Fall 2012 FGF News

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    The Friends of Goodwin Forest

    Great news has

    come to Goodwin!

    As many of you know,lack of funds has re-sulted in many years ofpostponement ofneeded repairs to theGoodwin Center andgrounds. But now, wereexcited to share threeterrific developmentsthat promise to turnaround this difficult

    situation.

    First, in partnership withUConn Landscape Archi-tecture faculty and stu-dents, weve begun anambitious project toredesign the Center en-tranceway and create anew focal point and in-formation center forvisitors. The schematicon the next page showsyou the overall plan.That project is underway

    and should be com-pleted early next year.

    Second, a crew of 15young adults employedby the Connecticut Con-servation Corps spentseveral weeks this sum-mer at the GoodwinCenter. This hard-working crew built picnic

    tables, re-roofed the picnicpavilion, created a handi-capped access path andextended trail heads up to

    the Center as part of theoverall plan. In the proc-ess, these young peoplegained numerous job skillsthat have already helpedseveral of them find other

    employment.

    Finally, in September theConnecticut State BondingCommission approved

    funding to re-side and repaintthe Center, as well as to installnew energy efficient windowsand repair chimneys. This job

    will go out to bid soon andshould begin in the spring.

    Once completed, these im-

    provements will both preserve

    the historic Center and create a

    whole new and more functional

    look and feel for visitors. We

    like to think Mr. Goodwin would

    be very happy!!

    Volume 3, Number 2

    MUCH NEEDED UPGRADES COME TO GOODWIN CENTER! !

    Fal l 2012

    Goodwin News & NotesThe Goodwin State

    Forest and Conserva-

    tion Education Center

    were gifts to the people ofConnecticut from JamesLippincott Goodwin, oneof Connecticuts first pro-fessional foresters. TheEducation Center isoperated under a unique

    public/private partnershipby the Department ofEnvironmental Protectionand the Connecticut Forest& Park Association, Inc.

    is a local, all volunteergroup whose mission is toenhance, support and ad-

    vocate for the education,

    recreation and conserva-tion activities of thehistoric James L. GoodwinState Forest and Conserva-tion Education Center.

    www.ct.gov/deep/Goodwin

    www.ctwoodlands.org

    Goodwin Horticulture Director Kim Kelly and Friends ofGoodwin President Lynne Warren apply their considerable

    stone mason skills to the front walkway redesign project

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    Goodwin News & Notes

    This image, developed with the help of UConn Landscape Architecture faculty and students, shows the Goodwingrounds master plan currently under development. All hiking trails will now originate right across the street from

    the Goodwin Center, and a new front walkway will welcome visitors into the Center.

    The Forest Discovery Trail includes a self-guided brochure that explains what visitors see at various stops alongthe way. A new Childrens Discovery Trail loops around behind the Center, and is full of surprises designed tobe fun for kids, to increase both their love of the forest, and to heighten their powers of observation and aware-

    ness of their surroundings.

    Page 2

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    Goodwin News & Notes Page 3

    EDU CATION AL PR OG R AM N EWS

    By the end of September, Natu-ralist Juan Sanchez and our otherstaff and volunteers had com-bined to offer 61 workshops, in-terpretive hikes, short coursesand other educational programs

    to nearly 1,900 people in 2012!

    Topics included winter tracking,forest management, harvestingequipment demonstrations, inva-sive plant control, junior foresterday, plant and animal identifica-tion and ecology, scout badge

    training, and scientific illustra-tion.

    SAVE THE DATESBeginning Wednesday,

    November 28 through Saturda

    December 8

    A 3-part short course

    (pre-registration required)

    Saturday, Nov 24

    Saturday December 8

    *******************

    CFPA 100-Hour

    Volunteer Club:

    Congratulations!!At the CT Forest & Park Association volunteer recognition dinnein November, the followingFriends of Goodwin volunteerswere recognized for providingover 100 hours of volunteer tim

    in 2012:

    Lynne Warren

    Fran Zumpano

    Bob Schoff

    Stan Crawford

    Al Kausch

    Lisa Vroman

    We cant thank you all enough fthis remarkable milestone. TheGoodwin Centers success is buon volunteerism. Thank you,

    Thank you, Thank you!!!!

    The Friends of Goodwin Forest

    EducationalIntern Michael

    Grady uses a livenorthern water

    snake to explainidentification

    characteristics.

    You cant seehim from here,but these folksare all watch-ing Juan San-chez make apoint aboutplant ecologyat one of hismany interpre-tive hikes.

    Chainsaw safety Instructor Bill Girard explains thedetails of a felling cut to students at a Game of Log-

    ging training program

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    Goodwin News & Notes Page 4

    Forest & Trail News

    The DEEP Forestryand Parks Division

    partnered to raise andimprove the causeway

    out to Governors Is-land this fall, so our

    wonderful wildlife ob-servation platform

    there can once againbe accessed with dry

    feet!!

    Our trail junction kiosks now sport place namesso hikers can associate their specific locationwith key landscape features around them.

    A brand new 10-year forest management plan is now complete and available forviewing at

    http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2697&q=322868&depNav_GID=1631

    Dan Evans and Jim Parda of the DEEP Division of Forestry are now in full planimplementation mode, including invasive plant control, habitat improvements

    and a planned timber sale.

    Our intrepid trails committee, working hard on trail improvements asalways, ensures that Goodwin will continue to provide terrific recreational oppor-tunities. At the same time, they are ensuring that people can easily get out into

    the forest to see and learn from these forest management activities.

    Boardwalk building hasbeen one focus in 2012,including the nearly 200

    foot boardwalk

    (depicted on the left) onthe Natchaug Blue

    Blazed Trail.

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    Goodwin News & Notes Page 5

    Haley Gardens NewsIf you havent taken a walk in the Haley Native PlantWildlife gardens recently youre missing out! Some great

    additions and upgrades were added in 2012, including:

    a re-design & restoration of the Bird and ButterflyGarden;

    An expansion of the plant propagation and nativeplant sale program, that brought in over $750 for

    the Friends;

    Expansion to two new garden areas;

    Self-interpretive garden stations that teach visitorsabout the principles being demonstrated in each

    garden.

    Work also began in earnest on our new Childrens DiscoveryTrail this year. Its goal is to connect youth to the forest envi-

    ronment through enhanced observation and discovery. Thetrail, which connects to the Forest Discovery Trail and the

    Youth Camping Area, will have several stations, each with aseparate educational theme.

    FGF Docent Gary Kettle and his Kanga working on theentrance to the Childrens Discovery Trail.

    Garden volunteers Joe Manfre and Meredith Poehlitz(right) working on the restoration of the Bird &

    Butterfly Garden. The finished product is picturedabove.

    One of the many surprises awaiting kids along the

    Childrens Discovery Trail!

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    Primary Business Address

    Your Address Line 2

    The Fr iends of GoodwinForest

    working on the GoodwinState Forest and Conser-vation Education Center.Many jobs were com-pleted that would nothave been otherwise,including extensions toour trail heads, re-roofing of our picnic pa-

    The Connecticut Conserva-tion Corps program is de-signed to provide employ-ment for 18-24 year olds,along with job training thatmakes them more employ-able in the future. This sum-mer fifteen CCC membersspent part of their time

    vilion, invasive speciescontrol, picnic table con-struction and much more.The Cs received jobtraining in a variety of ar-eas including chainsawsafety, pesticide applica-tion, plant ecology andidentification and use ofheavy equipment. By sum-mers end several of themhad already been success-

    ful in finding full time per-manent employment using

    their new skills.

    C O N N E C T I C U T C O N S E R V A T I O N C O R P S C O M E S T O G O O D W I N ! !

    Phone: 555-555-5555

    Fax: 555-555-5555E-mail: [email protected]

    Were on the Web!

    www. ct.gov/deep/Goodwin

    www.ctwoodlands.org

    The Friends of

    Goodwin Forest

    Officers

    Lynne Warren, President

    Kim Kelly, Secretary

    Anne Latham, Treasurer

    Fran Zumpano, Trails

    Committee Chair

    We hold 5-6 meetings eachyear, open to any and all.

    Goodwin Forest Conserva-tion Education Center Staff

    Steve Broderick, Forester& Program Director

    Juan Sanchez, Naturalist

    Kim Kelly, Horticulture

    Director

    Jim Poole, Maintainer