| December 8, 2007 - NFA Board visits its Bloom Property Neighbors - Brookfield Open Space Legacy Land Trust Back to News Index |
Whispers in the Forest
Newtown Forest Association
Connecticut's Oldest Private Land Trust
Connecticut's Oldest Private Land Trust
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On the brisk morning of December 8, 2007, the
NFA board members, Ed Kelleher, Guy Peterson
and Bart Smith met with the president of the
Brookfield Open Space Legacy Land Trust, John
Miller, at the NFA Bloom Property on the corner
of Obtuse Road South and Tower Road. This
NFA parcel, donated in 1976 by Lewis Bloom is a
rectangular shaped parcel that, after a steep
ascent from either Tower Road or Obtuse Road
South, gradually continues uphill and through an
shrub filled meadow to the left and mature forest
on the right to 3-4 acre grassy meadow whose
northerly border is the Brookfield town line. The
northerly most portion of the eastern border
abuts to the 18 acre preserve owned by the
Brookfield Open Space Legacy Land Trust
(BOSL). Approximately 4 of these BOSL acres
are in Newtown. The BOSL parcel in Newtown is
densely wooded and slopes down from the
Brookfield town line to Obtuse Road South. The
Brookfield parcel is primarily meadow and filled
with bayberry bushes and, what once appeared
to be a stand of trees that was probably
Christmas Trees.
Our meeting had two objectives, first was to hike
and inspect the combined NFA and BOSL parcels
and to share knowledge about what each land
trust is doing in their respective towns.
NFA board members, Ed Kelleher, Guy Peterson
and Bart Smith met with the president of the
Brookfield Open Space Legacy Land Trust, John
Miller, at the NFA Bloom Property on the corner
of Obtuse Road South and Tower Road. This
NFA parcel, donated in 1976 by Lewis Bloom is a
rectangular shaped parcel that, after a steep
ascent from either Tower Road or Obtuse Road
South, gradually continues uphill and through an
shrub filled meadow to the left and mature forest
on the right to 3-4 acre grassy meadow whose
northerly border is the Brookfield town line. The
northerly most portion of the eastern border
abuts to the 18 acre preserve owned by the
Brookfield Open Space Legacy Land Trust
(BOSL). Approximately 4 of these BOSL acres
are in Newtown. The BOSL parcel in Newtown is
densely wooded and slopes down from the
Brookfield town line to Obtuse Road South. The
Brookfield parcel is primarily meadow and filled
with bayberry bushes and, what once appeared
to be a stand of trees that was probably
Christmas Trees.
Our meeting had two objectives, first was to hike
and inspect the combined NFA and BOSL parcels
and to share knowledge about what each land
trust is doing in their respective towns.
NFA Vice President, Ed Kelleher (Left) reviews the property map with John
Miller (Right) President of the Brookfield Open Space Legacy Land Trust.
Miller (Right) President of the Brookfield Open Space Legacy Land Trust.
The second objective was to discuss forming an alliance and to build a trail to connect the separate trails on each property.
What makes such a large parcel of open space (on a combined basis) so important is that is contains a complete ecosystem from wetlands and
vernal pools to shrub and grass meadows and dense forest. The diversity that is present here is very conducive to all types of plant and animal
species. If each the NFA and BOSL properties were not connected, and were separate smaller parcels surrounded by development, the extent to
which ecological diversity was noted would not be as pronounced. While on our visit in December 2007 a flock (30-40) turkeys were observed
feeding. The NFA is very pleased to be working the BOSL and looks forward to fostering a stewardship plan that takes advantage of each
properties natural characteristics to maximize the long-term health of the combined preserved properties.
What makes such a large parcel of open space (on a combined basis) so important is that is contains a complete ecosystem from wetlands and
vernal pools to shrub and grass meadows and dense forest. The diversity that is present here is very conducive to all types of plant and animal
species. If each the NFA and BOSL properties were not connected, and were separate smaller parcels surrounded by development, the extent to
which ecological diversity was noted would not be as pronounced. While on our visit in December 2007 a flock (30-40) turkeys were observed
feeding. The NFA is very pleased to be working the BOSL and looks forward to fostering a stewardship plan that takes advantage of each
properties natural characteristics to maximize the long-term health of the combined preserved properties.