RANBY EWSLETTER and rust reserving ranby’s atural eritage

www.granbylandtrust.org CI PO Box 23 C I Granby, 06035 C I Volume 2 Mary Edwards’ Legacy

NE PERSON CAN MAKE Mary, one wonders whether the a OSUCH AN ENORMOUS Land Trust’s motto, “Working to IMPACT ON OUR WORLD — Preserve Granby’s Natural Her- ESPECIALLY IN A SMALL TOWN itage,” would have the hollow ring his ewsletter LIKE GRANBY. of wishful thinking. Take, for example, Mary Edwards. is edicated to How would Granby’s landscape dif- Luckily, we did have Mary…and fer if Mary had not therefore we will nev- ary dwards supported the Gran- er know the answers by Land Trust over to those questions. the course of her life? From the time she anuary 11, 1913 completed her first • For starters, a great gift to her death on anuary 15, 2004 deal of our remaining January 15, 2004, she open spaces would was among its most most likely be dotted ardent supporters. with houses. Mary She does not deserve a donated more than all of the credit, but 250 acres of her land there is no doubt that to the Land Trust, her support was of most of which would critical importance, New Hiking Trails be considered prime especially in the early real estate for a years. She was the cat- Opened on Mary Edwards A young Mary Edwards builder. But that’s not standing on her much-loved alyst for much of Mountain Property all Mary contributed Mary’s Rock at her what later happened. to the Land Trust. Mountain Property in 1919 uilding on work done during When it was just a Within a year of the Blast fall’s “Preserve Our fledgling organiza- Land Trust’s found- Properties” Day, the Land Trust has tion, striving to establish itself in ing, Mary jumped in to contribute established and opened a new trail town, Mary supported the Land the ten-acre “Diamond Ledge” pre- system on the Mary Edwards Trust wholeheartedly. Without serve at 27 Broad Hill Road in West Mountain Property. These hiking Mary, one wonders whether the Granby. In 1975, she contributed trails connect with the Godard Land Trust could have become the six acres at 22R Oakridge Drive. In Preserve Blue Trail System at the powerful force that it is. Without subsequent years, she added 29 acres upper Donahue Road entrance. cont. on pg. 4 cont. on pg. 7

5 If you would like to explore making a land gift to the Granby Land Trust, please contact a GLT Board Member. 5 c1 oardembers Granby Land Trust

Rick Orluk President (H) 653-7095 Dear Granby Land Trust Members, Mark Wetzel This newsletter is dedicated to Mary Edwards, for no one has done more to preserve Vice President Granby’s beautiful natural heritage and support the goals of the Granby Land Trust. From (H) 653-9125 her earliest gift of land in 1973… to her donation of the spectacular 188-acre Mountain David W. Russell Property in 2000…to her final bequest — a generous financial contribution, Mary’s con- Treasurer tributions to the Land Trust were selfless gifts to be enjoyed by Granby citizens for gen- (H) 653-7441 erations to come. Over the last 18 months, the Land Trust has been hard at work preserving and Leslie Judge improving Mary’s Mountain Property as she wished. During last Spring’s Secretary “Preserve Our Properties’ Day,” the Land Trust cleared a significant (H) 653-4733 amount of brush on the property; then further cleared the fence line on Board: Mountain Road earlier this year, magnifying the beauty of this spot and its view north. In addition, during the Land Trust’s Fall “Preserve Our Francis Armentano Properties’ Day,” the beginnings of a Mountain Property trail system (H) 653-0631 were established, linking the Mountain Property to the Godard Daniel P. Brown, Jr. Preserve. Just recently, Granby Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts continued (H) 653-7557 working on the trails and put up six bluebird boxes on the property. Dave Emery Located directly across from the upper Donahue Road entrance of the Godard (H) 653-3746 Preserve, the Mountain Property trail begins and leads upwards to Mary’s much-loved Robert Lindeyer lookout known as “Mary’s Rock.” Our family already has hiked it several times and my (H) 653-2157 older son Nate always says Mary’s Rock is happy to see us when we arrive. I know that it makes me happy to have this beautiful place in my backyard. I encourage you to take a Charles Katan moment from your busy life to experience a quiet moment from the lookout at Mary’s (H) 653-6290 Rock, courtesy of Mary Edwards. It will make you happy and thankful that Mary had the David A. Schupp foresight and generosity to share this special place with all of us. (H) 653-2168 I would also like to thank and recognize GLT Board Members Put Brown and Fran Armentano for their efforts to see Mary’s dream come to fruition. Put’s years of service to the Land Trust put our organization in a position to responsibly take care of the Mountain Property donation and Fran’s recent stewardship of this property gave Mary confidence RANBY that the Land Trust would maintain the property she loved so much. and rust Mary, thank you for all you have done for Granby. The Granby Land Trust reserving ranby’s atural eritage www.granbylandtrust.org I PO Box 23 I Granby, CT 06035 salutes you. If you have a comment or ques- Warmly, tion about the Granby Land Trust Newsletter or would like to submit news for our next Rick Orluk issue, please contact Rick Orluk at 653.7095 or via email at [email protected]

Photographs of Mary Edwards courtesy of the Salmon Brook Historical Society. c2 The Granby Land Trust thanks the Granby Community Fund for their support. 1 Granby Land Trust Adds 65 Acres ews otes on Simsbury Road • The Land Trust would like to thank the Crowe Family for their support. hen developers partner with The donated parcel includes 10 Mr. Albert Crowe, a longtime Wconservation groups to pre- acres of active farmland off of Granby resident, passed away earlier serve open space in new housing Simsbury Road and more than this year. The Crowe Family honored developments, everyone wins. 3000 feet of frontage on the West Mr.Crowe’s love of Granby by desig- Residents, neighbors and wildlife all Branch of the Salmon Brook. The nating the Land Trust as the recipi- can benefit from responsible devel- open space will serve as a wildlife ent of memorial contributions made opment. corridor, with potential for hiking in his memory. trails in the future. A recent example of this is the new • A special thanks to Don Johnson of Holcomb Hill development on This new Granby Land Trust acqui- Don Johnson Carpentry Simsbury Road. In 2002, develop- sition includes magnificent geolog- (Granville, MA) for ers P.K. Allen and Andrew Mason ical features. There is a point at the building and donating purchased 120 acres on Simsbury southern end of the property where the Godard Preserve Road, south of Holcomb Farm. In glacial till has been carved from the Trailhead Information conjunction with their develop- land for hundreds of thousands of & Map Box located off ment of Holcomb Hill, Allen and years by the waters of the Salmon of Donahue Road. Mason elected to donate 65 acres of Brook. The land drops off precipi- • The Land Trust is looking for a few open space to the Granby Land tously to the brook on three sides, good men and women to become Trust. This property could have presenting a spectacular view. Property Stewards. If you would be been broken into 30 lots, but Ma- interested in acting as the “caretaker” son and Allen chose to limit home The Granby Land Trust applauds of one of our Land Trust properties, sites to only 19, thirteen on a pub- developers P.K Allen and Andrew please contact Mark Wetzel or Fran lic road and six on a private road. Mason for this gift. 3 Armentano. q • Thanks to former GLT Board Member Chuck Stielau for his dedi- cated service to the Land Trust. Chuck has played a leadership role on a number of recent GLT initia- tives, including the ongoing efforts to take care of the Granby and the Godard Preserve. • The Land Trusts of the Farmington Valley are featured in a special section Bluebird House Building in the 2004 Valley Book. We thank Mark Wetzel and his 7-year-old daughter Common throughout Connecticut in the publisher Bob Pawlowski and his entire Rosie and Edna Zimmer and Put Brown mid-1800s, the Eastern Bluebird - a mem- Distinctive Directories team for their build bluebird houses during the GLT’s ber of the thrush family and the only blue- support of the Granby Land Trust. Bluebird House Building Event. Led by bird species found in New England - grew GLT Board Members Dave Russell and scarce as suitable nesting cavities declined • Join us on Sunday, May 18th for the Dave Emery in conjunction with a special due to changing land use patterns, the in- Land Trust’s annual Spring “Preserve Connecticut Department of Environmen- troduction of other non-native bird species Our Properties” Day (see Calendar of tal Protection Bluebird Restoration Project, such as European starlings and house spar- Events for more details). volunteers gathered and built 20 bluebird rows, and increased urbanization. The • The Land Trust’s Hike and Annual houses to be installed in appropriate habi- construction of nest boxes and the estab- Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, tat around Granby. Six of these bluebird lishment of nest box “trails” is helping the October 24th. We will start the day houses were recently installed on the Mary bluebird make a comeback. with a hike at 2:00 pm. All are wel- Edwards Mountain Property by Granby come (look for more details this Fall). Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts. 3 c 5 D

continued from page 1 Mary Edwards’ Legacy Related at 84 Hartford Avenue and two Richards, working through The Resources acres at 329R Salmon Brook Street. Nature Conservancy, gave the 47.7- See these websites for more infor- She did not contribute her dearest acre Creamer Preserve at 248 mation about some of the Granby possession, however. Instead, she Loomis Street; Bertha Dimock do- Land Trust’s “Sister” Organizations: continued to own and steward the nated the 200-acre Stanley K. Di- magnificent 200-acre “Mountain” mock Preserve in West Granby and The Nature Conservancy property at 200 Mountain Road, Barkhamsted; Grace Kellogg and www.nature.org just to the northa of its intersection Arline Mooney gave 22.1 and 23.1 with Silkey Road. That land com- acres, respectively, at 92 and 94 Town of Granby mands a sweeping view of Spring- Loomis Street; Whitey and Paula http://www.munic.state.ct.us/ field, the Connecticut River Valley Johnson gave 41.6 acres on Old GRANBY/granby.htm and Mount Tom and is known by Messenger Road; members of the The Salmon Brook Historical everyone in the area. People go Godard family gave almost 115 Society there to watch Fourth of July fire- acres on Donahue Road. Others, as www.salmonbrookhistorical.org works in distant towns, to watch well, too many to list separately Farmington River Watershed the fall leaves turn color in the val- here, were similarly generous. Con- Association leys below and to hike to “Mary’s servation easements also came to www.frwa.org Rock” for a picnic or a the Land Trust from moment of quiet con- Dorothy Russell (50 State of Connecticut — Dept. of templation in a beautiful Mary’s unfailing acres), Dan and Pauline Environmental Protection place. enthusiasm for Cunningham (27.3 http://dep.state.ct.us acres), Fred and Edie Holcomb Farm Learning For years, Mary waited to what we were Wilhem (42.3 acres), Centers see whether the Land Seth and Lucy Hol- www.holcombfarm.com Trust would be worthy to combe (151.9 acres), own her “Mountain.” In doing gave us Steve and Bett Con- Hartford Foundation for Public the meantime, she creat- land (16.7 acres), Dave Giving ed “The Mountain courage when we and Sandy Schupp http://www.hfpg.org Trust” as a separate char- (118 acres), Sam and McLean Game Refuge itable foundation; and most needed it. Sally Paul (3.5 acres), www.mcleancare.org/ gave partial interests in Milly Rugland (75 Continuum/Refuge.asp the land to the Trust each year. Her acres) and others, almost 500 acres Land Trust Alliance original plan was to have The in total. www.lta.org Mountain Trust continue as a sepa- rate legal entity after her death. She This was a lot of activity for a rela- Granby Land Trust also made provisions to endow that tively new organization and www.granbylandtrust.org organization, so that the day-to-day reflected both the growing sophisti- costs of maintaining the property cation of the Land Trust Board and would be assured. the increased stature of the organi- zation in the broader community. D All along, she kept her eye on the Mary knew that the Land Trust was Land Trust, though, and watched as now ready to accept her greatest “What is art? Nature others continued to make generous gift. After meeting with representa- gifts of land and money. Cordelia tives of the Land Trust to work out concentrated.” —Honore de Balzac c4 Mary Edwards’ Legacy continued from page 4 Those wishing to honor Mary’s memory, the details, she worked with her have worked hard, and continue to and the values she lawyers, representatives of the do so, to assure the continued suc- represents, can do Hartford Foundation for Public cess of the Land Trust. Still, each of three things: Giving, her bank trustees, and rep- us knows that Mary’s unfailing resentatives of the Land Trust to enthusiasm for what we were doing • First, make a contribution in her transfer her Mountain property gave us courage when we most name to the “Mary W. Edwards from her own Foundation to the needed it. With her urging us on at Charitable Fund” for the benefit Land Trust. At athe same time, she every opportunity, how could we and maintenance of “The Moun- made provisions for the creation of quit? She also taught us by her own tain” and the Granby Land Trust a separate endowment fund at the example the benefits and joys of at the Hartford Foundation for Hartford Foundation for Public forming alliances with others who Public Giving, 85 Gillett Street, Giving for the benefit of the Land shared our vision and could help in Hartford, CT 06105. Trust. She directed that monies be some way. added to that endowment fund at • Second, join the Land Trust. her death, first to cover the direct There is a lot of work still to be costs of maintaining the Mountain, done and we have a lot of fun to- and then to be used for the general gether. purposes of the Land Trust. • Finally, if you have the capacity to do so, give land, a conservation As Mary was working through easement or funds for the ongoing these details, others continued to operation of the Land Trust. In make significant gifts to the Land that way, you will assure that Trust. Most recently, Tom Fredo Mary’s legacy will be carried on for gave 97 acres on Mountain Road, the benefit of future generations. Dan Dumais gave 36 Acres on Doherty Road and P.K. Allen and Andrew Mason gave 60 acres on Simsbury Road in West Granby. The Land Trust also worked with members of the Worthen family in selling their 525-acre farm on Fox v Road in West Granby to the State Department of Environmental Protection, to be added to Enders Mary Edwards and her mother Helen State Forest. Negotiations for addi- Bunce Edwards berry picking in tional gifts are ongoing, but already East Hartland in 1932 “Like a great poet, (in addition to the 500 or so acres Nature knows of conservation easements it holds) We miss her already and will do our the Land Trust owns outright about best to be worthy stewards of all how to produce 1,000 acres of land. that she has given to us. We hope, the greatest effect too, that we will see the open space Mary would not want all of the of Granby as she did, as a place to with the most glory. Many others — donors, be cherished and protected. 3 members, volunteers and others – limited means.” —Heinrich Heine c5 Join the Granby Land Mary Edwards Friend of the Land Trust Today and Help Us Preserve Granby’s Trust Award Established Natural Heritage n honor of Mary Edwards’ many GLT’s mission of “preserving growing membership is Icontributions to Granby and the Granby’s natural heritage.” It will be critical to our mission Granby Land Trust, the Land Trust awarded at the Land Trust’s Annual — please take the time today to com- Board has established the Mary dMeeting and Hike in October. plete the membership form below to Edwards Friend of the Trust Award. renew your membership or join us as This service award will be given To date, no one has done more for a member for the first time. As an all- annually to an individual or organi- the Land Trust than Mary has. It is volunteer organization, we welcome zation that has done – through a only fitting, therefore, that this a range of involvement levels. single gift or collectively over many award carry her name. 3 Beyond your financial support, let us years – the most to promote the know if you would be interested in helping in any other ways. “The vast possibilities of our great future Your membership, at any level, will will become realities only if we make help us spread the message that ourselves responsible for that future.” open space and land management is critical to preserving Granby’s rural —Gifford Pinchot ✁ character for future generations.

2004 GLT MembershipX Form I Yes! I agree with what you are doing. Please sign me up! Ways in which I would like to help I I’m already a member, I would like to give a membership gift to: [check areas of interest] I Trail Design Name______I Trail Construction Address ______I Participate in Work Parties I Property Steward City ______State ______Zip ______I Leading Hikes and Preserve Walks Telephone Day: ______Eve: ______I Publicity I Computer Work E-Mail ______I Fund Raising Membership Class [choose]: I Scientific or Historical Studies I Regular $30. I Sponsor $100. I Benefactor $250. I Education I Life $1,000. I Gift (from______) [If you are already a Life Member, you need not pay dues again. If you can I Other (specify) ______afford an additional gift, however, it would be most appreciated.] ______Please make checks payable to “Granby Land Trust” Thank you for your support! and mail to: P.O. Box 23, Granby, CT 06035 All contributions are tax c6 deductible. Hiking Trails continued from page 1 GLT to Present Sheila Connor of This initiative has been led by GLT Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum Vice President Mark Wetzel, who has overseen efforts to clear and n Saturday, September 18, Following the lecture, there will be a mark the trails with help from Land OSheila Connor of Harvard’s break for lunch and then partici- Trust members, Boy Scouts and Arnold Arboretum will make a pre- pants will be invited to hike the Cub Scouts. While all trails are not sentation at the Holcomb Farm on mBroad Hill trails of Holcomb Farm fully completed, the Blue Trail to “Ten Trees of the New England and the Granby Land Trust. Sheila Mary’s Rock is open for hiking. Forest.” She will draw from will point out trees she dis- her widely acclaimed book, cussed in the morning and will To access the south end of this new New England Natives, an affix labels to the most note- trail, park on Donahue Road near engaging look at the history worthy trees. the upper entrance of the fully and use of our native trees. marked Godard Preserve. The Mary Anyone who is interested in The lecture will begin at 11:00 Edwards Mountain Property Blue the forest and its ecology a.m., lunch will take place at Trail starts directly across the street should own this book…and about noon, and the hike will from the Godard Preserve. As you you won’t want to miss this lecture, begin at about 1:00 p.m. You are walk up to Mary’s Rock, you will either! welcome to participate in all three pass some beautiful old stonewalls events (the lecture, lunch and the which lead to the junction of the You’ll learn why early settlers pre- hike) or any one of them. It should Blue and Yellow Trails (the Yellow ferred white oak over red oak for be an enjoyable and educational Trail is still under construction). almost all uses. You’ll better under- day. And you’ll like Sheila - she is a Follow the Blue Trail signs and you stand the impact on the Eastern for- delightful person. will reach the lookout at Mary’s est of the widespread destruction of Rock, which is on the left at the American trees in the This special event is a joint presenta- crest of the hill. early 20th Century. You won’t soon tion of the Granby and Simsbury forget about the early 17th Century Land Trusts, the McLean Game Over the next year, the Land Trust squabble between Sir Walter Refuge, and the Holcomb Farm. Look will continue to build out this trail Raleigh and Bartholomew Gosnold for more information as we get closer system, creating an extensive set of over plantations of sassafras trees. to the event and be sure to sign up trails which link the Godard and And you’ll learn about the changing promptly because we expect very good Mary Edwards Mountain mix of forest trees brought on by attendance and may have to limit the Properties. Eventually, the Land modern land use practices. Sheila number of attendees. 3 Trust hopes to link these trail sys- will illustrate her points with slides tems with systems on adjacent State chosen from her book. property. A trailhead map box will be installed with a complete map of x these trails later this year. GranbyOak Clean-up

The Land Trust once again thanks During the Granby Land Trust’s Mary for sharing this beautiful Fall “Preserve Our Properties” property with us all. We encourage Day, Brian Watkins and his you to take the time to make the team from Arborworks worked with Chuck Stielau and GLT short hike to Mary’s Rock – you will volunteers to clear and maintain understand why it was one of the Dewey Granby Oak Property. Mary’s favorite spots. 3 c7

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GLT Calendar of Events

6 MAY

What: Spring “Preserve Our Properties” Day Where: Meet at the Upper Entrance to the Godard Preserve on Donahue Road Date: Sunday, May 16, 2004 Time: 1:00 PM Info: Call 860.653.7095 View from Mary Edwards Property

6 SEPTEMBER 6 OCTOBER

What: Sheila Connor New England Trees Lecture What: Granby Land Trust Annual Meeting, and Hike Hike and Picnic Where: Holcomb Farm Main Barn Where: Holcomb Farm Date: Saturday, September 18, 2004 Date: Sunday, October 24, 2004 Time: 11:00 AM - Lecture; 12PM; Lunch; 1:00PM Time: 2:00 PM - Hike; 3:30PM Picnic and Short - Tree Identification Hike Annual Meeting Info: Call 860.653.7095 Info: All Granby Land Trust Members are welcome - please bring a side dish or a dessert, hot nPrinted on Recycled Paper dogs and hamburgers will be provided.