Around Town

‘A Lot of Projects Going On’: New Canaan Land Trust Hires New Executive Director

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A New Canaan nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving natural open space in the town has hired a Connecticut native and Yale School of Forestry graduate as its new executive director. Aaron Lefland took over the New Canaan Land Trust role on Friday, officials said. As executive director, Lefland will be in charge of the Land Trust’s 70 parcels of land, covering 389 acres. The organization also is seeking accreditation now with the National Land Trust Organization. “I just love being outdoors,” Lefland told NewCanaanite.com.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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A chipmunk has been darting into New Canaan Olive Oil this week when the door near Elm Street’s 50-yard-line is propped open. The staff at the shop has successfully ushered the small animal back out again. ***

New Canaan Police will enforce seatbelt use among local motorists with the department’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign, to run May 22 to June 4 at random checkpoints in town. ***

The New Canaan Land Trust has room for two more paid interns to work for the organization this summer. The Land Trust is looking for rising sophomores and juniors and pays $100 per week (for four days a week) for a 5-week summer resetting stonewalls, removing invasive plants, blazing trails, building wildlife habitat, doing research and learning about the land.

Around Town

Did You Hear … ?

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The hopeful developer of the Roger Sherman Inn property has clarified that he does not intend to raze all of the existing historic structure under his newest application, as NewCanaanite.com had reported last week. Andrew Glazer of Rowayton’s Glazer Group intends to pick up and move the oldest portion of the 18th Century-built inn closer to Oenoke Ridge Road, converting it into one of six new residences planned for the 1.89-acre site. He outlined that plan during a public hearing last month before the Planning & Zoning Commission. ***

New Canaan’s Michael Nowacki is featured in a Connecticut Mirror news story that ran Jan. 13, regarding his interest in hearings in Hartford before the state legislature on judges seeking reappointment.

Government

Selectmen, Finance Board Approve $267,000 for Land Trust To Acquire ‘Fowler’ Property in Silvermine

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A local organization dedicated to the preservation of open space took a big step Tuesday toward acquiring a closely watched 6-acre parcel in Silvermine. The Boards of Selectmen and Finance in their regular meetings both voted unanimously in favor of a $267,000 special appropriation for the New Canaan Land Trust—funds that are expected to help the organization complete the $1,070,000 purchase of the “Fowler” property. Owned by award-winning zoologist Jim Fowler, the parcel abuts a 41-acre property already owned by the Land Trust and, together, they will form the “Silvermine Fowler preserve.”

“This is something we need to do as a town,” Selectman Nick Williams said during a meeting held in Town Hall in the morning, moments before the group voted 3-0 in favor of the appropriation. “These opportunities do not come around that often so we need to capitalize.”

The finance board followed with a unanimous ‘Yes’ vote at its evening meeting. The Town Council is expected to take up the matter for a final vote at its Jan.

News

Letter: NCHS Student Supports Town Helping Land Trust with Fowler Property Purchase

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I am Will Santora and a current senior at New Canaan High School. Over the past three years, I have worked closely with the New Canaan Land Trust as a steward to land preservation. The work that I have done involved my time as an intern as well as a club leader in the high school. The close contact and relationships that I have built within the Land Trust community have helped me grow as an individual and provided me with an education that is normally not provided in high school education. Because the Land Trust has provided me with education in land stewardship, I have learned that any possibility to preserve even more open space is incredibly important in a town like New Canaan.