The Branford Land Trust will celebrate the Spring Equinox on Saturday, March 21 at 10 a.m. with a rejuvenating walk through the Short Beach Preserve, a 40-acre parcel with rugged rock outcroppings, tall oaks, beeches, extensive groves of mountain laurel, wetlands, and a magnificent bluff offering spectacular views of Talmadge Pond and Long Island Sound.
Parking is at the cul-de-sac at the end of Midwood Road, off Short Beach Road. Please carpool if you can. There will be two routes, a longer one of 2.4 miles and a shorter one of 1.5 miles; they will take about 1.5-2 hours at a gentle pace.
The event is free and open to the public. Families are welcome, but no dogs, please. Please wear appropriate clothes and comfortable, supportive walking shoes. Expect terrain with rocky underfooting, and some declines and inclines. Some muddy spots are possible if there has been rain. Bring water. Walking sticks are advised if you’re unsure of your balance on slopes.
ABOUT SHORT BEACH PRESERVE
Throughout much of the 19th century, the property was divided into a series of small, private woodlots, thus perhaps discouraging its development. Until the 1940s, ice was harvested from Talmadge Pond (also known as Altmannsberger Pond) and shipped to New York City and beyond for refrigeration. For more than a century Talmadge Pond has also been a favorite ice-skating spot for Short Beach residents.
In 1999, 35 acres were donated to the Branford Land Trust by the Foote Family Charitable Trust and two other donors. A 4.3-acre inholding that bisected the property and contained the Talmadge Pond bluff was later acquired for $150,000 through the contributions of many supporters and a generous $75,000 matching grant by the Foote Family Charitable Trust.
Area residents have reported seeing or hearing bald eagles, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, coyotes and great horned owls in the preserve. Be sure to return to the Short Beach Preserve in June, when blossoming mountain laurel makes this area one of the most beautiful places in southern Connecticut!
Photos by Patrick Holmes, Jen Payne