Kale, lettuce, carrots and beets.  Help us get our cool weather plants in the ground and start Judea Garden’s 11th growing season!

For the second year running, SRA invites you to scramble through the remote corners of Washington, and explore the landscape in a truly unique way. Did you know that SRA has over 30 preserves scattered throughout town? These preserves range from wetlands to mixed hardwood forest; some are old apple orchards while old growth forests and glacial boulder fields dominate others. The one thing they all have in common is that SRA must walk their boundaries annually, monitoring the preserves for ecosystem health, signs of trespass, and presence of wildlife.

We will start the day at 8:30 a.m. with coffee and light refreshments during the indoor training before heading outdoors. Learn how to use your smartphone as a GPS, what to look for as you walk the preserves, and how to mark and record your findings.  Bring a friend or we will match you with a partner, and then drive out to your assigned preserve to begin monitoring. After walking the boundaries and recording any findings,  meet back at the site of the indoor training (116 Christian St. New Preston, CT) to share your experiences and enjoy a complimentary lunch as a thank you for your time and efforts.

Terrain and hiking difficulty vary widely. Participants will have the option to register for easy, intermediate, or difficult routes. Easier routes consist of hikes totaling approximately 45 minutes or less through flatter terrain while more difficult routes demand hiking over 2 hours through steeper areas. Please note that in all of the preserves, some degree of bushwhacking will be necessary. Participants should wear/bring sturdy waterproof boots, thick pants, long-sleeved shirts, sunscreen, bug spray, a water bottle, and cell phone if you have one. An adult must accompany children under 18.

Join Steep Rock Association (SRA) and the Washington Environmental Council (WEC) in celebrating Earth Day with a 5K and 5-mile race!

Whether you are participating to set a personal record, get some exercise, enjoy the company of friends, or simply to support these two environmentally-driven organizations, we welcome all to sign up.  The entirety of the 5K course will be on Tunnel Road, a level and smooth dirt road with unparalleled beauty that follows the Shepaug River in Steep Rock Preserve.  The 5-mile run will also follow the length of Tunnel Road and extend further into the preserve on hiking trails.  Following the race, enjoy snacks and awarding of prizes.

This event is rain or shine.   The race will begin at the main Steep Rock Preserve parking lot located at 2 Tunnel Road, Washington Depot, CT 06794.  Pre-registration can be found at FastTrackTiming.com or show up the day of between 7:30am – 8:45am.

Have you ever followed a deafening, quacking chorus through the woods to find a pool of water filled with frogs?  Have your kids or grandkids wondered what might be those jelly-looking blobs in the water?  Grab the kids, slip on your muck boots, and join Steep Rock Association (SRA) for an adventure to some of our ecological hotspots – vernal pools.  Professional herpetologist Dennis Quinn will be co-leading the program to answer any questions you may have.

Search the waters for frogs, salamanders, tiny critters, and more.  Take a closer look at egg masses and learn how to identify who placed them in the water.  Lastly, leave with a special family experience to remember for springs to come.