Naromi Land Trust

Forever. Sherman.
August 2014
Vol. 5, Issue 8

Green Heron in Flight at Wimisink - Photo by Dennis Larkin

In This Issue

Quick Links

Events

Members, Friends and Neighbors,

Come out and see us this Saturday on the Sherman Town Green and bring your dog to walk the Mallory Trail.

Northern Pearly-Eye - Photo by Dennis Larkin

We also have an rare and special opportunity hiking a private estate just over the line in New York State later this month.

It has been a joy to receive all the reports of birds at Wimisink this month. Please do let us know about anything interesting that you see on an NLT preserve, in your backyard, or in our area. We want to see the birds, plants, animals, and insects you see, and hear about your experiences.

Dog Walk THIS Saturday August 9

Join Naromi and the New Fairfield Sherman Animal Welfare Society for the now Annual Dog Walk. Come to the Sherman Green and walk the Mallory Trail! There will have vendors, balloons, NFSAW items and more! Your donation of $20 ($15 if you register before the event!) will go a long way in helping NFSAW's cats and dogs.

Hike on Private Estate Sunday August 24th at 1 PM

Naromi is offering a very special hike this month on the estate of Gordon Douglas in New York State. Registration is required for this hike. Here is a description of the property wri

New England Cottontail

tten by Mr. Douglas:

It is 175 acres and is rated the 16th best private property for wildlife habitat in New York State (out of 4,000 or more properties looked at). It has a 16 acre lake (made by building a dam in 1922). We have lived here 25 years. It has 10 + acres of Great Swamp and east branch of the Croton River. It also runs up to the top of Cushman hill (about 600 feet). About 20-30 endangered New England Cottontail live in the the property's wetland thickets. We have also planted about 200 native trees, many under a DEP program. The property is under a conservation easement with the Oblong Land Conservancy.

Wimisink

July has been bustling at Wimisink Wildlife Sanctuary!

American Bittern keeping her cool - Photo by Dennis Larkin

Bittern tending her 4 rambunctious offspring - Photo by Dennis Larkin

Great Blue Heron - Photo by Dennis Larkin

Green Heron - Photo by Dennis Larkin

What are our Land Trust neighbors up to these days?

Kent Land Trust is officially opening its East Kent Hamlet Nature Preserve on August 29th at 10:30 AM. There will be hikes, refreshments and remarks from Rob

Camp Francis - Photo by Sallie Ketcham

Klee, CT Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection; Kent First Selectman Bruce Adams; and Kent Land Trust Bill Arnold.

This property, formerly known as Camp Francis, was protected because of a huge community effort to acquire and restore this beautiful property. Steeped in history, the Preserve is the former site of a colonial-era community known as East Kent Hamlet, Kent's first iron forge, the Barnum family farm and the Girl Scout's Camp Francis. Countless volunteers from Warren, Kent and beyond, helped protect it forever. It is located at 39 Kent Hollow Road, near Route 341/Segar Mountain Road in Kent.

New Fairfield Land Trust has been working to restore the 25-acre Komlo Preserve in

Dunham Pond Photo by Bill McCann

the center of town and on the Shortwoods Aquifer Greenway. Tucked away and at the head of the trail adjacent to the Stop and Shop parking lot is Dunham Pond, part of the Komlo Preserve. This is an incredibly beautiful area teeming with wildlife including beavers and blue heron. Dense Multiflora Rose, Bittersweet and Russian Olive have been cleared and replanted with native grasses. NFLT has also been working to restore a cabin on the property as their headquarters. The goal for the Shortwoods Aquifer Greenway is to create a trail that runs from the Komlo Preserve in town all the way to Pootatuck State Forest.

Heronry aka Rookery at the Komlo Preserve
Photo by Russ Strilowich