Field Trips

The Land Trust Alliance is pleased to offer 12 field trips that will take place on Saturday, October 2nd and Sunday, October 3rd. Local land conservation groups have planned these field trips specifically for Rally 2010 registrants to highlight Connecticut and New England.

Please note the following:

Field trips fill up quickly, so register early

• All field trip participants must be 16 years or older
• All trips include transportation, lunch and equipment rental if applicable (canoes, bicycles, etc.)
• All trips will take place rain or shine, although they will be canceled or significantly altered if weather conditions pose a safety risk
• Field trips are non-refundable if canceled or altered due to weather conditions

Saturday, October 2

Field Trip One

Views, Brews and Leaves

Hosted by Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust
Saturday, October 2, 7:00am – 5:30pm | $65
The 220-mile New England National Scenic Trail features classic New England landscapes: long distance vistas with rural towns as a backdrop, agrarian lands, large river valleys, and unfragmented forests.  These forests are the focal point of Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust’s current Forest Legacy Project.  Join Mount Grace as we hike an eight-mile stretch near the northern extreme of the trail as it passes through several of the project parcels. We will enjoy stunning views of the surrounding countryside, mountains, and of course, fall leaves! After a long day hiking, enjoy a locally-inspired meal at the People’s Pint Restaurant and Brewery.

Field Trip Two

From Peaks to Valley - Land Conservation in Massachusetts' Connecticut River Watershed

Hosted by Franklin Land Trust, Inc and The Conservation Fund
Saturday, October 2, 7:15am – 5:30pm | $105
Massachusetts’ Connecticut River valley is a rich mosaic of farmland, historic village centers, and scenic mountains and byways.  Tour this beautiful part of New England and learn about conservation projects in the area and the cooperative efforts of the Franklin Land Trust and The Conservation Fund to conserve the valley’s critical natural resources. Experience spectacular views from the summit of Mt. Holyoke and Mt. Sugarloaf, tour the diverse farms of the area during the fall harvest, visit Shelburne Falls with its “Bridge of Flowers” and glacial potholes, sample fresh-pressed apple cider, and enjoy a locally-grown lunch.

Field Trip Three

Fifty Miles from Times Square:  Redding’s Woodlands and Watercourses

Hosted by Redding Land Trust
Saturday, October 2, 7:30am – 5:00pm | $60
At the heart of the thickly settled East Coast lies a watershed carved into ridges by the Ice Age.  Redding’s more than 60 miles of hiking trails meander through beautiful woods, along stony crags and beside gentle streams.  Explore trails on the Stormfield property that once belonged to Mark Twain and hike to the stunning Great Ledge with its vista that reaches almost to Long Island Sound.  After a three-mile hike, visit the library Twain founded, and then enjoy an organic lunch at a working farm and educational center where Redding Land Trust holds a conservation easement. We’ll finish the day with a guided tour of the Revolutionary War encampment at Putnam State Park, the oldest park in the state.

Field Trip Four - SOLD OUT

Paddle the Pristine Pawcatuck River

Hosted by The Westerly Land Trust, the Hopkinton Land Trust, and the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association
Saturday, October 2, 7:45am – 4:30pm | $105
The Wood-Pawcatuck River Watershed is an area of extraordinary beauty, environmental quality and biodiversity with a rich cultural history.  Its protection has been the focus of many land trusts, conservation organizations, and various state and federal agencies.  This important river system includes historic mill sites, abundant wildlife, rare and endangered plant species, and spectacular fall colors.  We’ll visit the Bradford Mill dam and its newly-restored fish ladder and then head downstream for a 7.5-mile paddle on quiet water to enjoy preserved riparian corridors and wetlands.  Enjoy a picnic lunch and short hike at the Westerly Land Trust 145-acre Riverwood Preserve. Participants will need some kayaking experience.

Field Trip Five

Tour Des Farms in the Connecticut Highlands

Hosted by U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service and the King’s Mark and Eastern CT Resource Conservation and Development Councils
Saturday, October 2, 8:00am – 5:00pm | $110
Experience the beauty of the Connecticut Highlands by bicycle. Join us for a 12-mile leisure ride as we stop at four of Connecticut’s working farms and learn about their innovations in environmental stewardship and economic viability. A stop will also be included of the historic Beckley Iron Furnace; a remnant of the flourishing 1800s iron industry. The ride will begin and end at the Freund Farm where hungry riders will enjoy a fabulous lunch featuring locally grown foods and a tasting of Connecticut wines. Learn about some of the conservation practices on the Freund farm including the production of their famous “Cow Pots” which have been featured on Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs” and in Martha Stewart Living. You will also have the opportunity to shop for local farm products and purchases will be delivered back to the bus for you.

Field Trip Six

Uplands and Tidelands: Exploring the Lower River's Coverts

Hosted by Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency

Saturday, October 2, 8:15am – 4:45pm | $95
Since 1983, The Coverts Project has been reaching out to Connecticut's woodland owners and teaching them how sound management practices can make wildlife healthier, more diverse, and more abundant. This trip will begin with a visit to Haddam Land Trust’s 33-acre Bamforth Preserve being managed under a WHIP grant to convert an old hay field to a warm-season grassland habitat. Learn about volunteer efforts and the Coverts Project participation in the active management of the Preserve for invasive control, warm-season grass establishment, habitat, and recreational use, and demonstrations of tools, equipment and techniques.  In the afternoon, board the River Quest for lunch and a guided ecological boat tour of the beautiful lower Connecticut River from Haddam to Long Island Sound and back.

Sunday, October 3

Field Trip Seven

Viewing and Canoeing the Farmington River

Hosted by Farmington River Watershed Association and Farmington Land Trust
Sunday, October 3, 7:00am – 6:00pm | $85
The Farmington River is the fourth largest river in Connecticut, has the state’s best coldwater fishing, and part of it is designated a National Wild and Scenic River. It also supplies drinking water for greater Hartford, three hydropower operations, and an Olympic-class whitewater kayaking run. This tour will explore the river’s varied roles, starting far upstream at flood control impoundments, and following the river downstream with bus stops in a state forest, at historic mill dams, lunch in Farmington, then a five-mile easy afternoon paddle down flat water in the rich floodplain below Talcott Ridge.

Field Trip Eight

A Historical Journey into Great Mountain Forest Legacy

Hosted by Great Mountain Forest Corporation
Sunday, October 3, 7:00am – 5:00pm | $65
Great Mountain Forest is a 6,000-acre forest in the Northwestern hills of Connecticut that is protected through the Forest Legacy Program. Learn about the history of this remarkable place and the sustainable forestry management practices used on the state’s largest privately owned forest. During your visit, enjoy a hike to the fire tower and lunch at the historic Yale Forestry Camp. Explore old growth Hemlock forest followed by an afternoon reception by the shores of Tobey Pond.  On our trip out to the forest, we’ll pass through former mill towns along the Farmington River and visit Beckley Furnace, the last of the historic iron industry water powered blast furnaces.

Field Trip Nine - SOLD OUT

Trek and Paddle through the Berkshires of the Past

Hosted by Mass Audubon and Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
Sunday, October 3, 7:15am – 4:15pm | $75
Discover Spectacle Pond Farm at Otis State Forest, a unique and diverse 900-acre property surrounding Lower Spectacle Pond in the Berkshires.  Lying within nearly 15,000 acres of protected open space, this is an extraordinary window into the natural and cultural history of the Berkshires.  As we travel by foot and canoe, learn about the innovative public/private partnership that protected this property. We’ll explore East Coast old-growth forest, the archaeological remains of a mill village, and a unique shrub carr habitat.  You’ll also learn safe, easily identifiable, edible mushroom species along the way.

Field Trip Ten

New Haven Urban Tree Planting and Sustainability Tour

Hosted by Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, New Haven Land Trust and Yale Urban Resources Initiative
Sunday, October 3, 7:30am – 5:00pm | $70
Spend a day in the “Elm City” getting your hands dirty and learning about urban conservation and sustainability. Working with local teenagers, you will help to plant trees in one of New Haven’s beautiful parks. We’ll visit Yale’s sustainable farm for a student-led tour and a delectable pizza lunch cooked onsite in an outdoor brick oven. Staff of the New Haven Land Trust will then take you through several urban gardens before heading to Yale’s newest green building, Kroon Hall, for a tour on the latest in sustainability practices and a reception of local foods, wines and Connecticut microbrews.

Field Trip Eleven

Scenic Trails, Historic Homes and Landscape Art

Hosted by Farmington Land Trust and Connecticut Forest and Park Association
Sunday, October 3, 8:00am – 5:15pm | $90
Enjoy French impressionist art and American landscape paintings and learn about 18th century living on this historical and cultural tour.  We’ll visit the Hill-Stead Museum, a National Historic Landmark set on a 152-acre hillside estate; and the New Britain Museum of American Art, the first museum in the nation committed to American art. You can enter the world of Colonial New England at a second National Historic Landmark: Farmington’s Stanley-Whitman House, where you can experience life as the early settlers did. You’ll also have the opportunity to visit Farmington Land Trust properties and experience expansive vistas on a three- or five-mile hike along the ridgetop Ragged Mountain trail.  

Field Trip Twelve

The Power of Paper City

Hosted by The Trustees of Reservations
Sunday, October 3, 8:15am – 3:30pm | $50
The city of Holyoke, MA grew around the harnessed power of the mighty Connecticut River. Its booming paper industry had over 25 mills operating at its peak in the early 20th century. Like many small New England cities of today, Holyoke is reinventing itself around its colorful history, stunning industrial infrastructure, remarkable natural areas, and spirited, diverse population. Join us on a visit to some of the City’s most remarkable sites. We will start with a moderate, 1.5 hour hike through beautiful forests of unparalleled ecological diversity at Mount Tom.  Then, we’ll visit The Trustees of Reservation’s newest conservation property, Land of Providence: 26 acres along the Connecticut River donated by the Sisters of Providence. The property is used, in part, by Nuestras Raices (‘Our Roots’), a vibrant grassroots organization whose innovative immigrant farmer training program is building community, preserving cultural heritage, and connecting the region’s diverse populations to land and farming. For lunch, enjoy a traditional Puerto-Rican barbecue at the nearby lechonera.