Westwoods

Westwoods. Westwoods Cox School Entrance. , About Westwoods , Westwoods is one of the largest contiguous coastal forests in the corridor between New York and Boston. With 39 miles of trails across more than 1,000 acres, Westwoods is the largest recreational area in Guilford. Beginning with a generous $1.00 sale of nearly 300 acres by forester George A. Cromie to the State of Connecticut in 1928, the protection of this forest continues. Since 1928, the State of Connecticut has made three large acquisitions and the Guilford Land Conservation Trust has made 25 acquisitions of varying sizes. The Land Trust continues to purchase land to further protect Westwoods relying almost entirely on support from individual donors. The most recent GLCT purchase was of a central 17.5 acres in 2014. The trails in Westwoods were originally laid out in 1968 by Richard C. Elliot, a trail designer, and Michael Pochan, a forester, and have been maintained ever since by the Westwoods Trails Committee, a subcommittee of the Guilford Land Conservation Trust. In 1997, the State-owned land in Westwoods was renamed as the Michael Pochan Block of Cockaponset State Forest., The Westwoods area contains a wide diversity of fascinating natural formations such as cave structures, waterfalls, salt and freshwater marshes, rock formations and an inland tidal lake. Westwoods includes trails that range from mild to difficult, a plank walk through a fragile, fern-filled wetland, and panoramic views from multiple points within the system. Intact coastal forests, such as Westwoods, serve multiple ecological roles. In addition to providing significant habitat for native wildlife, they buffer surrounding residential areas from the winds and storm surges of hurricanes. They are also important stopping grounds and refuge for migratory birds. Coastal forests serve as significant watersheds filtering water running off of populated areas before it reaches major waterways. Westwoods helps filter the water washing over Guilford's shellfish beds as it makes its way to the Long Island Sound. , About Guilford Land Conservation Trust , The Guilford Land Conservation Trust (GLCT) is a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization devoted to conserving open space and natural resources in Guilford for public benefit. Formed in 1965 by local conservationists, GLCT is one of the oldest land trusts in Connecticut. With the support of its members, the trust protects 3,000 acres in Guilford. GLCT is run by a membership-elected Board of Directors made up of Guilford residents." Most of the land owned nd protected by GLCT has been acquired through the generosity of its membership and through bequests and gifts from the public. Some financial support for three interior properties was awarded to GLCT through the State of Connecticut's Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program. Because the Land Trust's directors and members maintain its properties as volunteers, financial support of GLCT is applied directly to land acquisition and preservation. Open space is a shrinking resource. Please join GLCT. Together we can protect Guilford's most special places. For more information about this and other properties protected by the Guilford Land Conservation Trust, and for GLCT Land Use Policy, visit: www.guilfordlandtrust.org