Conservation News

Students Logan Torres and Nisi Tuitupou, who were our Yale Conservation Scholars last year, have joined as Connecticut Board of Trustee Fellows with The Nature Conservancy. Their roles are part of the fellows program, which aims to provide professional development and fresh perspectives from emerging conservation leaders.

Logan Torres, originally from Pewaukee, Wisconsin, recently graduated from Brown University with degrees in Environmental Studies and Political Science. He is now pursuing a master’s in environmental management at Yale University. Logan's favorite part of Connecticut is the plethora of waterfront beaches where he enjoys kayaking.

Nisi Tuitupou, from Gardena, California, is a student at Bowdoin College in Maine where she is focusing on environmental science, history and chemistry, and recently studied under renowned marine biologist Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. She loves the abundance of trees in Connecticut, which she finds makes the state incredibly beautiful.

TNC’s Board Fellows Program provides students with the opportunity to serve in a non-voting capacity on the Connecticut Board of Trustees. It is designed to inspire and excite the next generation of conservation leaders by offering mutual learning experiences among staff, trustees and fellows. It also allows fellows to contribute valuable insights on TNC programs and outreach, particularly in environmental research.

Logan and Nisi join existing board fellow Tessa Hospod, an environmental science student at the University of Connecticut. Her work at UConn and with TNC was recently profiled in The Daily Campus.

The Nature Conservancy is turning over a new leaf in Connecticut! After 16 years at 55 Church Street in New Haven, we have moved down the street to the 16th floor of the One Century Tower at 265 Church Street. 

Our team is pleased to remain in downtown New Haven, where we have long partnered with Yale University and its students, conducted work focused on the nearby Long Island Sound, expanded an urban conservation program, collaborated with local nonprofit organizations and much more. New Haven also provides a centralized location, as TNC’s work spreads throughout the state to conserve 50+ preserves, 80+ easements, and carry out freshwater and coastal work. Access to train stations and public transportation is an additional benefit, and staff who live nearby enjoy biking to the office.

While this was a team effort, a special shout-out goes to TNC volunteer Jane Aldieri, who was instrumental in so many ways, including finding new homes for furniture that was no longer needed! The new space features a smaller footprint, more collaborative workspace, and recycled materials from a past building tenant.

The Nature Conservancy and supporters in Connecticut have been asking Governor Lamont for a special session to pass the climate omnibus bill. TNC has been urging representatives to complete the work this summer—let’s not go another year without any major climate legislation being passed!

Connecticut’s climate omnibus bill (HB 5004) didn’t come up for a Senate vote before the end of the regular legislative session, despite being passed in the House. Call Governor Lamont’s office today to voice your support for the special session at 860-566-4840, ext. 1. You can also email his office at governor.lamont@ct.gov.

The state’s greenhouse gas emissions are trending upwards, and the growing costs of rising temperatures and extreme weather events are impacting our communities. Nature, Connecticut residents and our economy cannot wait another year for progress. The clock is ticking!

The Nature Conservancy has been awarded a $384,200 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in partnership with the Long Island Sound Study and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Long Island Sound, the second-largest estuary on the East Coast and one of North America's most biologically diverse, will benefit from this funding, and so will nearby residents and wildlife. TNC will use the grant to inventory crossings—such as culverts and bridges—that often create barriers for fish passage within the Long Island Sound Coastal Watershed Boundary in Connecticut. It’s important to know where they are because there are more than 4,600 culverts just within this area, and more than half of the state’s culverts aren’t mapped at all. The project will train practitioners in North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative protocols as well.

Reconnecting rivers takes teamwork. This "Building a Coastal Crossings Inventory to Evaluate and Prioritize Fish Passage Efforts" project, led by TNC's Connecticut Freshwater Restoration Project Manager, Emily Hadzopulos, will also establish a joint effort among eight community organizations and agencies to adopt a coordinated approach to assessing fish passage in the state.

This grant is part of the 2024 funding round for the Long Island Sound Futures Fund, which announced 31 awards totaling $24.7 million, including matching contributions from grantees.

We are thrilled share that our Burnham Brook Preserve  has a new all-terrain wheelchair that makes the preserve accessible to more visitors. To make this happen, The Nature Conservancy collaborated with Starr Adventures, owned by Suze and Scott Trager, on acquiring the All-Terrain Track Chair (manufactured by Action Trackchair). Starr Adventures works with a sister corporation, SOAR, that specializes in outdoor access for people with mobility impairments. With the chair on-site, TNC is working with Starr Adventures on developing a program to ensure that volunteers are present to host visitors who are interested in using the chair. 

Since the delivery, TNC’s Dave Gumbart and Martha Rice have hosted friends who require the use of a wheelchair to explore trails at Burnham Brook in order to gather feedback on the All-Terrain Track Chair and the wheelchair-accessible trails. And some reviews are in:

“You have no idea how nice it is to get outside and have this control.” – Deb Lees, after using the chair on the trails

“I can’t wait to come back and experience this at different times of the year.” – David Gephard, after his ride

The all-terrain wheelchair will be available through reservation by Spring 2025.

Students from Franklin Academy recently joined The Nature Conservancy at Burnham Brook Preserve in East Haddam to help clear a trail. TNC's Connecticut River Preserves Manager David Gumbart showed them how  to begin preparing for a new path and about the safe use of hand tools and proper pruning techniques. The group also enjoyed a preserve walk and discussion about how the worlds of conservation and equity, inclusion and access intersect and benefit each other.

Our staff enjoys welcoming the students to help with various projects. Last year, they attended an educational program and guided hike before building bluebird houses as part of a Capstone Project. This partnership is made possible through a grant from the Community Foundation of Middlesex County. 

Students at Beardsley School in Bridgeport recently took home a different kind of backpack--ones that were filled with supplies for spending time in nature.

Thanks to a donation from Milford-based Athletic Brewing Company, The Nature Conservancy visited the school and delivered Osprey Packs that held Hydro Flasks, rain notebooks, crayons, bandanas with animal track patterns, a compass and more. Ben Croll, Preserve Visitor Safety and Engagement Specialist at TNC's Devil’s Den Preserve, showed students how to use the tools and led outdoor activities under a bright blue sky.

Both TNC and the students are grateful to Athletic Brewing for its generosity and helping kids to explore, connect with the outdoors, and be curious.