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One of the great rewards of conservation is seeing you enjoy and feel at home in the places we protect.
Recently, we joined our neighbors at Ball Pond in New Fairfield for an afternoon of kayaking and music. Friends and families paddled across the water, enjoying one another’s good company and a beautiful summer day outdoors. The afternoon was a pleasant reminder that conservation protects the places where life happens, including where people gather and build lasting connections, not only to the natural world, but also to one another.
That spirit of connection runs through this month’s newsletter. First, we share news of a $1.5 million state grant supporting our effort to open a new 245-acre public nature preserve in North Canaan. The property, which includes more than a mile of frontage along the nationally designated Wild and Scenic Housatonic River, provides an essential connection to the river for a community that currently has limited access to its waterfront.
Through our Acquisition Grant Program for Partners, we are helping the Winchester Land Trust complete a 20-year effort to protect the Rebillard Farm. Together with the adjoining Rebillard Forest, the project will conserve 130 contiguous acres and nearly half a mile along the Still River—a testament to the Winchester Land Trust's long-term leadership and the benefit of strong and connected conservation partnerships.
Connecting to the land takes many forms. This month, we also see longtime volunteer Art Gingert and our summer interns band American kestrels and collect data on their breeding success. We are also seeking a farmer to steward a portion of our Hunt Hill Farm Preserve, a prominent property along Route 202 in New Milford where generations of families have come together to select their annual Christmas trees.
Thank you for being part of this community and for helping ensure that the lands and waters of Northwest Connecticut continue to connect and sustain people and nature for generations to come.
With gratitude,
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