Preserves in the Mendell’s Folly Complex

Grobe Preserve

The Grobe Preserve is a natural area of 25.2 acres in the northwestern Bethany greenway purchased from the Mendell/Grobe family. It is an important conservation tract because of its continuous forested habitats, wildlife utility, aesthetics, protected network connectivity, landscape position, and provision of ecosystem services. It is a topographically complex parcel with steep to moderate slopes, valley features, and at least three summits ranging to about 700’ above sea level. Learn more about this preserve…

 Mendell’s Folly

Mendell’s Folly, 125-acre tract of land Bethany and Beacon Falls, remains the “crown jewel” among the preserves in the Land Trust’s portfolio. As the centerpiece in Bethany’s northwest corner greenway, Mendell’s Folly provides hiking opportunities with trails that connect with three other preserves and is part of an area identified as a “Nature’s Network Connector” that resides between terrestrial and wetland core areas. Learn more about this preserve…

Woodward Nature Preserve

The 36.4-acre Woodward Nature Preserve, an important part of the Bethany’s northwest corner greenway, was obtained by the Land Trust as a subdivision set-aside. Natural features include rocky ridges, vernal pools, and an extensive wetlands with an outlet stream that empties into the beaver pond in Mendell’s Folly. The wooded areas are in an understory reinitiation stage of forest succession following activity related to gravel extraction. Learn more about this preserve…