Northwest Conservation District

2021 Education Highlights

     From migratory warblers that fly across the continent every year, to the cedar waxwings and cardinals that stay for the winter, to the predatory hawks and eagles, all birds play an important role in our ecosystem. But they are under threats including habitat loss, invasive species and destruction of their food sources.

     One way to help is make your own space bird friendly. Birds are a wonderful resource of recreation in your own backyard. Food, water, shelter, a place to safely raise their young — provide these, and birds will flock to your backyard. Birds are an essential part of a balanced backyard-ecosystem, and are a joy to behold. Here are a few tips for attracting birds:

  • Provide a water source. Natural is best, but a clean bird bath will do.
  • Minimize lawns. They offer neither shelter nor food for birds.
  • Don’t use insecticides. They poison insects, and pass that poison along to the birds that eat them.
  • Let dead trees (snags) remain in place as long as they pose no danger to people or property. Snags provide cavities for birds to shelter or nest in.
  • Include some evergreen shrubs and trees, which birds can use for shelter and nest sites. Prioritize habitat friendly native plants.
  • If you have nest boxes, add a predator guard that will prevent snakes or other predators from invading the nest.
  • Keep pet cats indoors

Check out these resources to learn more:

     Lakes are essential to our lifestyle in Connecticut. They are embedded in our culture, essential to our economy, provide many of us with our drinking water and grant us access to beautiful outdoor recreation opportunities, which especially this past year have been essential. This month (July is Lakes Appreciation month!), we encourage you to appreciate the natural aquatic resources around you, the time and effort of many volunteers to work to protect those important resources, and think about what you can do to better protect them. 

     Check out these resources on Lakes and their protection:

~Photo credit to Kelsey Sudol, taken at Lake Waramaug~

    Clean water is not a guarantee. Anthropogenic activities or human use of land alters our water resources. From paving our driveways, to building homes, tilling the land for agriculture, creating wastewater and industrial pollution, and more – all of these activities have varying effects on our water resources. 

     One example is increased pollutant loading in stormwater runoff, which occurs when rainwater flows over the ground, picking up chemicals or nutrients. Some examples of pollutants are phosphorus, nitrogen, Fecal Coliform or E. coli and sediment. The elevated levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in our waterways make our lakes, rivers and streams vulnerable to artificial eutrophication – or nutrient enrichment – and increase their risk of toxic cyanobacteria blooms. Excess sediment from erosion can cause upstream riverbank failures, and downstream can cause deposition in recreational areas and sensitive habitats. What can we do about all of this? 

     Watershed Management, or balancing various land use types and activities in your watershed, is important for ensuring healthy water resources. Many lake and watershed organizations throughout northwestern Connecticut are actively working to protect our aquatic resources through watershed protection. NWCD provides technical services to these volunteer-based organizations to aid in this process. 

     One framework to decrease human impact in a watershed is called Low Impact Development or LID. This process applies sustainable techniques to new development, or to retrofit already developed land, avoiding negative impacts. There are many types of LID for a range of land use types and projects. Specifically, residential land use and agriculture can be implemented in a manner that minimizes their effect on the natural environment. The problem with the pollutants mentioned above is that once they are in a lake, river or stream, they are extremely costly to remove. One estimate is that every dollar spent on prevention of excess nutrients entering a lake can save $1,000 of in-lake management. Prevention is key – but what can a concerned citizen do if they are worried that their property is causing excess runoff?

     First, any questions or concerns you have – feel free to call us at the Conservation District! We would be more than happy to discuss some options for you and help you find your next steps. When it comes to preventing excess runoff, one solution is through the creation of a structure called a rain garden – learn more about this in the section below.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

     Rain gardens are simple and attractive solutions for runoff from footing and roof drains, driveway drains, and from lawns laden with pesticides and fertilizer. Rain gardens work best in well-drained soils and are the most common type of Low Impact Development (LID) system used to clean polluted stormwater runoff created in residential areas. 

    Careful planning is essential to success. Suitable soil types (well-drained soils) are an important component for proper infiltration. Not every site has suitable soils and even if an area does, not every location is ideal for installing rain gardens. Rain gardens are NOT water gardens or wetlands. Placing rain gardens in poorly drained soils may lead to slow infiltration and unwanted long term ponding. These structures should not be installed over a septic system, reserve area site or close to a drinking water well.

     Rain gardens also provide a GREAT opportunity to add habitat for pollinators and other wildlife year-round. Simple and attractive, rain gardens are environmental champions. Consider installing one in your yard! For more information on how to correctly install a rain garden in your yard, check out our resources down below!

     The State of CT Council on Environmental Quality 2018 Annual report addressed in general the value of forests. Several of these topics included, “birds as indicators of forest health” and the impact of forests on people. The report states that research shows that visiting a forest has real and quantifiable health benefits, both mental and physical.
     The report further addressed the value of core forests, which are defined as, “forests that are at least 300 feet from non-forest development…roads, buildings”, and “provide habitat for many species of wildlife that cannot tolerate significant disturbance”. They can provide a stable home for species, protect biodiversity and allow many species of animals such as moose can wander freely from the Adirondacks to the Litchfield Hills. Unlike core forests, forests that are fragmented, or divided by roads and clearings, provide some forest functions but are not fully-functioning forest ecosystems. Fragmented forests are known to provide substandard or poor habitat for some species of wildlife, and in many cases less opportunity for hunting and other types of recreation. Invasive species of plants and animals appear in the wake of activities that fragment the forests.
     Our environmental partner, the Housatonic Valley Association, is currently preparing customized “Core Forest” maps for various entities including Land Trusts, Town Land Use commissions, and non-profit environmental entities interested in or
charged with preparing natural resource inventories, and addressing open space preservation and conservation practices. These maps show areas of “core forest habitat”, or forest (deciduous & coniferous) of at least 250 acres that can provide a stable home for species.

     Like many states, last year Connecticut went into a two-week lockdown to stop the spread of COVID-19, just over a year ago. In preparation for this shutdown, many people went into grocery stores to stock up and were met with empty shelves. This increased the panic people felt during this unprecedented time. 

     Local farms were able to fill this demand through direct sales of meat, milk, fruit and vegetables which did not need to be shipped across the country or rely on processing plants to reach the consumer. The increased demand for locally grown food gave many farmers record sales. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs increased in popularity. Individuals purchase shares at the beginning of the growing season and receive weekly distributions of vegetables. 

     Each week’s share includes a wide variety of produce including heirloom varieties not typically seen in the grocery store. CSA’s encourage people to incorporate in-season, locally grown foods into their diet. Many CSA’s also include recipes and suggestions for preparing and enjoying each week’s share. 

     Inviting people onto the farm for weekly pick-ups improves the connections within the community and reinforces the importance of knowing where your food comes from. This also provides a connection to agriculture for people who don’t otherwise have one.

     Check out these resources or more, or have a question? Email Sarah Ammirato at saraha@nwcd.org

     Access to nutritious food has become even more important throughout the pandemic. Addressing the issue of food insecurity in our local communities has increased the need for urban agriculture and community gardens. Producing food with limited space, such as an apartment balcony or small front porch is possible, but does not meet the needs of everyone.

     Creating new community gardens and revitalizing existing ones is a solution to this problem. Community gardens are publicly owned land cultivated in individual plots or raised beds. This allows people with limited space to have an area where they can grow their own vegetables and herbs. When planning for a community garden, space and accessibility are the most important factors. Creative solutions include rooftop gardens, and installing gardens at parks, libraries and other public spaces.

     NWCD is expanding our programming to these local organizations. We are working to increase educational programming and services for some of these organizations. NWCD is also looking to aid in the expansion of old and creation of new gardens in more spaces – such as public libraries! 

     WHAT IS HEALTHY SOIL? A healthy soil is teeming with microbes in the upper few inches and especially around plant roots; it has good cohesion and lots of pore spaces between particles and aggregates; organic matter content is high; there is a balance of air and moisture in the soil.
     A HEALTHY SOIL is not compacted; it is friable (spongy in consistency); holds water; provides air; allows deep root penetration; resists erosion; sequesters carbon; provides nutrients to plants; recycles all dead and
decaying matter; supported all the plants on Earth for millions of years with no tillage or fertilizers.
     MICROBES are essential in the super-highway that moves nutrients and water from the soil to plants; they carry carbohydrates (photosynthates) to other organisms that need that energy to live. They are an essential part of the soil food web, seen on the right.
     MAINTAINING HEALTHY SOIL is relatively easy – stop tilling/plowing; use mulches to keep soil covered; grow perennials more than annuals; return plant waste to the soil as mulch or compost; grow cover crops; always test soil before fertilizing.

To learn more about soil health, check out the links below. 

  • Full playlist: Cynthia Rabinowitz, NWCD Executive Director, presents Know Your Soils – a series all about soil health. 
 

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Resources:

     Native plants provide many benefits called ecosystem services. These services help condition the soil, filter water, create oxygen and remove toxins. Plants create habitat, moderate climate, and support life on earth.

     Because of these benefits, native plants can be incorporated into pollinator gardens, rain gardens and riparian buffers. Native plants have applications for residential, commercial and agricultural landscapes and will thrive in almost any setting. A non-native plant is one that did not develop or evolve in the area, and was recently introduced by humans.

     Not all non-native plants are invasive, in fact, many are beneficial and are commonly used. Non-native plants are used regularly for food and include apples and peaches, vegetable crops like beets, carrots and peppers, and many ornamental flowering trees. While they are not native, they are able to thrive in Connecticut during the growing season due to cultivation of the soil and the right climate. 

     For more information check out Northwest Conservation Districts Story Map and other resources listed below.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

     Invasive plants are non-native plants that establish and grow quickly. They have few or no natural predators or other limitations in their new environment. For this reason, they are able to spread uncontrollably and will often out-compete native plants. This poses a threat to wildlife who are not adapt to use the invasives as a food and shelter source. Removal of invasive species and incorporating native plants will improve the biodiversity of your landscape and provide countless environmental benefits. For more information check out these resources below:

    Too often, people only think of the honey bee as the main pollinator for our food sources such as fruit trees and vegetables plants, and native and non-native flowering trees and shrubs in our backyards and local landscape. In fact, many birds, (including but not limited to hummingbirds), bats, beneficial insects such as butterflies, and most often overlooked, native bees and wasps are pollinators. Similar to us, all pollinators require healthy food sources, safe shelter and clean water to survive.  

     At spring weather is upon us, many ground dwelling-native bees and wasps are already busily working in our own backyards, providing other year round services for soil health and biodiversity. A little known fact about those humble creatures, the most famous being the  bumble bee, is that their traveling distance, from one pollinator friendly habit to another is only 750 meter or less than ½ mile. We have the capacity to travel miles for food, have year round safe “permanent shelter” and can turn on a faucet for clean water. As we think beyond the honey bee, consider making your backyard a pollinator safe habitat and walk half a mile beyond to find, create or encourage your neighbors to be part of your pollinator pathway. 

     Check out the resources below to learn more about Pollinators, and an initiative taking place across the country called No Mow May. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
     There is a movement afoot and it’s called NO MOW MAY. Our fragile pollinator population will thank you for learning about it! No Mow May promotes pollinator friendly habitat and awareness in a very simple and easy way – JUST DON’T MOW YOUR LAWN FOR THE MONTH OF MAY! SIMPLE….RIGHT?

     Long grass allows for a greater variety of flowers to grow, some of them rare plants. They attract and feed pollinators! Research has shown that by not mowing your lawn at the beginning of the season for 4 weeks the bee abundance increases fivefold and the diversity increases by threefold. It’s a simple way to help feed wildlife in the area on a multitude of levels, directly for bees and insects and indirectly for the wildlife that eats the pollinators. Just wait until the 1st of June. You will have plenty of mowing for the rest of the season. For a No Mow May yard sign, contact NWCD at 860-626-7222 or info@nwcd.org
 

  • Address:

    1185 New Litchfield St
    Torrington, CT 06790

  • Contact us:

    860-626-7222
    info@nwcd.org

     

  • Secured by PayPal

  • Privacy Policy

    • Theme: Overlay by Kaira. 
    Design by BH Design