By Sarah Opdahl

The Candlewood Valley Regional Land Trust (CVRLT) board members are having a busy summer, with many improvement projects afoot on their lands. A non-profit, volunteer-run organization whose primary goal is to protect natural areas in the region now and for future generations, the group is happy to preserve lands and provide ways for people to connect with nature through lovely hiking trails including important information kiosks.

CVRLT Board President Faline Schneiderman explained that they are “responsible for stewarding all of the properties we either own outright or hold as conservation easements in New Fairfield and Danbury,” which amounts to 478 acres of open space. The group was formed in 2016 when the Danbury and New Fairfield Land Trusts merged, which served as a benefit for both. “Mergers are often a great path for smaller land trusts who recognize that joining another group can lead to increased capacity for land conservation, improved efficiency, and stronger organizational sustainability. By pooling resources and expertise, merged land trusts can protect more land and enhance their ability to serve more communities,” Schneiderman said.

With no paid employees, dedicated volunteers handle all maintenance and trail work, plus monitor properties. Schneiderman said this involves “watching for potential encroachments by neighbors, inappropriate usage, invasive species, and overall maintenance needs as we strive to keep native habitats intact. For properties that are open to the public and have trails, we clear and reblaze them as needed.” In special cases, such as heavy tree work, they do hire specialists. She added, “we have a great relationship with various scouting groups in the area—both boy and girl scouts—and they often help with trail maintenance projects, add improvements for visitors, and even plant native flora.” Though all of their volunteer needs are covered right now, interested residents can watch for calls for additional volunteers at candlewoodvalleyrlt.org.

Beyond volunteering, CVRLT is always happy to receive donations to help to preserve land. “Financial donations go toward replacing damaged or missing preserve signs so people can find our properties, adding new directional signs to keep visitors on the correct trails, providing informational kiosks, and defraying the costs of paid assistance,” Schneiderman shared. “We are very grateful for our many supporters! And when property is donated we can increase the number of acres preserved, which benefits everyone. In the past two years, we have received two additional land easements and two property donations. Protecting these properties means more natural habitats are maintained for us and future generations.” 

There are fantastic CVRLT trails here in New Fairfield, all of which can be accessed by the public, and are highlighted on the CVRLT website above, where visitors can learn which properties provide parking, trails, water access, and great views. “We have some amazing vistas from the top of Sweetcake Mountain in New Fairfield, and past these viewpoints the hike takes you along a lovely woodland loop that brings you to an inscribed rockface memorializing Charles and Dorothea Fox whose children donated the land to the New Fairfield Land Trust in their name,” Schneiderman pointed out. She went on to say, “Shorter hikes at properties like Komlo Preserve can provide a brief but equally delightful jaunt into the woods, in this case ending at a serene spot where you can sit on a log bench and listen to a babbling brook. Both invite you to unwind and enjoy nature but with different time commitments.” In addition, the best (and really the only) CVRLT properties in Danbury that you can hike on are the Schwab and Wiesel Preserves. “The Ives Trail runs over those properties. In fact, the Ives Trail would not be contiguous in that area without going through our properties. It’s a beautiful hike,” Schneiderman reflected.

There are a lot of smaller properties described as “Additional Conserved Land” that are not really accessible, meaning that they lack parking, trails, and points of access. Instead of providing recreation, these properties often have ecologically sensitive areas and their preservation is valuable to the surrounding community.

CVRLT prioritizes connecting people to the land but with their many ongoing property improvements, they have put events on hold. They would like to reschedule a bird-watching event that was rained out in the spring and will likely offer a fall hike. Schneiderman encourages residents to take a family hike or look for the many meetup hiking groups in the area (several of which are posted on social media). The New Fairfield Free Public Library and the Senior Center also offer group hikes. She suggests people, “Hydrate hydrate hydrate.  Cloudy days that feel cooler can lull us into thinking that we do not need as much water, which can lead to dangerous results. Carry your favorite hydrating drink, preferably with electrolytes, and be sure to carry water for the younger hikers and any four-footed hiking companions. Be sure to wear good quality sunblock and/or UPF blocking clothes, including a hat, to ensure that your skin is protected. It is also critical to know your limits and respect them.”

Schneiderman added, “The board of CVRLT is a dedicated group of volunteers who love the land. We are incredibly thankful to have the support of so many community groups. Please be sure that you hike, boat, or swim responsibly on our properties, and be sure to carry out what you carry in so that others may enjoy the experience in nature as much as you do.”