So many of us have found peace and piece-of-mind these past few months by wandering around our beautiful open spaces. The arrival of our first snow (!) and winter weather does not have to put an end to that. Remember the famous line "there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes". With that in mind, we have several great outdoor activities. For example, long-time Groton resident Ken Janes will share his thoughts on his birding hobby in a joint webinar presentation with The Prescott Community Center (see the registration at the right). We have several of Ken's books available, perfect for a holiday gift idea.

Plus, we have a new idea: The Holiday Tree Stroll, starting November 27 as our OptOutside event this year (see the description below).

While these are planned events, we also hope to offer a few pop up activities, such as full moon snowshoes, as the calendar allows.

We are also continuing with the important work of managing our properties. A recent crew of hardy volunteers: Rick Muehlke, Mark Gerath, Suzanna Black and her sister Gerry Kemske, John Maynard, and Bob Pine, worked hard on a recent chilly morning to make more progress opening the picnic area at Bates, removing yet another fallen tree, and mowing the lower fields.

So thank you to everyone who continues to work with us as we keep the outdoors as a sanctuary for all to enjoy.

GCT is excited to announce our first ever tree decorating event! The 2020 Winter Tree Stroll will take place as part of our annual OptOutside programming, encouraging you to get out and enjoy nature in Groton instead of shopping. We are inviting non profit organizations in town to decorate a tree on our properties for you to visit and enjoy during late November and December. So far we have a Boy Scout troop, Prescott Community Center, Pages for Peace, Mountain Lake Club in Lost Lake, and several individuals ready to go. Do you know or represent an organization that might want to participate? Please contact Katy for more details.

We will kick off this event on the day after Thanksgiving, and encourage you to find all of the trees. We will post a list of properties where the trees are located closer to kickoff, stay tuned on our website and social media pages!

Now, more than ever, non-profits are relying on the generosity of their members and friends to continue vital work in our communities. Soon we will be mailing out our year-end appeal. We hope you thoughtfully consider GCT in your year end giving.

Donating, or renewing your membership online is easy and safe and every dollar supports Groton conservation. Thank you!

While living in Groton, Ken Janes gained a deep appreciation for birds arising out of his long-held friendship with Dr. Bert Hopkins, who authored the book "The Birds of Groton".

During his long and distinguished career as surgeon at the Nashoba Medical Center, Ken also developed a passion for photography. Following his retirement, he moved to Maine and honed his long-held interest in both photography and bird watching, culminating with his book "Life List: Field Notes of a Maine Birdwatcher" (see our gift idea below!).

In this virtual presentation with the Prescott Community Center, Ken will share stories about his bird watching expeditions, reflect on the knowledge he gained as a photographer, and comment on the environmental impacts threatening our bird population as he presents pictures from his book.

We welcome you to join us. GCT current members may enroll in this webinar for free. Please contact Katy to check the status of your membership and register.