GLT hosts Crag Mountain ridgeline hike
On June 7 at 1 p.m., in celebration of CT Trails Day, the Granby Land Trust will host a family-friendly nature hike through the GLT’s Seth and Lucy Holcombe, Hart, and Emery Family Preserves in North Granby. Led by GLT Board Member Jennifer Plourde, an experienced science teacher who brings the outdoors to life in fun and engaging ways, this easy-paced walk is perfect for kids and adults alike, with plenty of stops to explore plants, observe wildlife and learn how local ecosystems work.
Along the trail, you’ll discover fascinating facts about trees, insects and birds, and learn how to notice the small details that make nature so interesting. Starting on the Seth and Lucy Holcombe Preserve in North Granby, the group will enjoy a peaceful walk through the woods then proceed up Crag Mountain on the Emery Family Preserve and Hart Family Preserve. At the top, take time to enjoy the views to the east and the west before descending back to the parking lot.
This hike is about 2.8 miles long and will take about 2 hours. We will start and finish at the Seth and Lucy Holcombe Preserve trailhead at 70 Silver Street, North Granby. There is ample parking at the trailhead. No dogs, please.
To register, please email info@granbylandtrust.org Provide your name and the number of people in your party.
Beaver believers hike: Learning to live with nature’s engineers
Last spring, an industrious group of beavers built a dam directly beneath the North Marsh footbridge at the Granby Land Trust’s Dismal Brook Wildlife Preserve. As water backed up, the marsh began to resemble a pond, and the altered flow threatened the bridge’s stability. The GLT faced a dilemma: how to protect both the marsh and the bridge without harming the beavers?
On June 23, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., GLT Vice President Dave Emery and President Rick Orluk will lead a guided hike at Dismal Brook to explain how that question was answered. Visitors will hike to the North Marsh to see the newly installed beaver deceiver, built by a team of GLT volunteers, and learn how this ingenious system allows water to flow freely while preserving beaver habitat and enhancing a thriving wetland ecosystem.
The hike will then continue to Creamer Pond to see a beaver lodge and, with any luck, a beaver.
The hike is free and open to the public. To register, email info@granbylandtrust.org Provide your name and the number of people in your party.
Wildflower hike showcases spring ephemerals in bloom
Twenty people turned out for the Granby Land Trust’s Spring Ephemeral Walk on April 29. Led by GLT member and wildflower expert Aubrey Schulz, the group explored the Katan-Ensor, Schlicht Family and Garmany Preserves, discovering the beauty of early spring blooms along the forest floor. We’re grateful to everyone who joined us to learn more about our natural world—and to Schulz for generously sharing her knowledge and passion.
Ben Goldfarb impresses
More than 70 people came out to hear Ben Goldfarb, author of Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter, speak about beavers and discuss ways in which we can partner with these fascinating animals to heal the planet. The program, which was sponsored by the Granby Land Trust, with support from the Granby Public Library, the Granby Education Foundation, and the McLean Game Refuge, was so well received that plans are in the works to bring Goldfarb back in the fall to discuss his most recent book, Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet. Check the events page on the Granby Land Trust’s website or follow us on social media to learn more!
The GLT thanks Holly Johnson, Catherine Lanyon and GCTV’s Mark Bombard for their help, and sends a special shout-out to the Granby Education Foundation for its support of the program through a GEF Mini-grant.
If you missed the May 5 presentation on beavers, watch the video on Granby Community Television at GCTV16.org You also can check out Goldfarb’s book from the Granby Public Library. The Granby Land Trust has purchased two copies for the library’s collection.