A Return Home Shaped by Avalonia
Story by Amy Storrow How Do You Know You Know a Place? I expected changes, both big and small, when I moved back to Southeastern Connecticut after more than forty years away. The grocery stores, drugstore,…
Preston Nature Preserve Turned over to the Birds for Nesting Season
Once again our passive listening devices and in-person surveys have recorded several species of ground-nesting birds this spring in the Preston Nature Preserve. Since many of these are birds of conservation concern, we are continuing our practice of closing the…
Stonington’s Trails, Wildlife, and Community Take Center Stage at StoneRidge
Back in March, one of Avalonia's stewards and a member of the Stonington Town Committee, Beth Sullivan, gave a talk at StoneRidge (one of Avalonia's Business Members at the Defender level). During her discussion, she shared details on the work…
Bridge Repair and Replacement Underway at the Avery Preserve
Recently staff and volunteers rebuilt and replaced a bridge on the Avery Preserve, the first of several improvements planned for this 100-acre wooded oasis and one of Avalonia’s oldest preserves. Over a decade ago Ledyard Boy Scout Troop 16 built…
Osprey Platform Upgrades
By John Swenarton Three osprey nesting platforms in Stonington succumbed to the heavy snow and high winds we all experienced this past winter. But thanks to a generous donation of materials and a dedicated corps of volunteers, ospreys returning…
Herman E. Sheets Family Forest and the Landscape of History
Story and Photos by Jeff Alexander When is a hiking trail more than a walk in the woods? Out under the trees, amidst birds and breeze, it may seem like nothing more than a healthy outing. But is it?…
Avalonia’s Top 5 Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers are integral to Avalonia's success, helping to protect natural spaces while strengthening connections within the community. Whether you prefer getting your hands dirty on the trails, shaping the organization’s future behind the scenes, or bringing people together through events,…
We are hiring for the new Land Steward position!
Position Overview This position provides support to the Director of Stewardship and Stewardship activities with a focus on administrative and field-based work on Avalonia preserves and conservation easements. The Land Steward will report to the Director of Stewardship and may…
Yale Graduate Students Working on Clinical Project Focused on Natural Diversity Database Plant and Animal Species
In association with the Yale School of the Environment's spring 2026 course ‘Strategies for Land Conservation', graduate students Salma Huque and Jacob Frame have begun working with Avalonia on an important clinical project. They join part of a larger ongoing…
The Perpetual Obligation of Stewardship
Always happy to talk about Avalonia's stewardship efforts! As a part of Brad Gentry and Walker Holmes' Strategies for Land Conservation class at Yale School of the Environment the discussion included, among other things, topics of fee simple and…