Branford Land Trust

CLCC Award Ceremony
2022-08-30 16:00 - 17:30 (America/New_York)
We hope you will join us, the CLCC, and local officials and representatives, for a special award ceremony in honor of Bill Horne to be held on Tuesday, August 30, 4:00 p.m. at DeLeo Field, 156 Laurel Hill Road, Branford. The ceremony will feature an award presentation and music, followed by a guided hike at Pieper Woods.
Register here: https://bit.ly/3Pn9pi9.
Carpooling is highly encouraged, as parking spaces are limited. We’ll be in an open field, so please wear comfortable shoes and socks, bring a lawn chair if you’d like, consider a hat and bug spray. Bring a refillable water bottle as no plastic water bottles will be given out.
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Book Launch & Art Reception, Writing the Land: Windblown I
2022-11-13 14:00 - 16:00 | BACA Gallery, 1004 Main Street, Branford, CT, 06405, United States
A Creative Project from the Branford Land Trust & the Branford Arts and Cultural Alliance
You don’t want to miss this special Book Launch and Art Reception for Writing the Land: Windblown I on Sunday, November 13 from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. The event is hosted by the Branford Land Trust and the Branford Arts and Cultural Alliance, and will be held at the BACA Gallery in downtown Branford. Poet Laurel Peterson will read a selection of her poems about Branford’s Beacon Hill Preserve, and the book’s featured artwork by BLT and BACA members will be on display.

Writing the Land: Windblown I Online Poetry Reading
2022-11-19 14:00 - 16:00
November 19
POETRY READINGS & BOOK LAUNCH
Saturday, 2 p.m.
Watch for details about this virtual book launch for Writing the Land: Windblown I, an anthology featuring the work of poets writing about conserved lands for 11 land trusts across the country. Branford Land Trust’s poet, Laurel Peterson, and 15 others, will read at least one of their poems in recordings made mostly out on the lands themselves. These are interspersed with short videos featuring the land trusts and the work they do. All proceeds from the sales of Writing the Land: Windblown I benefit the BLT. Watch the Branford Land Trust website for more information.

Annual Van Wie Walk
2022-12-04 13:00 - 14:30 | Van Wie Woods, 87 Red Hill Road, Branford, CT, 06405, United States
Join the Branford Land Trust on Sunday, December 4 at 1:00 PM for this annual hike at Van Wie Woods, exploring fields, woodlands, streams, and granite outcrops of the 100 acres donated by two generations of the Van Wie family. The walk will be led by several local naturalists, and it’s a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and refreshing fall weather with friends and family.
We’ll meet by the trailhead at 87 Red Hill Road. Directions: From Exit 56 on I-95, go south on Leetes Island Rd. for 0.1 mile, and turn left (east) onto Red Hill Rd. Proceed to #87, which is on the right, and park on the right side of the road or at the pull-off by the pond.
The full walk is approximately two miles long (90 minutes) and of moderate difficulty with two or three short steep stretches. Walkers will also have the option of a shorter (one mile) walk. Please wear appropriate dress and comfortable, supportive walking shoes. Bring water. Walking sticks encouraged for the rocky and leafy terrain. The walk is good for kids as young as six or seven. Parents of younger children should use their discretion and be prepared to carry them for parts of the route.

BLT January Film Series: Afro-Indigenous Relationships to Land
2023-01-21 13:30 - 16:00 | Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main Street, Branford, CT, 06405, United States
An Afternoon of Film and Discussion with Clan Mother Shoran Waupatukuay Piper of the Golden Hill Paugussetts
Join the Branford Land Trust on Saturday, January 21 from 1:30 – 4:00 p.m. at the Blackstone Memorial Library for a series of short films that highlight Native American bonds to land, including nations in the northeast like the Narragansett, Penobscot, and Shinnecock. The films will be followed by a discussion led by our guest Clan Mother Shoran Waupatukuay Piper, author of the book Red Road: Traditional Voices of Afro-Indigenous America. (Read More)

Branford Land Trust Winter Animal Tracking Classes
2023-01-28 09:30 - 11:00, 2023-02-25 09:30 - 11:00 | Lake Saltonstall Preserve, Hosley Avenue, Branford, CT, 06405, United States
Watch for details!

Saturday Work Party: Hillside Avenue/Hillside Park
2023-02-25 09:00 - 12:00
Saturday February 25, 2023, 9:00am-12:00pm, Hillside Avenue/Hillside Park Parcel
A joint project between the Branford Land Trust and the Town of Branford’s Conservation Commission. This roughly 10-acre parcel sits just north of the town green and is surrounded by developments on all sides. As such, reports of dumping, encroachments, and invasive species (especially English ivy) have been observed over the recent years.
During a recent visit, much of the southern half of the property is infested with invasive species including dense monocultures of winged euonymus, verdant carpets of English ivy, and occasional patches of multiflora rose, tree of heaven, lesser celandine, Japanese barberry, and Japanese knotweed. Given how well established these plants have become, we hope to commit part of the day towards eradicating plants in manageable areas to control the spread. We also plan to spend part of the day (or split up based on attendance) picking up litter.
What to bring: hand pruners, loppers, gloves, proper clothing/sturdy footwear. I will bring extra hand tools, a weed wrench, plastic trash bags, and paper leaf bags.
Where to park: there are a couple of public lots near the property: 23 Hillside Avenue and 19 Harrison Avenue. From there walk north along Hillside Avenue, near Green View Commons and Rosehill Apartments, until you reach a small roundabout driveway. The very northern end of Hillside Avenue is the public access point for this property.

Saturday Work Party: Pisgah Brook/Knocker’s Hole
2023-03-18 09:00 - 12:00
Saturday March 18th, 9:00am-12:00pm, Pisgah Brook/Knocker’s Hole
There have been a lot of on-going projects in these Town-owned parcels and the trail network is extensive. If you have not hiked through these woods, this would be a great time to check out the trail! During this project, we hope to achieve a number of trail improvement tasks. Heading east on the red and white (Branford) trails, a number of smaller sections of the trail have been flooding after rain events and need some maintenance in order to better drain. Some sections of the trail need hardscaping to improve footing over muddy areas. We intend to use local materials for the hardscaping.
What to bring: waterproof boots, hand tools (spades, rakes, grub hoe, pickaxe, pry bar, etc.), work gloves. I will have extra tools on hand for those who don’t have access to them.
Where to park: park in the gravel lot off Laurel Hill Road. The closest navigable address is 154 Laurel Hill Road. The parking lot entrance is just north of this private residence. There is a wooden trail kiosk at the entrance to the parking lot.

EARTH DAY FAIR & Branford Clean-up Day
2023-04-15 10:30 - 13:30 | Branford Green, Town Hall Drive, Branford, CT, 06405, United States
Visit our tent at the Earth Day Fair on the Branford Green, sponsored by the Town of Branford and Living Wisely & Well on Planet Earth. There will be exhibits, swaps and giveaways, activities for kids and more. There will be collection dumpsters for those participating in Branford Clean-up Day.

Saturday Work Party: Johnson Point
2023-04-22 09:00 - 12:00
Heading back out to Johnson’s Point again for April 2023! We aim to continue our work here primarily removing invasive species that have sprawled along the roadsides. Multiflora rose, Asiatic bittersweet, and burning bush were most prevalent last year. Chinese silvergrass was also observed spreading into the high marsh area as well. We will use manual methods to remove or mitigate the spread of these plants during this work party. Click here for more information.

Great Give
2023-05-03 08:00 - 2023-05-04 20:00

Branford Forum: Protecting the Natural Beauty of Branford
2023-05-07 14:00 - 15:30 | Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main Street, Branford, CT, 06405, United States
Protecting the Natural Beauty of Branford
Julie Wagner, President, Branford Land Trust
Have you hiked a trail in Branford? Or enjoyed a view of a saltmarsh? Or watched the ospreys nesting in the spring? If so, chances are you have enjoyed the work of the all-volunteer Branford Land Trust. Since 1967 the BLT has protected Branford’s natural resources, acquired and managed open space, promoted public access, educated the public about our natural resources, and encouraged our community to get involved.

Annual Mother’s Day Weekend Bird Walks
2023-05-13 09:00 - 11:00, 2023-05-14 09:00 - 11:00 | Stony Creek Trolley Trail, West Point Road, Branford, CT, 06405, United States
Local birder Chris Woerner will lead these popular walks along the Stony Creek Trolley Trail and into the BLT’s Vedder property to help identify birds by sight and by call. We’ll meet in Stony Creek at the end of West Point Road across from Willoughby Wallace Library. Families are welcome, but no dogs please.

May Mountain Laurel Walk
2023-05-27 10:30 - 11:30 | Stony Creek Quarry Trail, Quarry Road, Branford, 06405, United States
Come out and enjoy a walk with the Branford Land Trust as we explore the Quarry Preserve and learn about Connecticut’s state flower with Stony Creek resident Joseph Inguanti on Saturday, May 27 at 10:30 a.m.
Branford Land Trust Mountain Laurel Walk at the Quarry Preserve

Film Screening of A River Speaks by Steve Hamm
2023-05-30 18:30 - 20:00 | Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main Street, Branford, CT, 06405, United States
The Branford Land Trust and the Branford Arts & Cultural Alliance join forces to present the film A River Speaks by Steve Hamm on Tuesday, May 30, 6:30 p.m. at the Blackstone Memorial Library. The film will be followed by a Q&A discussion.
Film Screening of A River Speaks by Steve Hamm

Horseshoe Crab Program
2023-06-13 19:30 - 20:30 | Killam’s Point, Shore Drive, Branford, CT, 06405, United States
June 13, 2023 at 7:30pm
Love’s Beach, Killam’s Point, Branford, CT
Join this co-sponsored program with the First Congregational Church of Branford and the Branford Land Trust for hands-on program to learn about the ecology and importance of horseshoe crabs in our lives today. The program will be held at Love’s Beach, part of Killam’s Point Conference Center.
This program is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Please email info@killamspoint.org to register.

Branford Festival
2023-06-17 | Branford Green, Town Hall Drive, Branford, CT, 06405, United States
Come visit the Branford Land Trust booth on the Branford green during the Branford Festival!

26th Annual Branford Land Trust Environmental Day Camp for Kids
2023-08-07 09:00 - 16:00 | Killam’s Point, Shore Drive, Branford, CT, 06405, United States
Registration is now open for the Branford Land Trust’s popular Hand-on Environmental Day Camp to be held on Monday, August 7 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This is an awesome experience for children ages 5-9 who will enjoy lots of hands-on activities, including touch tanks, woodland and Long Island Sound exploration, nature crafts, and more. A full day’s agenda, map, and list of what to bring will be mailed upon receipt of your registration and payment of $45.00 (additional children, same family $35.00), or $35 for BLT members.
