There are so many things happening in the next few months and we hope to see many of you in person. Our outdoor events, like our Spring Loop Hike and Sunset Party at The General Field returned last year in a modified format, and we are continuing that plan for this year. We are also excited to bring back our May Annual Meeting. See all of our events here.

We are also excited to tell you about our recent fundraising efforts for our Bates Land renovation work. We were awarded the full amount of our $7,500 grant proposal from the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts. This grant focuses on meadows restoration, trail improvements, and the addition of an accessible parking spot.

We also received unanimous support from the Groton CPA committee for our grant application to the Community Preservation Fund from the town for $39,000, which covers the James Brook crossing and an accessible trail. This grant is up for Town Meeting vote and can be awarded to us on April 30, 2022 at 9:00 AM at the GDRSD Middle School auditorium. YOU can help by voting for our application at Town Meeting. Along with our previous grant, these funds will make it possible for us to complete the much needed restoration at the Bates Land.

We are pleased to bring back our annual May meeting, Monday, May 9 at 7:00 PM at The Groton Inn. We will honor our long time member and tireless environmentalist Suzanna Black with a special GCT lifetime of service award.

Then we are happy to present our neighbor Russ Cohen and his Nibbling on Native Plants in Your Back Yard and Beyond program. There’s an increasing interest among homeowners, property managers and others to utilize more native species in their landscaping, thanks to books like Doug Tallamy’s Bringing Nature Home, which extol the virtues of native plants over exotic ornamentals for attracting and sustaining beneficial insects. The fact that many of our native species are edible for people provides an additional incentive for people to plant them in their yards and landscapes. Russ presents at least two dozen species of native edible wild plants suitable for adding to your own landscape, or nibbling on as you encounter them in other locales. He will also include a few details regarding some native edible plants he has grown successfully from seed, and the partnerships he has made with conservation groups to add edible native plants to their landscapes. And he will bring samples of foraged goodies to sip and nibble on! Please RSVP for this special event. All are welcome!

If you have not joined the GCT, now is a great time to do so. You can make a paperless donation online at our secure website.

Bonus: we have a new map! With every renewal or new membership (through the mail or online), you can request a 2022 edition of our beautiful new map of all conservation land in Groton.

As always, thank you for your support.

We are please to bring back our Spring Loop hike, covering the northern end of Groton and the Lost Lake area. This hike, 4.5 miles, is shorter than the fall traverse but every bit as scenic. Hike it at your own pace anytime during the weekend, or join Mark Gerath for a group hike leaving on Sunday, April 24 at 11:00 AM. This is a free event, but registration is required. Register here to make sure you are on the list. All are welcome!

Above, a view of Shattuck Farm from last the 2021 spring loop. Below, rock formations from the trail of this year's Spring Loop