUE TO WIND AND RAIN. NEW DATE TBD.

There’s no better way to celebrate the arrival of spring than to visit a woodland pond alive with the sights and sounds 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 the center of the Babcock Ridge Preserve where a dry hole last autumn is now a rain-soaked “wicked big puddle.”
This brimful temporary pond is a wetland nursery 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 and curiosity 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.
To register for the adventure, which is free and open to the public but limited to 25 people, click on the link below. 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 Thursday, the 21st, same time, but light rain will be just perfect for bringing out the critters — and raincoat-clad naturalists.

REGISTER HERE

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Accessibility Note
Parking: Small off-street lot, packed dirt surface, no accessible space, room for 7-8 cars. Lot located at Babcock Ridge Preserve trailhead. Additional parking available along the road.
Trails: Narrow in spots, some slopes, some protrusions into pathway, 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 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

Third Annual Stewardship Day - Saturday April 13, 2024
2024-04-13 - 2024-04-14
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, plant trees, and more. Stewardship activities will be on Saturday, April 13. Times and activities may vary by location – see below for preserve locations and details.
In general, bring gloves, bug spray, drinking water and task appropriate hand tools (if you have them.) If you don’t have them, that is OK – we try to have extras.
Register here!
Griswold

Date: Saturday April 13, 2024
Location: Dutka Nature Preserve (Dutka Lane parking lot immediately off Bethel Road on right-hand side)
Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Activity: Trail work and trash pick up
What to Bring: Work clothes, work boots, work gloves, loppers, hand saws, Gloves, bug spray, water, loppers and handsaws
Leader: Dick Conant (contact details will be sent out to registrants)

Groton

Date: Saturday April 13, 2024
Location: Leo Antonino Preserve (parking along Antonino Road).
Time: 9:00 am -12:00 pm
Activity: Brush and branches clean up (Spring Cleanup)
What to Bring: Gloves, bug spray, water, loppers
Leader: Bonnie Castellani (contact details will be sent out to registrants)

North Stonington

Date: Saturday April 13, 2024 (rain date Sunday April 14)
Location: Herman E. Sheets Family Forest (parking area adjacent to the mailbox for 94 Puttker Road). Carpool if possible.
Time: 9:00 am -12:00 pm
Activity: Planting of white and red oak seedlings- for more detail click here.
What to Bring: Gloves, bug spray, water, shovel/spade/other planting implements
Leader: Tobias Glaza (contact details will be sent out to registrants)

Stonington

Date: Saturday April 13, 2024
Location: Knox Preserve (parking on the north side of Wilcox Road)
Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Activity: Clearing vegetation from stone walls
What to Bring: work gloves, hand tools (pruners, clippers or loppers – pls mark your own tools), and water
Leader: Beth Sullivan, Susan Hibbard, MaryEllen Mateleska (contact details will be sent out to registrants)

Ledyard

Date: Saturday April 13, 2024
Location: Samuel Lamb and Forsberg Preserve (parking along Town Farm Road)
Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Activity: Clearing vegetation from stone walls.
Description: This is a continuation of work done during a similar event in late February.
What to Bring: Gloves, water bottle, hand saw and/or loppers, tick repellant. Poison ivy may be present, so, in addition to gloves, long sleeves recommended
Leader: Laurie Gorham (contact details will be sent out to registrants)

Register here!

White and Red Oak Planting at the Herman E. Sheets Family Forest
2024-04-13 09:00 - 12:00 | Sheets Family Forest, Puttker Road, North Stonington, CT, United States
Join us from 9-12 Saturday April 13th in North Stonington at the Herman E. Sheets Family Forest to help plant bare root oak seedlings!
This spring we begin the second phase of a larger, multi-year restoration effort, in which volunteers, together with Avalonia staff, will work to get more than 300 red oak (Quercus rubra) and white oak (Quercus alba) seedlings into the ground.
Nearly a decade ago, the combined stressors of Spongy moth and drought served to weaken and ultimately kill many mature stands of oak in the region. Sadly, this preserve was no exception. With natural regeneration being limited, we instituted a restoration plan, a part of which includes planting and then protecting seedlings from deer browse.

Staff and volunteers will provide a brief tutorial, but, other than that, no special skill set is needed! Bring a shovel/spade, gloves, sturdy footwear, bug/tick repellant, and drinking water. If you don’t have tools, extras will be available. Work at your own pace, stay as long as you like, and consider hiking the beautiful trail system afterwards.
We will meet at the Puttker Road parking area (across from 94 Puttker Road) at 9:00 AM and shuttle the short distance from there to a convenient access point. There is limited off street parking, so please consider carpooling to the event. Rain date of Sunday April 14.
This restoration effort is funded, in part, by a generous grant from the North Stonington Garden Club.
For more details, contact Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza at tglaza@avalonialc.org
P.S. You will see this opportunity referenced again in the context of a forthcoming Avalonia-wide Stewardship Day post.

Groton Earth Day Expo
2024-04-20 11:00 - 16:00 | Groton Public Library, 52 Newtown Road, Groton, CT, 06340
You are invited to join us at the Groton Earth Day Expo at the Groton Public Library on Saturday, April 20, 2024!
The mission of this event is to provide community members education and resources to live more sustainably. At the inaugural event in 2023, there were over 40 exhibitors, crafters, and guest speakers sharing sustainable initiatives, green living, climate awareness, volunteer opportunities, and more, with hundreds of attendees from New London County and beyond.
We look forward to seeing you!

Honoring Earth Day with a Wild Flora Walk at the Benedict Benson Preserve
2024-04-21 10:00 - 12:00 | 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.
***
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

***
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.

The North Stonington Garden Club’s 2024 Plant Sale
2024-05-11 09:00 - 12:00 | North Stonington Elementary School, 311 Norwich-Westerly Road, North Stonington, CT, 06359, United States
The North Stonington Garden Club’s Annual Plant Sale is a community event and their biggest fundraiser of the year, raising funds to support their activities and allowing them to give back to the community through civic planting, donations to community organizations, and the Anna Coit Memorial Scholarship.
Come visit us and say hello. Avalonia will be there showing off our new event booth and displays!
Check www.NSGardenClub.org for all the details.

Pachaug Pond Paddle with Avalonia Land Conservancy
2024-05-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Pachaug Pond, Dutka Nature Preserve, Griswold, CT, United States
Join The Last Green Valley Chief Ranger Bill Reid and Dick Conant, of the Avalonia Land Conservancy, for a springtime paddle on Pachaug Pond to Burton Island. We’ll launch on Avalonia Land Conservancy conservation land in the southern end of the pond and paddle the short distance to Burton Island, three-quarters of which is owned by Avalonia Land Conservancy.
We’ll explore the island, which has outstanding native wildflower habitat, and the shoreline of Pachaug Pond. This area is known for sightings of raptors, songbirds, and plentiful small mammals. From the pond, we may have numerous wildlife sightings along the shoreline.
This paddle is on flatwater and is easy, however, wind can make it more challenging. RSVP is required and the paddle is limited to 25 boats. You must have your own boat and PFD.
RSVP
Contact Bill Reid to RSVP or for information at Bill@tlgv.org or call (860) 774-3300. Details about parking and possible car shuttling to the launch area will be provided upon registration.

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.

Introduction to Stewardship at our Newest Preserve, Glemboski-Ous in Bozrah and Montville
2024-05-26 09:00 - 12:00 | Glemboski-Ous Preserve, South Road, Bozrah, United States
Memorial Day weekend isn’t complete without an opportunity to stretch your legs and to enjoy the onset of late Spring/early Summer in the woods!
We would like to invite you to join us from 9-12 Sunday, May 26th at the nearly 160 acre Glemboski-Ous Preserve to learn more about how Avalonia, with the help of community stewards, manages its preserves.
As we hike the old logging roads, cross over the wending Trading Cove Brook, and pass through the rocky ledges and outcrops, Avalonia Board of Directors president, Dennis Main, along with Director of Stewardship, Tobias Glaza will share with you how we plan to steward the property. Discussions will include the ways in which we engage with volunteers to keep trails open and safe as well as the basics of preserve monitoring, boundary posting, methods for maintaining and enhancing wildlife habitat, and other aspects of land management. Along the way, there will be plenty of opportunity to do some light trail maintenance as we walk and talk.
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 here so that we can better plan for this 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

GO (Get Outdoors) Groton
2024-05-30 17:30 - 19:30 | Groton Community Center, 61 Fort Hill Road, Groton, 06340, United States
Join Avalonia as we participate in an informational session about GO GROTON, dedicated to increasing access to nature for ALL kids. Bring the kids for a special species talk from our friends at Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center.

An Exploration for the Birds at Tri-town Ridgeline Forest Preserve
2024-06-01 10:00 - 12:00 | TriTown Forest Preserve, 91 Miller Road, North Stonington, CT, United States
As part of National Trails Day, join Avalonia naturalist Bruce Fellman for a walk along the woodland trails of Tri-town Ridgeline Forest Preserve as we look and listen for a wide variety of avian delights in full courtship.
The Avalonia Land Conservancy’s TriTown Ridgeline Forest Preserve is a 500-plus-acre treasure trove of natural and human history, and the rugged woodland is at its most enticing in the late spring, when the abundant wildflowers, ferns, and mosses are opening, and migrating and resident birds are wearing their courtship best and singing their hearts out. We’ll walk slowly and deliberately to take in the flora and fauna, and we’ll spend our time learning how to identify what we encounter. Of special interest: our veteran American Sign Language interpreter Joy Valenti and naturalist Bruce Fellman will use techniques to make birdsong accessible to all, including members of the hard-of-hearing/deaf community, by converting sounds into pictures called sonograms.

REGISTER HERE

It would be ideal if all participants could, in advance, download the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology’s Merlin birdfinding app to their phones. Here’s the link: https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/
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Accessibility Note
Parking: Off-street rutted, packed-dirt lot with some rocks. Room for about eight cars. Trailhead located at lot. Additional parking alongside the road.
Trail: Grassy entry trail about six feet wide, relatively level, but pocked with rocks. Secondary trail varies in width and slope, with many rocky sections and occasional steep uphills and descents.

Communication Access: This walk will be amplified and sign language-interpreted.

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 Elise Torello taken at Tri-town Ridgeline Forest Preserve.

Hike a Wildlife Habitat Restoration at Leo Antonino Preserve
2024-06-01 10:00 - 12:00 | Leo Antonino Preserve, 0 Antonino Road, Groton, CT, United States
CT TRAILS DAY EVENT:
We’ll hike the Leo Antonino Preserve through forested areas, past active brooks, vernal pools, and up a bedrock ridge. There is a go-around for those who want to avoid the scramble up the ridge. We will pass next to erratics deposited by the glaciers and see how the Earth’s crust has been folded and lifted in Connecticut’s geologic history. The hike will end at the parking area if you choose not to explore the habitat restoration.
At about 11:00, we will walk a short way on the preserve from parking to an area of a multi-year project where invasives have been removed to make way for establishment of wildlife habitat. Charlie Boos, an expert in habitat restoration that emphasizes protection of existing beneficial natives and ensuring biodiversity, will be leading this portion of the event. You will see the progression from thickets of autumn olive to “bunny piles” and thriving grasses and native pollinators including a pond that was unreachable until this project. You can join this part of the event if you choose not to participate in the 10:00 hike.

Follow this link to RSVP:
RSVP HERE

Trail-Clearing Work Party at Glemboski-Ous
2024-06-09 09:00 - 12:00 | Glemboski-Ous Preserve, South Road, Bozrah, United States
Join Avalonia’s Northern town committee at our newest preserve, Glemboski-Ous, in Bozrah on Sunday, June 9 to help us clear some of the trails. As a follow-up to the Introduction to Stewardship event on May 26, we will again be walking the primary farm/’logging’ roads and clearing the lower safety, emergency, and maintenance access route roughly parallel to the East Branch of the Trading Cove Brook to the point of the brook crossing.

If time, energy, and strong constitutions allow, we will continue on to the Eversource transmission lines corridor, with the eventual goal of reaching the secondary South Road maintenance easement access point.
Please bring gloves, sturdy footwear, drinking water, and bug spray. If you have loppers and clippers, feel free to bring them. Extra tools will be available on site. No experience necessary. We will meet at 9:00 am and try to accomplish as much as possible until noon.

REGISTER HERE

Wequetequock Cove Clean Water Coalition Festival
2024-07-14 10:00 - 14:00
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!

Phish and the Waterwheel Foundation to Clear Trails at Glemboski-Ous Preserve
2024-07-24 10:00 - 12:00 | Glemboski-Ous Preserve, South Road, Bozrah, United States
The Waterwheel Foundation is kicking off a new round of hands-on volunteer opportunities at certain Phish Summer Tour stops — and Avalonia made the list!
Join us on Wednesday, July 24 from 10 am – 12 pm at Glemboski-Ous Preserve in Uncasville where we’ll be clearing trails. Avalonia’s leadership team will be there to guide the work and coordinate teams.
REGISTER HERE

Phish will be performing at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Montville, CT on July 23 and July 24, 2024.
The Waterwheel Foundation was created by Phish in 1997 to oversee the band’s various charitable activities and has been harnessing the kindness of the Phish fan community to creative positive change for over 25 years. Phish will be playing
For more information, visit waterwheelfoundation.org

Knotweed Management at Shunock River Complex
2024-07-31 09:00 - 12:00
Please join Avalonia stewardship staff, intern, and volunteers at the Parke Memorial Preserve, in North Stonington, on Wednesday July 31 at 9:00 to help manage an infestation of Japanese Knotweed. We have been following the Nix the Knotweed management protocols at this preserve and it is time for the second cutting of Japanese knotweed for the year ( I know, we are a bit behind schedule)! 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. The parking area at the preserve can only safely accommodate 2 vehicles. There is a fairly steep decline from the trailhead to the work site, but it is otherwise close to and visible from the road.
We hope to spend several hours cutting this hollow stemmed invasive at its base and piling the cut stalks for drying and later removal.
Gloves, sturdy footwear, bug repellent, and drinking water are recommended. While tools will be provided for your use, feel free to bring your own set of clippers, loppers, or serrated knife to cut the hollow stems of the knotweed. If you have an old tarp or sheet of plastic that you would be willing to donate to the cause, please bring it along!
To learn more about this noxious weed and various management and disposal practices, visit the Avalonia Stewardship page. Contact tglaza@avalonialc.org for more detail.
We will begin at 9:00 and work as long as spirits remain high, and as weather allows (rain date of August 7). Work at your own pace and stay as long as you wish. Although registration is not required, please consider sending me an email to express your interest in attending ( for planning purposes).
Hope to see you on Wednesday!

Short Notice Stewardship Opportunity- Japanese Barberry Removal at Avalonia’s Pine Swamp Wildlife Corridor in Ledyard
2024-08-31 09:00 - 11:00
You are invited to join us this Saturday August 31 from 9-11am as we work to manage a Japanese barberry infestation at our Pine Swamp Wildlife Corridor. Many hands will make light work and together it is expected that we will make significant progress in controlling this invasive plant species. Plans are to hand pull and dig out the barberry. If we make short work of it, there’s always some wisteria to cut! Poison ivy shouldn’t be an issue in this particular area, and the bugs seem to be very mild of late.
We will meet at the end of Merry Lane in Ledyard and walk in 1/10-mile counter-clockwise on the blue trail. Bring a shovel & loppers. Long sleeves, sturdy footwear, good gloves, and drinking water encouraged. Work at your own at your pace and stay as long as you wish. Although registration is not required, please consider sending an email to Director of Stewardship (tglaza@avalonialc.org) express your interest in attending ( for planning purposes).
Hope to see you on Saturday!

Cooper Preserve Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting
2024-09-07 10:00 | Cooper Preserve, 41 Hewitt Road, North Stonington, CT, 06359, United States
Join us for the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the Cooper Preserve! There will be a dedication, remarks, and refreshments!
Date: Saturday, September 7
Time: 10 a.m.
Location: 41 Hewitt Rd. N. Stonington
Parking: Park across the street in the Hewitt Farm parking lot (the road is gravel)

Guided Walk at Wequetequock Cove Preserve
2024-09-08 13:00 - 15:00 | Wequetequock Cove Preserve, Located between Palmer Neck Road and Wequeteqock Cove, Stonington, United States
Led by Lydia Pan of CT Wild Ones and Beth Sullivan from Avalonia, this is a guided walk at Wequetequock Cove Preserve in Stonington. We will look at the cove side preserve, note vegetation, changes in response to sea level rise as well as impacts by invasives. We will discuss the importance of coastal habitats for the migration of insects and birds, Anguilla Brook/Wequetequock Cove watershed protection, and Avalonia’s management plan for the property. This guided walk is sponsored in part by the Eastern Connecticut Conservation District (ECCD) and the Wequetequock Cove Clean Water Coalition.
Sunday, September 8
1 – 3 pm
Rain date if absolutely needed on Sept 22 at the same time.
REGISTER HERE
NOTES:
Tick/mosquito prevention spray and sunscreen are important.
There is no shade.
Please BYO water.
Park with care along the roadside.
Closed-toe shoes are recommended.
No dogs are allowed due to nesting animals, birds, and habitats.

Stewardship and Trail walk at the Glemboski-Ous Preserve in Bozrah and Montville
2024-09-15 09:00 - 12:00 | 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
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.
