Darrow Pond is a 300-acre town-owned property in East Lyme with varied habitats and an interesting history. It abuts over 3,500 acres of private and public open space. Much of the property was colonial farmland, a portion of which was used as a testing center for small equipment (e.g., mowers) by the JC Penney Company during the last century. Recent development proposals and false starts included a golf course and a 600 unit active adult community. The town of East Lyme purchased the property in 2011 with assistance from the Trust for Public Land. 200 acres are held in a conservation easement, and the remaining 100 are under consideration for passive recreation development. Portions of the property that have been disturbed within the last few decades offer various successional stages, from meadow and old field to shrubland and sapling forest with a mixture of native and invasive plants. Much of the land returned to forest more than 100 years ago. There are wooded wetlands and a possible vernal pool.
More information about the property can be found here, https://eltownhall.com/government/departments/parks-recreation/darrowpond/. A 2013 Environmental Review Team Report gives more background, https://www.ctert.org/pdfs/EastLyme_DarrowPond_633.pdf.
Date,Time: September 9 (rain date September 10), 9:30 AM – 2 PM. Bring something to drink and snacks, insect repellent and sunscreen.
Address: 16 Mostowy Road, East Lyme. Directions: Take exit 74 off of Route I-95, Follow CT161 north for 2.8 miles; turn left onto Mostowy Road. The entrance to the Darrow Pond property is on the left.
Leader: Lisa Wahle, lcwahle@gmail.com, 860-304-6184.