Naromi Land Trust
August 2011 - Vol 2, Issue 7
Great Spangled Fritillary

Great-Spangled Fritillary.  Photo by Dennis Larkin.

In This Issue
Star-gazing
Tree Across Your Trail?
Invasives
Boardwalk Update
Work Day

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Dear Friend of Naromi,

As summer begins to close, Naromi is working hard to get the boardwalk at the Wimisink Preserve going, continuing work on the plantings at Babbling Brook Farm, and gearing up for our many fall activities. (We will let you know about all the goings-on as they approach, but in the meantime mark your calendars for the Annual Community Picnic on October 9.)

   

 Star-gazing at Hadlow on Aug 28th
Join us for an evening of organized star-gazing atop Hadlow Fields on Sunday August 28th.  Former Naromi Board member David Schneiderbeck will be our guide on the last moonless night of summer.  More accurately it will be a new moon, the best condition for seeing other celestial bodies.  While it is quiet in the skies at this time of year, we might see a minor comet.  It is a short walk uphill to glorious daytime views that should provide a wide open space in which to star-gaze.  

 

Meet at 8:00 PM at Hadlow Fields on Cozier Hill Road (where Naromi's Annual Picnic is held), wear sturdy shoes, bring bug spray and binoculars if you have them. Please let us know if you plan to join us!
 
Tree Across Your Favorite Trail? 

Have you seen a tree down or other maintenance concerns on your favorite Naromi trail? With 15 miles of trails, we need your eyes and ears to help us to make sure the trails are kept clear and in good shape.  Please call or email the office to let us know if there is a problem on any Naromi trail you walk on, if you would like to volunteer, or if you have an idea for for a fall volunteer work day.  Most importantly, we hope you get out there and enjoy those trails.   


 Invasives: Japanese Stilt Grass

Japanese Stilt Grass Japanese Stilt Grass is one of many invasive plants present in Sherman, but unlike many other invasives, it is an annual.  This means that it can be eradicated from an area, if it is pulled or controlled before it goes to seed.  It is not toxic to the soil, it tends to form a mat when it dies that prevents native plants from growing.  The tender grass with distinctive leaves, tapered at each end, is easy to see right now. 

 
Wimisink Boardwalk
As has been described here previously, Naromi has been awarded a grant from the Housatonic River Basin Natural Resources Restoration Project to build a boardwalk for education, including wildlife and plant study/observation, and passive recreation for anyone and everyone.  The grant is administered by CT DEEP, US Fish & Wildlife Service and NOAA. The project is still stuck in the permitting process. The project falls outside of Sherman's Planning & Zoning regulations, so Naromi asked for  a change in those regulations to allow accessory uses on conservation land held by non-profit organizations.  The P&Z Commission is sympathetic to this proposal and is planning to allow the regulation change, but some technical issues need to be resolved. The permit for this project must now wait for the proper notice period to close and the commission to meet again before being considered.  Thank you to all those who continue to support this project, especially those who submitted letters of support to the P&Z Commission.

 

Eyed Brown

EYED BROWN

As a part of the planning and study for this project, Naromi hired a butterfly expert to survey the Wimisink Wildlife Sanctuary.  Here is the list of species present there:  Spicebush Swallowtail, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Cabbage White, Summer Azure, Pearl Crescent, American Lady, Little Wood Satyr, EYED BROWN, Silver-spotted Skipper, Peck's Skipper, European Skipper, Least Skipper, Great Spangled Fritillary, Little Glassy Wing, Dun Skipper, Black Swallowtail, Summer Azure, Monarch, Delaware Skipper, Hobomok Skipper, DION SKIPPER, Orange Sulphur, and Viceroy. We featured photos of many of these taken in Northern Sherman by Dennis Larkinin the July 2010 edition of Naromi eNews.  

The EYED BROWN is listed as a Species of Special Concern

Dion Skipper

DION SKIPPER

by the state. The population at Wimisink was viewed with frequency and ease and the expert considers the preserve to be a state stronghold of the species.  The DION SKIPPER is listed as a Threatened Species.  This species is difficult to observe, so the location of even a single individual among  the extensive favorable habitat suggests a viable population.  

 

Odonates, or insects including dragonflies and damselflies, were not surveyed in detail, but the following species (all expected in the habitat) were noted during the butterfly work:  

 

Ebony Jewelwing, Common Spreadwing, Swamp Spreadwing, Eastern Forktail, Fragile Forktail, Variable Dancer, Common Green Darner, Easterm Amberwing, Blue Dasher, Eastern Pondhawk, Spangled Skimmer, Slaty Skimmer, Common Whitetail, Twelve-spotted Skimmer, Widow Skimmer, Halloween Pennant, Cherry-faced Meaowhawk, Dot-tailed Whiteface, and Black Saddlebags.

 

BB Farm Volunteer Work Day 
A small but dedicated group of volunteers came out to Babbling Brook Farm on Friday afternoon. The team of six people cleaned up and re-mulched around plantings installed in 2010 as a part of the on-going renovations of the farm.  The plantings are all native edibles. Thank you to the dedicated volunteers! We will schedule one more day at Babbling Brook Farm in early fall.
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Sincerely,

Naromi Land Trust