Naromi Land Trust
May 2012 - Vol 3, Issue 5

The red flags indicate new plantings along the stream at Babbling Brook Farm planted by  

a team of volunteers as a part of Naromi's celebration of Earth Day 2012 on April 21st.  

In This Issue
Earth Day 2012
Cranberry Mountain
Birding
Help Clear Trails
Canoe Trip



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Dear Friend of Naromi,
Indigo Bunting
Indigo Bunting
It has been a particularly fun few weeks with Naromi.  We celebrated Earth Day with a series of events and celebrated the Spring Migratory Season with a bird identification walk. Read on below for more on these.
 
Naromi is so grateful for the hard work and dedication of our core of volunteers.  Without this support, Naromi could not do the conservation work that is so important to Sherman's character.  In early April, George Linkletter and Rick Hudson got together and removed a pile of old fencing, wire and posts, from the Hadlow field near the edge of Route 37.  Read the article below to learn about a team of volunteers led by Robin Zitter planted native plants at Babbling Brook Farm. 

Would you like to join in?  Come help clear trails at Brookland on May 19th.  Details are beow. Thank you so much to everyone who supports Naromi's work!

 

Naromiyocknowhusunkatankshunk!  

Earth Day Events! Work. Walk. Party.
On Saturday, April 21st Naromi organized the best celebration of Earth Day in Sherman yet.  There were events all over Sherman for every age from 8 to 80+. Check out www.naromi.org  for more photos and several videos.

First, a team of eager volunteers descended on Babbling Brook Farm to help plant native wetland plants. The planting was part of the on-going restoration of Babbling Brook Farm with support from NRCS Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program. Representative Richard Smith joined us to plant a tree for Earth Day.


Last fall Naromi removed two failing stream culverts in the brook and replaced a third under the watchful eye of NRCS Resource Conservationist Todd Bobowick. With the help of these willing volunteers able to plant 125 native plants and trees at Babbling Brook Farm in a few hours. This work would never have been possible without two incredible volunteers: Robin Zitter who graciously to do the planting plan and order the plant material, and Tim Beatty who donated a full day with an excavator to remove large invasive plants.

 Also on Saturday Naromi led a hike at the Mallory Trail and had a social event with wine-tasting at White Silo Farm.  Guests enjoyed the wine and nibbles by  White Silo Farm & Winery, a behind the scenes tour of White Silo, music of Doug Mahard, and were challenged to say Naromiyocknowhusunkatankshunk.  Naromi's name is derived from the Naromiyocknowhusunkatankshunk Brook, a native American name meaning "water from the hills..."


Cranberry Mountain 


A group of Sherman folks came out to hike the Cranberry Mountain Wildlife Management Area on April 15th.  More photos on our website.  


Birding with Naromi  
With the help of Angela Dimmitt, expert on birds, the group saw and/or heard 58 species of birds despite the cloudy and later misty morning.   Highlights were Great Egret and Green Heron at Wimisink swamp area (unusual to see each of these).  In the more upland fields and woods at the Strauss Preserve the group found Indigo Bunting, Scarlet Tanager, 4 kinds of vireos and 11 kinds of warblers. The spring migratory season is great for birding because so many species are on the move and singing, and because it is easier to locate the birds because the trees are not yet fully leafed out.

 

More Spring migrant species have been arriving every day, so keep your eyes and ears open for them.  Hummingbirds will be looking for the feeders in the same locations as last year. If you make a visit to the Wimisink area, be stealthy on your approach to the observation platform and you may be rewarded with a glimpse of the wood ducks, mallards, and black ducks.

If you are interested in joining a guided bird walk, contact Naromi at 860-354-0260 or [email protected]

 

Come help us clear trails on May 19th! 
Volunteer Robin Zitter clearing trails at Irene's Woods in March 2012. 
Come out and volunteer a few hours to help clear trails at Naromi's oldest preserve, Brookland on Saturday May 19th at 9am.  An anonymous volunteer has done significant work cleaning up after the fall storms, Irene and Alfred, but more work needs to be done clearing downed trees.  In addition, now that most plants have leafed out, they are crowding the trails. Work will be clipping back vegetation, mostly invasives, in order to open up the trails and dragging off branches and brush.
 
Brookland is a preserve of lovely woods with stone walls, beautiful old trees, and the  Naromiyocknowhusunkatankshunk Brook.  

  

The Brookland Preserve is accessible from Crooked Furrows Lane just beyond the Congregational Church on Church Road. Naromi plans a hike at the Brookland as a part of CT Trails Day on Sunday, June 3rd.  
 


Canoe Trip on the Great Swamp on June 30th 

Family Canoe Great SwampCome explore this treasure and learn about some of the wildlife that calls this area home, or is just stopping by on its way somewhere else. Board member Chris Jellen  will lead this 2 to 3 hour paddle from Patterson center to the Route 22-Haviland Hollow crossing.  Great Blue Outfitters will coordinate canoe and kayak rentals, including paddles, personal floatation device (pfd) and any other necessary supplies for anyone who wants to come but does not have their own equipment.  They are generously offering a discount on their regular prices for this trip. Prices are per boat as follows: $30 for a solo kayak, or $20 for a canoe or a tandem (two-person) kayak. 

 

We will meet at Great Blue Outfitters (3198 Route 22, Patterson, NY) at 8 am on June 30th.  Anyone who wishes to rent a boat may do so then.  GBO will provide transportation for people and boat to the put-in in Patterson Center.  We hope to be in the water by 9am to see as much wildlife as possible.  The trip will take 2 to 3 hours, depending on the wildlife activity, to reach the take-out point.  GBO will meet us there and transport everyone back to parking.   

 

Advance registration is required for this trip whether you are bringing your own boat or renting one.  Register early if you are renting a boat, as this trip will sell out quickly. Please register by noon on Friday June 29th.

If you wish to rent a boat: Please call GBO to make your reservation 845-319-6172. 

If you plan to bring your own boat: Please call the NLT office 860-354-0260 or email [email protected].   

 

Wear comfortable clothes and don't bring anything that cannot get wet! 

 

 

 

Please share this Naromi newsletter with your friends by using the forward button below.  We welcome comments from you about what you would like to see discussed here and what you think we are doing right, or wrong!  We look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Naromi Land Trust