Let’s Go

Rockfall Foundation
Meet the 2026 Award Winners
     You’re invited to join The Rockfall Foundation for its Annual Meeting, Grants, and Awards Celebration on Wednesday, October 14, at 6 p.m., at Wadsworth Mansion. The evening begins with a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception followed by the presentation of the 2026 Environmental Champion Awards honoring individuals whose contributions have strengthened the Lower Connecticut River Valley. Guests may also view tabletop exhibits from 2026 grant recipients showcasing their environmental projects. Join Rockfall for an evening celebrating the people and projects making a lasting impact on our region! For more information, visit rockfallfoundation.org.

Audubon Vermont
Fall at Green Mountain Audubon Center
     Fall is a beautiful time to visit Vermont. The Green Mountain Audubon Center in Huntington is a great place to hike, picnic, explore, and connect with nature. Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the Huntington River, watch birds, or enjoy vibrant fall foliage in the center’s Bird-Friendly Sugarbush. The Green Mountain Audubon Center’s free, public hiking trails wind through 255 acres of wetland, meadow, and forest habitats managed for birds and other wildlife. There are trails for every hiking ability! Plan your visit and learn about upcoming events at audubon.org/green-mountain. Come explore—all are welcome at Audubon!

East Haddam Land Trust
Books, Bikes, & Hikes Offer Fun for Fall
     Autumn offers an abundance of activities hosted by East Haddam Land Trust (EHLT). Words from the Woods book circle meets monthly at East Haddam’s Rathbun Free Memorial Library. This gathering brings together people interested in books and natural science writing and is free and open to the public. Words with Woods was awarded a Conservation Community Engagement Award from Connecticut Land Conservation Council.
     On October 11, the mountain biking event NUTMEG 40 promises to engage all who seek challenging adventures in the great outdoors. Complete the 40-mile loop from Yankee Cider (23 Petticoat Lane, East Haddam) through preserves in East Haddam and Lyme. Bike enthusiast Ronnie Romance and his community of cyclists designed and refined the route. Pre-registration is required. NUTMEG 40 raises money for the land trust and awareness of the importance of land conservation.
     EHLT offers guided fall hikes through preserves in town and surrounding communities. Visit ehlt.org or email info@ehlt.org.

Norcross Wildlife Foundation
Watershed-Scale Restoration of Vinica Brook
     The Norcross Wildlife Foundation (NWF) is undertaking one of the largest stream and freshwater restoration projects in Massachusetts that includes the removal of four jurisdictional dams and multiple water control structures. This ambitious effort brings together leading conservation partners, including Mass Audubon, American Rivers, UMass Amherst, and the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
     Beginning in September, NWF will launch a Fall–Winter Hybrid Seminar Series, with opportunities to participate in person or virtually via Zoom. Throughout the series, participants will get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to move a complex watershed restoration project from vision to implementation and explore the partnerships that make a project of this scale possible. A series highlight will be “Beaver Dams Dynamics,” featuring Leila Philip, author of Beaverland: How One Weird Rodent Made America. Learn more about NWF’s work and upcoming programs at NorcrossWildlife.org and follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

Great Meadows Conservation Trust
Join the Clean Up
     Great Meadows Conservation Trust (GMCT) invites you to participate in the 30th Annual Source to Sea Cleanup at Wethersfield Cove, 533 Main Street, Wethersfield, Connecticut, from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, September 26. Bring gloves if you have them; water; sunscreen; bug spray; and proper footwear for wet or muddy conditions. GMCT will provide repurposed feed and grain bags—NO plastic for GMCT! Wethersfield Cove is a real treasure. Join in and gain a sense of satisfaction knowing you have helped keep the cove clean.
     Crews working for the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) have completed tree clearing along MDC’s right-of-way at GMCT’s Wood parcel on Middletown Avenue, Wethersfield. Eagle Scouts have installed an accessible picnic table overlooking Fearful Swamp. GMCT hopes to soon be installing a tabletop sign with the beautiful poem written for it by former Connecticut poet laureate Margaret Gibson. For details, follow GMCT on Facebook or its website, gmct.org.

Connecticut River Museum
Turn Up the Volume
     What does the Connecticut River sound like? Find out at Connecticut River Museum’s (CRM) special exhibition, Rhythm of the River, on view through October 11, 2026. Explore the sonic story of the river through art, instruments, sound recordings, and more. Then experience it firsthand from the water. CRM’s Tree Swallow Sunset Cruises (August 21–September 23) offer a front-row seat to thousands of swallows performing breathtaking aerial ballets across the evening sky. When the leaves turn, CRM also offer Fall Foliage Cruises that take you through some of the most stunning stretches of the Connecticut River Valley.
     You’re invited to the museum’s third annual Block Party, September 19, for a full day of historical reenactments, live performance, lawn games, and good company on the banks of the river, plus CRM’s annual meeting and volunteer-of-the-year celebration. It’s a full season on the water in Essex. Visit ctrivermuseum.org for details and to reserve your boat cruise.

Florence Griswold Museum
Celebrate America 250
     To celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States of America, the Florence Griswold Museum hosts Patchwork: Connecticut Artists Consider 250, a juried exhibition of contemporary art, on view through November 8, 2026. The museum highlights its legacy as home to the Lyme Art Colony (1900–1937) by inviting today’s Connecticut-based artists to submit work that addresses themes of American identity and history over the country’s past 250 years.
     A touchpoint of Patchwork is the museum’s Bicentennial Quilt. Crafted by Old Lyme quiltmakers in 1976, it features 24 patchwork blocks illustrating historic events, houses, key landmarks, and rural subjects in Lyme and Old Lyme. The quilt serves as an inspiration and metaphor for how history is patched together, preserved, and reinterpreted by each generation. The goal of Patchwork is to create community by bringing Connecticut artists together under these common themes. For more information visit flogris.org.

Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center
Lecture Series Continues This Fall
     The Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center’s 2026 Connecticut River Lecture Series resumes this fall with three captivating programs exploring the delicate balance of marine ecosystems and the future of our coastal environments. Lectures begin at 5 p.m., are free and open to the public, and aim to spark meaningful dialogue about conservation and climate action.
     Thursday, October 22, First Congregational Church of Old Lyme: Associate professor Dr. Tracy Rittenhouse presents Black Bears: Finding Food Within the Forest and Within Your Fridge.
     Thursday, October 29, Lyme Art Association: Assistant agricultural scientist Dr. Kelsey E. Fisher presents Monarch Butterfly Biology, Ecology, and Conservation Needs.
     Wednesday, November 18, Old Lyme Town Hall: Professor Chris Elphick presents Where are the Birds and How Do We Protect Them: Results from the CT Bird Atlas.
     RSVP at ctaudubon.org/rtp-programs-events or call (860) 598-4218.

Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments
Flavors of Fall
     Celebrate the flavors of fall in the Lower Connecticut River Valley by connecting with the farmers and farmers markets that make this region thrive. The Lower CT River Valley Council of Governments’ Regional Agriculture Council—the only one of its kind in Connecticut—supports local agriculture and helps residents discover what is grown close to home. Visit knowyourfarmers.org to explore local farms, find nearby farmers markets, and learn more about the people and places behind the food on your table.

Connecticut River Salmon Association
Save the Date!!!
     The Connecticut River Salmon Association (CRSA) invites you to join in honoring Ken Sprankle as he’s given CRSA’s President’s Award at its 49th Annual Dinner. CRSA believes Ken’s efforts at the US Fish and Wildlife Service on behalf of the Connecticut River watershed and migratory fish deserve special recognition.
     The dinner will be held on January 23, 2027, beginning at 5 p.m., at Casa Mia at the Hawthorne, Berlin, Connecticut. Ken will reflect on his tenure as project leader and coordinator of the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission and the Connecticut River Migratory Fish Restoration Cooperative. Live and silent auctions, grand prize buckets, a bucket raffle, the Board of Director’s mystery wine raffle, and door prizes will add to the festivities. For a reservation form visit ctriversalmon.org. Questions may be emailed to info@ctriversalmon.org.
     And, a special thank you to the schools, teachers, students, education committee members, and the Kensington Hatchery personnel whose efforts made the 30th year of “Salmon-in-Schools” such a resounding success!

Rivers Alliance of Connecticut
Waters We Hold in Trust
     Who owns Connecticut’s waters? It’s a question most of us never think to ask. Yet the answer is at the heart of the work at Rivers Alliance of Connecticut. And that answer is, in most cases: you do.
     In Connecticut, our waters are held in trust for the benefit of all of us. However, we cannot take that for granted. The places we fish, paddle, and admire remain managed for the benefit of everyone only when the public trust is upheld. That stewardship helps ensure safe drinking water, diverse wildlife, healthy local economies, and a high quality of life for generations to come.
     Every time we paddle a river, cast a fishing line, watch an osprey hunt, or simply enjoy the view from a shoreline, we’re benefiting from a resource held in trust for all of us. That shared inheritance comes with a shared responsibility to uphold the public trust and protect our waters—for ourselves and for those who will follow. Visit riversalliance.org to find out more.

Connecticut Land Conservation Council
Land Trusts Deliver for Connecticut
     Connecticut’s land trusts play a critical role in expanding access to the outdoors, ensuring everyone has a close-to-home place to hike, paddle, birdwatch, and recharge. A new report by the Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC), Land Trusts Deliver for Connecticut, highlights the incredible ways these local nonprofits expand public access to nature. Together, they steward nearly 500 miles of trails—including 62 miles thoughtfully built for universal ADA access—welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. From accessible multi-ability woodland loops to hallowed climbing cliffs and quiet tidal paddling coves, land trusts protect the diverse, living landscapes that define our communities. Beyond boosting physical and mental health, this community-backed green infrastructure drives a vibrant $4.6 billion statewide outdoor recreation economy. Read the full report and find your next outdoor adventure today at ctconservation.org.

Lyme Land Trust
Discover the Stars
     The Lyme Land Trust (LLT) has something for everyone! Tuesday Treks led by staff and board members at a different preserve every week are for all ages. Wednesday Walks with Wendy and Cam are group hikes with the East Haddam Land Trust. Monthly astronomy sessions offer the opportunity to view the dark skies of Lyme at a private observatory. LLT offers a wide variety of presentations and expert-led hikes throughout the fall season. Visit lymelandtrust.org to learn more and sign up!

Franklin Land Trust
How to Steward Your Land
     The Franklin Land Trust (FLT) believes conserving your land is just the first step. The real work is stewarding that land once it’s been protected. Through its Lands For H.O.P.E. (Habitat, Outreach, Protection, Education) initiative, FLT gives landowners a path forward in the face of the challenges our natural resources face. One of the ways that FLT does this is by demonstrating management practices, in consultation with its many partners, on its portfolio of Conservation Areas. These areas and demonstrations mimic the size, scale, and financial reality that private landowners are working with. FLT also provides educational workshops, toolkits, and publications as a free resource to landowners.
     Visit the website for upcoming workshops or visit its conservation areas to view past work. Learn more at franklinlandtrust.org/landsforhope/.

Kestrel Land Trust
Explore the Heart of the Valley in Massachusetts
     In the Connecticut River Valley in Massachusetts there is so much nature and culture to explore. Whether you’re up for a nature walk around a pond or a challenging hike along the 42-mile Robert Frost Trail on the Mount Holyoke Range, there’s truly a place for everyone.
     Kestrel Land Trust conserves and cares for forests, farms, and trails—so there’s no shortage of places that make this region a great fall foliage destination. Come visit Kestrel’s Bright Water Bog Nature Retreat with its rare natural cranberry bog and whimsical sculpture meadow; the fully accessible trail at the Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Refuge; or iconic routes along the New England National Scenic Trail. Plus, there’s an abundance of local farm stands and orchards where you can enjoy the delicious fall harvest of apples, pumpkins, and veggies. Visit kestreltrust.org to plan your autumn outdoor adventure!

American Rivers
What’s Happening in Holyoke
     American Rivers’ mission is to work for a future when every river is clean and healthy for people and wildlife. In Holyoke, Massachusetts, it’s working with partners to improve recreation access to the Connecticut River and helping to design the transformation of the city’s clean water infrastructure for future generations. Find out more about how to support the work of American Rivers at Americanrivers.org.
     The northeast regional office is led by Andrew Fisk. Readers know Andy from his “Connecticut River Critters” column for Estuary. He also kicked off the Connecticut River Watershed Seminar Series last January with a fascinating talk about water quality within the Connecticut River watershed. Andy explained how changes in the way we evaluate and measure water quality have occurred over time as our scientific understanding of clean water has advanced. If you missed Andy’s talk, it is available at youtube.com/@estuarymagazine.

Connecticut River Conservancy
30th Annual Source to Sea Cleanup
     Join the Connecticut River’s largest volunteer cleanup event of the year! Over 1,000 participants will gather across 100+ groups in four states (NH, VT, MA, and CT) to remove trash from riverbanks, parks, and communities.
     Trash moves from streets to streams and ends up in our rivers, impacting water quality and habitats along the way. Together, we can make a BIG difference. Over 2 million pounds of trash have already been diverted from our waterways thanks to volunteer action. The big weekend will be September 18–19, 2026, but many groups go out before or after. Visit sourcetoseacleanup.org to start or join a group today.
     If you’re reading this after September, visit ctriver.org/events for more ways to support cleaner, healthier rivers.