Haddam Land Trust

01/12/2026

Please join the Haddam Land Trust for our 2026 Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at 6 pm, at Firehouse #1. There will be a business meeting, food, and a presentation on Fire Ecology. Free and open to the public.

10/31/2025

Due to the high river from yesterday's rain and the high winds, the river paddle scheduled for Saturday, November 1, has been CANCELLED.

10/25/2025

Reminder: Evening Paddle on Saturday, November 1 @ 5:30 pm, Haddam Meadows SP Boat Launch

See you there!

07/10/2025

Please join the Haddam Land Trust on this upcoming Sunday, July 13, 2025, 2 pm for a plant walk and picnic.

All activities will be the Swan Hill Preserve at the old dog pound. From Higganum Center, take Depot Road onto Dublin Hill Road. Continue on Dublin Hill Road, taking a left on the unnamed lane just before the white picket fence. Park at the old dog pound.

Plant Walk
There are many interesting plants growing at Swan Hill. HLT officer and botanist/ecologist Gail Reynolds will lead us on a plant walk. We will see many interesting plants, from herbaceous plant rattlesnake hawkweed to the lichen rock tripe to the fern ebony spleenwort to the tree scrub oak, and many more!

Swan Hill lost many oaks during the spongy (gypsy) moth infestation/drought conditions in the mid-2010s. Fortunately, the open canopy re-vegetated with native plants, such as blueberries and huckleberries, rather than with invasive plants.

Summer Picnic
Barbecue food and drinks provided. Bring a salad or dessert to share. Bring a chair. Bring the whole family!

Wear sturdy shoes, bring insect repellent, sunscreen, and dress to avoid ticks and other pests.

Come enjoy this wonderful natural resource with the Haddam Land Trust.

06/20/2025

FIRE ECOLOGY: IMPACT OF FIRE ON FOREST HABITAT IN HADDAM
Saturday, June 28, at 9:00am

Haddam Town Hall (the stone building)
21 Field Park Drive in Haddam

Speaker: DEEP Forest Alex Amendola

This program will begin with a short talk and a slide presentation at Haddam Old Town Hall.

We will then travel to visit to a structure and forest fire site surrounding Ruth Hill Road where almost 200 acres burned in April of this year.

If you live in Haddam, you live close to or within the forest. This is the chance to learn more about the effects of fire on our forest and our community.

Directions to the site of the fire off of Ruth Hill in Haddam:

On Saybrook Road, just south of the route 82 ramp/rotary, turn right onto Dudley Clark Road and then a right onto Old Chester Road, which becomes Ruth Hill Road. Continue on Ruth Hill and park under the Route 82 overpass.

06/05/2025

Join us for weekly trail work at Swan Hill

The 2025 season of trail work will begin on Thursday June 5th at the Swan Hill Preserve in Higganum. This year will begin with the continuation of the reroute of the Swan Hill loop trail. The project will improve trail sustainability, reduce grades, and improve access to the "caves".

We are currently in progress with extensive side hilling that will be followed by some challenging rock work steps. We will be on site for most of the summer. We will meet, weather permitting, at the old 'dog pound' a short distance from Dublin Hill Road every Thursday until Fall.

Meet: The Dog Pound every Thursday @ 5:30pm weather permitting.

Attire: Work clothes, gloves, water bottle, bug spray; also helpful, safety glasses, hearing protection

Equipment: Will be provided

Directions: From Higganum Center stoplight turn on Depot Road. Drive past the Town garage and turn left onto the Dublin Hill Road bridge. Follow the road to the top of the hill then past the first gravel road on the left and turn left on the second gravel road a short distance beyond. The Dog Pound will be on your left.

Questions/ comments: Bill Cowan- 860 575 5968

04/24/2025

Due to the rainy forecast, the joint program with the Haddam Historical Society at Clarkhurst in Haddam Neck, scheduled for this Saturday, April 26, 2025, has been rescheduled to Sunday, April 27, 2025, from 1-3 pm.

02/11/2025

The Haddam Land Trust recently announced the acquisition of a 400 acre conservation easement.

DO NOT GO ON THIS PROPERTY. IT IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

A conservation easement is a legal agreement between a landowner and a conservation organization that limits the development of a property to protect its natural values. The conservation organization, the Haddam Land Trust, enforces the easement agreement, but does not own the land. Therefore, this property is not open to the public.

Please do not go on this property.

Submitted by Bill Cowan, President, Haddam Land Trust (January 22, 2025) — The Haddam Land Trust Board of Directors proudly announces the acquisition, by donation, of a conservation easement…

01/10/2025

HADDAM LAND TRUST ANNUAL MEETING 2025

Please join the Haddam Land Trust on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at 6 pm, at Firehouse Number 1 Community Room, 439 Saybrook Road, Higganum, for our 2025 Annual Meeting.

6:00 pm Short Business Meeting
6:30 pm Refreshments (pizza, beverages, and treats)
7:00 pm Program: Status of the American Chestnut

FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

The American Chestnut
The American Chestnut was once a dominant tree in Connecticut forests. However, in the late 1800s with the introduction of a deadly blight from Asia introduction of the pathogen Cryphonectria parasitica decimated the American chestnut from its invaluable role to a tree that now sprouts from existing chestnut root collars only to be killed by the pathogen at sapling size before chestnuts are produced.

Jack Swatt, president of the CT chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation, will tell us about the status of the American chestnut and whether there is hope for American chestnut restoration.

Haddam Land Trust recently found a sapling at the Beaver Ledges Preserve that produced a chestnut!

The Haddam Land Trust is 60!

We were founded by several conservation-minded Haddam citizens in 1964. The Haddam Land Trust now manages 1600 +/- acres in Haddam, Higganum, and Haddam Neck as a well-established all-volunteer 501(c)3 organization. We welcome participation so please consider serving on the board of directors or volunteering.

10/21/2024

We had a great evening paddle on Saturday. Lots of food and fun!

10/01/2024

The "Know Your Trees" walk at our Beaver Ledges Preserve has been rescheduled to Saturday, October 12, 2024, at 1:30 pm.

Tom Worthley, Associate Extension Professor at UConn Extension, will be our guide.

The walk will last about 2 hours. Please wear sturdy shoes and bring a full water bottle.

Directions; From Saybrook Road, turn onto Dudley Clark Road (Just south of the Route 82 Highway Ramp), then take a right onto Old Chester Road. Old Chester Road turns into Ruth Hill Road. Follow Old Chester/Ruth Hill to the Route 82 overpass, about 1.5 miles. Park beyond the overpass before the road becomes a one lane gravel road. We will meet just beyond the overpass.

The preserve entrance is .3 miles from the parking area.

This program will be cancelled only by heavy rain. Dampness or drizzle will not postpone.

08/05/2024

The Haddam Land Trust Swan Hill Preserve has great plants and animals in addition to great views! Botanist/ecologist and Haddam Land Trust board member Gail Reynolds will lead a botanical walk on Saturday, August 11, 2024, beginning at 10:30 am. See the very interesting plants growing on Swan Hill.....