Naromi Land Trust
December 2012 - Vol 3, Issue 12
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Hikers at Pine Hill 12.2.12
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NEXT HIKE: Jan 6th
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Hike the Red Pine area of the Pootatuck State Forest in New Fairfield, off Short Woods Road, at 1 PM on Sunday January 6th.
See details below or on our website.
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| Naromi Board of Directors & Staff |
President
Marge Josephson
Vice President
Stephanie Warren
Secretary
Michael Hertzberg
Treasurer
Bill Garrison
Directors
John Foley
Jen Freed Rocky
Stan Greenbaum
Ian Gribble
Chris Jellen
Tom Joyner
Alan Kaplan
Liz Mard
Bill McGoldrick
Chris Theodoros
Emeritus
Richard P. Donohoe
Philip Korsant
Land Manager
Hunter Brawley
Program Manager
Amanda Branson
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| Dear Members, Neighbors and Friends, |
Thanks to your calls and e-mails, the members of the House and Senate approved Governor Malloy's Deficit Mitigation Plan, which included a cut of $2Million from the Community Investment Act fund - down from the $5Million in cuts that had been proposed on the original plan.
Thank you to everyone who has renewed their membership or has become a new member of Naromi Land Trust.
Support from our members allows us to continue to offer our program of hikes, workdays, educational, and community events for Sherman families and the general public throughout the year and steward the conservation properties that make Sherman such a wonderful place to live.
Don't despair if you have not yet renewed your membership there is still plenty of time! Please support Naromi in 2012-2013 by renewing your membership or becoming a new member. Be as generous as you can to help us add trails, increase access and expand our stewardship in Sherman.
The Naromi Land Trust Board and staff wish you a happy and healthy 2013!
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New Program from the Land Trust Alliance
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 | | Photo by Dennis Larkin |
The Land Trust Alliance, the national organization that sets universal Standards & Practices and advocates for land trusts, is launching a new insurance program to protect land trusts against costly legal battles that are the result of enforcing conservation agreements. Enforcement of conservation easements, deed restrictions and any other conservation agreements is a land trusts most important responsibility. Enforcement can lead to legal action, which can be lengthy and therefore costly. This new program is the result of more than 20 years of discussion, research and planning by land trust leaders.
To enter this program, land trusts must meet rigorous eligibility standards. Naromi staff and Board members have set a goal to meet these standards and enter the program within the next year. This is a very high goal, but the Board is confident we can achieve it. FOr more information, check out www.lta.org. If you are interested in getting involved in this project, please contact the office by phone 860-354-0260 or email naromi@sbcglobal.net.
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Volunteers Clear Trails
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Over the past couple years, particularly after the major storms, the Brooklands Preserve has enjoyed anonymous stewardship and maintenance. At long last we have learned the identity of the Brooklands steward-the Rev. Paul Astbury. Naromi is grateful to Rev Astbury to have kept the trails clear and available for use for all of us! Naromi would also like to thank Dave Rogers and his crew for clearing a tangle of trees that were brought down by Storm Sandy at the Strauss Preserve. Here are the before photos:
And the after:  
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Naromi Upcoming Hikes
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Naromi has set a calendar of hikes & events for the next several months. We hope you join us for many of them! We intend to hold a Naromi event on the second weekend of each month.
January 6th - Join us to hike the Red Pine area of the Pootatuck State Forest in New Fairfield. This section of Pootatuck is off Short Woods Road - driving directions are posted on our website. Meet at 1 PM on Sunday January 6th. Most of the walk is on an old woods road that heads uphill for about half of the planned walk, but not too steep. There was a timber cut at top of hill that reveals interesting regrowth of vegetation and therefore, wildlife habitat. There are potential seasonal views at the top of the hill. There are two options to finish the walk; we can walk to the timber cut and come back or do a loop with a short road walk back to the parking area. Either way, the walk will be 1.5 miles total and less than 2 hours. Wear sturdy shoes, warm clothes, and bring water.
 January 12th - A field trip to view the Bald Eagles at the Shepaug Dam in Southbury. See details on our website or below.
February 10th - Will there be snow on the ground at that time? If there is enough snow, we will lead a snowshoe/cross-country skiing trip at the Hadlow preserve on Cozier Hill Road. If there is no snow, or not enough we will still enjoy the views of Hadlow with a hike around the fields and beyond.
March 10th - The Annual Frog Frolic at Towner Hill. It has become an annual tradition to gather and enjoy the chorus of frogs in the vernal pools atop Towner Hill each Spring. Here is a video from last year's visit.
Keep an eye on Naromi's website and Facebook page for more details on these events.
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Shepaug Eagles
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 Naromi is organizing a field trip to the Shepaug Dam in Southbury to observe Bald Eagles on January 12. This is a wonderful opportunity to view eagles who come to the dam because of the easy access to fish near the dam during the coldest months of the year. Naromi has a group reservation starting at 9:30 AM. The viewing area is indoors, but there is no heat, so dress warmly. Some spotting scopes are available, but bring good binoculars if you have them. A naturalist will be on hand to tell us about eagle facts and answer questions.
Please do register for this trip by contacting the Naromi office by phone 860-354-0260 or email naromi@sbcglobal.net. Car pooling from Sherman to Southbury is encouraged. Those who wish to car pool should meet at the Sherman School at 8:30 AM (approximately 40 minutes of driving time). Those who wish to drive themselves must register and get the reservation number. Driving directions are available here.
The trip is weather dependent. Check the NLT website or on Facebook, or call Chris Jellen trip coordinator at 860-318-1744, if you are uncertain.
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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,
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