Through colorful photographs and exceptional sound recordings, the birds in our backyards will vividly come alive in naturalist John Root’s online presentation. We’ll explore the role of song in these birds’ lives and learn about their diet, social behavior, and other adaptations for survival. He also will share practical tips for attracting songbirds to our backyards and answer our questions.
John teaches nature and gardening programs throughout New England, including edible wild plant walks in Massachusetts and how to create pollinator habitats. He studied biology and botany and is an organic landscaping professional certified by the Northeast Organic Farming Association.
The Nature Lecture Series is co-sponsored by the Town of Bloomfield Leisure Services. They will host this as a free Zoom webinar. No user account is required, just a device with a web browser. We need to send you a login password though, so definitely register for free as soon as possible.
Learn more about the work of the land trust! Everyone is welcome to participate, though current members will elect the board of directors. After the meeting, join us outside for light refreshments. It will be wonderful to see one another! For everyone’s safety, those not vaccinated against COVID-19 must wear a mask while indoors per Connecticut and CDC guidelines. You also may participate from home via Zoom using a computer, smart phone, or tablet web browser using the codes sent to our email list.
Proposed Agenda:
- Welcome & Review of Meeting Format
- President’s Report
- Election of the Board of Directors
- Treasurer’s Report
- Land Acquisition: How & Why
- Stewardship: How & Why
- Connecting People with Nature: Trails, Events & Communications
- Membership Highlights
- Plans for Next Year & Capital Needs
- Questions & Answers
This annual event from our partner, the Connecticut Land Conservation Council, is the state’s largest gathering of individuals and organizations using land conservation to protect natural resources and fight climate change for the benefit of all peoples in our communities. This year’s conference will be a series of online, lunchtime roundtables. Visit the website for complete details and registration.
- Connecticut Roundtable Tuesday, June 8
- Climate Roundtable Thursday, June 10
- Next Gen Roundtable Tuesday, June 15
- Roundtable across State Boards Thursday, June 17
This 2-mile loop on the Wildwoods Trail at Seabury Active Life Plan Community offers the perfect Connecticut Trails Day walk for families, new hikers, and botany enthusiasts. Wide, flat paths pass among massive oaks and hemlocks, groves of juvenile pines, soft ferns, and open meadows with fledging birds and lovely wildflowers. Our guides will describe the area’s history, natural features, and the adventures of constructing numerous footbridges. To help maintain social distancing, group size will be limited and additional groups will be scheduled at 1:30 and 2:00 as needed. Preregistration is required, beginning May 20. Rain postpones to Sunday, June 6.
On Connecticut Trails Day, join us for an easy, 2.5-mile hike along the scenic Farmington River in Bloomfield and Windsor, perfect for families and new hikers. We’ll visit the remains of glacial Lake Hitchcock and discuss long-term plans for the park. Preregistration is required, beginning May 20. To help maintain social distancing, we’ll be in two groups staggered to start at 9:00 and 9:30. When you register for the event, we’ll contact you with your start time. Leashed dogs permitted. Rain postpones to Sunday, June 6.
Gardeners of all ages and physical condition can grow vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers organically! Naturalist John Root will provide inspiration and practical advice for composting and mulching for healthy soil, inviting beneficial wildlife, controlling weeds and pests naturally, preserving homegrown produce, and more. He’ll include time for questions and recommend additional resources for further learning.
John studied biology and botany and now is an organic landscaping professional certified by the Northeast Organic Farming Association, teaching gardening and nature programs throughout New England. He also leads edible wild plant walks in Massachusetts and promotes creating pollinator habitat on public and private land through the Western Massachusetts Pollinator Network.
The Nature Lecture Series is co-sponsored by the Town of Bloomfield Leisure Services. They will host this as a free Zoom webinar. No user account is required, just a device with a web browser. We need to send you a login password though, so definitely register for free as soon as possible.
Healthy meadows provide critical habitats for all-important pollinators and other wildlife, and every small space of meadow – including your yard – helps! In this free webinar, learn how various species interact in meadows, how they are influenced by environmental and human factors, and how we can create and enhance healthy meadows.
Peter Picone will share his experience in boosting our landscapes with native plants that attract and benefit wildlife, including beautiful slides and videos of native plant and wildlife interactions. He is a Wildlife Biologist in the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection and has been working in the field of wildlife habitat enhancement for over 30 years.
The Nature Lecture Series is co-sponsored by the Town of Bloomfield Leisure Services. They will host this as a free Zoom webinar. No user account is required, just a device with a web browser. We need to send you a login password though, so definitely register for free as soon as possible.
Join us for an approximately 2-mile tour of Wintonbury Land Trust’s Hawk Hill Farm to learn about champion trees, invasive plants, and local birds (binoculars are optional). Hawk Hill has one of the oldest continuously operating farms in Bloomfield, and its gently sloping farm roads lead to beautiful views of the Metacomet Range and Hartford skyline. Our guides will be:
- Peter Picone, an urban wildlife biologist at the State Department of Energy & Environmental Protection,
- Ron Pitz, former executive director of KNOX, and
- Zellene Sandler, former president of the Hartford Audubon Society.
Meet by the red barn in advance to sign-in and be ready to begin at 1:00. For everyone’s safety, all participants must register in advance by April 21, wear a face mask, and maintain social distance between households. The rain date will be Sunday, April 25.
This Earth Day event is hosted by Wintonbury Land Trust and co-sponsored by the Bloomfield Beautification Committee and Bloomfield Conservation, Energy & Environment Committee as part of the Town’s Trees for Bloomfield initiative.
With a Facebook group dedicated just to sharing local sightings, Black Bears are a frequent topic of conversation locally and statewide. Master Wildlife Conservationist Paul Colburn’s free webinar will present an overview of Black Bear habitat, diet, behavior, reproduction, and current research along with recommendations for learning to co-exist with them safely. Paul is an avid outdoorsman, Wesleyan University graduate, and veteran of the United States Army.
The Nature Lecture Series is co-sponsored by the Town of Bloomfield Leisure Services. They will host this as a free Zoom webinar. No user account is required, just a device with a web browser. We need to send you a login password though, so definitely register for free as soon as possible.
On March 3, 97 people attended another entertaining and educational talk in the Nature Lecture Series co-sponsored by the Town of Bloomfield’s Leisure Services and the Wintonbury Land Trust.
Paul Colburn, a Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) Bureau of Natural Resources Wildlife Division Master Wildlife Conservationist, shared his in-depth knowledge of the history, habitat and habits of the Eastern Coyote.
According to Paul, the coyote suffers from lots of myths. Ask anyone what they think of coyotes, and you’re likely to get one of two replies: they’re dangerous or they’re a nuisance. Admittedly, the coyote does have a shady reputation as a chicken coop-robbing, fawn-killing, garbage-eating, pet-snatching scoundrel (think Road Runner and Wiley Coyote cartoons) and as something to get rid of. In 10 year period from 1947-56, approximately 6.5 million coyotes were exterminated. Now about one per minute or 500,000 per year are killed, aided by U.S. Fish & Wildlife efforts to eradicate them to protect livestock. Despite all this, coyotes continue to thrive and have expanded their reach through process called dispersal.
Read More ...