Naromi Land Trust  
Forever. Sherman.                
                                                                                                May 2020
                                                                                         Vol. 13, Issue 5       
West Briggs Hill Preserve
In This Issue
Thank you, Volunteers!
Trails Tips
#GivingTuesdayNow
Naromi Properties
Like Us on Facebook!
Support Naromi Today!
AmazonSmile
Members, Friends and Neighbors,
I hope this finds all of you well.  This past weekend was incredible - sunny, warm, and blue skies. It was probably one of the top ten of the year. I spent some time at home clipping persistent euonymous stems and pulling garlic mustard plants before they go to seed, but had much more fun spotting spring ephemeral flowers like bloodroot, trillium and marsh marigold.  
We are so grateful for our volunteers who help us undertake important stewardship work and last weekend was no exception. Several Naromi families picked up along Naromi roadsides in celebration of Earth Day. More on this and shout-outs below. 
   
We are keeping separate from one another and staying home but that doesn't mean we can't be connected. We encourage you to share videos and photos on our Facebook page about how you're enjoying your favorite Naromi places. 

Be well!

Amanda Branson
Executive Director
Road-side Clean Up

road side cleanup 2020  
Small organizations such as Naromi rely on intrepid volunteers that are both conservation AND civic-minded.  
 
The last Saturday in April is usually roadside clean-up day all around town. Volunteers spend time cleaning up and bagging the trash then they leave the bags on the roadside for the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to pick-up.  
 
While the size and the comrarderie of the event had to be scaled down from usual, several groups of volunteers still trekked along Naromi roadsides collecting a LOT of trash. We send out a HUGE thank you to John & Masumi O'Donnell, Ashleigh Blake & Eden Bruzinski, Melinda Mingus & Michael Weiss, Amy Greene & Family, Amy McIntosh & Jeffrey Toobin, and Alan Braverman & Mona Joy Roth!  
 
road side cleanup 2020
Thank you, Eden!
road side cleanup 2020
Thank you, Masumi!
 
Trails Tips
In this issue's "Trails Tips," we are taking a moment to review the rules of using the preserves. We've experienced a number of issues lately with the increased use of our properties. 

As a reminder, here are the rules for all Naromi properties.
  • Carry Out What You Carry In i.e. "leave no trace"
  • No Smoking or Alcohol Beverages Allowed
  • No Hunting or Fishing
  • Keep dogs on a leash.
  • No motorized vehicles.
  • Please respect the privacy of our neighbors
  • Respect neighboring properties
  • Park responsibly and safely in parking areas or safely on pull-offs. Do not block driveways.
  • Observe social distancing and stay at least 6' away from others 
Following these rules help protect Naromi's (and your!) investment in the land, maintain good relationships with our property neighbors, and, above all, protect the environment too.

If you see evidence of damage on Naromi land, please let us know by emailing us at office@naromi.org or calling us at 860-354-0260. 
#GivingTuesdayNow
Yes, #GivingTuesday is usually the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Time seems to be moving differently lately but don't worry, it's still May!   T

his year, #GivingTuesdayNow is a new global day of giving and unity that will take place on May 5, 2020 as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19.

Your support is critical to ensuring the special places you find connection and comfort are preserved forever and to continue to steward the lands in our care.

Remember that there are lots of ways to support Naromi, with a financial contribution or by doing some simple stewardship activities.  
 
A couple of simple things you can do to help Naromi are:
  • Picking up trash
  • Clipping or pulling invasive plants at Naromi preserves
  • Pulling invasives at your home
  • Sharing pictures or videos of your hikes with us on Facebook
  • Teaching your family members about the wonders of the natural world
Please keep a look out in your emails on Tuesday for Naromi's #GivingTuesdayNow (with some very special Naromi content).