Bulletin Article

Kid Friendly Bio-Blitz Hike Sunday July 13, 1 – 3 PM Join us for a fun-filled BioBlitz at Whispering Pines Preserve on Sunday, July13th from 1-3! (NOTE: date change!!!) A BioBlitz is an exciting event where teams of scientists, students, and community members come together to identify as many species as possible in a specific area over a set time period. It's a hands-on way to engage with nature and learn about local biodiversity. Participants will be surveying plants and animals that inhabit both the stream and nearby forest. Explore this beautiful spot with us and help identify its inhabitants! Your discoveries will be shared with the scientific community via iNaturalist. This event is kid-friendly and involves a short 0.3-mile hike to the survey site. If you're planning to explore the stream and look for critters, be sure to bring waterproof boots or shoes. Inclement weather will cancel. Our Guides: - Ali Beres-Nork is an Environmental Science teacher at Amity High School  - Grace Kenney is an environmental educator at Slate School in North Haven  To register: contact Bob Harrison by July 11 via cell at 203-506-5888 or bjh51box@gmail.com Parking at the trail entrance to Whispering Pines at 30 Briar Rd; look for the green Land…

Great Give® 2025: Close to $22,000 Raised Thanks to the generosity of over 50 donors and a match of $15,000 from an anonymous donor, the Land Trust is happy to announce that we’ve raised over $21,000 through the Great Give® 2025 held in early May.  We are very grateful to those who supported us during this campaign.  The Land Trust plans to use Great Give® donations towards the purchase of a large tract of forest that abuts one of our established preserves. With this purchase, the Land Trust will be able to: Protect critical habitat within a wildlife corridor Safeguard the land from potential development and degradation Protect a boisterous stream flowing through a rocky gorge Connect with hiking trails in another Land Trust preserve Provide a sanctuary for future generations to explore and enjoy Thanks once again to the donors for your generosity. Sunday, June 8, 1 – 4 PM:  CT Trails Day Complete the Loop Hike Come join us on our Complete the Northwest Loop Hike on the newly created Bethany Northwest Loop Trail. We will be hiking through four Bethany Land Trust preserves, two Town of Bethany recreational parcels, and the Naugatuck State Forest. This hike will be a rigorous 4 - 5 miles.   CT…

April Hike: Walking the Poetry in the Woods Trail Join us on Sunday, April 13th from 1 – 3 PM for a walk in the woods as we celebrate National Poetry Month. The hike in Mendell’s Folly will be highlighted by stops at locations along the way where we will hear readings by members of the Connecticut Poetry Society.  Those attending the hike are in for a special treat: attending the official opening of the Bethany Land Trust’s Poetry in the Woods poetry trail, the first of its kind in Connecticut!  The initial section of the poetry trail in Mendell’s Folly consists of three permanent plaques installed on wooden posts allowing hikers to enjoy poems at any time - simply scan the plaque’s QR code with a phone’s camera to hear an audio recording of the poem, read by the author themselves!  The poems chosen for this section of the poetry trail include “Eagle Poem” by Jo Harjo, “Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver and “Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry.  In time, as we continue the initiative, more of these Poetry in the Woods treasures will be found throughout the Land Trust’s many preserves. Look for more details posted to our website, Facebook page and here in the Bethany Bulletincolumn. For…

Poetry in the Woods “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood…” - Frost In celebration of National Poetry Month, the Bethany Land Trust unveils a new kind of adventure - Poetry in the Woods.  You’ve probably heard of wine trails, and maybe even chocolate trails, but a poetry trail? The Bethany Land Trust’s Poetry in the Woods poetry trail will be the first of its kind in the state of Connecticut!   Join us as we introduce the initial section of the trail at Mendell’s Folly during a guided hike on Sunday, April 13th, 2025, 1-3pm, the first hike of the 2025 monthly hikes series.  During this hike we will stop along the way at three locations to hear readings by members of the Connecticut Poetry Society. Permanent plaques will be installed on wooden posts at these locations, allowing hikers to enjoy these poems at any time - simply scan the plaque’s QR code with a phone’s camera to hear an audio recording of the poem, read by the author themselves!  In time, as we continue the initiative, more of these Poetry in the Woods treasures will be found throughout the Land Trust’s many preserves. Look for more details posted to our website, Facebook page and here in the Bethany Bulletin column. Becki…

Cooper Farm Agricultural Easement Expands The Bethany Land Trust is pleased to announce that Peter Cooper and Diana Cooper have added the final additional four acres to the existing Cooper Farm agricultural easement along the Bethany - Woodbridge town line (total 51 acres). The addition to the Cooper Farm easement expands a fabulous greenway protecting habitat that starts with the Spykman Preserve through the RWA managed forest to these 51 acres. Previously, the Coopers donated in 2012 an 18-acre agricultural easement on their Bethany land and in 2011, a 29-acre agricultural easement on abutting land in Woodbridge.  This 4-acre easement on prime farmland protects the agricultural use of this former orchard and vineyard, important open field habitat and watershed, and a spectacular view across the remaining protected property. “We are grateful to Peter and Diana for this 4-acre addition to the existing easement,” said Carol Lambiase, Land Trust president. “Although the property is not open to public access, the Land Trust hopes to host a supervised walk on the property in the spring.” Monthly Hikes Planned for 2025 The Bethany Land Trust series of hikes for 2025 got off to a rousing start with close to 40 hikers joining us for…

Cold Weather Hiking Winter’s cold, even with temps below freezing for several days, presents a unique opportunity to leave our comfortable warm spaces indoors for a walk in the woods.  No ticks, no mosquitoes, animal tracks, iced over streams and ponds, blissful quiet, early morning and late afternoon winter shadows, the unexpected warmth of the noonday sun, an altered perception of our favorite trails and places….the list of surprises goes on and on.   Being prepared is one secret to enjoying a winter walk in the woods. Check your local forecast and trail conditions. Dress in layers like an onion with a merino or smart wool/synthetic base layer. Use waterproof outer wear with room for layers underneath. It may be not so much bad weather as it is bad clothes. Start off cold, knowing you’ll warm up and don’t overdress. Pack some traction such as microspikes. Also, pack snacks and extra liquids; winter hiking is harder on your body, so you’ll need extra fuel and drink more often than you think you should. Recommendations for safe outdoor recreation are also available from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Connecticut Forest and Park Association (CFPA) posted on their…

Fall Educational Program: “Don’t Attract Bears” Felicia A. E. Ortner, Connecticut Master Wildlife Conservationist, presented an educational program called ‘The Bear Reality” to a packed house at the Lakeview Lodge in November. Ortner has been studying bears for over 30 years. Her passion for bears inspired her to create an educational program called, “The Bear Reality.” Her intent was to dispel misunderstandings about bears and discuss strategies for coexistence with humans and bears. Ortner said that there are currently eight species of bears across four continents, but the only bear species found wild in Connecticut is the American black bear.  Black bears can grow to be four to seven feet tall and adult males can weigh anywhere from 125 to 500 pounds. They also happen to have good vision, hearing that exceeds human frequency ranges, an incredible sense of smell, and the ability to run more than 30 miles per hour. Even though bears are known to hibernate throughout the winter, they will leave the den on warmer winter days in search of food. Ortner stressed how important it is for people to never intentionally attract bears. This will prevent the majority of unwelcome encounters with bears.  Any food or garbage…