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Lorrie Abrams, Michael Boyd, Barbara Ungeheuer RLT Directors

RIVERFEST-September 17th

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Roxbury Land Trust Hosts RIVERFEST Celebrate Nature & Community – September 17th

To celebrate community and the wonders of nature, the Roxbury Land Trust is hosting a RIVERFEST event with fun, food, crafts, face painting, music, storytelling and more at its River Road Preserve on Sunday, September 17 from 2:00-5:00 pm.

The event will feature farmstands by Riverbank Farm and Twilight Dreams Farm, children’s crafts by Golden Button, Face Painting, information regarding native plants and pollinator gardens and a water quality talk by Pomperaug Regional Watershed Coalition. You can learn about the Follow the Forest project and about attracting birds from our Southbury Audubon Friends from Bent of the River. Feel free to explore the surrounding trails and scenic river views.

New this year, Darlene Kascak (Schaghticoke Tribal Nation), from The Institute for American Indian Studies, will give an interactive presentation on the 12,000-year history of Life in the Eastern Woodlands. Darlene, the Education Director at IAIS and Traditional Native American Storyteller, will share various visual and tactile resources to guide the discussion about how Eastern Woodlands Natives have adapted to their changing environment. Darlene will also share Traditional Native American Stories about animals. Hear history come alive from the oral traditions that have been passed down and preserved from one generation to the next.

We will also have music by the Silver & Strings Duo from 2:00- 3:30 and Lee Ann Lovelace and George Lesiw from 3:30 – 5:00pm. Food will be available from Backwoods Dawgz and treats from Elemental Cakes.  Bring along a few folding chairs to relax and listen to the music!

 “We hope families and nature lovers from far and near will turn out for this afternoon of outdoor fun and activities in a beautiful, preserved part of Roxbury,” said John Smoliga, President of the Roxbury Land Trust. “It’s a great way to kick off the autumn.”

The 57-acre nature preserve borders the Shepaug River and adjoins several other preserves to create a 453-acre greenbelt in Roxbury. The preserve is at 55 River Road with the easiest access from Weller’s Bridge Road.

Thanks to our corporate sponsors they are Chipman Mazzucco Emerson LLC, Union Savings Bank, Mine Hill Distillery, and Wines & Spirits at Roxbury Station. The decor is being donated by Ox Hollow Farm. 

For more information, call the Roxbury Land Trust at 860-350-4148 or to RSVP email: development@roxburylandtrust.org or visit roxburylandtrust.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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View from fallen tree (facing town road)

New Trail Opening at Horrigan Family Preserve

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Start your weekend outdoors and join RLT for a guided new trail opening at the Horrigan Family Preserve off Rocky Mountain Road on Saturday, April 15, 2023 at 10 a.m.

Park at the River Road parking areas and follow signs to the meeting place. Please also register so we know how many to expect and who to contact if there are any changes: execdirector@roxburylandtrust.org  

The walk will be moderate with some inclines/declines so bring your walking stick as needed. If the weather does not cooperate on the 15th, the walk will be rescheduled to April 29, 2023 at 10 a.m.   

On March 8, 2006, Richard, Robert and William Horrigan and family donated 5.77 acres to RLT in memory of William Horrigan Jr. and Richard Tyler Horrigan. The young men loved the outdoors and spending time with their families so the family wanted to honor that and share a beautiful, peaceful setting where other families could hike and enjoy each other’s company outdoors.  

RLT hopes the new trail will encourage families to do just that.  

Founded in 1970, RLT is a private, non-profit land trust which offers public access to families and individuals who wish to enjoy Roxbury’s open spaces in passive recreation (e.g., hiking, birding, photography).  Leashed dogs are welcome. No motorized vehicles are allowed. Note that this trail was not created for mountain bike use.

RLT relies on donations, grants, member support, and gifts of land to pursue its mission. For more information about the land trust, please contact us at 860-350-4148 or email execdirector@roxburylandtrust.org.    

Kress Family Trail 2-2023B

RLT and Flanders Take a Winter Walk

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Giving Tuesday is a big day for giving and a great day to become a member of Roxbury Land Trust. We rely on our members to support our mission to preserve and protect the rural character of Roxbury.  Maybe you have enjoyed our trails, or had the opportunity to see nature up close.  We are grateful every day for mother nature’s gifts and the community that supports RLT.  Please join us and make a contribution today. 

MOlivieri4

Friends Gather at the 2022 Dave Beglan Memorial Walk

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Over 35 people joined RLT President and Geologist John Smoliga and local Artist and Pilot Billy Steers on the 2022 annual Dave Beglan Memorial Walk at the iconic Mine Hill Preserve. Family and friends gathered, got outdoors, and burned off some Thanksgiving feast on Saturday, November 26, 2022. The moderate walk was about 3.5 miles overall with some detours to note special areas.  

Many thanks to RLT director Marc Olivieri for assisting participants. 

Billy and John led the group to a small former quarry located on the east side of the Mine Hill Preserve to discuss historic mining operations at Mine Hill.

This annual program is held in memory of Dave Beglan, historian, former president, and long-time director of Roxbury Land Trust.  As a Roxbury resident, Dave volunteered countless hours to the study of Mine Hill, initially working to obtain the funding which allowed RLT to purchase the Mine Hill Preserve.  He remained active in the Trust as historian and gave his time freely to the betterment of the Town of Roxbury until his death in October 2017.

Established in 1970, RLT preserves roughly 4,000 acres of farmland and open space in Roxbury and neighboring towns.  RLT maintains 32 preserves with over 30 miles of hiking trails, three active farms, and offers a wide range of educational programs. RLT relies on your generous donations and gifts of land to continue its important conservation mission.    


1st Selectman Patrick Roy awards RLT President John Smoliga and Director of Development Barbara Bradbury Pape AARPA Funds for Kiosk Improvements

Roxbury Awards RLT ARPA Funding to Improve Trails

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On July 21, 2022, the Town of Roxbury’s First Selectman Patrick Roy awarded RLT President John Smoliga and Director of Development Barbara Bradbury-Pape a $5,000 check from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.  RLT is very grateful for the gift which will be used to make preserve improvements on trails, parking areas, and kiosks.

Since the global pandemic began in 2020, RLT experienced an exponential increase in trail use. 

Being outdoors is known to improve physical, mental, and emotional well-being.  RLT trails provide a healthy, socially distanced experience for those seeking passive recreation while enjoying the beauty and peace nature provides.   All preserves are open daily from dawn to dusk.  Please visit the RLT website www.roxburylandtrust.org to view preserve maps and information.

With 33 preserves and over 30 miles of hiking trails, RLT’s mission is to preserve and conserve open space in perpetuity. To date, the Trust has preserved more than 3,800 acres of farmland, woodlands, watercourses, wetlands and open space in Roxbury and neighboring communities since it was established in 1970. The non-profit organization maintains three active farms, as well as offers a wide range of educational programs.

To receive more information about RLT or make a donation, please contact the office at 860.350.4148, visit the website, or email us. 

M.Dwyer3

Roxbury-Bridgewater Pollinator Pathway hosts Container Gardening Program

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ROXBURY, CT – The Roxbury-Bridgewater Pollinator Pathway, comprised of the Roxbury-Bridgewater Garden Club, Roxbury Conservation Commission, Bridgewater Land Trust, and Roxbury Land Trust with the cooperation of the Shepaug Agri-Science Program, presents a special garden program entitled “Pollinator Plants for Containers and Small Spaces” on Saturday, April 2 at 10 a.m. EST.

Featuring landscape designer and consultant Mark Dwyer, the program details how everyone can bring flowers into their outdoor spaces regardless of how much space they have.  To register for the free virtual program, please email Julie Stuart, Executive Director of the Bridgewater Land Trust, julie@bridgewaterlandtrust.org.

Recently, emphasis has been on how people can improve the wildlife value of their yards and decks.  By adding native plants and reducing lawn, people can increase the ability of pollinators to thrive as well as provide safe corridors for them to forage.   

According to Mark Dwyer, “The challenges of limited gardening space shouldn’t preclude you from considering beautiful and effective pollinator-friendly plantings. Even small spaces in the garden and containers can feature effective plant combinations that will become an oasis for visiting pollinators. We’ll discuss a wide range of plants (emphasis on natives!) and design ideas that will feature potent pollinator plants for containers and garden spaces of limited size.”

“As we head into spring, we look forward to new growth and the flowers that come with it”, said Ann Astarita, Executive Director of RLT.  “Most of Mark’s plant selections are native to our area and available at local nurseries. In addition to enjoying the beauty of your plant selections, you’ll be nurturing butterflies and bees.”

Roxbury-Bridgewater Garden Club’s President Estelle Mackenzie added, “We’d like interested parties to mark their calendars for the Garden Club’s Plant Mart on Saturday, May 21 at the Bridgewater Firehouse from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The sale will include pollinator plants that can be grown successfully in containers.”   

Mark Dwyer owns and operates Landscape Prescriptions by MD, a landscape design and consultation firm, in Janesville, WI. He also manages the Edgerton Hospital (WI) Healing Garden which he designed over 10 years ago. Prior to these endeavors, Mark was Director of Horticulture at Rotary Botanical Gardens (Janesville, WI) where he managed the maintenance and improvement of that 20-acre botanical garden with talented staff and dedicated volunteers. Mark’s true passion is obtaining, growing, observing and photographing all types of plants.

The Roxbury Land Trust preserves just under 4,000 acres of farmland, woodlands, wetlands, watercourses and open space in Roxbury and neighboring communities. RLT maintains 33 preserves with more than 30 miles of hiking trails and three active farms, as well as offering educational programs. Governed by a volunteer board of directors, the non-profit organization is supported by membership dues and charitable contributions. The Land Trust does not receive financial support from the town, state, or federal governments and relies on the generosity of its members for operations and stewardship. For more information, visit www.roxburylandtrust.org, email barbara@roxburylandtrust.org or call 860-350-4148.

 

 

 

 

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JYarbrough 11-2021C

RLT Opens New Volunteers Pedestrian Bridge

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In December 2021, Roxbury Land Trust announced the installation of a new Volunteers’ Bridge at the Orzech Family Preserve off Botsford Hill Road, Roxbury. The installation is part of an ongoing effort to improve connectivity between preserves. The new steel bridge spans the scenic Shepaug River and connects RLT’s River Road Preserve to its west Shepaug preserves (Orzech, Golden Harvest, and Erbacher). The old bridge remains closed and will be dismantled when conditions allow. 

 “To have residents willing to donate for the benefit of all shows great support for the Land Trust’s mission as well as just how deep the sense of community is here in Roxbury,” said Trust President Julie Steers. “As a small non-profit organization with a staff of three, the Roxbury Land Trust is fortunate to count on our neighbors, friends and members to continue to support capital projects that make the preserves better for everyone.”

 In 2019, RLT determined that the existing Volunteers’ Bridge, built 30 years ago, needed replacement. RLT researched various options including building another wooden bridge. At that time, no options worked due to cost and time constraints. Former Board President and current Director Brian Duda discovered an industrial pipe bridge for sale nearby at a much lower cost. After review, the newly formed Bridge Committee judged the bridge structure to have the proper span as well as the ability to be retrofitted to create an attractive and utilitarian pedestrian bridge.

 The original plan was to have a town-wide fundraising campaign in conjunction with the Trust’s 50th anniversary celebration scheduled for 2020.  Due to Covid-19, the plan morphed into a low-key fundraising effort in 2021. Within approximately one month, RLT secured 100% participation from members of the RLT Board of Directors and the staff and asked the community to assist in raising the remaining funds. The community responded with immediate support. 

 With committed community members and directors donating their time, knowledge, and woodworking skills, the Trust began retrofitting the pipe bridge into a pedestrian walkway. In addition to the adaptive reuse component, a key aspect of the project incorporated planking made by volunteers using reclaimed rough-sawn oak. The oak from this project was gathered from trees originally felled on RLT preserves by Storm Isaias in 2020.

Executive Director Ann Astarita said, “The Trust values the opportunity to ‘walk the talk’ and reduce, reuse and recycle materials and resources for this community project. We hope that people will enjoy the new, repurposed bridge and explore the expanded trails at the River Road Preserve.” With snowshoeing and cross-country skiing permitted on the Orzech Preserve’s Kress Family Trail, the bridge makes for a fun winter activity, she added.

 A project of this size could not be completed without involvement from the volunteer Bridge Committee chaired by engineer Brian Neff and RLT Land and Property Manager James Curren. Members of the committee included: Marc Olivieri, Michael Boyd, Richard Wilhelm, Andy Engel, Patrick Roy, Brian Duda, Ed Racz, John Smoliga. Several area businesses and other members of the community also helped with the project providing services from bridge renderings, site preparation, crane work, installation and transport, including Russell Einbinder, Kyle Turoczi of Earth Tones, FSM Services, O&G Construction, Global Machines, T. Michael Alex, and Connor Dillon.

Please visit the RLT website www.roxburylandtrust.org to view maps of these preserves of any of the others managed by the Land Trust. With 33 preserves and 30 miles of hiking trails, RLT’s mission is to preserve and conserve open space in perpetuity. To date, the Trust has preserved more than 3,800 acres of farmland, woodlands, watercourses, wetlands and open space in Roxbury and neighboring communities since it was established in 1970. The non-profit organization maintains three active farms, as well as offers a wide range of educational programs.

To receive more information about RLT or the bridge project, please contact the office at 860.350.4148, visit the website, or email barbara@roxburylandtrust.org

MacIntyre Preserve

Cameron and Barbara Gardella Donate Preserve in Honor of Dr. Mary and Wilbur MacIntyre

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On September 29, 2021, Cameron and Barbara Gardella of Woodbury, Connecticut donated 8.844 acres of land off Southbury Road in Roxbury to the Roxbury Land Trust in memory of their ancestors the late Dr. Mary and Wilbur MacIntyre, formerly of Roxbury.  

Dr. MacIntyre, nee Mitchell, married Wilbur MacIntyre and moved to Roxbury circa 1911.  She stopped practicing medicine to raise her children.  Reportedly when World War I began, Roxbury’s physician left to serve his country.  With no physician nearby and having the encouragement of friends, Dr. MacIntyre took a refresher course at Cornell in 1916, passed the state board exam, and renewed her license to practice medicine. 

Her practice was based on Church Hill Road in a former hat shop and she reportedly made house calls in a buggy or sleigh depending on the weather.   

The property contains both wetlands and uplands, hardwood forest, and native plants.  It serves as a wildlife corridor connecting several undeveloped parcels.  The new preserve currently has no parking or trails.  According to RLT President Julie Steers, “We thank the Gardellas for choosing to conserve land as a way to honor an impressive medical professional and one of the first women to practice medicine in Roxbury.” 

To discuss ways in which RLT can assist in memorializing your loved ones, or to find out more about land conservation, please contact RLT’s Executive Director Ann Astarita at execdirector@roxburylandtrust.org or call 860-350-4148.

Termite Hill--Animal Architects

Animal Architects with Gerri Griswold

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On October 20 at 7 pm via Zoom, White Memorial Conservation Center’s Director of Administration and Development Gerri Griswold will present “Animal Architects.”  From Egypt, Greece, Rome and from Thomas Jefferson to I. M. Pei, humanity’s history has been chock full of extraordinary architects and architecture. While humans had yet to emerge from caves, many animals were going gangbusters impressing mates with their own monumental structures. Meet some incredible builders in this one-hour picture presentation celebrating the glory of human and animal architecture.

Email barbara@roxburylandtrust.org to register or for more information.

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Fall Foliage Walk at Gavel Family Farm Preserve

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Fall Foliage Walk at Gavel Family Farm Preserve

On October 18 at 11 am, Director of Development Barbara Bradbury Pape will lead a walk at the Gavel Family Farm Preserve to enjoy the foliage and vista, as well as explore the history and meadow habitat restoration project underway at the site. 

Once a prominent farming field, the Gavel Family Farm Preserve is now preserved as open space for both humans and creatures to enjoy. The Trust recently began a project to revitalize a 6.5- acre section of the preserve, encouraging healthy habitats for numerous woodland creatures.  From the removal of invasive species to the reseeding of the meadow, participants will learn about the Trust’s efforts to create a sustainable meadow habitat.  Participants are encouraged to wear appropriate weatherproof footwear, bring a water bottle and be prepared for an hour-long easy walk with possible uneven terrain. 

Email barbara@roxburylandtrust.org to register or for more information.

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