The Niederman-Sizer Field is a scenic preserve and farmland, gifted to the Land Trust by James and Miriam Niederman in 2005. At the request of the Niedermans, the name of the preserve also honors other previous owners of the property, Theodore and Caroline Sizer, who shared the Niedermans’ deep affection for the natural beauty of the land.
The field is also the site of a memorial to the late Stephen (“Steve”) Collins, Ph.D., a fervent lover of nature and, in 1968, one of the founders of the Bethany Land Trust. Steve was an ecologist and field naturalist, and a professor of those studies at Southern Connecticut State University. He was a longtime resident of Bethany, and Steve’s widow, Barrie Collins, was very active in Bethany community affairs. The Niederman-Sizer field was chosen as a site for a memorial to Steve, because it provides a striking panoramic view of the ridges of West Rock State Park, an area that Steve successfully fought to protect. A memorial plaque to Steve at the field is inscribed with the words of the legendary naturalist John Muir that embody Steve’s profound relationship with nature: “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”
Address: 406 Sperry Road, Bethany CT
Area: 3.25 acres
Parking: Roadside parking is available.
It was the wish of the Niedermans that the Land Trust preserve the grassland ecosystem of their property. To that end, the Land Trust has a standing arrangement with a local farmer who hays the parcel that the Land Trust now owns, as well as a 4.4-acre adjoining parcel on which the Land Trust holds a conservation easement. The Land Trust has placed bluebird houses on the property and the Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna), an at-risk species, has been observed on the Land Trust’s conservation easement.
Trails:
While there are no trails, the bench at the Stephen Collins Memorial is a perfect place to sit to contemplate a view of the West Rock ridge, especially at sunrise.
