Category Archives: Outdoors

Clarification: Deadline for Annual Land Trust Photo Contest Extended to Dec. 1

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2013 Land Trust Photo Contest winner by Hank Golet.

2013 Land Trust Photo Contest winner by Hank Golet.

Amateur photographers, no matter where they live, may submit photographs of the scenic countryside, wildlife, plants, and cultural and historic features in the towns of East Haddam, Essex, Lyme, Old Lyme, and Salem.
Submissions are being accepted up to Dec. 1. Contest rules are available online athttp://www.lymelandtrust.org/news/photo-contest/ . Entry forms for the contest will be available after September 1 by email only at photocontest@lymelandtrust.org.
A panel of three judges will award cash prizes in the following five categories:Landscape/Waterscape ~ Plants ~ Wildlife ~ Cultural/Historic ~ Youth (photographs of any of the above subjects by photographers aged 14 and younger).Additionally, a special John G. Mitchell Memorial Award will go to the photograph determined to best promote and support biodiversity and the environment.
The Contest judges are William Burt, a naturalist and wildlife photographer acclaimed for his beautiful books; and Amy Kurtz Lansing, an accomplished art historian and curator at the Florence Griswold Museum. New to the panel of judges is Skip Broom, a respected, award-winning local photographer and antique house restoration housewright. Broom replaces the much-appreciated retiring judge, Rudy Muller, who volunteered with the Photo Contest for many years.
All entered photographs, plus all winning photos, will be displayed and celebrated in a public reception in March 2015.
Organizers of the contest, East Haddam Land Trust, Essex Land Trust, Lyme Land Conservation Trust, Old Lyme Land Trust, and the Salem Land Trust, and encourage amateur photographers to join the fun and share wonderful photos from these southern Connecticut towns.Previous Land Trusts Photo Contest winning photos, viewable at https://landtrustsphotos.shutterfly.com/, highlight the beauty of these towns and the pressing need to preserve the environments within these towns.

Substantial State Grants Announced for Lyme, Old Lyme Open Space Properties

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State Rep. Marilyn Giuliano (R-23) along with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy today announced state grants of: $351,000 to preserve 2.87 acres of open space in Lyme, $162,500 to preserve 40.76 acres of land on 106 Four Mile River Road in Old Lyme and $650,000 to preserve 186 acres of Horse Hill Woods – Phase II in Westbrook.  The collective grants will help preserve over 405 acres of open space.

Open Space projects are a continuation of the supportive roles that these Towns and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) have had in preserving open space and protecting habitat.

Sheldon Creek River Access in Lyme will receive $351,000 to preserve 2.87 acres of land.  Currently, the property is maintained as a meadow with 157 feet of waterfront access along Sheldon cove on the Connecticut River.  This parcel is recognized as a “Wetlands of International Importance,” with public parking and recreation to the river are easily accessible.

The 106 Four Mile River Road property in Old Lyme boasts over 1,250 feet of frontage and public access which will seek to be added to a open space parcels totaling 147 acres.  The $162,500 grant will protect the property, which is traversed by two wetland tributaries of the Three Mile River and is covered by diverse upland forest and stands of mountain laurel.

Additionally, the state also awarded a $650,000 grant to the town of Westbrook, aimed at protecting Horse Hill Woods – Phase II, which consists of two separately owned – but abutting – parcels of land: the Russo (143 acres) and Miele (43 acres) properties.

Giuliano lobbied to secure the purchase of “The Preserve” – a 1,000 acre coastal-forest area that the state is seeking to purchase along with the Town of Old Saybrook and surrounding towns.  The $471,250 award to the Essex Land Trust supports that organization’s plans to purchase a 70.6-acre section of “The Preserve”.

“An investment in preserving open space in Connecticut is one which will surely pay off.  These grants will help safeguard the natural beauty and habitats our district is known for.  Through these grants, we will ensure that generations to come will continue to enjoy the abundant natural beauty,” said Giuliano.

Aiming to preserve 673, 210 acres of undeveloped Connecticut land by 2023, the state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) developed the Open Space program.  To date, the state has reached nearly 74 percent of its goal, preserving an impressive 496, 182 acres.

Lewis Discusses Geology of CT River Valley During Today’s Foliage Cruise

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CT_River_fall_colors_580

Join retired State Geologist Ralph Lewis, on a sunset cruise from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 26, on the RiverQuest, a stable, 54-foot excursion boat with excellent viewing, enclosed cabin, and restroom. The cruise departs from Eagle Landing State Park, Rte. 82, Haddam at 3:30 p.m. The tour will examine the geological features and processes that created this beautiful river valley.

Wine and specially prepared hors d’oeuvres will be provided. The price is $40 for members of the Lyme Public Hall Association, $45 for non-members. Reservations and prepayment are required.

Proceeds support the Hall’s programs.

Contact Leslie at llewis81051@gmail.com or at 860 526-8886 to reserve a place on this trip.

For more information go to the Lyme Public Hall website at www.lymepublichall.org

The Lyme Public Hall Association is dedicated to the appreciation of Lyme’s history, culture, and community through the preservation and use of the historic hall, its archives and historical programs.

Old Lyme Town Meeting Tonight to Vote on Additional $405,000 for Hains Park Boathouse

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Additional town funding of up to $405,000 for upgrades to the boathouse at Hain's park on Roger's Lake will be the subject of a Special Town Meeting Monday evening.

Additional town funding of up to $405,000 for upgrades to the boathouse at Hains Park on Roger’s Lake will be the subject of a Special Town Meeting Monday evening.

Old Lyme voters will be asked at a Special Town Meeting to be held this evening Monday, Oct. 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School auditorium to consider a request from the Boathouse/Hains Park Improvement Committee to approve additional expenditure for the renovation of the boathouse at Hains Park on Rogers Lake.  The amount being requested from town funds is detailed in the meeting agenda as “not to exceed $405,000.”

In July 2013, Old Lyme was awarded a Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) grant for $478,000 to expand and renovate the boathouse at Hains Park on Rogers Lake.  The proposed renovations would make the boathouse ADA accessible with bathrooms, showers and  a workout room, and provide a space to properly maintain and repair equipment.  Renovation of the basketball court and repairs to the docks were also included in the original project scope.

At the Sept. 16 Old Lyme Board of Selectmen’s meeting, representatives from the Boathouse/Hain’s Park Improvement Committee reported that the estimated costs for the new boathouse, including some site work and renovation to the basketball court, had been revised upwards to $883,000, leaving a shortfall of $405,000 against the original STEAP grant of $478,000.

The revised project includes new bathrooms, which would be accessible to the public, but it is unclear whether the revised scope includes repairs to the docks, which are presently considered unsafe.  At the meeting, First Selectwoman Bonnie Reemsnyder expressed concern about the safety of the docks and requested that remediation of the docks should be included in the project. She also stressed that one of the conditions of the STEAP grant is that use of the boathouse building should be made available to the public.

At a previous meeting, Reemsnyder noted she had received criticism earlier in the year that this grant was being used for a project that did not directly benefit a larger segment of the population.  Reemsnyder had also previously suggested that Old Lyme residents should be allowed to store kayaks and similar equipment at the facility, but this does not appear to be part of the current vision for the boathouse.