Eightmile River Wild & Scenic Watershed

The Tree Collective Teen Event - Lyme
2026-02-08 13:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | CT
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. Each time we meet, we offer a different topic, often with a hike and trail work in a selected preserve.
It is sponsored by the Lyme Land Trust under the leadership of environmentalist/artist Regan Stacey. Regan Stacey is a mother whose passion is to reconnect humans to nature.
Tools and gloves provided.
Registration required: reganstacey@gmail.com.

Selden Creek Preserve Hike - Lyme
2026-02-10 09:30 - 11:30 | Selden Creek Preserve, Joshuatown Road, Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
Hike to both overlooks and experience the vista with a view unobstructed by leaves. 2.5 miles. Fairly steep in parts. Meet at the Selden Creek Preserve parking lot on Joshuatown Rd.
Register: openspace@townlyme.org

Coexisting with Connecticut's Critters - Lyme
2026-02-11 19:00 - 20:30 | Lyme Public Hall, 249 Hamburg Rd (Rte 156), Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
Coexisting with Connecticut’s Critters with Master Wildlife Conservationist, Ginny Apple, Connecticut DEEP
How can we coexist safely with wildlife and minimize negative interactions in backyards and open spaces?We value protecting native wild animals and plants in their natural communities. However, because of the fragmentation of habitats, the risks of habituation and the movement of animals, conflicts between humans and wildlife can and do occur. These interactions may increase as climate change shifts animal ranges and as species recover or disperse to new areas.
How can we move from conflict to coexistence? What tools and strategies can we employ to reduce conflicts that may arise when people and wildlife share landscapes? And can these strategies help imperiled wildlife rebound and expand to their historical ranges?
This discussion by Ginny Apple will help answer these questions and guide our thinking about animal encounters, opening the path to coexistence.
Registration: education@lymelandtrust.org

Thach Preserve Hike - Lyme
2026-02-17 09:00 - 11:00 | Thach Preserve, 131 Brush Hill Road, Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
Walk the gentle and mostly-flat 1-mile trail, pausing at the picnic table overlooking the beaver wetland to see what’s happening in the “dead” of winter. If we have old-fashioned New England weather, we may attempt to snowshoe or cross-country ski the loop instead of cancelling due to snow. Park at the trailhead on Brush Hill Road.
Register: jim.arrigoni@lymelandtrust.org

Opossum Tales for Young Nature Lovers - Lyme
2026-02-17 14:00 - 15:00 | Lyme Public Library, 482 Hamburg Road, Lyme, CT, 06371-3110, United States
Join us during school break for a very special program with opossum rehabilitators experts Pam and Bill Lefferts of Ferncroft
Wildlife Rescue. Using the big screen, Pam will tell an engaging short picture story about backyard wildlife, with a focus on opossums. Children will learn all about the unique characteristics of the gentle, nocturnal creatures, their quirky characteristics and beneficial role in nature. They may be surprised to hear that U.S. Presidents have kept opossums in the White House! Best of all, everyone will have the chance to meet real-life opossum ambassador Brandi, who wears a harness and leash and happily allows young guests to pet her soft fur. There will be time for questions and to have a photo taken with Brandi (animal ambassadors are always held by the presenters so they stay calm and feel safe). Geared for children four and older, and their interested friends & family. Children 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.
Register: programreg@lymepl.org

Hike the Lena Reserve - East Haddam
2026-02-18 09:30 - 11:30 | Lena Reserve, Babcock Road, East Haddam, CT, 06423, United States
Take a Wednesday walk with the East Haddam and Lyme Land Trusts. The 207-acre Lena Reserve offers a range of terrains and forest types; as well as stone walls, fields and remnants of its agricultural history. Wendy Hill, Open Space Coordinator of Lyme and Lyme Land Trust Vice President will lead the walks with host Cameron Beard of the East Haddam Land Trust. Moderate with a some inclines. About 2 miles.
Directions: From Hadlyme 4-Corners, follow Rte 82 north for 0.8 miles. Turn right onto Clark Hill Rd. Follow 2.6 mi to right on Tater Hill Rd. Take the next left (0.3 mi) on Babcock Rd (gravel road). The parking lot is at the end on the left. (0.4 mi)

Xen's Critters - Salem
2026-02-21 11:00 - 12:00 | Salem Free Public Library, 264 Hartford Road, Salem, CT, 06420, United States
A one hour presentation by an animal specialist with lots of interaction with animals such a ferret, chinchilla, hedgehog, bunny, guinea pig and more!
Call 860-859-1130 to register.
Sponsored by a grant from the Chelsea Groton Foundation.

Woods Walk - East Haddam
2026-02-22 13:00 - 15:00 | Rose Farm Homestead Preserve, 200 Town Street, East Haddam, CT, 06423, United States
Hike the Rose Farm Homestead Preserve in East Haddam.

Mt. Archer Woods Hike - Lyme
2026-02-24 09:00 - 11:00 | Mt Archer Woods, Mt Archer Rd, Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
It is Maple Sugar Season! Walk through what was once excellent pasture that has since developed into a hardwood forest. We will look for signs of spring and learn about the process of making one of our regional delicacies. Meet at the parking area at the top of Mt. Archer on Mt. Archer Road.
Register: ryan.p.quinn@gmail.com

Building Layers for Biodiversity - Lyme
2026-02-28 11:00 - 12:30 | Lyme Public Hall, 249 Hamburg Rd (Rte 156), Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
LYME POLLINATOR PATHWAY AND POLLINATOR PATHWAY EAST LYME
Invites you to attend a presentation by Anna Fialkoff, the Connecticut College Arboretum Horticulturalist

Ideally, a native plant garden should contain all the layers, from the ground up to the canopy, to fill every open niche for wildlife habitat and to hold its own against invading weeds. Learn how to group trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants together for maximum impact and
beauty for a variety of situations and growing conditions. Anna Fialkoff will also share her top plant picks for pollinators and birds this coming growing season, and highlight the Connecticut College Arboretum as an educational resource and inspiration for native plant pollinator gardeners.

Free
RSVP for this talk to lymepollilnator1@gmail.com and to sign up for the Lyme Pollinator Pathway mailing list.
Connecticut College Arboretum https://www.conncoll.edu/the-arboretum/
Lyme Pollinator Pathway is an initiative of the Lyme SustainableCT Committee

Hartman Park Hike - Lyme
2026-03-03 09:00 - 11:00 | Hartman Park, Gungy Road, Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
Walk along a ridge and up to the top area of Hartman Park. We will view a variety of indigenous stone structures along the way. – plus miles or so. Meet at Hartman Park main lot, Gungy Rd, Lyme.
Register: kristina.white@lymelandtrust.org

Griswold Point Hike : Old Lyme
2026-03-10 10:30 - 12:00 | Griswold Point, 11 Seaside Ln, Old Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
Taking advantage of low tide and depending upon conditions, we will walk to the end of Griswold Point and back. About 1.5 miles. Bring binoculars if you have them. Meet at White Sands Beach Parking Lot, 11 Seaside Ln, Old Lyme.
Register: openspace@townlyme.org

Fishing Local Waterways - Lyme
2026-03-10 19:00 - 20:30 | Lyme Public Hall, 249 Hamburg Rd (Rte 156), Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
Are you a fishing enthusiast? Have you always wanted to be one? Or are you just interested in the fish that are likely to be lurking in the waterways you encounter while hiking the trails of Lyme? Either way, you’ll be interested to hear local expert Rowan Lytle’s talk on fishing our local waterways, sponsored by the Lyme Land Trust.
Rowan is a registered Connecticut fishing guide, operating both wading and canoe-based trips in central and eastern state waterways. He has been fishing ever since he can remember and has been an avid fly fisher since he was 14 years old. He fishes between 250 and 320 days each year, and has caught over 160 different fish species on the fly. Rowan has traveled all over the Eastern US to fish for species big and small, and has learned how to do long fishing trips on a tight budget.
To register for this talk, please email: education@lymelandtrust.org

Astronomy Observing Session : Lyme
2026-03-14 19:00 - 21:00 | CT
DATE COULD SHIFT BASED ON WEATHER– Time to start up again after the winter break; let’s hope the snow is long gone. We can still enjoy the highlights of the winter night sky with Orion and Gemini visible in the south at the session’s start. Jupiter beams brightly high in the sky with three of its four large moons visible as well. The fourth large moon, Europa, will peek out from behind the planet at about 9pm.
Register for this event on the event website. You will receive directions to the venue after registration.

Teen Hike and Steward Group : Lyme
2026-03-15 13:00 - 15:30 | CT
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. Each time we meet, we offer a different topic, often with a hike and trail work in a selected preserve.
It is sponsored by the Lyme Land Trust under the leadership of environmentalist/artist Regan Stacey. Regan Stacey is a mother whose passion is to reconnect humans to nature.
Tools and gloves provided.
Registration required: reganstacey@gmail.com

Banningwood Preserve Hike : Lyme
2026-03-17 09:00 - 11:00 | Banningwood Preserve, 10 Town Street, Lyme, 06371, United States
Explore the seasonal pools in the flood plain forest and in the old quarry for salamander eggs and take stock of the winter’s floods at this ever-changing preserve. Meet at the trailhead parking lot on Town Street/Route 82.
Register: jim.arrigoni@lymelandtrust.org

FIsh Passage Design : Webinar
2026-03-18 12:00 - 13:00 | CT
Fish passage is a critical component of river health and resilience. Join Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) for an engaging LiveStream webinar exploring fish passage on the Connecticut River. Speakers will dig deep into the importance of fish passage in our watershed, the intricacies of proper design, and what it takes to get it right. This webinar will investigate how effective design restores migratory pathways and meets evolving regulatory requirements. We will also explore connections to CRC’s continued migratory fish research.

Speakers include:
Ken Sprankle, United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Restoration Coordinator for the Connecticut River Migratory Fish Restoration Cooperative,
Jesus Morales, USFWS Hydraulic Engineer for Fish Passage Engineering
Kate Buckman, CRC Aquatic Ecologist.
Register for this Zoom Webinar on the website.

Newfoundland Dog Story Time and Cart Rides - Salem
2026-03-21 11:00 - 12:00 | Salem Free Public Library, 264 Hartford Road, Salem, CT, 06420, United States
Join The Land and Sea Newfoundland Training Group for a fun filled story time followed by cart rides pulled by the beautiful Newfoundlands!
Limited to 24 Participants, ages 5 and up.
Parents must sign waiver to have children participate in cart ride.
Call 860-859-1130 to register.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Salem Free Public Library

Machimoodus Spring Fling : East Haddam
2026-03-22 12:00 - 15:00 | Machimoodus State Park, 128 Leesville Road, Moodus, CT, 06469, United States

Native Plants and Habitats of Southern CT - Lyme
2026-03-22 16:00 - 17:30 | Lyme Public Hall, 249 Hamburg Rd (Rte 156), Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
The Lyme Pollinator Pathway invites you to join Jim Natale, native plant landscape expert, for a presentation on what we can do to preserve our natural heritage. As he takes us on an exploration of our natural open space areas, he will discuss the threat of invasive plants and the rarely seen native plants that are at risk of local extinction. Jim will also talk about what homeowners can do on their own landscapes to help.

Eightmile River Board Meeting
2026-03-23 17:00 - 19:00 | Burnham Brook Preserve, Dolbia Hill Road, East Haddam, CT, 06423, United States

Brockway-Hawthorne Hike : Lyme
2026-03-24 09:00 - 11:00 | Brockway-Hawthorne Preserve, Brush Hill Road, Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
This is new hike for Quinn, I am looking forward to some awesome discoveries. Expect a hike that is moderate in pace and full of exploration. Meet me at the parking area on Brush Hill Rd.
Register: ryan.p.quinn@gmail.com

The American Woodcock : Salem
2026-03-25 18:00 - 19:30 | Salem Free Public Library, 264 Hartford Road, Salem, CT, 06420, United States
Join us for a presentation about this unique bird, the American Woodcock.
In this slide show and presentation, learn about the woodcock’s strange physical features, spiraling aerial courtship display and much more. Suitable for teens and adults.
Presentation by Dennison Pequotsepos Nature Center.
Sponsored by a grant from the Eightmile River Wild & Scenic Watershed.
Call 860-859-1130 to register.

Lyme Pollinator 5th Anniversary Party - East Haddam
2026-03-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Ballek’s Garden Center, 90 Maple Ave, East Haddam, CT, 06423, United States
Lyme Pollinator Pathway invites you to our 5th Anniversary Party for an evening of warmth, cheer and greenery with fellow nature lovers at the lovely Ballek’s Garden Center greenhouse. Enjoy libations and nibbles – wine, native plant-themed mocktail, and appetizers. We will present our first annual Habitat Hero Award, have drawings for prizes, and Cake!
Donations: $25.00 per person. Email lymepollinator@gmail.com to RSVP. Pay by mail-in check or by check/cash at the door.  To learn more and to download a form for mail-in payment by check, go to : https://www.lymelandtrust.org/lyme-pollinator-pathway/
100% of your tax-deductible donations allow us to continue to promote pollinator habitat restoration, incorporating native plants, by providing free educational programs for the community.

Woods Walk : East Haddam
2026-03-29 13:00 - 15:00 | Golet Farm Preserve, Great Hillwod Road, Moodus, CT, 06469, United States
Golet Farm Preserve is 32 acres of meadows, wetlands, and woodlands interspersed with hiking trails leading through meadows of wildflowers and grasses, woods with interesting rock outcroppings and streams, and wooded wetlands.

Native Plants and Habitats of Southern CT : Lyme
2026-04-12 16:00 - 17:30 | Lyme Public Hall, 249 Hamburg Rd (Rte 156), Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
The Lyme Pollinator Pathway invites you to join Jim Natale, native plant landscape expert, at the Lyme Public Hall for a presentation on what we can do to preserve our natural heritage. As he takes us on an exploration of our natural open space areas, he will discuss the threat of invasive plants and the rarely seen native plants that are at risk of local extinction. Jim will also talk about what homeowners can do on their own landscapes to help.
RSVP for this free talk at the Lyme Public Hall, at lymepollinator1@gmail.com

Native Plant Sale : Lyme
2026-04-16 12:00 - 14:30 | John Pritchard Conservation Center, 12-1 Town Street, Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
The Lyme Land Trust will be selling native plants from Judge’s Farm in Old Lyme. Mike Baczewski, from New England Pollinator Gardens, will be on hand to answer questions and offer tips on how and where to grow these local wonders. Go Native!
Native Plant Sale. 3.5 inch pot – $4.00 – gallon – $9.00

Astronomy Observing Session : Lyme
2026-04-18 20:00 - 22:00 | CT
DATE COULD SHIFT BASED ON WEATHER– The shift from winter to spring means shifting from winter clusters to spring galaxies. On this evening, we will observe some of each, while also enjoying Jupiter in the western sky, and Mars in the southern sky.
Register on the event website. Upon registration , you will be given directions to the venue.

Spring Ephemerals on the Ravine Trail - Lyme
2026-04-19 09:30 - 13:00 | Selden Creek Preserve, Joshuatown Road, Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
Ravine Trail Walk: Join Lisa Wahle and Chris Penniman of the Connecticut Botanical Society in search of spring ephemerals on the Ravine Trail. Begin along the level white and yellow trails that traverse mature oak-hardwood forest, passing by a vernal pool, and proceed to the more challenging red trail as time and abilities allow. The steeper red trail is bordered by metamorphic ledges that host a mosaic of ferns, mosses and lichens.
More information can be found at: https://www.lymelandtrust.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Hadlyme-Hills-SeldRavBHWEB081022.pdf
Directions and Parking for the Ravine Trail: There is limited space for parking near the site, so we suggest meeting at the Hadlyme Ferry Boat launch lot (154 Ferry Road (Route 148)) and carpooling to the Seldon Creek Preserve parking lot on Joshuatown Road (1.2 miles south of the intersection of Route 148 and Joshuatown Road). From there we will cross the road to enter the Ravine Trail property. See map at the website link above.
Roaring Brook Preserve Walk: For those who would like to join Lisa and Chris for another short walk after the Ravine Trail, they will stop for a snack/lunch at the Hadlyme Country Market on the corner of Routes 82 and 148 and proceed to the Roaring Brook Preserve. This small gem offers an inclined path through red cedar and hemlock stands down to the cooling waters of the boulder-strewn Roaring Brook. More information and a map can be found at: https://www.lymelandtrust.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/RoaringbrookWEB.pdf
Directions for Roaring Brook Preserve: There is a small pull-in parking lot at the trailhead on Day Hill Road or at the Hadlyme Public Hall at the intersection of Route 148 and Day Hill Road.
Registration: encouraged Lisa at lcwahle@gmail.com 860-304-6184 or Chris at chrisepenniman@gmail.com or 860-501-4117
Rain Date – May 4

Teen Hike and Steward Group Meetup : Lyme
2026-04-19 13:00 - 15:30 | CT
