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Pollinator Pathway

Harwinton

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The Harwinton Land Conservation Trust has helped Harwinton join the growing community of Connecticut towns participating in the Pollinator Pathway initiative.  The goal is to create corridors of pesticide-free habitat and safe food sources for pollinating insects, birds, and other wildlife.  As an initial step, Land Trust volunteers cleared a one-acre portion at our Indian Meadow property off Route 4.  Then, in 2022, with the help of the Harwinton Garden Club, volunteers planted a number of perennial pollinating plants in a rototilled portion of the cleared meadow.  The project included construction of a rainwater collection shed to provide an on-site source of irrigation for the plants.  In the future we hope to add and maintain beehives in the meadow, a potential win-win for both the bees and the new plants.


In a related 2022 effort, with the help of a group of students and counselors from the CT DCF Wilderness School and aided by the American Chestnut Society, we planted five American Chestnut seedlings in the same pollinator meadow.  This is the first step in our attempt to reintroduce the chestnut tree to our forests.  Having the young trees in proximity to our pollinator garden should help in their development.  


In the future, with the continued help of the Garden Club and support from the Harwinton Democratic and Republican Town Committees, and the Harwinton Public Library staff, we hope to establish a pollinator garden in the vicinity of the library.  Having a pollinator garden in an area frequented by Harwinton residents should be a fine catalyst for expanding our pollinator pathway on both public and private property in our town.

LItchfield Hills Audubon Society Kalmia Sanctuary

Kalmia Sanctuary at the end of Laurel Road is approximately 12+ acres in size. It was donated to Litchfield Hills Audubon Society (LHAS) by Dr. Elizabeth Cooling in 1982. Upon her passing in 1991, the house on the property was added  to the sanctuary which LHAS rents.  The sanctuary can be accessed from the well marked parking area. It offers marked nature trails, a pollinator and butterfly garden which attract a variety of birds, bees, and butterflies throughout the year. A variety of Mountain Laurel plantings (kalmia latifolia) provide splendid color in early spring. The butterfly garden is surrounded by benches for visitors to sit and enjoy the symphony of color and sounds!

199 Laurel Rd, Harwinton, CT 06791

Harwinton Land Trust Indian Meadow

Indian Meadow is 34 acres in size. It was donated to the Trust in 1987 as part of the development of new homes on White Oak Drive.  It is an elongated parcel that lies between White Oak Drive and Woodchuck Lane.  The property adds to a long wildlife corridor from New Hartford to Bristol.  It also protects the East Branch of Rock Brook, which supports native brook trout, a species of special concern.


The property has boundaries that touch RT 4 (Burlington Road) and White Oak Drive.  Public access for hiking is available on White Oak Dr. with roadside parking.


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Our Partners

Harwinton Public Library, Harwinton Garden Club, Harwinton Democratic Town Committee, Harwinton Republican Town Committee

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