It was hardly the toughest winter in history. We skated through with only a few freezing days, and barely enough snow for a sled run. But springtime is as welcome as always.
Some of the best places to get out and enjoy this beautiful weather are found at an Aspetuck Land Trust preserve (ALT).
It is with thanks to environmental pioneers like Mrs. Barlow Cutler-Wotton, that ALT is thriving today with more than 2,200 acres of fields, forests, cliffs and streams. Following her efforts to save a Westport salt marsh in the early 1960s, she gathered like-minded citizen to form the organization, dedicated to preserving our natural resources. The first gift of land received was 20 acres, donated by Ralph Glendinning (now named the Leonard Schine Preserve). Others, with notable names such as Eva LeGallienne, Alice DeLamar-LeGallienne and Paul Newman, followed suit. The aforementioned Taylortown Salt Marsh was donated to ALT in 1987 and remains an integral part of the beauty of downtown Westport (Kings Highway and Wilton Roads).
Through gifts of land, money, time and talents over the past 50+ years, ALT has amassed and maintains 45 trailed preserves and 140 open spaces for public enjoyment and education.
Each of Aspetuck Land Trust’s 45 preserves is different; all are worth visiting. A listing by town can be found here. Details on a few of our favorites follow:
The Newman-Poses Preserve is perhaps the most famous – at least in name. Donated by the family of actor/philanthropist Paul Newman, it’s a treasure trove of trails, woodlands, wetlands and open fields not far from his Westport home. A public-private partnership improved the site, which includes the Aspetuck River. Access is off Bayberry Lane. Click here for more information.
The Caryl & Edna Haskins Preserve honors noted scientists, inventors and authors, who left their amazing 22-acre estate to Aspetuck Land Trust. Ponds, ornamental trees, and wooded trails providing glimpses of wildlife highlight this hidden gem, just a mile from downtown Westport. Click here for more information.
The Hilda von Rebay Arboretum, on the Greens Farms grounds of the artist and co-founder of the Guggenheim Museum, features her lawns and gardens, specimen trees and wooded wetlands. Her house and barn still stand nearby. Click here for more information.
Aspetuck Land Trust manages a special “children’s natural playground,” at the Leonard Schine Preserve on Westport’s Weston Road. The hands-on play area, built with natural materials, has room for fort building, digging, tower climbing, natural collages and more. Voted one of the Top 50 Playgrounds in the U.S., there’s also a nature trail with signs, for children to explore on their own. Click here for more information.
The crown jewel 730-acre Trout Brook Valley Preserve in Weston and Easton was saved from developers in 1999. It is now a nearly pristine 14 acres of easy to difficult trails, winding past displays of glorious New England nature, scenic overlooks (including the Saugatuck Reservoir) and orchards. Click here for more information.
Singing Oaks Preserve, on the site of a former summer camp in Weston, includes dramatic rock outcroppings, cliffs, ridges, streams and boulder fields, connected by a narrow, steep 2-mile trail. Pools and deep woods add to the allure. Click here for more information.
To support the ALT mission and receive maps of each preserve, invitations to special events like hikes, lectures and webinars, newsletters, early-bird access to spring and fall native plant sales, and more – become a member today.
Go a step further and join the Aspetuck Land Trust’s Green Corridor – a project connecting thousands of acres of protected preserves with thousands of biodiverse backyards, linking habitats of rare flora and fauna.
Happy trails!