Rock, Root & Trail June 2023, Joy in Nature Because of You

Joy in Nature Because of You

Celebrate the impact you make by supporting CFPA’s volunteers and programs.

5 Things You Should Know About Wayne Fogg

Meet Wayne Fogg: the extraordinary volunteer giving thousands of hours to our Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails and

There are good volunteers. There are great volunteers. And then there is Wayne Fogg.

Wayne is quirky, different, and fun, giving over 1,000 hours a year hours) in volunteer service to the Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails. He is perennially the volunteer with

1-2

WAYNE FOGG

2-3 FAIRY SHRIMP

3 JOY THROUGH NATURE

4 JIM’S RETIREMENT

Photo: J. Koteen Photography

CONSERVATION Champions

MONTHLY GIVING

The Dynamic Duo

These rocks can weigh several hundred pounds!

F act #3, he joined in 2003!

Fact #4: why choose guitars when there are shovels?!

Fact #5: Wayne loves to wear bright colored shirts on the trails! That’s how he got his trail name “Parrot”.

Thank you sponsors for making Trails Day a success:

Each year, hundreds of incredible volunteers give their labor freely to keep the Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails safe and accessible. They do this because they care—and because you care.

By becoming a Conservation Champion, you help keep our trails open by providing crucial, reliable financial support to the Connecticut Forest & Park Association’s trail maintenance program. It’s easy—all it takes is one donation of any amount per month.

With donors like you, world-class Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails are possible. Thank you for helping us keep our trails open and beautiful!

Become a champion at ctwoodlands.org/donate

CFPA relies on donor support to fulfill its mission. Thanks for creating a lifetime of fun outdoors.

Fairies Are Real!... Well, Sort Of

If someone told you there are crustaceans—you know, lobsters, crabs, and shrimp—in the middle of Connecticut’s woods, would you believe them?

It’s true! Living in Connecticut’s vernal pools are fairy shrimp.

These small crustaceans get their name from their delicate and ethereal appearance. With their transparent bodies that glide through the water using 11 legs, fairy shrimp add an otherworldly element to the vernal pools that appear in the winter and spring.

WAYNE FOGG

As he hiked the Blue-Blazed Trails, he was disturbed by conditions on some trails.

Wayne, together with the Rock Stars, use a pulley system to place a rock for a stream crossing.

The Joy You Bring Through Nature

The impact of your support goes way beyond just conserving Connecticut’s forests, parks, and trails.

Supporting CFPA isn’t just about trails and forests—you are also making a positive impact on people’s lives. And that brings joy and saves lives.

Did you know that loneliness can have a detrimental effect on your health? Just ask the U.S. Surgeon General. Lonely people have a 26% increased risk of death.

By supporting our trails and programs, you are helping to connect people to the natural world and to each other.

CFPA’s Windham Project connects young people to the wonder and peacefulness of the outdoors. Connecticut

Trails Day brings together thousands of people from all walks of life to enjoy the BlueBlazed Hiking Trails. CFPA’s volunteer programs give seniors a resource to continue an active life of service to others.

When you donate to CFPA, you’re not just supporting a trail or forest you love. You’re also, in an increasingly isolated society, connecting people to each other, and that can be a lifesaver.

So, thank you for your generosity and for being a part of our mission to bring people closer to nature and to each other.

Life looks a little different from this angle!

fairy shrimp swim upside-down?

Their legs move in a wave-like pattern to help them move in the water, breathe, and feed!

Fairy shrimp are also incredibly resilient. Before vernal pools dry up, females will lay a hardy batch of eggs that can survive the dry months and hatch once the pool fills again. Next time you find a vernal pool, peer into its depths! You might just find a real-life fairy tale looking back.

Help Trails Weather Any Future:

Climate change-driven weather patterns and insect infestations aren’t the only dangers to our forests and trails. Inflation is a unseen threat to your Connecticut trails.

The cost to maintain a mile of trail is now $478. Inflation and supply chain issues have increased costs for wood, material, gas, and equipment.

A legacy gift can help Connecticut’s trails weather any future. It’s easy. A gift in your will. Or a gift via your IRA or other retirement plans. Will you protect the future of trails with your legacy?

Call our office at (860) 346 - 8733 or email Linda Pierce at lpierce@ ctwoodlands.org if you are considering a gift and have

Sources: CT DEEP, NWF, & USFWS

Become a trail volunteer! Complete the boardwalk at Highlawn Forest to preserve the fairy shrimp’s home.

Photo: J. Koteen Photography

Adieu: A Special Goodbye to 16 Years of Inspiring Conservaiton Work

From banking to teaching to forest protection, CFPA’s Development Director shares his gratitude for the dedicated team and supporters who made it all possible.

I came to CFPA in the summer of 2007 to help transition the Development Director position from parttime to full-time.

My career began in banking and then teaching. Always building something new or fixing it. When I started at CFPA in 2007, I succeeded my colleague, mentor, and friend, Starr Sayres, who started the Development program. I thought it would be a 2-3 year gig at most.

It turned into 16 years.

Time flew because we— including you are creating something powerful and enduring. We are building upon and growing a fantastic legacy. CFPA is the leader in forest protection, trail building, environmental education, conservation, and advocacy— what’s not to like? What we do in this small, underfunded,

understaffed team inspires me every day.

My colleagues inspire me with their selfless dedication and sacrifice. They make work fun, even though it is sometimes difficult and discouraging. Without their work, CFPA would stumble and fall.

And more times than I can remember, one of you, CFPA’s supporters and volunteers, inspired me with your generosity and thoughtful comments. As the late Russ Brenneman wrote in TwentiethCentury New England Conservation, you are essential to a dynamic team that is rescuing Connecticut.

Thank you for an incredible 16 years! Adieu, Jim Little.

Editor of Rock, Root & Trail and Development Director from 2007-2023

Thanks for reading!

Honor Jim Little’s 16 Years of Service

If you would like to donate to honor Jim’s 16 years of commitment to conserving Connecticut’s forests, parks, and trails, you can do so at ctwoodlands.org/donate.

Donations made in his honor will directly benefit the education programs at the Connecticut Forest & Park Association.