Conservation and Historic Preservation Commission Update
And just like that, spring is upon us. Temps have fluctuated from the 20s at night to almost 80! However, flowers, shrubs and trees are in bloom, bees are all a buzz (and blackflies too!) and warmer weather is here to stay.
Bears are more active — sows are kicking out the yearlings to make way for this year’s cubs so “Be Bear Aware.” Check out the DEEP Wildlife Division’s website for more information. Also, with warmer weather comes ticks. Check yourself frequently for ticks whether you are outdoors in the yard or in the deep woods.
The CHPC had a bit of a hiatus with snowstorms and cancellations, but we’ve still been active nonetheless. We are working with the Quiet Corner Garden Club who has offered to donate a white oak sapling to towns in the northeast corner in celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. It was a white oak, the Charter Oak, that the early colonists hid the state constitution in to prevent it from falling into the hands of the British. As Eastford does not have a lot of municipal open space to plant a white oak tree (which could grow to be over 80 feet tall), we are fortunate to live in an area with much state forest land. We have made arrangements with the DEEP Forestry and Park Divisions to have the memorial tree planted at the General Lyon Homestead (“the Chimney”) on Kingsbury Road in the Natchaug Forest. The event took place on Tuesday, April 28. Please take some time to visit the homestead and see the tree and plaque.
Earlier in April, two representatives from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) met with a group at the Ivy Glenn Memorial (our library) to answer questions and consider the Ivy Glenn for placement on the state or federal register of historic places. They discussed grant opportunities and walked the group through the procedures necessary to have a building registered. Much thanks to Deb Richards for drawing this opportunity to our attention, and a special thanks to Jeanine Spink for compiling an enormous amount of historic documents and background information.
Some of us have been involved in the Natchaug River Healthy Watershed Implementation Plan. This is an EPA-funded project administered through the CT DEEP and the Eastern CT Conservation Commission. The eight towns that exist in the watershed have agreed to support and encourage clean water conservation and a healthy watershed. Check it out on their Facebook page at Naturally Natchaug. They have a number of events scheduled this spring and summer to raise awareness of the Natchaug River Watershed.
Please take time this spring to get out and hike the trails in the area. Notably, the Boston Turnpike Trail, the George Askew Trail behind Eastford Elementary, the trails at Crystal Pond Park, and the numerous trails that wind through the Natchaug and Yale Forests. We hope to schedule some trail cleanups this spring. Stay tuned if you’d like to participate.
Don’t forget to come visit us at our table on June 6 for Experience Eastford. We hope to have a number of conservation organizations participating.
Finally, we normally meet the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. Come check us out! Also keep tabs on what’s going through the town’s website.