Norfolk Land Trust

04/01/2026

With bee populations in decline, the Norfolk Land Trust was surprised that a rare species of bee was spotted on the outskirts of the Barbour Woods this winter. The elusive Lucia Apis Mellifera, commonly referred to as Lucy Honeybee, is known for its larger-than-usual size, shiny wings, and prominent antennae, and is not often spotted out in the open, especially in the winter when bees are clustered in their hives for survival.

After a Norfolk Land Trust board member managed to capture a photo of this specimen, Dr. April Fullz at the New England State Bee Consortium confirmed the sighting. As Lucy Honeybees are so rare, the Norfolk Land Trust asks

residents to keep an eye out for these extraordinary creatures while enjoying their scenic trails in the Barbour Woods and send any photos of sightings to [email protected].

02/22/2026

A big THANK YOU to everyone who attended our Annual Meeting yesterday! We're especially grateful to our speaker Tom Tyning, who spoke on pollinators, and the for hosting us.

02/14/2026

Join us for our Annual Meeting

The Norfolk Land Trust Annual Meeting is open to the public and will be held on Saturday, February 21, at 2 p.m. at the Norfolk Library. We will hold a brief business meeting where members may vote on the slate of directors and the minutes of last year’s meeting. There will be an update and discussion on Land Trust activities over the past year and plans for the future. Anyone who has donated to the Norfolk Land Trust in the past three years is considered a member. Nonmembers are welcome to attend, but may not vote.

Tom Tyning, Professor of Environmental Science at Berkshire Community College, will be the guest speaker. His presentation, Butterflies:  What Better Introduction to Coevolution with Flowering Plants, introduces the diversity of butterflies in the Northeast and will take a look at butterflies’ fascinating interactions with plants, including complex life cycles, geological, annual, and seasonal changes. Q&A to follow

Registration is appreciated through the Norfolk Library’s website, www.norfolklibrary.org.

02/05/2026

Three cheers for our very own Shelley Harms 👏👏👏

🤝 Shelley Harms, who has been described as a land conservation "titan" in northwestern Connecticut, is an inspiration—and a longtime partner of NEWT! She has played a role in the protection of more than 2,000 acres of the nearly 2,900 in Connecticut safeguarded through NEWT's Wildlands Partnership, which provides local land trusts with the financial and technical assistance necessary to protect more of their lands as forever-wild.

In a recent interview, Harms reflected on her working relationship with NEWT, as well as what forever-wild conservation means to her and the places she loves in her corner of the Northeast.

🔗 To read the full interview, head to the NEWT blog: https://zurl.co/h84p9

📸: South Norfolk Wildlands in Norfolk, CT, owned by Norfolk Land Trust with a forever-wild conservation easement held by NEWT. Photo by Eric Bailey.

12/30/2025

Start 2026 In Nature!

Join us for our New Year’s Day Hike

Join Hartley Mead and the Norfolk Land Trust for an off-trail hike at Ells Crane Erder on Thursday, January 1, 2026, at 9:00am. This hike is a full exploration of the woods, including two river crossings, and requires hardiness, hiking boots, and a sense of adventure. Walking sticks may also be helpful!

Meet at the trailhead entrance, located .3 miles from Village Green on Route 44 East.

Children under 12 are welcome with an accompanying adult, provided they are up to the challenge. Please dress appropriately and be prepared to go off-trail!

The hike will be held rain, snow, or shine.

12/30/2025

Join Hartley Mead and the Norfolk Land Trust for an off-trail hike at Ells Crane Erder on Thursday, January 1, 2026, at 9:00am. This hike is a full exploration of the woods, including two river crossings, and requires hardiness, hiking boots, and a sense of adventure. Walking sticks may also be helpful!

Meet at the trailhead entrance, located .3 miles from Village Green on Route 44 East.

Children under 12 are welcome with an accompanying adult, provided they are up to the challenge. Please dress appropriately and be prepared to go off-trail!

The hike will be held rain, snow, or shine.

12/16/2025

From sun to snow Ells Crane Erder has everything for Norfolk nature enthusiasts!

This reel was created in Google Photos and we thought it was too lovely not to share.

12/12/2025

Norfolk Land Trust tea towels and hats now available for sale at the Norfolk branch of National Iron Bank! Stop in today and pick up some gifts for friends and family.

12/01/2025

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Annie Rose, the Norfolk Land Trust’s canine ambassador. Annie served faithfully in this role for years, never wavering in her enthusiasm for running in our woods, splashing in our streams, or guiding her walking companions, young and old, over our trails. The woods may be especially quiet these days, so we encourage everyone in Norfolk to get out and go for a romp on a Norfolk Land Trust trail. It’s what Annie would want us to do.