Let’s Go

East Haddam Land Trust

Get in Step with Sunday Hikes
As the East Haddam Land Trust (EHLT) celebrates its 45th year of land conservation, join their volunteers, members, and staff for hikes every second and last Sunday of the month through the end of May. EHLT welcomes people of all ages for walks at one of the land trust’s fifteen “trailed” preserves or at another conserved property, state park, or arboretum in Middlesex and New London counties. You are also invited to explore the preserves at your leisure.

Details and updates about hikes and other happenings and special events throughout the year—including paddles on rivers and lakes, a late summer outdoor concert, and the Goodwin Trail Challenge in the fall—can be found at ehlt.org. Also on the website, you can learn more about their work, become a land trust member, and sign up for weekly e-bulletins.

Connecticut River Museum

Get Out on the Water
Don’t miss one moment of being out on the water. Reserve your tickets for Connecticut River Museum’s Winter Wildlife Cruises, running through March, and leaving from the museum in Essex, Connecticut. With a heated interior aboard RiverQuest and complimentary binoculars, this is an amazing time to be on the water. And then, as the weather warms up, sign up for regular cruises on the museum’s two vessels. Looking for summer activities for your kids or grandkids ages 6–11? Book a spot in one of the museum’s Summer Camp programs this July and August.

Plus, save the date for the museum’s Connecticut River Environmental Symposium on June 23, 2024, at Wesleyan University. Learn more about what’s happening along the Connecticut River’s 410 miles and help the museum celebrate its 50th anniversary by sharing your river story. Visit their website to learn more about how your memories can become a part of the museum’s archives at ctrivermuseum.org.

Audubon Vermont

Sugar on Snow Parties
Celebrate the maple sugaring season with sugar on snow, maple sugaring demonstrations, and a delicious taste of each grade of maple syrup! Audubon Vermont’s Sugar on Snow Parties will be held this year on Saturday and Sunday, March 23 and 24 from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. at the Green Mountain Audubon Center in Huntington, Vermont.

You can tap a tree, collect sap from buckets, and follow the journey from sap to syrup during tours of the Green Mountain Audubon Center’s Bird-Friendly Sugarbush. You can also learn about maple syrup produced from bird-friendly habitats and search for the elusive birds of the sugarbush. All ages welcome, and programs are fun for the whole family! The events are free of charge. Sugar on Snow and maple syrup will be available for purchase. Learn more by visiting vt.audubon.org.

Great Meadows Conservation Trust

Stewarding the Great Meadows
For the last 55 years, the Great Meadows Conservation Trust (GMCT) has been strategically acquiring properties within the 4,500 acres of the Great Meadows of the Connecticut River floodplain of Glastonbury, Rocky Hill, and Wethersfield, Connecticut. GMCT’s mission today is more than preventing harmful development. It is to promote the ideas of conservation and environmental awareness to members and the community at large. GMCT engages the public in numerous volunteer and recreational activities related to the stewardship of its parcels and the environment in general.

This winter and spring, working with a Federal Natural Resources Conservation Service grant, GMCT will begin its first large scale forest management plan at its Wood parcel. Annually GMCT hosts Winter Walks and Trails Day events and participates in the Source to Sea Cleanup of the Connecticut River and other events. To learn more and for a schedule of events, scan the QR code in their ad in this issue, find them on Facebook, or visit gmct.org.

Save the Sound

Get Involved
Spring is coming, and events at Save the Sound are ramping up! As the weather gets warmer, you’ll find numerous Earth Day festivals, sailing events, and conferences around the region—including near you. Save the Sound offers volunteer opportunities like planting at restoration sites and cleanups at your favorite parks and beaches. Save the Sound members get exclusive access to webinars with on-staff experts. Recent topics have included the biology and history of Plum Island, and how to make a difference for environmental justice.

The Connecticut state legislative session is underway, which means opportunities to take action for clean air and clean water. And keep a particular eye out for the release of Save the Sound’s river restoration documentary film, coming around World Fish Migration Day in May! You can find these events and more at savethesound.org/take-action/upcoming-events.

Riverfront Recapture

Four Riverfront Parks Connect You to the River
All four Riverfront Recapture-managed parks on the Connecticut River in Hartford and East Hartford, Connecticut, are destinations for people across the region, from runners and bikers to rowers and paddlers. All parks are open daily from sunrise to sunset (weather permitting) and include picnic tables, fishing access, boat launches, and more.

Great River Park in East Hartford also features a 350-seat amphitheater. Riverside Park in Hartford’s north end is home to the Riverfront Rowing community rowing program and miles of unpaved trails through floodplain forest. Mortensen Riverfront Plaza in downtown Hartford is the centerpiece of the park system with a stage at the river’s edge and seating for 2,500 people. Just south of downtown Hartford, Charter Oak Landing is home to a pair of nesting eagles and features an excursion boat dock and more.

You’ll find countless reasons to visit time and again. Find out more to plan your visit at riverfront.org.

Connecticut Land Conservation Council

Speak up for Nature!
Natural and working lands are critical tools in addressing the impacts of climate change, safeguarding biodiversity, and creating resilient communities. Learn more about what Connecticut Land Conservation Council is doing to elevate the role of nature-based solutions at the State Capitol at ctconservation.org/advocacy/.

RiverCOG

Conserving the Lower Connecticut River Valley
RiverCOG, through the Lower Connecticut River Land Trust, is proud to support the conservation activities of the land trusts and communities in the Lower Connecticut River Valley region. Visit one of the many municipal, state, or federal parks, forests, preserves, and refuges in the region. Attend a hike or workshop, and visit a local farm or a show at one of the region’s historic theaters or museums. Spring is a wonderful time to watch the birds return and explore. Temperatures will be mild, and the views are stunning.

To find out more about this beautiful part of Connecticut, read the online publication, Inheritance: A Remarkable Conservation Legacy, The Lower Connecticut River and Coastal Region at rivercog.org/inheritance, and please remember to support your local land trusts!

The Rockfall Foundation

Scholarship Opportunity
The Rockfall Foundation invites high school seniors from the Lower Connecticut River Valley (LCRV) to apply for the Virginia R. Rollefson Environmental Leadership Scholarship. The $1,000 scholarship is awarded to a qualified student who carries out a program, project, or activity that benefits preservation, conservation, restoration, or environmental education in the LCRV. The application deadline is noon on March 28, 2024. Detailed information may be found on the website rockfallfoundation.org/programs/vrrscholarship/.

Save the Date, April 28, 2024, for Oysters at the Point—A Sustainable Seafood Social. This event will be held at Saybrook Point Resort and Marina. Proceeds from the event will support Rockfall’s environmental grants program. Look for more information at rockfallfoundation.org.

Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center

Inspiring a Love for Nature
Discover the beauty and nature at Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center (RTPEC) in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Nestled in the heart of Old Lyme, the RTPEC beckons nature enthusiasts and conservationists alike. The center is a hub of education and conservation, dedicated to fostering a deep connection between people and the environment.

Immerse yourself in educational programs designed to inspire a love for nature and ecological understanding. From bird-watching excursions to hands-on workshops, RTPEC offers a range of engaging activities for all ages. Expert naturalists guide you through the rich biodiversity of the estuary, providing a unique learning experience.
Join in preserving the natural beauty of the Connecticut River estuary. Through innovative conservation initiatives, RTPEC is committed to protecting and restoring the delicate ecosystems that make the region unique.

Visit the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center and embark on a journey of discovery, education, and conservation! Visit ctaudubon.org/rtpec.

Lyme Land Trust

Tuesday Are for Treks
The Lyme Land Trust hosts weekly Tuesday Treks at different locations in Lyme and surrounding areas led by staff and board members. The Tree Collective, a teen stewarding program, and their astronomy observing sessions meet monthly. See the Trust’s calendar of events at lymelandtrust.org.

The Trust will also be initiating a bioblitz using iNaturalist to collect data on its preserves. Instruction and directions can be found on its website. The Trust continues to add more events to its calendar. Stay up to date by subscribing to its email list at lymelandtrust.org.

Connecticut River Conservancy

Become a Community Science Volunteer
Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) engages volunteers with unique community science events throughout the Connecticut River watershed in spring and summer.
Volunteers can help remove water chestnut (an aquatic invasive species) to restore clean water and healthy habitats, conduct sea lamprey nest surveys and rescues, or collect water samples from the river to provide vital water quality monitoring data. These activities directly support CRC’s work through people-power or research. They also serve as an opportunity to learn about our local ecosystems and connect with others.

To learn more and sign up, visit the Get Involved page at ctriver.org/get-involved. If events are not listed yet, sign up at ctriver.org/email to hear about new volunteer opportunities as soon as they’re available. You can also contact CRC directly at volunteer@ctriver.org or 413-772-2020, x207.

Connecticut River Salmon Association (CRSA)

Celebrating 50 Years
Congratulations to Connecticut River Salmon Association’s founder and first president David Egan who was honored at CRSA’s 50th anniversary kickoff fundraising dinner in January. And thank you to CRSA’s Guest Sporting Artist Adriano Manocchia.

Meanwhile, CRSA’s 2023–2024 Salmon-in-Schools program is underway. Salmon-in-Schools operates in Connecticut public and private schools, providing a valuable scientific and environmental learning project enjoyed by children from kindergarten through high school. Students participate in all phases of the program. CRSA provides guidance and teacher education, technical assistance and materials, and vital links to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

The program began in early January when Atlantic salmon eggs, courtesy of the Kensington Hatchery, were delivered to participating schools by CRSA liaisons. The fry will be ready to stock by late spring in a tributary of the Connecticut River selected by DEEP and CRSA.

To find out how you can bring Salmon-in-Schools to your classroom, contact salmoninschools@ctriversalmon.org. For more information visit ctriversalmon.org.