The Aspetuck Land Trust Blog

Highlights from First Fall Hike -- Hawk Walk

2009-10-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

Our first fall hike was a great success! Local hawkbander catches two wild hawks for the group. Trout Brook Valley orchard fields are an important hawk habitat area for hawks flying down the east coast flyway zone. They can see it from the air in the Sound and detour to Trout Brook to replenish before flying past New York City.

SPRING/SUMMER HIKES

2009-06-14T06:28:00.000-07:00

We have scheduled five hikes to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the creation of the Trout Brook Valley

preserve (TBV). These diverse hikes are open to everyone and offer a great way to explore the over

1,600 acres of open space in our community.

June 6th: National Trails Day

This hike, celebrating National Trails Day, is a long and moderately difficult one that explores both TBV

and Jump Hill along multiple trails. Meet at 8:30am for the 9am to 1pm hike. RSVP to Lisa Brodlie at

lbrodlie@aol.com or 203-227-1522. (35 spots maximum)

June 13th: Equestrian Ride

Come explore TBV on horse-back! Trails will be marked and will include access to the Orchard for an

outstanding view of the Long Island Sound. Meet at 8am and wander the trails at your own pace. RSVP

to Aili diBonaventura at ailidib@hotmail.com or 203-247-7369

June 14th: Orienteering

Long-time orienteers, Rick & Susan DeWitt will lead an orienteering adventure in TBV. Orienteering

maps with marked locations will be distributed-don’t forget your compass! Meet at 8:45am for the 9am to

12pm adventure. RSVP to Tara Kasaks at tkasaks@aspetucklandtrust.org. (30 spots maximum)

June 20th: TBV History Tour

Join Bruce LePage, former Executive Director of ALT, for a fascinating history review of TBV while

enjoying a moderately difficult hike. Meet at 9:15am for the 9:30am to 12pm hike. RSVP to Bruce at

belepage@sbcglobal.net or 339-1574 (35 spots maximum)

June 27th: Birding Hike

Expert Milan Bull from the Connecticut Audubon Society will be on hand to discuss the amazing bird

diversity in TBV. Meet at 8am for a two-hour walk through TBV and bring your binoculars and cameras!

RSVP to David Brant at dbrant@aspetucklandtrust.org or 331-1906 (35 spots maximum)

All hikes meet at the Bradley Road parking lot in Weston. Please call 331-1906 one hour before your

hike for cancellations in case of inclement weather. Please wear appropriate clothing including hiking

boots and/or sturdy sneakers and bring water. For more information, visit www.aspetucklandtrust.org or

call David Brant at 331-1906.

ALT on Cablevision 5-30-09

2009-06-10T18:15:00.000-07:00

David Brant discusses Phyliis the Sheep who was lost in the Aspetuck Land Trust's Trout Brook Valley Preserve for two weeks. He also describes upcoming walks to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the acquisition of one of the largest open space parcels in Fairfield County.

2009-06-09T10:34:00.000-07:00

Phyllis the sheep. Found!

2009-05-15T13:07:00.000-07:00

Phyllis, a three year old Icelandic sheep, who escaped from her owner on Sunday, April 25, has returned home to owner John Bauby and her fellow sheep.

Phyllis has been hiding out and foraging in the Aspetuck Land Trust’s 750 acre Trout Brook Valley nature preserve in Easton and Weston. After numerous sightings and attempts to catch the sheep, she wandered home today to the great surprise and relief of her owner, John Bauby.

According to David Brant, the Aspetuck Land Trust’s Executive Director, “Trout Brook Valley is one of the most expansive tracts of land in Fairfield County. It is no wonder that Phyllis decided to call it home for a few weeks. It is a wilderness in our own back yard. I think she enjoyed herself”

Icelandic sheep are a rare breed – there are only 3,000 of them in the US. They have a “wilder” sensibility than domesticated sheep, are very good foragers and adept at navigating the terrain in places like Trout Brook Valley.

Said owner Bauby, “I think Phyllis was tired of being pursued by the general public. She wanted to come home and get sheared. Her haircut is long overdue and she was getting hot. I thank the community for their outpouring of help. The response has been incredible.”

Please help find Phyllis the Sheep!

2009-05-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

Phyllis, an Icelandic sheep, escaped from her owner on Sunday the 25th of April and has been spotted in our Trout Brook Valley preserve.

She's very scared and hot because she hasn't been sheared yet. Sheep are gregarious but she really needs our help to get her back home.

There are only about 3000 Icelandics in the US. Phyllis and all her friends are kept for wool production locally at the Bauby farm in Easton.

Icelandic sheep and all sheep in general are docile and very skittish. Most will run at the sight of humans and other animals as they view them as predators. The sheep are fast and will run if they feel threatened.

Here’s how you can help:

1) Download and print a map of TBV and bring it with you.

http://www.aspetucklandtrust.org/maps/ALT-001-map_troutbrook.pdf

2) If you spot Phyllis, mark the location on the map. Note her general health condition and any other details.

3) Call her owner, John Bauby, at 203-913-7929

He is very appreciative of any information leading to the safe recovery of a very missed sheep.

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-21T21:25:00.000-07:00

Click to view Earth Day video from the EPA

In Historic Step, EPA Determines Global Warming Major Threat to Human Health, Environment
A Wake-Up Call for Action

(Washington – April 17, 2009). In an historic step, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson today formally determined that global warming pollution "endangers" the nation's human health and well-being.

"The U.S. is taking its first steps as a nation to confront climate change," said Vickie Patton, deputy general counsel at Environmental Defense Fund. "Global warming threatens our health, our economy, and our children's prosperity. EPA's action is a wake up-call for national policy solutions that secure our economic and environmental future."

Today's landmark action is required by the U.S. Supreme Court, which rejected the Bush EPA's "laundry list" of reasons not to address global warming pollution under the federal Clean Air Act in a landmark April 2, 2007, judicial decision.

Today's decision – a determination that global warming pollution is a danger to America's health and well-being – reflects the first step under the federal Clean Air Act to begin establishing national emission standards for large global warming emitters but does not contain such emission limits. It is anticipated that EPA will finalize the "endangerment" determination while it begins developing national emission standards for new motor vehicles and new coal-fired power plants, the nation's two largest sources of global warming pollution.

EPA's action comes as Congress takes its own historic steps toward enacting a cap on global warming pollution. The House Energy and Commerce Committee next week will begin hearings on comprehensive energy and climate legislation and move quickly to a vote on the bill, called the American Clean Energy and Security Act. Chairman Henry Waxman has committed to moving the bill out of committee by Memorial Day. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she intends to bring the bill to the House floor this year.

Background

EPA Responds to an Order from the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2003, the Bush EPA denied a 1999 request to establish greenhouse gas emission standards for motor vehicles under the Clean Air Act. EPA claimed it had no power to address global warming pollution, expressly reversing prior EPA legal opinions. On April 2, 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court in Massachusetts v. EPA pointedly admonished EPA for its refusal to act by proffering a "laundry list of reasons not to regulate" greenhouse gas emissions. The high Court commanded EPA to make a decision on the basis of science: "That EPA would prefer not to regulate greenhouse gases because of some residual uncertainty…is irrelevant. The statutory question is whether sufficient information exists to make an endangerment finding."

The Science Shows Abrupt Climate Impacts and Threat to Poor, Elderly, Human Health. EPA's extensive review of the science, conducted as part of today's "endangerment" determination, documented: (1) abrupt climate change impacts including the accelerated flow and thinning at the edges of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets and associated effects on sea level rise; (2) the climate-related human health perils for the poor, the elderly, the disabled, and the uninsured, and (3) the expected climate-induced rise in smog pollution and heat-related deaths in major regions of the country.

Pollution Has Soared While EPA Denied Responsibility. EPA's action is long overdue. Since citizens petitioned EPA to address global warming pollution in 1999, the nation has discharged nearly 70 billion tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and heat-trapping carbon dioxide concentrations have soared to 385 parts per million (2008).

Policy Solutions, Not Scare-Tactics. EPA's announcement is a wake up call for national policy action that will reduce global warming pollution and grow America's clean energy economy. But the usual suspects that lobby to delay progress and avoid accountability continue to use scare tactics to claim that action by EPA will result in a "cow tax" and make other absurd claims. EPA is not even requiring reporting of greenhouse gas emissions for sources emitting less than 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually. To put the 25,000 reporting threshold into perspective, it is the amount of pollution emitted from the annual energy use of about 2,200 homes, approximately 58,000 barrels of oil consumed, or 130 railcars of coal.

Bradley Road entrance signage (part 1)

2009-01-27T09:03:00.001-08:00

Below are pictures of the Bradley Road entrance signage at our Trout Brook Valley preserve. The ALT Land Management committee would like to make improvements to this signage. Please review below considerations and pictures and post your comments. You can click on the picture to enlarge.

--Install emergency access sign on cable to access road
--Redo/reposition hunting signs
--"Remain on trails" message is important to communicate
--Need entrance sign to trail head, so people know where to enter – we need to direct flow to trail entrance
--Do we need signage on berm regarding trout stream and Great Blue Heron, so dogs don’t disturb (picture of berm is not below)?
--Relocate trail maps/box to preserve entrance
--We need a message to bike riders about biking on bike trails only
--You are here signs (in certain preserve locations)

Current trail map box (located in interior, not entrance)

First things you see as you enter parking area.

Bradley Road entrance signage (part 2)

2009-01-27T08:56:00.000-08:00

Fire access road signage.

Main kiosk

Signs to the right of the main kiosk (green sign recently added).

Main kiosk contents.

Pileated Woodpecker

2009-01-19T21:35:00.000-08:00

Filmed this clip of a Pileated Woodpecker at the town of Fairfield Mill Hill Open Space adjacent the ALT Acorn Lane Preserve. You'll recognize the distinctive call and the boring sound can be heard from a long distance away.
A large bird about 16-19" tall. Gives me a headache just watching the drilling action!

Click here for the Acorn Lane Map

Click here for the higher quality Quicktime video, you'll need Apple Quicktime installed if you are viewing on a PC

Blogger video clip below

Hike Preview: Crow Hill to the Orchard with Peter Oldershaw

2008-10-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

If you want to see this fall's most spectacular leaf show, join Peter this Sunday, October 26. Last week's hike was amazing; one of our biggest groups ever!

1:00pm - 3:00pm
Location: Easton off Woodland Drive. Rte. 58 past Bluebird Restaurant to Norton Rd, to Wydlewood to Woodland Drive.Park: At cul-de-sac on Woodland Walk: Loop walk: Crow Hill White to Red to Blue to Magenta to Orchard and back.

"See the best of the 167-acre Crow Hill Preserve, a good example of old CT farm land returning to forest with lots of beautiful stone walls. Also see the splendor of CT fall leaf color from the top of the Orchard. The views at this time of year are spectacular. Note: Dogs are welcome.Difficulty: Easy to Moderate. Should be about 2 hours..."

Wear some hiking boots to make your day more comfortable. And bring a water bottle!
Leader: Peter Oldershaw, 203-259-3868- let him know if you are coming!

Our Policy on Corporate Endorsements: by A.L. Tease

2008-10-17T14:42:00.001-07:00

With commercialism running rampant in our society, far be it from the Aspetuck Land Trust to come out and blatantly suggest that our members patronize a business like "Eastern Mountain Sports" at their Black Rock Turnpike store in Fairfield. Just because they have given us-for 3 years - the opportunity to set up an information table at the store with trail maps, membership info, and ALT tee shirts (the sale of which is in DIRECT competition with the merchandise sold at EMS!)... and offer a 20% discount to ALT members ....and the staff of said EMS store personally having donated $1000 to the Trust is no reason for anyone to think that we are selling out by suggesting that members support EMS/ Fairfield and gear up for the big ALT hikes this Fall at the newly expanded, full service and Aspetuck Land Trust friendly Eastern Mountain Sports store at 1939 Black Rock Turnpike. Be sure to tell Mitch the manager that we will not stand for his continued enthusiastic support and promotion of our organization at the expense of his tee shirt sales!

Let this be the first of many editorials decrying this outrageous infiltration of commercial support into our august organization. (Next week: Patagonia of Westport and the desecration of
their beautiful display tabletops with multitudes of Aspetuck Land Trust brochures!)

Ode to an Invasive Species

2008-10-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

THE BARBERRY BUSH

By Ralph Waldo Emerson

The bush that has most briers and bitter fruit,
Wait till the frost has turned its green leaves red,
Its sweetened berries will thy palate suit,
And thou may'st find e'en there a homely bread.
Upon the hills of Salem scattered wide,
Their yellow blossoms gain the eye in Spring;
And straggling e'en upon the turnpike's side,
Their ripened branches to your hand they bring,
I 've plucked them oft in boyhood's early hour,
That then I gave such name, and thought it true;
But now I know that other fruit as sour
Grows on what now thou callest Me and You;
Yet, wilt thou wait the autumn that I see,
Will sweeter taste than these red berries be.

Hike Preview: Oct 19th at Trout Brook with Lisa Brodlie

2008-10-09T20:15:00.000-07:00

Lisa Brodlie, ALT Board Member, will lead a hike at Trout Brook Valley on the 19th of October. Noone knows the trails there better than Lisa! Here are her thoughts about what to expect:

"The October 19th hike will begin ascending the red trail, going over onto purple for a fabulous view of the Saugatuck Reservoir, observing along the way, many varied forms of moss & lovely rocks with interesting lichen. After descending from the high area, we'll meander along the green trail, finishing with a tour along the violet trail, home to over 14 different kinds of ferns, running side by side with Hawley's Brook. The history of the area will be discussed, along with the acquisition of TBV by the Trust.The hike is among the more difficult, as ascending the red trail is a bit tricky, but there is good rope support. Sturdy hiking boots are recommended & bringing a water bottle would be wise."

If you've never taken a guided hike at a Land Trust preserve, this would be a great one to start with (..and maybe you'll finally understand the red, green and violet trails system!) And if you have been on a hike before, you know there's so much more to see and learn!

Monarch Live, A Distance Learning Adventure

2008-10-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

This website takes you on a journey to track the migration of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). This migration is one of the most spectacular events in the insect work, and every year, millions of delicate but hardy monarchs and their offspring travel thousands of miles from Canada and the United States to overwinter in just a few mountain peaks in the states of Mexico and Michoacán, Mexico.

MonarchLIVE kicks off on Friday, October 10 from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern Time with a live broadcast and webcast. The annual migration of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is one of the most spectacular natural phenomena in the world, and the October 10 kickoff begins a series of electronic field trips that will be held throughout the 2008-09 school year. You will be able to e-mail questions or call them in to an 800 number during the live event.

Visit: http://monarch.pwnet.org

Thanks for everything, Paul

2008-10-06T06:31:00.000-07:00

First generation helped us create Trout Brook Valley Preserve. Second Generation serves on our Board.

Family Fun Fest

2008-09-25T21:09:00.001-07:00

The third annual Family Fun Fest was held on Sunday Sept, 21. Over 800 parents, grandparents and children came to the duPont preserve in Easton on a beautiful "indian summer" day to celebrate open space and learn about nature.

Children learned about barn owl and box turtles brought by the CT Audubon. Wildlife in Crisis presented information about their rehabilitation program. Backyard Beekeepers had a see-thru exhibit with hundreds of honey bees and graciously donated $500 to the Aspetuck Land Trust.

Click here for 360 degree interactive photos of the event donated by Evergreen Studios

There were Orienteering programs, a Colonial Tools demonstration, Tractor rides and nature walks around the preserve, as well as Pony rides, Face painting, and Kids crafts.

A free raffle was held with over $1000 worth of donations from local merchants including;Patagonia, Eastern Mountain Sport, The Dressing Room, Gilberties Herb Gardens of Easton,Aspetuck Valley Orchards, Local author James Prosek, and Greenfield Farms of Fairfield.

We thank everyone for coming out to see first hand how the Aspetuck Land Trust is a vital partner in our community by preserving natural open space. We encourage families and friends to join us in this mission. Please click here for membership information starting at only $35.

Aspetuck Land Trust announces new Executive Director

2008-09-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

The board of the Aspetuck Land trust is pleased to announce their new Executive Director is David Brant.

David and his wife Jill and twin 2-yr olds recently moved to Fairfield from Minneapolis, MN. David ‘s experience in land management ranges from working on a ranch in Montana to running an organic farm in Vermont, but his more recent experience has been in nonprofit start-ups in youth job training and youth farm projects.

David is very excited to become a member of the local environmental community, manage the preserves and trails of ALT, and create programs to get more families and youth on ALT lands.

David will be hosting the Aspetuck Land Trust Family Fun Fest alongside Bruce Lepage, the retiring Executive Director, on September 21, 2008 at the duPont Preserve on RT 59 (Sport Hill Rd. in Easton) 1-4pm. Click here for Family Fun Fest

Please come out to meet David and enjoy one of the land trust’s most beautiful preserves-take a pony ride, have your face painted, meet animals from CT Audubon and Wildlife in Crisis and eat lunch! See you there!

Preserving Fairfield - Finding Room for Green Space Amidst Fairfield's Development

2008-09-10T06:53:00.001-07:00

Fairfield Magazine reprint with permission May/June 2008

written by Brita Belli

There is a stillness found in this path through the woods. It's not too far from the bustle of the "real world"; on one side, there are palatial homes, with groomed lawns and pruned bushes, and off in the distance, one can hear the hum of traffic on the Merritt Parkway. But here, in this patch of woods, which leads through a field of wildflowers, past a stone wall, and into the cool comfort of more tree trunks, moss, and branches, something important is happening, and it's called preservation.

Walking around the 14 acres of the Aspetuck Land Trust that begins in one of Fairfield's most exclusive neighborhoods, one feels a connection with the natural world and with the diverse landscape that is part of this town's scenic charm. It took landowners with an understanding of the importance of preservation to keep this land from development, and the fight to preserve Fairfield is far from over.

"We preserve land for three primary reasons," says Bruce LePage, executive director of the Aspetuck Land Trust. "Passive recreation opportunities (a lot of people walk their dogs or cross-country ski); then we preserve for animal habitat (recently I saw a pair of red faxes jumping over the stone wall on the property-they are making a comeback); finally, we preserve land to preserve a town's rural characteristics and scenic views."

It's thanks to land preservation that Southport and other parts of Fairfield maintain some part of their rural character, their open farmland, historic homes, reed-covered wetlands, and corners of woods, even as the town succumbs to countless condo developments, mansions, and retail outlets...

Click here to read the full article

Black Bear Sighting in Easton

2008-09-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

A sighting of a medium size black bear recently occurred in a residential area of Easton. While no sighting have been reported on ALT preserves, here are some facts about bears you might want to know about.

On hiking trails and in wooded areas, bears will usually avoid people. Black bear attacks on humans are exceptionally rare. In most hiking areas, bears normally leave once they have sensed a human.

If you see a bear when hiking make your presence known by making noise and waving your arms.

Although black bears are quite large (and can weigh up to six hundred pounds), they get frightened easily and they often make loud noises when they're afraid.

If you surprise a bear at close range, walk away slowly while facing the bear. Avoid direct eye contact and do not run. These animals love to explore the forest, and they can run as fast as thirty-five miles an hour! Try to stay calm as you make your retreat.

Black bears will sometimes “bluff charge” to within a few feet of you when they feel threatened. If this happens, stand your ground and shout at the bear. Do not climb a tree — black bears are excellent tree climbers.

For more information about black bears, visit the CT DEP Web site at ct.gov/dep. Report bear sightings to the DEP Wildlife Division at (860) 675-8130.

Click here to go the ALT website

Details of Major Announcement coming soon!

2008-08-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

After a long effort, the Search Commitee Tuesday night recommended a new candidate to serve as Executive Director to replace longtime ED Bruce LePage. The Board met with the candidate and voted unanimously to appoint him. As specific details of transition to the new ED are being finalized, we can mention that our new ED brings a great deal of knowledge in managing non- profits, has a love for nature and has physically "worked the land", has extensive fundraising and grant-writing ability and a desire to greatly increase public awareness of the Land Trust to the public at large. Further, he hopes to work towards fulfilling the Board's dream of much more collaboration with the schools in our 4 Towns in the area of environmental education... using our preserves as a tool.
The new Executive Director brings with him a youthful enthusiasm, a literate sophistication (if there is such a thing!?) and a healthy balance of idealism tempered with realism. Bruce LePage is a tough act to follow, but we think our new ED will be able to build upon the "foundation" created by Bruce... and take us all in some exciting new directions.
Details to follow...!

ps: whoever guesses the person in the photo wins a free hike thru an ALT Preserve of their choosing!

Click here to go the ALT website

Who Cleared Our Woods?

2008-06-30T19:14:00.000-07:00

Responding to a request by a new neighbor to consider the creation of an additional access path to a Westport preserve, the Land Management Committee was disturbed to discover wholesale tree trimming and plant removal (including Mountain Laurel- illegal to cut in Connecticut!) at one of our most beautiful- and undiscovered- properties directly on the Saugatuck River. The vegetation on this land, donated to ALT in the 80's for the public enjoyment of the River, was apparently deemed to be interfering with 2 uphill neighbors' views of the water; a swath of cut trees and a trail of wood chips leaves little question as to the identity- and the addresses!-of the perpetrators.
This ongoing battle against encroachment, dumping and attempted "claiming" of our properties for private use requires the expenditure of precious funds for legal fees, resurveying and installation of boundary markers (fences, signage,etc). In this appalling case, every effort shall be made to repair the damage and make this land more accessible to the public. We wish these funds were being spent on land aquisition and not on repairing damage caused by selfish neighbors!

Click here to go the ALT website

ALT Directors advise on UConn Saugatuck River Watershed Study

2008-06-23T07:35:00.001-07:00

On Monday, June 16th several ALT Directors and members were invited to critique the survey content of the upcoming University of Connecticut research project, developed by UConn student John Tortorella of Storrs, Ct.. A primary focus of the survey is on the need and support for the addition of fish ladders at the numerous dams along the River- which limit the distance fish can travel upstream- and improve fish populations, water quality and recreational benefits.

ALT is proud to have been involved in several ladder installations recently (especially at Trout Brook Valley) . Westport Director Heather Williams , member and avid Saugatuck fisherman Colin Walklett (Heather’s husband), student John Tortorella,Weston Directors Bud Martin, Cynnie Williams and Jonathan Wagner (not shown), met in Weston for a trial survey completion and subsequent review of the document for content and ease of use. Fish ladders are expensive to build- $20-30,000- so your membership contribution helps in our effort to build more!
ALT was proud to have been sought out by UConn for our expertise and we continue to support environmental initiatives in our 4 towns- and beyond!

Click here to go the ALT website

Aspetuck Land Trust Celebrates Bruce Lepage’s Contribution To Open Space In Connecticut

2008-06-16T07:02:00.001-07:00

A lively crowd gathered at Aspetuck Land Trust’s (ALT) Haskins Preserve in Westport recently to celebrate Bruce LePage’s 25 years of service as executive director of the Trust. LePage, who is formally retiring at the end of the year, received a citation from the Connecticut Senate –proposed by Senators John McKinney and Judith Freedman—as well as one from the General Assembly proposed by Representative John Stripp. These citations note LePage’s success in securing over 1,000 acres of open space during his tenure and his ability to work with both individuals and government officials to protect land from development.

Woody Bliss, First Selectman of Weston, presented a proclamation declaring June 7, 2008 Bruce LePage Open Space Day. Many of the other local town’s current and former First Selectmen spoke of LePage’s invaluable contribution including Ken Flatto (Fairfield), Gordon Joseloff (Westport) and Bill Kupinse (Easton). George Guidera, former First Selectman from Weston and ALT’s current attorney, also paid Bruce LePage a tribute noting that he "always is a gentleman no matter how intense the negotiations."

Among LePage’s key accomplishments are the preservation of Trout Brook Valley which, including Crow Hill and Jump Hill, encompasses 1,009 acres and his recent success in pushing through legislation that clarifies tax exempt status for all Connecticut land trusts.

"Bruce will be greatly missed," commented Land Trust President Princie Falkenhagen, "although he will stay on to help in the transition to a new Executive Director. At this time, ALT is still looking for the right person to replace him, certainly a hard act to follow!"

Click here to go the ALT website