2021 Open Garden
Not even Hurricane Henri bearing down on Connecticut could keep us from showing off Judea Garden on August 21. On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, recipients, volunteers, supporters, and guests gathered to celebrate the Giving Garden’s 13th season growing vegetables for our neighbors in need. This was just one way to say thank you to the […]
Remarkable Returns on your Conservation Investment
Stewardship of our lands and waters for biological diversity, ecological integrity, and passive recreation is a complex endeavor. Planning and permitting, consultation and coordination, equipment and resources are just some of the pieces necessary to effectively implement conservation projects. We engage in habitat enhancements and scientific studies to make informed decisions on how to best steward our lands. Thank you for making a conservation impact with your support, which has enabled us to: Conduct targeted research on imperiled species […]
Preserving an Agricultural Legacy at Johnson Farm
Photo: Haley Bates This past summer, SRA staff and dozens of volunteers worked tirelessly to construct new hiking trails at SRA’s newest publicly accessible nature preserve, Johnson Farm. The trails at Johnson Farm meander through pastures and active agricultural fields, skirting a series of stone walls that perfectly frame the breathtaking hillside panorama to the […]
A High Summer Day in the Preserves
by: Rory Larson, Conservation Science Manager A firmly held tenet of our management approach is that the public’s enjoyment of the preserves derives directly from their natural character and diversity of flora and fauna. Lucky for you, there is no better time than now to experience the full spectrum of the natural world that we […]
2021 Interns
Steep Rock’s eight-week paid internship program immerses students in all aspects of our organizational operations, helping them to build leadership skills and learn about a variety of conservation, environmental, agricultural, and nonprofit career paths. At the same time, Steep Rock’s interns offer valuable support that helps our land trust meet important goals. Meet our 2021 Interns: Judea Garden […]
Observations from Judea Garden
Did you realize that Milkweed has a fragrance? Though we allow Milkweed to grow wherever possible in Judea Garden (it is the single most important source of food for the monarch butterfly), we had never noticed its beautiful fragrance until recently weeding right beside a beautiful clump. Take a second and take a whiff; it’s […]
The Gift of Baby Birds
by Rory Larson The Gift of Baby Birds Every year, Steep Rock Association (SRA) caringly cleans and prepares nest boxes to provide habitat for birds, and every year, SRA staff and citizen scientists then monitor the reproductive success of their tenants. Scientific studies shows that our hard work pays off, and it is one of […]
Bird Box Builders
A Steep Rock Service by Rory Larson Word on the river is there are rent-free, cozy cottages up for grabs in Washington. No AC, plumbing is rudimentary, and the neighbors can be rather intrusive, but the location cannot be beat and there are all the insects you can ever eat! A diverse bird community calls […]
Trail Work on the Horizon
There’s always something new happening at the Steep Rock Association Preserves. In the coming year, our staff are preparing to build stone steps along eroded sections of trail, repair bridges, and expand the trail system at our newest preserve that is open to the public, Johnson Farm. Stay tuned for more details as these exciting […]
April 2021 E-News
Celebrating the Earth with Wood Warblers What better place to celebrate a healthy and hospitable natural world this April than in Washington, CT, New England, the USA, and planet Earth. As always, Steep Rock Association is thrilled to be your host. Lucky for us, we’ll be joined by a few special passerine guests, some just […]