Be A Volunteer

The soil is warming up and seedlings are calling out to get planted.  On Sunday, April 18 from 9:00 – Noon we’ll plant the crops that don’t mind a little cold – in fact, they like it!  Kale, lettuce, collards, beets and more are on our list. All are welcome to participate no matter your skills or age (children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult).  Safety protocols including masks and social distancing will be in place.

Judea Garden, The Giving Garden, grows and distributes organically grown produce to our neighbors in need.  Now in our 13th season, we have helped fill plates and bellies with over 40,000 pounds of fresh vegetables.  This could not have happened without our volunteers.

Please register and complete the 2021 volunteer registration form (if you haven’t done it yet).  Contact Denise Arturi (denise.arturi@steeprockassoc.org) with any questions.

Double your impact! Your donation to Steep Rock Association will be matched dollar for dollar up to $15,000 by supporting our non-profit land trust during this 36 hour community fundraising sponsored by the Connecticut Community Foundation.  Find us here: https://www.givelocalccf.org/organizations/steep-rock-association and join us on April 20 and 21, 2021.

To become a Fundraising Ambassador or for questions about this event, contact Monica Roberto at 860-868-9131 x 106.

Join Executive Director Brian Hagenbuch on a casual stroll around the Macricostas Hayfield and reflect on the significance of Earth Day on Thursday, April 22, 2021 from 8am-10am. The walk will feature some of Steep Rock’s recent stewardship efforts and we’ll look for signs of spring in the natural world. Participants are invited to bring a favorite quotation, poem, or Earth Day memory to reflect upon and share. Meeting Place: Macricostas Preserve parking lot, 124 Christian Street, New Preston, CT 06777. This is a family-friendly event. Dress appropriately for muddy conditions. Bring your own snacks, water, mask, and Earth Day memory. Inclement weather will postpone the event. Terrain is flat to rolling and about 2 miles long.  Advance registration is required.

Enjoy the outdoors? Have some time to share? Become a volunteer Trail Manager for Steep Rock Association (SRA) and help care for some of our 46 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails. Join us on Saturday, April 24, 2021 from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. for an online training session for both new and veteran trail managers.

Trail Managers help steward a designated trail over a one-year period, regularly scouting the trail for environmental concerns and safety hazards as well as performing light trail maintenance duties. As one Trail Manager noted, “It’s a fun way to explore the preserves while also volunteering for SRA.”

To kick off the Trail Manager program for the season, SRA staff will hold a 1.5-hour online training through the meeting platform Zoom. During the training, volunteers will learn how to assess trail conditions, perform light trail maintenance techniques, and use a GPS mobile app to track their positions and report their findings.

Families with teens and older children are welcome, but an adult must participate with children under 16 years of age.  Registration is required to access the Zoom training session.

PROGRAM LEADER: Mike Giapponi, SRA’s Trails and Preserves Manager, will lead the program. Mike leads volunteers in various conservation projects, including the maintenance of SRA’s 46-mile trail network.

Steep Rock Association is a nationally-accredited land trust whose mission is to conserve ecologically and historically significant landscapes and riparian corridors in and around Washington CT and to enhance the community’s connection to nature through outreach, education, and passive recreation.

Visit Steep Rock Association during this Town-Wide Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 24 from 10:00 – 1:00 OUTSIDE on the Washington Town Hall lawn.  Social distancing and mask wearing rules will be in place.