Newsletter of the West Rock Ridge Park Association Spring 2011 DANIEL C. ESTY NAMED FROM THE PRESIDENT : NEW DEP-ENERGY HEAD A Welcome, A Farewell, and a Beautiful Legacy Governor Dannel Malloy has named Daniel C. We welcome Dan Esty to his new role as Esty as commissioner of the state’s newly commissioner of the state’s Department of Energy consolidated Department of Energy and and Environmental Protection, and we look forward Environmental Protection (DEEP). to working with him. We are sure he will serve the The appointment and departmental change are state and our parks well. both expected to be approved by the General Assembly. We bid a sad farewell to Dr. Stephen Collins, who died October 7. In his role as professor, he Esty is the Hillhouse Professor of Environmental ensured that the next generation would value science, Law and Policy at both the Yale Law School and the nature, bio-diversity, and the environment, and he School of Forestry and Environmental Sciences. In his new role he will oversee merging the Dept. of inspired many students to pursue careers in Environmental Protection and the Dept. of Public environmental or science fields. In his role as Utility Control as part of Malloy’s effort to citizen-volunteer, Steve was one of the great forces streamline government and shrink the state budget. who helped ensure that Connecticut would have this (continued on page 4) wilderness park; he was also a founder and vice- president of this Park Association. Steve, his wife Barrie, and their colleagues are a wonderful example of Margaret Mead’s wise observation: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” West Rock Ridge State Park is one of Steve’s many beautiful legacies. As you will read in the following pages, the Park is enjoyed by birds and birders, rare butterflies and lepidopterists, schoolchildren and professors, bicyclists, runners, and walkers, and is a joyful venue for Earth Day celebrations and energetic fundraisers to support environmental organizations, Habitat for Humanity and LiveStrong. Join in some of these events, and Summit Highlights enjoy the park on your own. And whenever you Hikers Gene Sullivan and Lucia Bianchi invite you enjoy this beautiful park, think with gratitude of to join them Saturday, June 4, for a walk to the south Steve Collins and his fellow pioneers who created end of the West Rock Ridge (see Coming Events, this park for Connecticut! page 2). – Ted (Theodore B.) Lynn, WRRPA President COMING EVENTS –MARK YOUR CALENDAR! Sat. April 2: 9 a.m. New Haven Bird Club trip will focus on two breeding species at West Rock Ridge: Common Raven and Peregrine Falcon. Trip begins at western lowlands at cliff base in Woodbridge to observe female incubating a clutch of eggs, then drives to ridge top to observe male raven soaring, bringing in food and trading duties with the female. Afterwards, view resident falcon pair as they move toward egg-laying to observe stooping for prey, preening, defending territory and nest preparation. Bring binoculars! Leader: Steve Broker (203-272-5192/747-6843). MEET: Lunar Dr., Woodbridge, south end of Konold’s Pond, off Bradley Rd (off Rt. 69). Sat. April 16: 8 a.m. New Haven Bird Club trip to see some early spring migrants such as Palm, Pine and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Eastern Phoebes. The walk will be oriented to beginning birders. Leader: Chris Loscalzo (203-389-6508; [email protected]). MEET: Lake Wintergreen parking lot at south end of Main St., Hamden

April 5 – June 9: West Rock Rangers, a project based after-school program for grades 6-8. A program using West Rock trails. www.commongroundct.org or 203-389-4333 x 1213.

Sat. April 30: 10 a.m. CT Butterfly Association field trip to West Rock to look for early butterflies such as the rare Falcate Orange-tip, Brown Elfin and Juniper Hairstreak. Mostly relatively easy walk up an old roadway but there may be some trail hiking, which is generally flat but rocky. Leader: Larry Gall, Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History (203-454-4612). MEET: West Rock Ridge State Park entrance, park across street at West Rock Nature Center lot on Wintergreen Ave., New Haven-Hamden line, just south of Wilbur Cross overpass.

Sat. April 30: all day Rock to Rock Earth Day Bicycle Ride (see story on page 3)

Sat. May 21: 10a.m.-3 p.m. Annual Organic Seedling Sale and Farm Festival at Common Ground High School. A variety of healthy seedlings for your garden, inc. heirloom and hybrid varieties. Priced $1-4. Also tractor rides, music, face painting, ice cream making, games and live sheep shearing. Free admission. Location: 385 Springside Avenue, New Haven (adjoining park). www.commongroundct.org.

Sat. June 4: 1:30 p.m. Join the Bethany Wanderers for easy road walk to summit of West Rock Ridge State Park to see historic Judges Cave, and enjoy the best view in southern CT from summit parking lot. Descend by woodland trail. Leader; Lucia Bianchi (203-389-2398). MEET: West Rock Nature Center pkg lot, Wintergreen Ave, Hamden-New Haven line.

Sat. July 2: 10 am-noon (be prompt!) CT Butterfly Association and Regional Water Authority- sponsored trip to Lake Chamberlain (usually open only to permit holders). Leisurely stroll through open fields and forest edges, looking for seasonal butterflies and who knows what else. MEET: Lake Chamberlain recreation area parking lot, just south of intersection of Sperry Rd. and Morris Rd, Woodbridge (off Rt. 69).

Sun., Aug. 21: Third Annual West Rock Challenge: Walk/Run fundraiser for Sleeping Giant Build. Information and registration: www.sleepinggiantbuild.org. See Park Update, page 4.

Sun., Sept. 11: Rock the Ridge Ride: Bike-race fundraiser for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. (LiveStrong) See Park Update, page 4. Information and registration: http://fairfieldwestchesterlivestrong.weebly.com/911---rock-the-ridge-mtb-race--ride.html

2 Rock to Rock is a day-long celebration of Earth Day and of New Haven’s rich environmental and cultural resources. Cyclists will travel from West Rock to East Rock, with celebrations on both sides of the city. Along the way eat tasty food, hear great music, take on environmental service projects, explore Edgewood and Beaver Ponds Parks, and ride a portion of the Farmington Canal Trail and official city bike lanes. Hard core riders can take detours to the summits of the two rocks or a longer route that connects West Rock, Sleeping Giant and East Rock. You can ride as an individual or create your own team. You can also help raise funds for one or more of 13 environmental organizations: including Solar Youth, New Haven Land Trust, Urban Resources Initiative, Common Ground High School, New Haven Parks Dept., CT Fund for the Environment and others. To register, go to: www.firstgiving.com/register.php. The route officially begins at Common Ground, 358 Springside Ave., New Haven at the base of West Rock Ridge State Park and finishes at College Woods at East Rock Park. The eight-mile route was plotted with all ages and abilities in mind. It is flat, safe and fun and makes use of many of the city’s best cycling resources. A suggested short route starts at Common Ground and goes only to Edgewood Park or Beaver Pond Park and returns to the starting point. Two years ago there were 250 riders and they raised $10,000. Last year there were 350 riders and $20,000 was raised. This year the hope is that 500 riders will participate and raise $40,000. Advance adult registration is $25, or $30 on the day of the event. Youths 18 and under can register for $15. For info: www.rocktorock.org.

9:00-10:30 - Registration, breakfast, and entertainment at Common Ground High School. 358 Springside Avenue, New Haven. Eat a tasty farm breakfast, hear live music, and pick up your fancy t-shirt before hitting the road. Day-of registration will be available at Common Ground, but advanced registration is highly encouraged (and discounted!).

9:45 - Optional West Rock Summit Ride. Head up the park road to look out over all of New Haven!

10:45 - Official Ride Kick-off: 8 Mile Route. We 10:30 - Official Ride Kick-off: 25 Mile Route. ride at a leisurely pace across the city, kept safe by New Haven Riders set off with ride guides on their way to Sleeping police along the way. Giant, and then on to East Rock. This ride does not have a police escort, but will be supported by ride guides and a 11:15 - Edgewood Park Rest Stop & Activities. support vehicle. Travel through the park to the ranger station, where we'll be greeted with a light snack, plenty of water, and a chance to 12:00 - Sleeping Giant Rest Stop & Activities. decorate your bicycle! Stop by beautiful Sleeping Giant Park, welcomed by the Sleeping Giant Park Association. 12:30 - Beaver Pond Park Rest Stop & Activities. 12:30 - Departing Sleeping Giant for East Check out one of the city's hidden parks while taking a short rest stop. Help us plant some trees and keep this park beautiful! Rock. Travel by city streets to East Rock State Park.

1:30 - Arrival at East Rock Park, CELEBRATION and Lunch. You made it! Check out the Trowbridge Environmental Center, celebrate our top fundraisers and award winners, check out a mini "green expo" of local environmental organizations, and listen to more great music from CT Folk. Lunch will be available for sale from great vendors!

2:00 - Optional East Rock Summit Group Ride.A closed, paved park road to one of the best views in the city! 3:00 - Optional Group Ride back to Westville.

3 Park Update By Lori Lindquist, Administrator, West Rock Ridge State Park Well, we made it through another winter. This one was tough, with the snow measured in feet instead of inches. It seemed like we were spending all our time plowing, and as soon as we finished all the outlying areas it would snow again, and we would have to start over again. I’m glad that spring is finally here. All of the fields scheduled to be mowed this year were mowed. Some of the culverts were cleared, but more still needs to be done. We installed a new culvert on the Red Trail and cleared the drainage ditches leading to it. We also cleared downed trees up on Baldwin Drive. In the fall at the request of a neighbor, we installed a street light at the West Rock Ridge park entrance. The neighbor was concerned with people loitering near there late at night, and illegal activity happening there. This seems to have curtailed the illegal activity that may have been taking place. Several groups are interested in using West Rock for fundraising events this year. (See Coming Events on page 2). On Sunday, August 21, Habitat for Humanity is looking to hold its Third Annual West Rock Challenge. This is a 5k or 15k walk/run at West Rock and Lake Wintergreen that was very successful last year with over 100 participants. Registration has started for the Rock the Ridge Ride Sunday September 11, a bike race fundraiser for the Lance Armstrong Foundation (“Live Strong”) in honor of 28 million people worldwide living with cancer, and in memory of those who lost their lives to the disease. Hamden Public Schools have applied for a collectors’ permit, to collect wood frog eggs for educational purposes, and Common Ground School is applying for a special use permit to use West Rock for sunset hikes with school group campers.

Please keep your dog on a leash, be safe, and enjoy the Park. DEP Dispatch (24/7): 860-424-3333 State Nextel: 860-209-3467 Unit Hdqtrs: 203-789-7498

New DEP-Energy Commissioner: Daniel C. Esty (continued from page 1) “Existing energy policy has been scattered across a variety of different departments and agencies,” Esty said. “It’s an opportunity now to have that all brought into a single framework.” He said he will emphasize cooperation with business as a means to create a greener state. In the past his consulting firm, Esty Environmental Partners, has worked with various international corporations to help them implement better, greener business practices. He formerly served as deputy chief of staff in the Environmental Protection Agency during the George Bush administration and has advised President Barrack Obama on environmental policy. Esty’s appointment has received enthusiastic endorsement from environmental advocates. Don Strait, executive director of the CT Fund for the Environment, called the choice “outstanding” and praised Esty for “cutting edge” thinking and a wealth of knowledge and experience.

4 In Memoriam: Dr. Stephen Collins, Ecologist One upon a time there were two rocks. One was made of stone, one of flesh. The one of flesh saved the stronger one. How may you ask? By being stubborn, wise, persistent and oblivious to the challenges he was facing. One rock was called West Rock. The other was called Steve. One lives on in plain sight, the other lives on in our thoughts, memories and prayers. He died Oct. 7 at his home in Bethany. Steve’s house faced the west side of West Rock Ridge. Mine is on the east side. We had West Rock Ridge surrounded. Now we had to protect it. Steve started first. I soon joined. The “good” doctor and the “bad” doctor, as we were called for our partisan advocacy to create and save a state park. (You can guess which one was the good doctor and which the bad.) It took three years for the successful legislative push (after years of organizing residents in the four towns that share the ridge). The final year was a unanimous override of Governor Ella Grasso’s veto – and the park name and boundary were a reality! There followed many years of lobbying for money to acquire the land. We now have the second largest state park in Connecticut. Steve was long active in the West Rock Ridge Park Association, helping both to found and to nurture its growth and public awareness. He was vice chairman for 25 years of the West Rock Ridge State Park Advisory Council, the official body created by the state legislation to advise the CT Dept. of Environmental Protection on acquisition and development of our park. Besides this he was professor of biological sciences at Southern CT State University, mentored many students, raised a family and always found time for West Rock Ridge And so, the little rock, Steve, helped protect the big rock, West. And now the big rock can rest in peace, and so can Steve. – William Doheny, DDS, Vice-Ch. of the WRRSP Advisory Council and former Pres. of the WRRPA

Rocky Ramparts Hiker Joan Bettencourt of Bethany takes a close-up look at the natural rock wall along a section of Baldwin Drive on the summit of West Rock Ridge.

5 THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF WEST ROCK: THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAP-ROCK RIDGES IN CONNECTICUT PREHISTORY By Cosimo Sgarlata ABSTRACT: Trap-rock ridges are an important geological component of the landscape of Connecticut’s Central Lowlands. These ridges are rugged topographic features, typically possessing steep and tall west facing cliffs and more moderately sloping but rocky and uneven eastern faces. West Rock’s rugged features apparently made it unattractive to archaeologists because until the current project no formal archaeological research had occurred at this important trap-rock ridge in south-central Connecticut. Subsequently, research at West Rock has demonstrated that a rich archaeological record is present. Not only did the research add information concerning site types and settlement pattern in south-central Connecticut, but it also demonstrated how Connecticut’s trap-rock ridges provide an important environment for learning about cultural adaptation during the Late Archaic Period (6,000 BP to 3,700 BP).

INTRODUCTION more time and effort gathering information from This paper discusses the archaeological the “back country” areas, located away from the record of West Rock Ridge, in southern New coastlines, river valleys and lakeshores. Despite, Haven County. West Rock is a topographically the fact that particularly rugged upland features rugged upland environment in south-central more often than not, house the less prolific sites, Connecticut and was the project area for my or the “small lithic scatters”, research designed dissertation research as a PhD candidate at the specifically to look at the “marginal” highlands, Graduate Center of the City University of New mountains and other upland features has more York. This paper contributes to an archaeological often than not demonstrated how thoroughly as well as natural history understanding of prehistoric cultures utilized all the different Connecticut’s trap-rock ridges by 1) reviewing the aspects of their landscape. . . . geological history and ecological importance of Due to its rugged and very high relief Connecticut’s trap-rock ridges, 2) contributing topography West Rock Ridge, a prominent trap- new information concerning settlement patterns in rock formation in southern New Haven County, south-central Connecticut, 3) exploring important had not been the subject of any documented theoretical concerns that can potentially be archaeological research prior to the initiation of addressed through archaeological research in the the present project by the author in June, 2001. state’s trap-rock formations. West Rock is only one of several important trap- Recently, a perceived lack of research in rock ridges existing in Connecticut’s Central upland settings has led archaeologists to exert Lowlands, and it is the intention of the current

6 project to add information concerning prehistoric site (Lavin and Russell: 1985) located just to the adaptations in the state by shedding light on the southeast and near the mouth of Quinnipiac River. types of activities that Connecticut’s prehistoric However, it will be argued that as population cultures carried out in these rugged upland increased during the Late Archaic, West Rock environments. became important because mobile foragers needed Due to a dearth of previous archaeological to more efficiently exploit all of the documentation it was necessary to survey and microenvironments within their local territories. locate sites in order to obtain an appropriate TRAP-ROCK RIDGES AND THE sample so that prehistoric usage of West Rock GEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF could be analyzed. All 13 of the sites described in CONNECTICUT this paper were initially discovered and excavated by the author over the past four summers (2002 to Trap-rock ridges are rugged features, within 2005) except for the West Rock Ridge site that the Central Lowlands physiographic province of was originally identified by Simon Donato (2003) Connecticut and southern Massachusetts (Lee, and the West Rock Nature Center site excavated 1985: 10). For the most part, Connecticut’s by Nancy Parsons and Mike Rodgers (2005). Central Lowlands can be characterized as having only slight to moderate topographic relief, and The goals of the archaeological research were possessing broad expanses of unusually level and twofold. First, it was necessary to gather well-drained soils that constitute the richest information concerning prehistoric settlement farmlands in the state. In sharp contrast, the trap- pattern from West Rock. Settlement pattern refers rock ridges rise precipitously from the gentle to all of the site types occupied by a prehistoric lowland valleys, having characteristically tall and culture as well as information concerning their steep western cliff faces of jointed columnar environmental contexts. Since Willey’s (1953) basalt, which glow in hues of bright orange and ground breaking research, archaeologists have red in the afternoon sun. The eastern faces of the been aware that a given settlement pattern utilized trap-rock ridges are typically more gently sloped by a prehistoric culture can convey information at an angle of approximately 25°. These concerning aspects of that culture’s life ways characteristics, which define the unique form of including their subsistence strategy, mobility most of Connecticut’s trap-rock ridges owe their pattern and socio-political organization. . . . existence to Connecticut’s fascinating geological Settlement pattern analysis at West Rock led to history that witnessed the collision of the North identification of four general site types: American and African continental plates as well 1).quarrying or lithic procurement sites, as the subsequent formation of long, deep rift 2).temporary or seasonal campsites along upland valleys when these same tectonic plates reversed streams, 3) lookout, or information gathering direction and began to spread apart from each sites, 4) intercept hunting sites. other once again (Bell, 1985). Second, research at West Rock indicates that Trap-rock ridges occur in Connecticut’s Connecticut’s trap-rock ridges may hold important Central Valley in two major belts. The major clues about cultural adaptation during the Late central ridge, called the Metacomet Ridge, is Archaic Period. This is because West Rock was almost continuous extending for over 100 miles only part of the overall territory that south-central from Branford on Connecticut’s southern Connecticut’s prehistoric cultures would have coastline northward to the Holyoke Range across utilized. Usage of West Rock needs to be the border in Massachusetts. The western ridge considered in relation to adjacent lowlands that system is more discontinuous and consists of would have provided more suitable locations for West Rock, East Rock, the Sleeping Giant, the large habitation sites such as the Burwell-Karako Hanging Hills and the Barndoor Hills. Of the

7 ridges in the western system West Rock is the accumulated in the trough. After millions of years longest extending for a distance of approximately these sediments lithified, forming the erosion 15 miles from the point where it breaks ground in susceptible brownstone bedrock that underlies the the Westville section of New Haven and broad expanses of level and well drained soils northward to Southington (Lee; Wetherell, 1992). found in Connecticut’s Central Lowlands today. Connecticut’s trap-rock ridges have long been Second, magma flowed up from deep beneath the noted for their geological and ecological earth’s surface and, at least three times, spread out significance. While many of the specific details over Connecticut’s Central Valley, later hardening have yet to be worked out the basic events of to form the basalt, or trap-rock, of the state’s Connecticut’s geological past are fairly well ridges. Eventually, the brownstone and the understood (Bell: 1985). The following is a brief magma came to alternate like a stack of pancakes description of those events focusing on the one on top of the other because after magma geological history of the state’s trap-rock ridges. hardened on the surface it became covered again by brownstone, which in turn was covered by yet Three hundred million years ago Connecticut another magma flow and so on (Bell). was caught in the middle of a collision between the North American Continental Plate and the One last piece of the puzzle remains before African Continental Plate. When this collision one can understand the characteristic form of occurred, the bedrock became folded and Connecticut’s trap-rock ridges today. Because the compressed, undergoing a process of eastern border fault slipped downward to a much metamorphism to form highly erosion resistant greater extent than the western border fault, all of bedrock types such as schist and gneiss. A great these horizontal layers tilted upward and to the mountain chain similar to today’s Himalayas west at an angle of about 25°. The tilted bedrock probably existed as a result of uplifting due to the later broke into several massive blocks and, great continental collision. Since then, these eventually, when the overlying erosion susceptible mountains have eroded away, leaving only the brownstone eroded away, the western edges of the highly metamorphosed bedrock that formed their massive erosion resistant basalt plates (sometimes roots. It is this tremendously folded and erosion 300 feet thick) became exposed forming the many resistant bedrock which underlies Connecticut’s trap-rock ridges visible in the state today. Eastern and Western Highlands and is responsible These events explain the form of most of for the hilly and rolling topography present in Connecticut’s trap-rock ridges (described above) eastern and western Connecticut today (Bell; Lee). with their steep western cliff faces and their more About 200 to 250 million years ago the moderately sloped eastern faces (Lee; Bell). continental plates reversed direction and started to West Rock is an intrusive igneous rock, separate once again. When this happened, the meaning that the flow which formed it never upper crust between the diverging plates became broke through to become exposed on the surface stretched and great rift valleys opened up, leaving of the ground. Instead it forced its way between a system of depressions and troughs extending layers of brownstone bedrock and hardened below from present day Florida to Newfoundland (Lee: the ground. However, because its flow was 13-14). One of these rift valleys occurred in essentially horizontal to the ground surface it still present day central Connecticut. The land possesses the features characteristic of the plunged downward as much as two miles along extrusive (hardening above-ground) igneous trap- the eastern border fault. rock ridges such as having a steep western cliff Subsequently, two processes have acted to fill face and a gently sloping (25°) eastern face. this depression. First, water carried sediments from the Eastern and Western Highlands, which

8 ECOLOGY OF CONNECTICUT’S TRAP-ROCK RIDGES Our understanding of the environmental context of sites researched in the project at West Rock requires an appreciation of the ecological complexity present in the state’s trap-rock ridges. Dowan and Craig (1976) identified trap-rock ridges as a critical habitat for rare and endangered species within the state. Among rare and endangered species found at West Rock are copperhead snakes and Peregrine falcons. . . . Lee (1985) explained that Connecticut’s trap- rock ridges support a variety of species due to the existence of unique microhabitats not found elsewhere in the state. On the one hand, the exposed western cliff face will absorb sunlight creating warmer and drier than usual habitats along the ridge tops where species adapted to more southerly environments can be found. On the other hand, air trapped between large boulders of talus at the bottoms of the cliffs becomes cooled because the talus above reflects the sunlight back into space, and this cooled air is fed down slope by convection toward the adjacent forests encroaching the bottoms of the trap-rock ridges, where it helps to create cool and moist Clifftop View environments that allow for habitation of more northerly species not found elsewhere in the state. Steep cliffs are the most distinctive feature of the west side of the wooded ridge. The scene looks Lee further described the fact that tremendous northwest toward far hills in Woodbridge and variety in terms of vegetation exists as one crosses Bethany, two of the four towns in which West from one side of a trap-rock ridge to the other. Rock Ridge State Park is located. Mixed hardwood/hemlock forests can be found along the bottom of the ridge's western cliff face, wizened red cedars along with blueberries and huckleberries at the ridge tops, oak/hickory forests further down the gentle eastern slope and a rich mixed hardwood/hemlock forest along with wetland species at the bottom of the eastern portion of the ridge.

EDITOR’S NOTE: We thank Dr. Sgarlata for giving us permission to use his article. We regret we had to make some small cuts for space reasons. The second part will appear in the fall issue.

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WEST ROCK RIDGE PARK ASSOCIATION Address: 648 Mountain Road, Hamden, CT 06514 NEW MEMBER: [email protected] Board of Directors We warmly welcome the following new member to Stephen Broker, New Haven the West Rock Ridge Park Association: Ann Christmann, Woodbridge Bel Forte, Hamden Barrie Collins, Bethany William Doheny, Hamden HOW TO JOIN OR RENEW Theodore B. Lynn, Hamden Send your name and address along with your dues to Steven Massey, Bethany the membership chairperson: Ann Christmann, Donald Menzies, Woodbridge 10 Clark Rd., Woodbridge, CT 06525 Polly Schulz, Woodbridge Joanne Sciulli, New Haven Nancy Specht, Hamden Annual dues: $10, Supporting: $20, Life: $100. Michael Walter, Woodbridge Make checks payable to: West Rock Ridge Park Charles Walters, Hamden Association. Executive Board & Committees Please include your interests: President: Theodore B. Lynn Programs, Trail Work, Newsletter, Secretary: (Vacant) Legislative/Political Action, Membership. Treasurer: Joanne Sciulli Membership: Ann Christmann Program: Nancy Specht We welcome volunteers! Trails: Charles Walters Your membership helps improve the park! Newsletter: Barrie Collins and Amy Lynn Photo Credits: 1,5,9, Barrie T. Collins; 6, Stephen Collins

WEST ROCK RIDGE PARK ASSOCIATION 648 Mountain Road Hamden, CT 06514 FIRST CLASS MAIL