Annual Report 2009 - Simsbury Land Trust

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2 Photo: Ray Padron Virtually all that you see as you leave the woods and step into the fields is protected conservation land. No matter how much the town grows in the future, the magic of this place will remain. Photo: Rick Warters Photo: Dick Clark Why do we value There is a place at Tulmeadow Farm where you step out of the woods. You are suddenly warmed by the sun. The smell is fresh and clear. The sky above is a magnificent bright blue and before you the rolling fields of grass and clover wave gently in the summer air. A distant pair of silos and an occasional roof top reminds you that at the far end of these fields, the Tuller family still tends to the business of a substantial farming operation. There, mostly hidden from your view, others live and work in a tiny cluster of buildings surrounding the barns, a village first settled in the wilds, west of <strong>Simsbury</strong>, over 200 years ago. The village, its homes and shops, its church, fire station, post office and grange, is there today, along with the barns, but what you see where you are standing and what provides the sense of wonder, is the expanse of 60 acres of uninterrupted field before you, the 73 acres of woods that you just stepped out of, and the splendid string of hills that creates a two mile visual backdrop between the fields and the sky. With the exception of the village rooftops, there is not another building within sight. This place would be a treasure no matter where it was located, but if you could see it from above, like the hawk circling the farm on this warm summer day, you would see how truly remarkable it is. You would look down on a surrounding landscape heavily partitioned by decades of development. Moreover, just 15 miles across the ridge to the east you would see one of the largest cities in the state and
o p e n s p a c e ? within a similar distance to the northeast, a busy international airport. Here in the midst of this dense population and human activity is the 260 acre Tulmeadow Farm, and standing here, you could be a thousand miles away. By itself, it is a significant expanse of open space. But in addition, it is part of a larger open space corridor through the developed areas that includes the string of hills beyond the fields and a diverse mix of wetlands, woods and fields to the north and south. Virtually all that you see as you leave the woods and step into the fields is protected conservation land. No matter how much the town grows in the future, the magic of this place will remain. Other towns in Connecticut, throughout New England and across the country have places as unique and in some cases even more spectacular. What makes this place special to us is that it is ours. It is here where we live, where we call home. With all the unparalleled advantages of a population center (nearby employment, education, healthcare and recreation), we, as a community, have managed to preserve and protect some of the finest natural features, landscapes and wildlife habitat, right here and down the street. Tulmeadow is one of the best. It is easily accessible for a morning jog, a midday walk or to simply pause, as you are doing now, to enjoy the vista, the warmth of the sun, the fresh air, and the distance where the noise of traffic is muffled and the sounds you hear are those of the grasshopper and the warbler. Every town and every neighborhood should have such a place. Photo: Ray Padron Photo: Hunter Neal 3
Page 1 and 2: Simsbury Land Trust 2009 ANNUAL REP
Page 3: Letter from the President The Simsb
Page 7 and 8: Photo: T. J. Donohue A Decision for
Page 9 and 10: Please help to ensure that the qual
Page 11 and 12: Donor Recognition We want to thank
Page 13 and 14: Carol Olsen and William Baylis Stev
Page 15 and 16: The Campaign for Simsbury Donations
Page 17 and 18: Robert and Marion Gilmore Mr. and M
Page 19 and 20: Tulmeadow Woodlot Connecting the We

Annual Report 2009 - Simsbury Land Trust

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