Groton Open Space Association

 

 

 

 

 

On May 19, Cassandra Cini (right) and Mikayla Beebe (left) received the Girl Scout Silver Award, the second highest Girl Scout honor, during a ceremony at Haley Farm State Park. For their project, they built two bog bridges and two bird houses and installed them at the park on the eastern side of the pond area  near Brook Street.  They also cleared some trails and participated in GOSA’s clean-up day (see pictures below) in April . Thank you, Mikayla and Cassandra, for making a difference in this corner of our world!

Photo by Joan Smith

Attention All Hikers! June brings the first sweet pleasures of summer to Groton.  These include Connecticut Trails Day celebrated the weekend of June 1-2. Sponsored by the CT Forest and Park Association, Trails Day will include three wonderful walks in Groton.  Please join us for a walk through the lovely open spaces of our town.  You may see nesting forest birds and wildflowers along the way. Photo by Sue Sutherland

Walk Across Groton: June 1, 9:30 am to 1:00 pm 

This five- to six- mile walk on public trails begins at Bluff Point State Park at 9:30 a.m. and continues through the Haley Farm and across Rte. 215 to the town-owned Mortimer Wright Preserve.  From the preserve the walk will pass through the Groton Open Space Association’s Merritt Family Forest and on to the town-owned Beebe Pond Park, Avalonia Land Conservancy’s Moore Woodlands, and “Town’s End” at Beebe Cove.

The Town of Groton Parks & Recreation Department will provide return transportation to the Bluff Point parking lot.  The hike is of moderate difficulty and will be moderately paced.  Bring a snack and beverage.  In case of heavy rain, it will be canceled.  No dogs, please. Solar toilets are available at Bluff Point and Haley Farm. Pre-registration is required. For questions or registration information, contact Sidney Van Zandt, 860-572-5715 or svanzandt3@aol.com. Sponsored by  GOSA (gosaonline.org), Avalonia Land Conservancy (avalonialandconservancy.org) and the Town of Groton Parks & Recreation Department. For a map of the x-townhike click here.

Walk the 63-acre Sheep Farm:  June 1, 10:00 am

Pass through meadows, forests, and mountain laurel glens to Fort Hill Brook which flows into Mumford Cove. A gristmill dam from the early 1700s and a 10-foot waterfall over one of the many ledges found on the property will be some of the highlights. The eight derelict buildings previously on the land were removed in 2011, and the old fields restored and seeded with native grasses and flowers for meadows. Sponsored by GOSA.  Directions: The Sheep Farm is located near Exit 88 of Route 95 and the Pequot Lawrence and Memorial Health Center.  Drive up Hazelnut Hill Road from Rte. 117 below the Pequot Health Center.  At the top of the hill and around a corner the Sheep Farm will be on your right.  Rain or Shine.  No dogs, please.   Pre-registration is recommended. Contact leader Sue Sutherland at 860-245-0568, or e-mail Sue at suesutherland@snet.net

Walk across 91-Acre Candlewood Ridge:  Sunday, June 2, 1:00 to 3:00 pm

This latest GOSA acquisition-in-progress is a spectacular bit of wilderness in north Groton.   The walk takes you through diverse habitats of mountain laurel and oak-beech forest, over rocky outcroppings, ledges and boulder fields, past streams, beaver habitat in tussock sedge wetlands, and by areas that protect the Haley Brook Watershed. The walk is moderate to challenging.   No dogs, please. Heavy rain cancels. Pre-registration is recommended.  For questions or  registration contact leader Sue Sutherland at 860-245-0568, or e-mail Sue at suesutherland@snet.net.   Directions:  From the Flanders Road - Route 184 intersection/light go about 100 yards west.  Mailbox  #172 marks the driveway. A steel guard rail, small pond, and checkered mailbox are close landmarks. GOSA will put out a sign at the entrance on the day of the hike. Parking is available at the end of a small driveway on the north side of Route 184.                                         

GOSA News Spring 2013  

March 27, 2013  GOSA is delighted to present our spring 2013 newsletter. Simply click on the newsletter image to the left to view.

Letter from the Editor   When the GOSA News staff met last November to plan the spring 2013 issue, we found that habitat was the topic that came up again and again in our discussion. In this issue, themed Habitat Matters, Syma Ebbin has written  our feature article on alien invasive species: “what they are, why they are a problem, and what we should be doing about them.”  Joan Smith’s “Message from the President” updates us on GOSA’s many activities, fundraising challenges, and accomplishments. Joan has also authored a compelling article on the importance of habitat to the New England cottontail rabbit. A short piece on bobcat signs and sightings in Connecticut by Liz Raisbeck contains some information that may surprise you. Victor Villagra shares with us his joyous response to the book Feathers by Thor Hanson. As a physician, Victor has always been in awe of the evolution of human anatomy and physiology; he now finds feathers equally amazing. Sidney’s Corner inspires us to hike the “emerald path” and reflect on the impact of Superstorm Sandy, while highlighting the contributions of our dedicated volunteers. An update on the progress we are making toward the purchase of Candlewood Ridge  — a habitat unusually rich in wildlife, forests, open marsh areas and multiple streams — reminds us of the importance of actively supporting open space in the Groton area. Habitat, indeed, matters to us all. Happy spring!

April 8, 2013   GOSA continues to work toward the $500,000 purchase of a 91-acre parcel of land on Lambtown Road called Candlewood Ridge.  We are very grateful for a $256,750 grant awarded in December 2012 by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection  (CT DEEP) Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition program as well as contributions amounting to $206,250 from individuals. We have $31,000 left to raise to protect and preserve this unique piece of land. With the continued help of our supporters, we hope to close on the property this spring. To learn more about Candlewood Ridge, go to the article “Candlewood Ridge: A Jewel in Nature’s Crown” in GOSA News Fall 2012 under Archives.

Haley Farm Cleanup April 6, 2013    

What a spectacular spring day! Nature smiled in gratitude on the 40 + GOSA volunteers—from infants to octogenarians—who turned out for the Haley Farm cleanup. Girl scouts fanned out to pick up the flotsam from Hurricane Sandy that littered the shoreline, and a group from the Naval Submarine Base worked to liberate the trees and stone walls from invasive bittersweet and honeysuckle vines. A Canine Cadet group cleaned up dog waste and will return next Saturday (April 13) to host another cleanup day. Families and dogs enjoyed the activity too. State Representative Elissa Wright and State Park Superintendent John Lincoln lent a hand as well. A good time was had by all. Thank you!

Photos by Joan Smith

 

 

 

 

GOSA’s Annual Sheep Farm “Chipper Party” was held this year March 30 – 31.  Bob Graham from Ledyard is pictured to the left.

Please note that we are in the process of making significant updates to the web site,  so we thank you in advance for your patience.

Go to the Groton Town Website for a complete schedule of town meetings. The only town meetings listed on this GOSA page will be those of expected special environmental interest. Once you are in the town schedule, click on the calendar displayed and move forward and backward with plus and minus signs. For a video of  Town Council meetings, click on GMTV on Groton home page and then on Streaming Video.