We secured approximately 87% of the funding needed to purchase this unique property in Spring 2024. Can you give a gift to help Steep Rock close the deal and protect this precious landscape forever?
Nestled between Macricostas Preserve and the Town of Warren, the “Pinnacle Cliffs” is a spectacular 30.46-acre tract of land noted for its unique landforms, water resources, core forests, and critically important habitats for rare species. Steep Rock is on the verge of permanently safeguarding this land in its natural state, and your support is crucial.
Top Reasons To Protect Pinnacle Cliffs
Wonders
The property includes many glacial erratic formations, including a 65-foot high cliff with a copse of pine trees at the top.
Views
Located near our newly created Boulders Trail, a trail into Pinnacle Cliffs will offer hikers spectacular views of rock cliffs, headwater streams, and undisturbed wetlands rarely seen in northwest CT.
Water
The parcel drains into Lake Waramaug to the west and the Meeker Swamp/Shepaug River to the east, thus protecting two important watershed areas. The property also includes five acres of undisturbed wetlands and 0.5 miles of streams.
Forests
Pinnacle Cliffs is located within a 1,056-acre core forest block of which greater than 50% has been protected. The property’s mature forest and extensive mountain laurel sequester tons of carbon dioxide, provide soil stability through more extreme weather events, maintain water quality in freshwater streams, and filter pollutants.
Wildlife
Preservation of the Pinnacle Cliffs protects a surprisingly rich assemblage of unique natural communities that converge within a relatively small area and provide important wildlife linkages to surrounding core forests. Steep Rock surveys have revealed several species of great concern, including more than 25 bird species, 4 bat species, salamanders, turtles, wood frogs, butterflies, and several rare plant species.
Photo Caption: A glimpse of some of the unique ecological and geological features in the parcel, including the 65-foot cliff, glacial erratic boulders, a stream channel, and ridgetop view.