The 11th Annual Land Trusts Photo Contest winners were announced at a March 10, 2017 reception. The event showcased all of the 240 entered photos in a stunning exhibit.

It was a celebration for all the participating photographers who entered their fantastic pictures of our beautiful towns! Amateur photographers of all ages were invited to share their love of the natural world and submit photos that focus on the celebrated and scenic countryside of Lyme, Old Lyme, Essex, Salem, and East Haddam.

Here is a list of the winners of the contest. Winning photos can be viewed online: . The winning photo display is at the Lymes’ Senior Center for the month of March.

Cheryl Philopena won the John G. Mitchell Environmental Conservation Award for the photograph that best promotes the natural world with her beautiful photograph of a bursting milkweed seedpod. Alison Mitchell personally presented the award, created in memory of her late husband John G. Mitchell, an editor at National Geographic, who championed the cause of the environment. Photo: “Bursting Open” by Cheryl Philopena

Award Sponsors: 2017 Contest award sponsors are RiverQuest/Connecticut River Expeditions  ~ Ballek’s Garden Center ~ Lorensen Auto Group ~ the Oakley Wing Group at Morgan Stanley ~ Evan Griswold at Coldwell Banker  ~ Essex Savings Bank  ~ and Alison Mitchell in honor of her late husband John G. Mitchell.

Big Y provided support for the reception.

Panel of Judges: New as a contest judge this year is Joe Standart, an award-winning photographer, director and internationally known artist who loves photographing the natural world. Returning judges include Amy Kurtz Lansing, an accomplished art historian and curator at the Florence Griswold Museum; and Skip Broom, a respected award-winning local photographer and antique house restoration housewright.

For more information, please email us.

Non-winning photos may be picked up at the Lyme Town Hall, 480 Hamburg Road (Rte 156), Lyme CT during business hours 9am to 4pm.