Past Events
Learn and Restore Native Habitat-Volunteer Work Day at Hartman Park
Date: Sat September 17, 2022Time: 1:30 - 4:00 pm
Place: Hartman Park. Meet at the Main Entrance.
Contact Email: openspace@townlyme.org
Help us restore a healthy native woodland around the Lee Farm site in Hartman Park. Learn to identify the beneficial native plants we want to keep and the invasive plants we want to remove. Four years ago, the area was overrun with barberry and other invasives. After several years of brush hogging and pulling, we are close to making the area invasive free. We will remove the invasives. Bring along heavy duty gloves and clippers. A root-extracting tool, like a pick ax, will be helpful. Bring a bottle of water. A snack will be provided. The Lee Farm site is about 1/2 mile from the entrance.
Please register: openspace@townlyme.org
Inclement weather Cancels.
Directions: The Hartman Park Main Entrance entrance is on Gungy Road about 1.5 miles north of the 4-way stop signs at the intersection of Beaverbrook Road, Grassy Hill Road, and Gungy Road.
September Astronomy Observing Session
Time: 7:30 - 9:00 pm
Place: Register to learn location
Contact Email: scott.mallory@gmail.com
Young or old, experienced or totally unfamiliar, we look forward to exposing you to our uniquely dark skies here in Lyme. Our last session was amazing. We had strong attendance, and it included children and adults, locals and visitors. (A family from California visiting family in Lyme are our official farthest-from-home attendees.) 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. On any given night, public sessions will be co-facilitated by one or more of our talented cohort enthusiasts:
- Jon Dean
- Roger Charbonneau, Jr
- Scott Mallory
- Parag Sahasrabudhe
- Alan Sheiness
Reservations required. scott.mallory@gmail.com. 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
Tuesday Trek: Roaring Brook Preserve-CANCELLED
Time: 9:30 am -11:30 am
Place: Roaring Brook Preserve, Day Hill Rd., Lyme CT
Contact Email: sue.cope@lymelandtrust.org
Presenter: Sue Cope
About 1 mile. Park along Day Hill Road. Walk through an old cedar grove and a quick steep decent through a hemlock stand down to the Roaring Brook. This is a dog-friendly hike! We will pause at the brook and let the pups splash around.
Contact: sue.cope@lymelandtrust.org
View the Tuesday Trek Schedule
Join us for a refreshing morning walk on a Lyme preserve led by a board or staff member of the Lyme Land Trust. The leaders will alternate each week between Sue Cope, Wendy Hill, Tony Irving, and Kristina White with Brady, canine guide. The walks are about two hours and are moderately easy unless noted. Bring a water bottle and dress for the weather. Reservations are required. Contact walk leader to reserve.
Lymes’ Senior Center Take-A-Hike Thursday with Wendy Hill
Time: 9:30 am -12:00ish pm
Place: Gillette Castle State Park, Ferry Road (Rte 148), Lyme Ct
Contact Email: sgould@oldlyme-ct.gov
We will walk up a beautiful walkway to the Castle and explore the route that was once a narrow gauge train trail. Beautiful CT River views and a tunnel. 2.5 miles. There are some hills.
Directions: Meet at the Hadlyme Public Boat Ramp parking lot by the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry. (Note: For google maps, search for “Chester-Hadlyme Ferry”. Make sure GPS sends you to Ferry Road in Lyme ( Rte 148), not Old Lyme.)
Reservations are required. Please email sgould@oldlyme-ct.gov or call 860-434-4127 to reserve your spot.
On the 2nd Thursday of each month the group will get together at various hiking areas in Lyme and Old Lyme. Hikes will be led 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, dress for the weather and a hiking stick or pole if you would like. Everyone welcome. Inclement weather cancels the hike.
Sponsored by the Lyme’s Senior Center.
Tuesday Trek: Jewett and Pleasant Valley Loop
Time: 9:00 am -11:00ish am
Place: Jewett and Pleasant Valley Preserve, Macintosh Rd., Lyme CT
Contact Email: kristina.white@lymelandtrust.org
Presenter: Kristina White
2 miles. Park at Macintosh Rd Parking lot.
Contact: Kristina.white@lymelandtrust.org
View the Tuesday Trek Schedule
Join us for a refreshing morning walk on a Lyme preserve led by a board or staff member of the Lyme Land Trust. The leaders will alternate each week between Sue Cope, Wendy Hill, Tony Irving, and Kristina White with Brady, canine guide and start at 9:00 or 9:30am. Check schedule. The walks are about two hours and are moderately easy unless noted. Bring a water bottle and dress for the weather. Reservations are required. Contact walk leader to reserve.
August Astronomy Observing Session
Time: 8:00 - 9:30 pm
Place: Register to learn location
Contact Email: scott.mallory@gmail.com
Come join us at our Lyme observing site for an evening of stargazing. See the beauty that is the uniquely dark sky of Lyme CT.
On any given night, public sessions will be co-facilitated by one or more of our talented cohort enthusiasts:
- Jon Dean
- Roger Charbonneau, Jr
- Scott Mallory
- Parag Sahasrabudhe
- Alan Sheiness
Reservations required. scott.mallory@gmail.com. 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
Lyme Nix the Knotweed Days
Time: 8-10 am
Place: Whalebone Cove, Ferry Rd. Lyme CT
Contact Email: openspace@townlyme.org
Join our work party for the second 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 second year of tackling the knotweed using the “method of 3s”: cut knotweed down to the ground and bag the plant material; 3 chops this growing season (May, mid-July, and mid-August) We will repeat this for 3 years to take care of the knotweed for good without using herbicide. The cuttings will be carefully disposed of since each little piece will regrow into a new plant.
We also will tend the new native plant garden at Reed Landing on Saturday, August 13. The garden was installed on May 14, 2022 under the direction of New England Pollinator Gardens. Come help and Learn about creating a native garden in your own yard. This project is made possible with grant form the Eightmile River Wild & Scenic Coordinating Committee.
Bring work gloves. For knotweed removal, bring clippers or loppers. Bring your own water bottle. Snacks will be provided.
Please register:
For Friday, Aug. 19 at Whalebone Cove: trughouse@comcast.net
For Saturday, Aug. 13 at Reed Landing and Old Hamburg Road: Openspace@townlyme.org
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.
POSTPONED to August 18-Learn and Weed – Pollinator Meadow at the Lyme Public Library
Time: 9:00-11:00 am
Place: Lyme Town Campus by the Library
Contact Email: heseldale@aol.com
Join members of the Lyme Garden Club and Lyme Pollinator Pathway to care for the Pollinator Meadow by weeding out unwanted plants. Learn which wildflowers to protect for pollinators and the best methods to remove unwanted and invasive species. You may collect seeds to bring home for your own pollinator meadow.
You are welcome to stop by for all or part of the time.
Bring clippers, a bucket, and garden gloves.
Refreshments will be provided.
Registration appreciated: makistner@comcast.net
The Lyme Garden Club has performed volunteer year-round maintenance on the meadow on behalf of the Town of Lyme since 2016, including obtaining soil tests, planting new native pollinator-friendly plants, and removing invasive plants. The meadow is mowed once a year.
Lyme Nix the Knotweed Days
Time: 8-10 am
Place: Reed Landing, Old Hamburg Rd, Joshua Pond, Joshuatown Rd., Lyme CT
Contact Email: openspace@townlyme.org
Join our work party for the second 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 second year of tackling the knotweed using the “method of 3s”: cut knotweed down to the ground and bag the plant material; 3 chops this growing season (May, mid-July, and mid-August) We will repeat this for 3 years to take care of the knotweed for good without using herbicide. The cuttings will be carefully disposed of since each little piece will regrow into a new plant.
We also will tend the new native plant garden at Reed Landing on Saturday, August 13. The garden was installed on May 14, 2022 under the direction of New England Pollinator Gardens. Come help and Learn about creating a native garden in your own yard. This project is made possible with grant form the Eightmile River Wild & Scenic Coordinating Committee.
Bring work gloves. For knotweed removal, bring clippers or loppers. Bring your own water bottle. Snacks will be provided.
Please register:
For Saturday, Aug. 13 at Reed Landing and Old Hamburg Road: Openspace@townlyme.org
For Friday, Aug. 19 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.
Lymes’ Senior Center Take-A-Hike Thursday with Wendy Hill
Time: 9:30 am -12:00ish pm
Place: Watch Rock Preserve, Joel Road, Old Lyme, CT
Contact Email:
Easy walk along rocky outcroppings along the Lieutenant River with beautiful views of the salt marshes. Bring your binoculars. We will take our time. 1 mile.
Directions: Take Rte 156 onto Noyes Rd. Take first right and stay to the right to reach the parking lot on Joel Rd.
Reservations are required. Please email sgould@oldlyme-ct.gov or call 860-434-4127 to reserve your spot.
On the 2nd Thursday of each month the group will get together at various hiking areas in Lyme and Old Lyme. Hikes will be led 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, dress for the weather and a hiking stick or pole if you would like. Everyone welcome. All hikes are 2.5 to 3 miles. Inclement weather cancels the hike.
Sponsored by the Lyme’s Senior Center.
