By Beth Sullivan
On November 8 several of us from
Avalonia attended a meeting, with Ct DEEP biologists, to discuss
issues confronting the wildlife here in CT: specifically Species of
Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), habitats that are imperiled along with their flora and fauna, identifying threats, both specific and broad
to our wildlife and the beginnings of action plans that can be
initiated to prevent further declines.
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| Free flowing streams are imperiled in CT. |
The CT DEEP website
There is a wealth of information on
the CT DEEP website. Personally, I love seeing that some of my tax
dollars are going to issues I feel strongly about: conservation of
land and wildlife. On the website, it is easy to get lost in all the
varied areas of interest. The information about the discussion today
can be found here.
These dedicated wildlife biologists are working to identify
species, abundance, threats, needs, and are asking for the public’s
help to give them ideas of what we perceive are the greatest needs.
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| A salt marsh along the Stonington shore. |
As a non-profit, all volunteer land
trust, for us it was pretty easy to generalize: FUNDS! Funds for
research, funds for staff, funds for stewardship, funds for
acquisition. Without funding, so much is at stake. We cannot
begin to protect the least or greatest of these species without the
funds to do so.
Building public awareness
The next biggest need identified was
public awareness. We all expressed great concern and frustration that
not enough people seem to care. Or at least they don’t show up and
demonstrate that they care. There was seating today for more than 30
people. There were really only 5 attendees if we don’t count the
involved but captive staff of the Stonington Free Library! How do
we get people concerned, interested, and involved? Good PR helps, and
education would be fantastic. But even those things take money and
time-and more people to do those things.
Avalonia is trying to do everything
on a shoestring, with a small dedicated core of volunteers who act as
executives, decision makers, PR staff, educators, wildlife watchers,
stewards and laborers, and writers of plans and grants.
The good news is that even on that
shoestring, Avalonia has succeeded in preserving over 3200 acres,
most of those include the very habitats that the DEEP was talking
about today.
We have many forested preserves that
include wetlands, bogs, seeps, and vernal pools. Take a peek at
Paffard Woods for forests with vernal wetlands and flowing streams.
In the future there may be an effort to remove a downstream dam or
create a fish ladder to improve the health of the Stony Brook that
runs along its western edge all the way up to Fennerswoods and
beyond. Free running streams are one of the habitats of concern.
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| Vernal pools are a very unique habitat. |
Go to any of our coastal properties,
from Stonington to Groton and even up to Ledyard along the Thames
River to discover tidal wetlands, salt and brackish marshes and
intertidal beaches, flats and shores. Avalonia holds offshore
Islands: Sandy Point and South Dumpling that are of special concern
for nesting shore birds.
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| The fragile habitat at Sandy Point needs protection. |
Knox Preserve is unique as a
Maritime Shrubland, and it also boasts coastal sandy habitats as well
as mixed warm and cool season grasslands.
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| An example of coastal shrublands at Knox Preserve. |
The Henne Preserve is a most
wonderful example of a freshwater inland swamp, some of which is
forested with Red Maple, some is shrub swamp, and some freshwater
meadow and marsh.
Hoffman Preserve boasts mixed
hardwoods and coniferous groves.
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| Dense evergreen groves can be found at Hoffman Preserve. |
The Peck Callahan Properties are now
prime to become early successional shrub to young forest land that
will be habitat not just for the New England Cottontail but all the
other species that depend on that special and quickly disappearing
habitat.
Everyone can help
To start your own action plan,
support Avalonia if you are in our area, or support your local land
trust if you are not. Get involved. Make a statement; make a
commitment. Look at the DEEP website and see what you can identify
with and then go out onto a preserve and see what you think. See what
strikes a chord and think how you can invest in your future by
supporting land conservation in whatever way you can.
Photographs by Beth Sullivan.
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