•June, 2008•
Eightmile River Report Property
A new report has issues on the Eightmile River. See it here.
Trails on Patrell Property
During the past December and January, volunteers from Lyme and East Haddam have worked to develop recreational trails on the 5-acre Patrell property, located in Lyme near the East Haddam border. First, Rob Smith, Tony Irving and Linda Bireley laid out the trails and flagged their locations. Then a work party of Parker Lord, Linda Bireley, Rob Smith, Ed Bireley, John Rozum, Kiernan Wholean, Bill and Dianna Boehning, Bernie Gillis, George Giesey and Mary Guitar cleared the Esker (Red) and East Haddam Spur (Yellow) Trails and posted the boundaries of the parcel. Finally, Linda Bireley, Anne Clement and Rob and Jared Smith walked the trails to record their GPS coordinates, which Linda plotted on a topographic map to provide a guide for users. A true team effort! Enjoy.
•April, 2008•
Revised Hartman Heritage Trail Booklet Available
A booklet on the Heritage Trail in Hartman Park, written and illustrated by Marianne Pfieffer, has recently been revised and updated by Marta Cone and Linda Bireley. The booklet, available at the Lyme Town Hall and the Lyme Library, outlines the natural and cultural history of this trail, and provides details about the remains of homes, farmsteads and enterprises that flourished here over the past 300 years.
Eno Preserve Management Plan
A Forest Stewardship Plan for the 101-acre Chan Eno Preserve was recently completed by EECOS. It describes the natural resources on the Preserve and recommends actions to take to manage those resources to achieve the Trust’s goals for the property: To maximize wildlife habitat quality and diversity and overall ecosystem enhancement; to manage the forest for a variety of stages of forest growth to maintain overall forest diversity; to evaluate and provide for outdoor recreational use that would enhance the overall outdoor experience.
Most of the property contains 60- to 80- year-old mixed hardwood forest including birch, oak, maple, ash, tulip poplar, and beech, as well as a variety of shade tolerant understory shrub species. A variety of management actions were recommended over the next 10 years, including completing the parking area, beginning invasive plant control in selected areas, selective thinning to improve the health of remaining trees, and creation of more cover for wildlife. The Stewardship Committee expects to follow the plan.
What is unique about the Chauncey Eno Preserve is its contribution to the larger assemblage of protected Mount Archer forestland of over 1500 acres. Maximizing the potential of the land to enhance this coming together of people and nature was the recommended guiding principal of land management on this property.
For a copy of the Eno plan contact LLTStewardship@gmail.com.
Stone Wall Repaired
The Friends of Grassy Hill are extremely proud to announce the recent completion of the first phase of the wall repair along the Grassy Hill Preserve. This first phase accounts for 256 feet of repaired wall by Mark Evanko and his crew which was made possible by generous private donations to the Grassy Hill Fund. We wish to extend grateful appreciation to those who have given so generously.
•January, 2008•
Water Flow Control Device Installed at Joshua Pond Fishway
This November, a water flow control device (WFCD) was installed at the Joshua Pond Fishway located on Lower Pond (a.k.a. Joshua Pond) at the intersection of Joshuatown and Brockway Ferry Roads. The fishway, pond and dam are owned and monitored by the Lyme Land Trust (LLT). Debris created by the ever-present beavers has been an ongoing problem as the resulting ladder blockages impede fish passage, and spillway blockages cause water to overtop and erode the earthen dam. Despite daily monitoring to remove debris, fish passage during the migrating season (April – May) is hindered and the dam is exposed to further damage.
Read the entire article here.
100 Acre Conservation Easement Purchased
Noted conservation attorney Fritz Gahagan, working with both the Ingersoll family and the Lyme Land Trust, recently crafted a plan to preserve approximately 100 acres of land off Gungy Road owned by the Ingersoll family. This easement secures an important piece of a protected corridor which now extends from Rte 156 to Gungy Road.
The LLT purchased the 100-acre easement for $175,000, a cost far less than buying the land. In exchange, two of six ossible building lots will be extinguished in a subdivision plan to be submitted for approval and four will be carefully situated west of the pond.
Two conservation investors will put up half the funds necessary to prepare for and seek subdivision approval as well as construct the common road. They will each receive a lot and the Ingersolls will retain two.
Funding for this easement acquisition came from our Acquisition Fund, money previously donated by generous members and supporters of the Trust.
Thanks to the “Green Crew”
Thanks to the “Green Crew”, a group of students from Lyme-Old Lyme High School, for help maintaining Hartman Park on November 18: Mike Barclay, Charlotte Cipparone, Chris Crabbe, Alex Mayne, Robert Mercurio, Peter Wilczynski and Tim Wilczynski. The “Crew” together with Linda Bireley, Dick Conniff, Emily Fisher and Evan Griswold completed important trail maintenance that included replacing a bridge, cutting and clearing several “hazard” trees, trimming brush and enhancing the trail markers. Many hikers will enjoy the benefits of their contribution.
