Past Events
Mother’s Day Forest Bathing
Time: 1:30 PM-3:30
Place: Ravine Trail (Selden Entrance), Joshuatown Road, Lyme CT
Contact Email: regan@reganstacey.com
Enjoy a forest bathing walk celebrating Mother’s Day. We’ll honor our own mothers, the mothers of all beings, and our Great Mother, Earth. Invitations to connect with nature will be offered along the way. The session concludes with a flower blossom tea. The walk is about 1-mile over easy to moderate terrain.
Registration: $33 ~ includes the program and tea
Register HERE
LLT members receive 15% discount with code LLT15
Rain or shine event. Challenging weather cancels.
Forest bathing is inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku – taking in the forest atmosphere. As a growing global wellness movement, it is backed by nearly 40 years of scientific research on the holistic benefits of immersing yourself in nature. These benefits include reduced stress and blood pressure, increased creativity and focus, improved mood and sleep, and a boost to immune functions.
Regan Stacey is an artist and advocate for the Earth whose passion is to reconnect humans to nature for personal and planetary well-being. She believes we can all awaken the forest within. She is co-founder of The Forest Therapy School, a forest therapy guide training program. Through her private practice, she offers forest bathing walks, mindful nature retreats, and mindfulness training. Regan is also the facilitator of the LLT Tree Collective, connecting teens to nature through stewardship, education, and exploration. Find out more about her work at reganstacey.com or theforesttherapyschool.com
Learn and Work Party at Jewett Preserve Meadow
Time: 900-11:00 am
Place: Meet at the Pleasant Valley Preserve parking lot, Macintosh Rd., Lyme CT
Contact Email: openspace@townlyme.org
Join us for a work party as part of habitat management to encourage healthy native plants in a small meadow. Learn about meadow management and how to identify invasive and native plants .We will focus on removing woody invasive species from the field edges. We will be working on winged euonymous (aka burning bush), autumn olive and barberry, and creating brush piles from the material that will be cut. The effort will benefit native woody shrubs and trees, including highbush blueberry, spicebush, ironwood and more.
Tools needed for the morning will be lopping shears, hand pruners, hand saws, and chain saws. Please bring water and work gloves and be sure to wear long sleeves and long pants. Snacks will be provided.
Please Register:
mrice@tnc.org Martha Rice, Volunteer Coordinator for The Nature Conservancy
Or
openspace@townlyme.org Wendy Hill, Town of Lyme Open Space Coordinator
Sponsored by the Town of Lyme, The Nature Conservancy, and the Lyme Land Trust.
Directions:
From the north, travel Route 82 to Route 156; take Route 156 south for 2 miles to right on MacIntosh Road; travel 0.25 mile on MacIntosh Road, and parking for the preserve will be on the right.
From the south, in Old Lyme, take exit 70 off of I-95. From the intersection of Route 1 and Route 156, travel north on Route 156 approximately 6 miles, and take a left onto MacIntosh Road; travel 0.25 mile on MacIntosh Road, and parking for the preserve will be on the right.
May Lyme Nix the Knotweed Days
Time: 9:00 am-11:00 am
Place: May 5-Start at Reed Landing, Old Hamburg Rd, Joshua Pond; May 12-Whalebone Cove,
Contact Email: openspace@townlyme.org
Join our work party for the third year to remove invasive knotweed and learn to control Knotweed on your own property. Better yet, organize your own neighborhood Nix the Knotweed Day! We are in our third year of tackling the knotweed using the “method of 3s”: cut knotweed down to the ground and remove the plant material; 3 chops this growing season (May, mid-July, and mid-August). Don’t cut more often or it won’t weaken the extensive root system. The cuttings must be carefully disposed of since each little piece will regrow into a new plant. We will fully solarize all plant material to kill it.
We are seeing progress! The knotweed has been highly reduced where we have used this method for the last 2 years.
Bring work gloves, clippers or loppers. We’ll provide the bags! Bring your own water bottle. Snacks will be provided.
Please register: (walk-ins welcome)
Saturday, May 5 at Reed Landing and Old Hamburg Road. We are adding a knotweed stand on the dam at Joshua Pond this year.: Openspace@townlyme.org
Friday, May 12 at Whalebone Cove: trughouse@comcast.net
Sponsored by the Town of Lyme, Lyme Pollinator Pathway, Friends of Whalebone Cove, and Lyme Land Trust.
Japanese knotweed is an invasive plant which crowds out native plants that pollinators and other wildlife depend upon for survival. For a brochure on Nix the Knotweed Method of 3s.
May Astronomy Observing Session
Time: 8:00-10:00 pm
Place: Register to learn location
Contact Email: astronomy@lymelandtrust.org
Young or old, experienced or totally unfamiliar, we look forward to exposing you to our uniquely dark skies here in Lyme. The new observatory is in full motion. The Lyme Land Trust offers public viewing sessions once a month near the new moon. Our cohorts have several different telescopes that are on display for your observing pleasure, and we now are pleased to have a modern 14″ Schmidt-Cassegrain housed in a permanent observatory structure.
Registrations: Please Click Here
General inquiries: astronomy@lymelandtrust.org
On any given night, public sessions will be co-facilitated by one or more of our talented cohort enthusiasts:
- Jon Dean
- Roger Charbonneau, J
- Scott Mallory
- Parag Sahasrabudhe
- Alan Sheiness
Directions to the site and special guidance for those with heavy astronomy equipment will be provided upon registration. Park in the designated area and walk to the observing field with its amazing panoramic views of the heavens. Dress for temperatures 10-20 degrees lower than forecast for your comfort. No white lights at the field site, please.
For more information about the astronomy program See amazing astrophotography by Parag Sahasrabudhe – Velology blog
Lymes Senior Center Take-a-Walk Wednesday with Wendy
Time: 9:30-11:30ish am
Place: Hartman Park, Gungy Rd., Lyme
Contact Email: sgould@oldlyme-ct.gov
Presenter: Wendy Hill
Hartman Park – The unique natural, historic, and archeological features in Hartman Park make it a delight to explore. We will look for spring wildflowers. 2.5 miles.
Directions: Meet at Hartman Park main entrance parking lot on Gungy Rd. The parking lot is about 1.5 miles north of intersection of Beaver Brook and Gungy Rd.
Reservations are required. Please email sgould@oldlyme-ct.gov or call 860-434-4127 to reserve your spot. Free to Lyme’s Senior Center members. $5 for non-members.
On the 2nd Wednesday of each month the group will get together at various hiking areas in Lyme and Old Lyme. Hikes will be lead by Wendy Hill, Open Space Coordinator of Lyme and the Vice President of Lyme Land Trust. The walks are moderate, unless otherwise noted. Bring a water bottle and dress for the weather. Wear sturdy footwear and bring a hiking stick or pole if you would like. Everyone welcome. All hikes are 2.5 to 3 miles. Inclement weather cancels the walk.
Sponsored with the Lyme’s Senior Center.
Tuesday Trek: Johnston Preserve – Jim
Time: 9:00
Place: Park in Johnston Preserve parking lot on Rte. 82.
Contact Email: Jim.arrigoni@lymelandtrust.org
Presenter: Jim
Johnston Preserve – 3-mile hike over moderate terrain through upland forest while being serenaded by nesting bird species like Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Register: Jim.arrigoni@lymelandtrust.org
View the Tuesday Trek Schedule
Tree Collective Teen Group – Walk the Goodwin Trail
Time: 9:00 am
Place: Goodwin Trail, Meet at Chapel Farm, East Haddam
Contact Email: reganstacey@gmail.com
For teens, join the Tree Collective to walk the entire Goodwin Trail – one way for about 14 miles though four towns, East Haddam, Salem, Lyme, and East Lyme. Meet at Chapel Farm parking lot on Rte 82 in East Haddam.
The Tree Collective is a program designed to engage young conservationists ages 14-18 in outdoor fun and education while working to maintain trails in our beautiful town of Lyme, CT. It is sponsored by the Lyme Land Trust under the leadership of environmentalist/artist Regan Stacey. Each time we meet, we offer a different topic, often with a hike and trail work in a selected preserve. For more information.
Registration required: reganstacey@gmail.com.
Click on flyer to enlarge.
April Vernal Pools Foray in May
Time: 1:30-3:30 pm
Place: Selden Creek Preserve, Joshuatown Road, Lyme CT
Contact Email: education@lymelandtrust.org
Join Jim Arrigoni in an exploration of two very different vernal pools at Selden Creek Preserve: one small, shallow & shady, the other large, sunny & deep. These temporary wetland habitats are critical for sustaining populations of fascinating critters like Wood Frogs and Spotted Salamanders, but varying conditions from pool-to-pool and year-to-year can result in very different outcomes for the species that depend on them. Come get an up-close view of who’s making their living in our local vernal pools and how they’re doing it.
Register: education@lymelandtrust.org
Learn and Plant–Rain Garden at Reed Landing Phase 2
Time: 9:30-11:30 am
Place: Reed Landing, Old Hamburg Rd, Lyme
Contact Email: openspace@townlyme.org
Join us to hep plant a 2nd dry swale rain garden at Reed Landing.Last May, we planted a rain garden at the small open space property owned by the Town of Lyme on the bank of the Eightmile River, at the corner Joshuatown Road and Old Hamburg Road. We are expanding the native garden area. With the professional help of New England Pollinator Gardens, we are asking volunteers to join us to plant the garden and learn all about the process of creating a native plant garden, where to place it, how to prepare the ground, and the plants to choose.
Bring hand edger, shovel, and/or mattock. Bring your own water bottle.
Please register:openspace@townlyme.org
Why plant a dry swale rain garden? Dry swale rain gardens are designed to slow the velocity of stormwater runoff from roads and other impermeable surfaces, to filter pollution, and control erosion. These native plantings not only protect water quality, but also provide habitat for a variety of pollinators, including bees, birds, butterflies and their larva, wasps, and other wildlife. Many native insects depend upon specific native plants for survival. And birds depend upon these insects for food.
Pollinator Pathway (LPP) is an initiative of the Lyme SustainableCT Committee, which is appointed by the Lyme Board of Selectmen. Partners are Lyme Land Trust, Lyme Garden Club, and Friends of Whalebone Cove. The Eightmile Wild and Scenic Committee is providing funding for the Reed Landing Rain Garden Phase 2.
Light Pollution with Misha Semonov-Leiva and Alan Sheiness-Part 1
Time: 6:30 pm
Place: Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Library, 2 Library Lane, Old Lyme CT
Contact Email: astronomy@lymelandtrust.org
This is a two part series on light pollution in the Connecticut River Valley. Learn the effects of an artificially brightened night sky, including the effects on natural cycles in aquatic and terrestrial life. Misha SEmonov-Leiva will present simple site lighting design changes that can thwart impact while promoting safety.
Part I – Wed., May 3, 6:30 pm, 2023: Presentation at the Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library
Part II – Wed May 17, 8:00 pm, 2023: Meet at Trail 53 Observatory located in Lyme. Directions will be emailed to you after registration.
Register for each event separately. To Register
Co-sponsored by the Lyme land Trust, Lyme Public Library, Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, and the CT River Gateway Commission
