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The Groton Traverse with fall on full display.

Dear Susan,


As the seasons change, a hike you do all the time suddenly has a new look as well! Take time to notice how the landscape looks in fall, noting colors, ground cover, even the views.


We are lucky to have so many beautiful places to explore. This fall we are offering several chances for you to see a different Groton than you may know, starting with our annual traverse. See the description below.


We will also explore Groton by full moonlight on Saturday, October 28 with one of our most popular hikes, led by Mark Gerath.


Coming in November, we are lucky to have historian Joshua Vollmar give an encore walking tour of the General Field and the Moors family sites. See more below.

Have you considered creating a lasting legacy and protecting Groton forever? Let us help!

2023 Groton Traverse

Sunday October 15, 2023


This year's fall Traverse will be on Sunday October 15 beginning at 10 AM. We will pass over the new Casella Conservation Land and its brand new trails. As we get closer to the village, we will revisit some of the original traverse course including Scarlett and Gibbet Hills. As is our tradition with the traverse, we plan on pot luck food and drink to celebrate the finish. Register here to attend.

Moors Schoolhouse Site Walking History Tour: November 4, 1:00 PM



We are happy to bring back this popular history walking tour. The Moors family was prominent in Groton in the 18th and early 19th centuries, and lent their name to one of the town’s district schoolhouses, which sat on land now stewarded by the Groton Conservation Trust. However, two generations of the family enslaved humans. As the country grapples with racism, it is important to acknowledge and discuss local threads in the national history of racism and enslavement.


Led by local historian Joshua Vollmar, this program will travel from The General Field to the Moors House and Moors School as we seek to bring light to this forgotten piece of Groton history. At the Schoolhouse site, you will learn the history of plantings in the area (see the photo above), and the people who worked the land. This is a walking tour, please dress appropriately. This event is free, but registration is required.


Please visit The GCT events page for details and register here for the walk.

Explore Groton by Moonlight: Saturday October 28 at 7 PM


The full, hunters' moon will be visible the last week of October. The peak is October 28. The Harvest Moon and the Hunter’s Moon are unique in that they are not directly related to this folklore or restricted to a single month. Instead, they are tied to an astronomical event: the autumnal equinox.


Mark Gerath and Ed McNierney will lead a hike to enjoy the moonlight and to see our landscape in a totally different way. The walk will be about two miles through two of the Town's conservation areas located on the Chestnut Hills. We will walk up to an open meadow on one of the hills then do a loop past two of the beaver ponds. Registration is required.

Our work is possible thanks to your donations


Donations to the GCT help our stewardship and help bring you the speakers and events you like to attend. You can make a paperless donation online at our secure website.


GCT members renew every year to ensure the work continues, and every donation you make increases our efforts. First time members will receive a copy of the GCT Groton conservation land map. It is a gorgeous paper map that fits in your pocket or your glove box. You can request a free map with your first time membership right on our secure donation website.

Become a GCT Member Today!

Giving thanks:

So many of you sent us your beautiful photos from Bates Land. We love seeing them all!

Groton Conservation Trust will receive $1 from every $3.00 all October long. You can purchase the GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Bag during the month.

Free time with the kids this fall? Get outside!

Looking for a free activity with your kids? Get the wiggles out with a walk on GCT land. Kids can borrow one of the many nature picture books or a nature kit from the Groton Public Library, or just get ready to observe with eyes and ears! Thanks to this summer's wet weather, there is so much to see on the trail! Bates, Shepley Hill, The General Field, Gamlin Crystal Spring and many, many others are perfect for kids.

The Groton Conservation Trust is a private, non-profit land trust in Groton, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1964 to acquire, preserve, and provide public access to lands with significant conservation value. The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees made up of Groton residents with varied backgrounds, occupations and interests.

You are receiving this email as an interested member of the GCT.
P.O. Box 395
Groton, MA 01450
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