Hikers Urged to Visit Preserves Other than Trout Brook Valley
The Aspetuck Land Trust issued the following guidelines to keep people safe and healthy while enjoying the area’s abundant open spaces during this time of social distancing due to the SOVID-19 pandemic:
Aspetuck Land Trust’s nature preserves remain open to the public. Our mission is to preserve open space for public benefit and keeping our preserves open as long as we safely can is important. Trout Brook Valley is being visited heavily as a result of COVID-19. We strongly suggest you visit our other beautiful nature preserves.
To help us keep these open spaces available to the public while still supporting national and local efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, we need your help.
- Please leave your dog home. We normally allow leashed dogs on to our preserves, but for the time being we are asking you not to bring your dogs. While we understand the beauty of the human and animal bond and the joy of walking with your dog, at this time dogs are creating too many opportunities for close human contact that can enhance opportunities for viral transmission between people.
- Because we are keeping our preserves open while many nearby government managed parks and open space areas are now closed, our trail traffic is dramatically increasing and more dogs create additional stress on the flora and fauna in our preserves. As a conservation organization, we can never forget that responsibility.
- We encourage you to visit our preserves while also observing the latest recommendations regarding social distancing. Stay six feet or more apart at all times. No groups larger than 10. We will be closely monitoring developments and recommendations from federal, state, and local officials and will provide updates, as needed.
- Trout Brook Valley is being heavily visited as a result of COVID-19. Aspetuck Land Trust has many other open spaces you can enjoy. We strongly suggest you visit our other preserves. See the Preserves section of our website at aspetucklandtrust.org to explore a land trust property and explore our new interactive preserve map so you can find a property near you.
Area residents can support ALT by becoming members and helping to support and maintain the land trust’s vast preserves so people can visit them and wildlife will thrive. Membership entitles people to special events and talks, members-only hikes and blueberry picking in the carefully tended blueberry fields when the tasty berries are in season.
Membership information is on the website, along with the COVID-19 guidelines above, which are being regularly update. You can read the updates at https://www.aspetucklandtrust.org/covid-19-guidance.
Even in these trying times, and with due care, people can enjoy happy and healthy hiking this spring season and throughout the year.
