Join us for the second annual New Fairfield Sherman Animal Welfare Pet Fair on the Green near the IGA on Saturday.  Last year was a blast, so don't miss it!  Naromi will lead walks  in the Mallory Preserve for anyone who is interested, no matter how many legs you have. 

The 2013 NFSAW Dog Walk and Bazaar will take place on Saturday, August 10, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on the Sherman Green and the Naromi Land Trust's Mallory Trail, near the intersection of Routes 37 and 39 in Sherman.  Bring your dog anytime between 9-2 for a walk along a truly beautiful and EASY trail, and then stick around to pay a visit to the Bazaar, which will have a variety of vendors for those with pets and those without. It's just $25 to participate, and all proceeds benefit New Fairfield/Sherman Animal Welfare. To receive your registration/pledge collection form, or to participate as a vendor, please contact nfsawpets@gmail.com or call 860-354-1358. We hope to see you there!       

With the arrival of late May I returned to Sherman for the summer holidays, in search of work and hoping to not get landed with the coffee-fetching internship that every college student fears. When I managed to work out a project with the Naromi Land Trust, the work that followed was a pleasant surprise!  

I worked ten hours a week under Program Manger Amanda Branson to preserve documents of enduring value that pertained to Naromi's fee and easement properties, updating and cleaning out the paper and electronic files. Not only did I learn a great deal about legal documents and the workings of a non-profit land trust, but I also gained an invaluable knowledge of my hometown of Sherman.  

I realized also that I had totally taken for granted the scenic vistas, trails, and overall rural charm that I grew up with in Sherman, and that these beautiful preserves would not be possible without Naromi's board of volunteers, charitable donors, and supporters throughout Sherman. Reading the narratives behind Naromi's acquisition of various parcels of land has been intriguing and has provided a new context each time I take a hike within the area. Coupled with my work at the all-organic Bloomingfields Farm on Route 55 in Sherman, Naromi also helped me to gain a new appreciation for sustainability and environmental stewardship.  

Now, as the summer comes to a close and I return to college, I hope I can bring the skills I've developed to other conservation efforts in my future career!

Midday on July 19th, the bear in this photo ambled through a field on Church Road. We were close enough to see the identification tags on the ears and sent a report to CT DEEP Wildlife Division.   They responded that this is a female who was given the ID tags as an 8 month old orphan cub in New Milford in 2008.   There have been no reports of her being a problem to anyone.   It was good to learn that ID tags do not necessarily mean a bear has been a problem.   So, if you see a bear, DEEP appreciates getting a sighting report on its website page.  They use the information to get an idea of the relatively density of bears in the state.  The identification tag information should include the color and the letter and/or number on the tag(s).  In this case they were pleased to know that an orphan cub had survived to become a healthy adult and to know its current location.  

This bear has come back to the same location this week, but not bothered any birdfeeders or garbage bins.  Stay tuned for more reports!