Spring Emergence Exploration Hike - Lyme
2026-05-02 07:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Jewett Preserve, Mt.Archer Road, Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
7am to 3pm– Rugged ramble and explore with Jim (expect a challenging hike – off trail, uneven terrain, swamps, wetlands, and rocky areas). Bring water, lunch and snacks.
Join Jim Natale, naturalist and amateur botanist, on a ramble through Jewett and adjacent preserves to identify all types of plants, focusing on spring ephemerals and mosses. In the late fall 2025, Jim volunteered to lead a series of work parties to cut several acres of invasive Burning Bush there. We will see what native plants have been given the opportunity to emerge in the cleared areas.

Spring Emergence Exploration Walk - Lyme
2026-05-02 15:00 - 17:00 | Jewett Preserve, Mt.Archer Road, Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
3:00-5:00 pm- Take a moderately easy walk with Jim to view highlights of what was discovered during his day-long ramble earlier in the day. There will be some off trail.
Join Jim Natale, naturalist and amateur botanist, on a ramble through Jewett and adjacent preserves to identify all types of plants, focusing on spring ephemerals and mosses. In the late fall 2025, Jim volunteered to lead a series of work parties to cut several acres of invasive Burning Bush there. We will see what native plants have been given the opportunity to emerge in the cleared areas.

Orchid Hike
2026-05-03 09:00 - 11:00 | Burnham Brook Preserve, Dolbia Hill Road, East Haddam, CT, 06423, United States
Jim Natale, Wilder Gardens, will guide us to a special site where native orchids bloom each spring. Sections of this hike will be on steep and difficult terrain. Good hiking boots and poles are highly recommended.
Preregistration is required via ehlt.org/orchid-walk; registration will be open from April 15 through April 30, 2026. Registration is limited to 15 people.

Seleden Creek Preserve Hike - Lyme
2026-05-05 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

Plant Sale - Salem
2026-05-07 10:00 - 18:00, 2026-05-08 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-05-09 10:00 - 14:00 | Salem Free Public Library, 264 Hartford Road, Salem, CT, 06420, United States
Mostly locally grown plants will be for sale at Salem Free Public Library.
Thursday, May 7th: 10am – 6pm
Friday, May 8th: 10am – 4pm
Saturday, May 9th: 10am – 2pm
Proceeds from the sale are used to fund programs at the Salem Library including those that concern nature and the environment.
Donations of plants or help with the sale please contact Elizabeth Lane: 860-859-1125.

Native Plant Sale - East Lyme
2026-05-09 09:00 - 15:00 | Brookside Farm Museum, 33 Society Road, Niantic, CT, 06357, United States
Native Plant Sale featuring plants that help restore habitat, support pollinators, and strengthen the health of our local environment. Shop a beautiful selection of native plants and support Brookside’s work to care for this historic landscape in a way that connects history, environment, and community.

Woodland Wander - Moodus
2026-05-10 08:00 - 10:00 | Golet Farm Preserve, Great Hillwod Road, Moodus, CT, 06469, United States
This Mother’s Day morning Bird, Flora, Fungi viewing, led by East Haddam Land Trust directors, will be a chance to create family memories on a special day. Hikers young and old can enjoy the easy-going trails of this land trust preserve — a wildlife gem in Moodus. Meadows and trees provide wonderful habitat for birds. Wetlands offer places to study amphibians, insects, other wildlife, and plant life. Interior meadows and woodlands provide quiet respite. Park in the lot along Great Hillwood Road. Walkers are invited to contribute light snacks for an after-hike tailgate.
Please leave 4-legged friends at home for this outing.

Canoeing Local Waters and Other Adventures : Lyme
2026-05-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Lyme Public Hall, 249 Hamburg Rd (Rte 156), Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
Vermont author, Alex Wilson, has co-authored four books for the Appalachian Mountain Club on “quiet water” canoeing and kayaking, including a guide to Southern New England (covering Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island), which recently came out in a 4th edition. The other books in this series cover New Hampshire-Vermont, Maine, and New York. In researching these books, starting around 1990, he has paddled many hundreds of lakes, ponds, estuaries, and quiet sections of rivers throughout the Northeast.
Unlike river guides, which by necessity focus on portages, white water safety, and routes with drop-off and put-in locations, these quiet-water guides focus on what paddlers will see on each body of water. Alex and his coauthor John Hayes are naturalists, and they focus on fauna, flora, and natural history of these places. Some entries also address historical events that occurred there, such as the King Phillips War in Rhode Island, and Thoreau’s explorations of the Concord River in Massachusetts and the Penobscot River in Maine.

Canoeing Local Waters Talk - Lyme
2026-05-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Lyme Public Hall, 249 Hamburg Rd (Rte 156), Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
Vermont author, Alex Wilson, has co-authored four books for the Appalachian Mountain Club on “quiet water” canoeing and kayaking, including a guide to Southern New England (covering Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island), which recently came out in a 4th edition. The other books in this series cover New Hampshire-Vermont, Maine, and New York. In researching these books, starting around 1990, he has paddled many hundreds of lakes, ponds, estuaries, and quiet sections of rivers throughout the Northeast.

Unlike river guides, which by necessity focus on portages, white water safety, and routes with drop-off and put-in locations, these quiet-water guides focus on what paddlers will see on each body of water. Alex and his coauthor John Hayes are naturalists, and they focus on fauna, flora, and natural history of these places. Some entries also address historical events that occurred there, such as the King Phillips War in Rhode Island, and Thoreau’s explorations of the Concord River in Massachusetts and the Penobscot River in Maine. In selecting places to include in these guides, Alex and John sought less developed bodies of water, restrictions on motorized boating, and varied shorelines to explore—but they also tried to include locations close to major population centers, some of which are more developed.

Alex and Jerelyn will describe a few local paddling spots, including Whalebone Creek and Selden Neck, and also describe a few adventures they had in writing and updating these guides over more than three decades. Bring your questions!

Raccoons, Opossums, Skunks and Porcupines - Salem
2026-05-16 11:00 - 12:00 | Salem Free Public Library, 264 Hartford Road, Salem, CT, 06420, United States
DEEP Master Wildlife Conservationist, Ginny Apple, will talk about the life and habits of four common CT nocturnal creatures: the opossum, skunk, raccoon and porcupine and how unique characteristics help them navigate their environment, evade predators and survive.
Call 860-859-1130 to register.
Sponsored by a Grant from the Eightmile River Wild and Scenic Watershed and the National Park Service.

Teen Hike and Steward Group Meetup : Lyme
2026-05-17 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.

Gillette Castle Trail Hike - East Haddam
2026-05-18 11:00 - 12:30 | Gillette Castle State Park, 67 River Road, East Haddam, CT, 06423, United States
Join us on a guided hike of the route followed by William Gillette’s narrow-gauge train. Gillette’s train system runs through very scenic areas of the 122 acre state park, with numerous historic features along the way. The hike is a about an hour and fifteen minutes, and is a gentle and flat trail with a couple of brief scrambles.
Sturdy shoes and warm clothing is recommended. To ensure the comfort of all hikers, please leave your pets at home, or take a walk without a trail guide (leashed dogs are allowed at the park). We will meet at Grand Central Station (the covered picnic area near the archway along the path to the Castle). We hope to see vou there!
Limited space, first come first served!

Words from the Woods Book Circle - East Haddam
2026-05-18 13:30 - 15:30 | St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 31 Main Street, East Haddam, CT, 06423, United States
Join this offering from the East Haddam Land Trust and the East Haddam Library System to soak in the writings of natural scientists who expand and deepen our awareness of the ecologies of life. For this gathering we explore Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine by Alan Lightman. All are welcome, even if you have not read or completed the book. The book circle gathers in a meeting room at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 31 Main Street, East Haddam, directly across from the Rathbun Library.

Eightmile River Board Meeting
2026-05-18 17:00 - 19:00 | Burnham Brook Preserve, Dolbia Hill Road, East Haddam, CT, 06423, United States

Mr. Archer Woods Hike - Lyme
2026-05-19 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

Walbridge Woodland / Hartman Park Hike - Lyme
2026-05-26 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.

Botany and Birds - Lyme
2026-05-27 08:00 - 10:00 | Lyme Public Library, 482 Hamburg Road, Lyme, CT, 06371-3110, United States
Join Lisa Wahle and Chris Penniman of the Connecticut Botanical Society on a walk that will showcase young forest habitat that benefits our native New England cottontail and many bird species of conservation concern as well as mature forest. The Lyme Land Trust has partnered with the State of CT and adjacent landowners to harvest areas of mature trees in succession in order to offer a variety of habitats as the trees grow back. We will be joined by Jim Arrigoni of the Lyme Land Trust and Joe Attwater of the CT Audubon. The early start is to hear bird songs. Bring your binoculars if you wish. https://www.lymelandtrust.org/properties/
Directions and Parking: There is limited space for parking at the site so we will meet at Lyme Public Library, 482 Hamburg Road, and carpool to the site.
Registration: required Please register with Lisa at lcwahle@gmail.com, 860-304-6184 or Chris at chrisepenniman@gmail.com, 860-501-4117.

Tour de Lyme Cycling - Lyme
2026-05-31 08:00 - 17:00 | Grassy Hill Preserve, Grassy Hill Road, Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
Please join us for the annual Tour de Lyme cycling event with beautifully scenic routes for all ages and levels. We’re looking forward to seeing you!
Registration open now!
For more information, visit the Tour de Lyme webpage
Contact Email: kristina.white@lymelandtrust.org
The Lyme Land Trust inaugurated Tour de Lyme in 2013 as an annual bike ride to raise funds to support its mission of preserving and protecting environmentally important land in Lyme.

Woods Walk - East Haddam
2026-05-31 13:00 - 15:00 | Burnham Brook Preserve, Dolbia Hill Road, East Haddam, CT, 06423, United States
Join this brisk-paced hike through the trails at Burnham Brook, a Nature Conservancy preserve in the Eightmile River Watershed. The trails lead through woodlands, rock outcroppings, and along a stunning view of Burnham Brook. Leashed dogs are welcome to hike with their owners. Hikers are invited to contribute light snacks for an after-hike tail-gate.

Hartman Park Hike - Lyme
2026-06-02 09:30 - 11:30 | Hartman Park, Gungy Road, Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
Let’s explore the spring wildflowers in the meadow before we walk the yellow and red trails to see what the beavers are up to.
Meet at the Field Entrance. The Field Entrance is about 1/2 mile north of the Hartman Park Main Entrance on Gungy Rd. Park along the side of the road.

Connecticut Trails Day Hikes
2026-06-06 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-06-07 08:00 - 17:00 | CT
Connecticut Trails Day runs Saturday June 6th and Sunday June 7th.
See the Web Site Trailsday.org for events in the Eightmile Watershed and beyond.

History of Hadlyme Burial Ground : Lyme
2026-06-07 15:00 - 16:00 | Hadlyme Ferry Launch, 154 Ferry Road, Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
With its deep roots in local lore and history, Cove Cemetery is one of the most historic sites in Lyme.
Presenter Jim Leatherbee knows the stories behind each stone.
Meet at Hadlyme Cove Cemetery. Extra parking at Ferry lot.

Banningwood Preserve Hike - Lyme
2026-06-09 09:00 - 11:00 | Banningwood Preserve, 10 Town Street, Lyme, 06371, United States
We’ll walk a mostly gentle and occasionally moderate loop, pausing to rest at the picnic table in Diana’s Field, and to explore and assess the floodplain forest restoration project flanking Roaring Brook. We’ll also take a moment along the way to very briefly demonstrate how to effectively manage Oriental Bittersweet vines, which, for now, have a stronghold at a location withing the preserves interior. Meet at the trailhead parking lot on Town Street/Rout 82.
Register: jim.arrigoni@lymelandtrust.org

Living with Connecticut's Wildlife - Salem
2026-06-10 18:00 - 19:30 | Salem Free Public Library, 264 Hartford Road, Salem, CT, 06420, United States
Presented by Paul Colburn, Deep Master Wildlife Conservationist.
This presentation focuses on how to live with and enjoy our wild neighbors.
Species covered include Black Bears, Eastern Coyote, Bobcat, Fisher, Raccoon, Skunk, Virginia Opossum, Red and Gray Fox, Woodchuck, White-Tailed Deer, birds, bats, venomous and non-venomous reptiles, and amphibians.
Call 860-859-1130 to register.
Sponsored by a grant from the Eightmile River Wild & Scenic Watershed and the National Park Service.

Restore a Native Plant Meadow - Lyme
2026-06-13 09:00 - 11:00 | John Pritchard Conservation Center, 12-1 Town Street, Lyme, CT, 06371, United States
Help us plant out the native plant meadow. Join Michael Baczewski, of New England Pollinator Gardens, and Kristina White, Executive Director, and plant warm-season grasses/perennials in our meadow. Bring your shovels, pickaxes, trowels, and wheelbarrows. The more the merrier and the quicker we get it done!
We will have coffee and light refreshments to keep you energized.
Registration required: kristina.white@lymelandtrust.org
This project was funded in part by the Connecticut Land Conservation Council’s Climate Smart Land Stewardship Grant Program, supported by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture.

The World of Insects - Lyme
2026-06-13 15:00 - 17:00 | Banningwood Preserve, 10 Town Street, Lyme, 06371, United States
Discover the world of insects on a walk in Banningwood Preserve with Biologist Katherine Dugas on June 13 at 3pm.
Katherine is an Agricultural Research Technician in the CAES Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, where she provides insect identifications and outreach/extension for CT residents, municipalities, and businesses.
Photo is Lined Longhorn Beetle by Jim Arrigoni
Register- education@lymelandtrust.org

Rose Farm Homestead Reserve Hike : East Haddam
2026-06-14 13:00 - 15:00 | Rose Farm Homestead Preserve, 200 Town Street, East Haddam, CT, 06423, United States
Join this brisk-paced hike featuring wetlands along Hemlock Valley Brook and other diverse habitats. The 68-acre Rose Farm Reserve was acquired by the Town of east Haddam in 2009. It is a popular spot for enjoying varied scenery and wildlife. Leashed dogs are welcome to hike with their owners. Hikers are invited to bring light snacks to share with EHLT refreshments for an after-hike tailgate.
