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		The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut Connecticut Home Places We Protect Contact News Room Ways of Giving Volunteer Government Relations Corporate Council CLCC Invasive Species

Get Involved You can learn more and explore new places when you join the Conservancy's online community and build your own personalized nature page. Go Deeper Location New Milford and Bridgewater Hours Dawn to dusk; office hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m Monday through Friday Size 1,850 acres Conditions About 450 acres of the preserve are in active agriculture and 1,200 acres of natural lands. There are 13 miles of recreational hiking trails and farm observation sites. How to Prepare for Your Visit Call ahead to the preserve office at (860) 355-3716 for a trail map and directions to Bridgewater trails.

The Sunny Valley Preserve consists of 1,850 acres of farmland, forests, wetlands, and meadows on 19 parcels of land. Visitors can hike on trails and learn about nature, land management, and environmentally compatible farming at several observation sites.

The preserve was originally donated to by the late George D. Pratt Jr. of Bridgewater in a series of transfers from 1973 to 1979. Its variety of topography, geology, and natural habitats support diverse wildlife and biological communities.

What To See

Sunny Valley Preserve comprises a variety of terrain along both sides of the Housatonic River Valley, including large stands of hemlock and mixed second growth hardwood forest.

Migratory species such as the worm-eating warbler, cerulean warbler, northern goshawk and scarlet tanager have found a secure nesting place in Sunny Valley's forests. The preserve's grasslands and a wide range of vegetation also provide habitat for such species as the eastern meadowlark, bobolink, American kestrel, and Cooper's hawk, which are known to be declining in the Northeast.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing

The Conservancy has initiated surveys to develop an inventory of the preserve's wildlife and plants. Meanwhile, Sunny Valley's farmland and farm operations remain a focal point of community interest. The Conservancy has returned the preserve's three primary farms to productive agriculture by leasing them to farmers after making significant capital improvements. This investment has paid off with increased local interest in the preserve and support for the Conservancy.

Directions To The Office

From the east
Take I-84 west to exit 7, Route 7 north in Danbury. Follow Route 7 north through Brookfield to New Milford. In New Milford, at the sixth traffic light (Arby's on the left) turn left onto Sunny Valley Road, and proceed as below.*

From southwest
From I-95 or the Merritt Parkway, take Route 7 north to New Milford. In New Milford, at the sixth traffic light (Arby's on the left) turn left onto Sunny Valley Road, and proceed as below.*

From northwest
Take Route 202 to New Milford. Cross the Housatonic River and turn left where Route 202 joins Route 7 south. Continue on Route 7 about a half mile and take Sunny Valley Road on your right (there is an Arby's on the corner) and proceed as below.*

* Go about a half mile on Sunny Valley Road to stop sign and turn left and continue on Sunny Valley Road for about a half mile. Turn right onto Sunny Valley Lane.
 

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): © Alden Warner  (Sunny Valley, Wewaka); © Marja Bakermans (Male cerulean warbler).