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Community Corner

NBLCT Plans Upcoming Hike and Annual Meeting

Otto Schaefer and the North Branford Land Conservation Trust are excited about spring and what it will bring.

Spring’s early arrival, seeming to have come in late February, is a welcome sign bringing an end to the dull, drab days of a snowless winter. The fields and forests of our town bring forth a mosaic of hues of green heralded by the songs of migrating birds. If we venture outdoors just before or after a spring shower, our olfactory senses will be greeted by the unmistakable fragrance of awakening plant life—that of trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and microscopic plant life of the forest floor. Even a breezy day has a pleasant sound.           

But don’t take the word of another for the enjoyment of being outdoors in the woods. Here is an opportunity to enjoy the experience firsthand. On June 2, the North Branford Land Conservation Trust will be sponsoring and leading .

Land trust hike leaders will meet, greet and lead prospective hikers at 10 a.m. at the cul-de-sac of Ciro Road. Ciro Road runs south from Route 80 (near the Mobil Station which is east of the Rte 80/139 intersection) toward the former town landfill property. For several weeks, land trust members have been hewing a trail through this land trust parcel. Although the parcel is but 24+ acres, it is adjacent to extensive tracts of forestland held by other owners. It is like being in a wilderness.

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There is another reason for getting outside and into the woods. It’s not just about the land. It is also about us, our relationship to the land and to one another. In an era of social media, we are well-connected. But being connected through social media may have an isolating effect.

Getting out into the woods with family, friends and perfect strangers is a good way to make new, or to renew, personal relationships. It is a perfect place for older and younger generations to share the challenges and enjoyment of being on the trail.

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In that spirit, our land trust will hold its at the . At 5:30 p.m. there will be snacks, soft drink beverages and an opportunity to meet others who share your interest in the work of the land trust. At 6 p.m. there will be a brief business meeting followed by guest speaker, Tom Lally, a Northford resident who recently climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, famous for its snowcapped peak even though it is near the equator.

Hope to see you on the trail on the second of June and at the Atwater, June 6!

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