Community Workday

In Partnership With 

The American Chestnut Foundation

 Saturday, 22, 2021, at 1:00 PM

American Chestnut Tree History:

More than a century ago, nearly four billion American chestnut trees were growing in the eastern U.S. However, the tree is now considered extinct in the wild. The chestnut blight has been called the most significant ecological disaster to strike the world’s forests in all of history. Join us as we work to help save the American chestnut trees by planting an orchard to help restore the species.  www.acf.org

This event is made possible by The American Chestnut Foundation, Wilton Land Conservation Trust, and Ring's End.

Event Details:

12:45 - 1:00 PM: Arrive and get settled

1:00 - 1:15 PM: Opening Speeches from WLCT and ACF

1:15 - 1:30: Remarks from State Representative, Anne Hughes, and State Representative, Stephanie Thomas

1:30 - 4:00ish: Plant the chestnut trees and install deer exclosure fencing 

Where and parking:

Please be careful when pulling into the 183 Ridgefield Road's driveway. Once on the property, you will be visited by WLCT staff, who will show you where to park. ***Please leave your furry friends at home.***

COVID:

Masks and physical distancing are required of all participants attending this program. 

Weather: 

The event is set for drizzle or shine. In the event of thunderstorms, or unsafe conditions, the event's rain date is set for Sunday, May 23, 2021, at 1:00 PM. 

What do I need to bring?

• Please wear comfortable attire and closed-toed walking shoes.
• Tick or bug repellent. 
• Stay hydrated by packing a water bottle. *There are no restrooms.
• Weather depending, you may want to bring a rain jacket. 
• We will have some tools, but feel free to bring your own: garden rake, garden hoe, gloves
• Anything needed to make you comfortable and happy. 

About the 183 Ridgefield Road Preserve:

In 2016, the WLCT Board of Trustees and the Fieber family came together with a shared vision to save the fields and forested wetlands on one of the last family farms in Wilton. They understood that preserving 183 Ridgefield Road would advance conservation in southwestern Connecticut, where natural landscapes and pristine ecosystems have been significantly compromised. In March 2020, “183” was forever preserved as open space thanks to WLCT’s friends’ and members’ financial support and the award of a $707,000 Open Space Acquisition Grant from the State of Connecticut.

This newly protected 13-acre property is a place of scenic beauty, fascinating geology, and wildlife habitat, which will become home to hiking trails, educational programs for our youth, and a place for present and future generations to explore and experience. The preserve’s biodiverse 11-acre meadow is a rich resource that meets the needs of a wide range of seed consumers, foragers, insectivores, and predators. It serves as critical habitat for neotropical migratory grassland birds, butterflies, small mammals, and birds of prey. It provides sanctuary for migrating songbirds, pollinators, and migratory species that stop over from the Atlantic Flyway. Its two-acre forested wetland protects the headwaters of a stream flowing north to Comstock Brook.