Mica Ledges hikers in early spring
You’ve probably seen our small signs posted in nooks and crannies around town–perhaps even in your own backyard. The Trust obtains land through donations, bequests, and, if the situation warrants it, purchase. As caretakers of a wide variety of ecosystems, the Trust is often utilized as an educational resource by Madison schools, area universities and the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. We may be best known for the system of blue-blazed trails that the Trust maintains throughout Madison.
These trails offer Madison residents opportunities not only to experience nature in close proximity but also to visit historic sites, such as the Paper Mill on the Hammonasset River or the old Iron Works near Guilford. The Trust leads regularly scheduled hikes on these trails. We are essentially stewards, or caretakers, of Madison’s open space. Our job as owners of this land is to preserve it in its natural state for the benefit of the public and of the plants and animals living there.
On a grassroots level, many members actively participate in our Stewardship Program, carefully watching over MLCT properties to ensure that they remain pristine. And because forests and tidelands know no boundaries, the MLCT recognizes the importance of regional land preservation and works with neighboring Land Trusts on everything from hikes to land purchases. For example, we collaborated with the Middlesex Land Trust to purchase the Mica Ledges, an important 100-acre area spanning the Madison-Durham border. This is the first cooperative effort of its kind in the state.