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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: [email protected]  

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 [email protected].    

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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. 

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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. 

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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 [email protected]

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 [email protected] or call 860-350-4148.

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Bronson’s Donate 14.01 Acres to RLT

The Roxbury Land Trust (RLT) is pleased to announce the donation of 14.01 acres of forested land off Good Hill Road. Howard and Cathleen Bronson of Maple Bank Farm gifted the land in honor of Cathleen Bronson’s family and the property will be known as the Hurlbut Woods Preserve.

The Hurlbut family has farmed and stewarded the land continuously in Roxbury since 1730. Cathleen Bronson’s parents, Lewis and Ethel Hurlbut, and her Aunt and Uncle, Elinor and Alden Hurlbut, started a roadside stand in 1963 to sell poultry and fruit from the farm. The stand, which became known as Maple Bank Farm, was enlarged through the years by the Bronsons as it became a Roxbury landmark and destination offering fruit, vegetables, and plants, with sheep and cattle grazing nearby.

“RLT is honored to accept this generous gift from the Bronsons,” said Julie Steers, RLT’s President. “Farming families such as the Bronsons are uniquely aware of the importance of preserving their farms including forested areas for generations to come.”

According to Cathleen Bronson, in the past trees from this woodlot were made into lumber to build farm buildings; split into rails for fencing; and used to heat homes. The Hurlbut children enjoyed watching the wildlife and exploring the forested trails. “It is with great joy that the Hurlbuts: Lewis, Ethel, Gaylord, Garry, Henry, David, Linda, Carolyn, and Tom as well as Howard and I, donate this land to the Roxbury Land Trust for all to enjoy,” said Cathleen Bronson.

Consisting of a diverse mix of hardwood species as well as some large oak and hickory mast-producing trees, the property contains intermittent streams, quartz outcroppings, and vernal pools. RLT looks forward to a time when the trails can be reopened.

“This property also serves as a wildlife corridor between existing conserved land,” noted Ann Astarita, Executive Director of the land trust. The Hurlbut Woods Preserve connects private conserved lands via a conservation easement to the south and extends just north and east with the Gavel Family Farm Preserve across Good Hill Road.

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14 Acres Donated to Roxbury Land Trust to Preserve Open Space

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Thanks to the generous donation of land owned by a long-time Roxbury resident, the Roxbury Land Trust (RLT) has preserved an additional 14.12 acres in Roxbury as open space.  The Geraldine R. Stutz Preserve, donated by Ramarax Holdings LLLP and Defer LLLP, protects woodlands and watercourses and is adjacent to Roxbury Town Open Space off Minor Bridge Road.  Currently there are no trails on the preserve, but the Land Trust is preparing the property for public access.

RLT Executive Director Ann Astarita thanked the donors for entrusting Roxbury Land Trust with the land that will be maintained in perpetuity, stating “With generous property owners like Ramarax Holdings LLLP and Defer LLLP, the Trust is able to successfully carry out our mission to conserve and protect open space and waterways and preserve Roxbury’s history.  Eventually we will be able to provide passive recreational access to these woods for the enjoyment of the public.” Geraldine Stutz, a Roxbury resident, served as the innovative and dynamic President of Manhattan’s Henri Bendel department store for 29 years until her retirement in 1986.