JOSHUA’S TRUST Walks, February 2014
Winter is a wonderful time to explore the out of doors. Joshua’s Trust is offering weekend and weekday walks at its preserves, and everyone is invited to participate.
Weekend walkers: Sat., Feb. 15, 1 PM, Hubbard Sanctuary, Chaplin, February 15, 1 PM – led by Warren Church
Weekday walkers, Thur. Feb. 6: Bradley-Buchanan Woods and the adjoining Echo Woods, Mansfield Center at 1 pm – led by Marcia Kilpatrick
The February 15 weekend walk will explore the Hubbard Sanctuary in Chaplin on February 15 at 1:00 PM, led by Warren Church. The hike will be easy walking, 1.3 miles in duration around a field and pond and in the woodlands. This 31-acre sanctuary is situated upon glacial meltwater sediments, laid down during the waning of the last ice sheet. There are two ponds, fields, and hardwood forests, offering a rich and varied experience for hikers, birders and wildlife viewing. The trail takes you through the town of Chaplin’s Garrison Park and CT’s Natchaug State Forest. This sanctuary was donated to Joshua’s Trust by Mollie Hubbard in 1985. Her parents bought the property in the 1930’s and operated a farm there for many years. Mollie was a member of the Natchaug Ornithological Society and worked at the University of Connecticut as a scientific illustrator. Adjacent is Agnes’ Pasture, a 12-acre addition to the preserve that was acquired from Agnes Fuller in 2011.
Park at the Garrison Park parking lot on Rte 198. It is 2.2miles north of the intersection of Rte 6 and Rte 198. Check the website www.joshuaslandtrust.org for schedule changes due to weather
Weekday walkers, Feb. 6, will visit the Bradley-Buchanan Woods and the adjoining Echo Woods, Mansfield Center at 1 pm, led by Marcia Kilpatrick
On this walk we will see glacial kettle ponds and the trees that have grown amongst them. Bring a camera if you wish, as the ponds should be interesting at this time of the year. The amount to time that we spend on the trails will depend upon the temperature of the day, approximately 1 to 1.5 hours. The Joshua’s Tract Walk, Book Fourth contains some interesting facts and a map about these woods. Information is also available on the Trust website, www.joshuaslandtrust.org. We will only walk some of the trails.
We will meet at 1 PM in the parking lot at the south end of the Mansfield Library on Rte 89 (54 Warrenville Rd) about 0.5 miles north of the intersection with Rte 195 (Storrs Rd).
Contact Marcia Kilpatrick (860-455-1226 or email Kalmia1234@gmail.com for questions and to be notified of future walks (include JTwalk in the subject line). You need not attend all walks in order to be part of the weekday group.
Joshua’s Trust works with fourteen towns in Northeastern CT, including Windham and Willimantic, on issues of conservation and open space preservation, currently protecting over 4000 acres. Information about Trust membership, volunteer opportunities, programs and preserves can be found at www.joshuaslandtrust.org. Schedule changes due to weather will also be posted on the website.