In Genesis, God divides dark and night, earth and sea, then gives Adam the job of naming Eden’s creatures.

In Ursula K. Le Guin’s 1985 short story “She Unnames Them,” Eve, dissatisfied with the arbitrariness of the whole set-up, frees the birds and beasts from Adam’s labeling. Nobody really minds.

“Without names, we can’t communicate,” Prosek said at the Westport Library last week. “But it can create these separations.”

Prosek — acclaimed as an artist, writer and naturalist — gave the Caryl & Edna Haskins lecture for the Aspetuck Land Trust, which serves the towns of Westport, Weston, Easton, Fairfield and Monroe. It was the first time the land trust held a public event since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and the library’s lecture space was nearly full for Prosek’s talk.

As rural landscapes in Connecticut have been increasingly transformed in recent decades by commercial and residential development, the state has seen a precipitous decline in native plants—335 species, or 19 percent, are on the state’s list of Endangered, Threatened, and Special Concern. A decline in bees and other pollinators that rely on these species has ensued.

James Prosek, who grew up in Easton, will give a talk about his art and the need to protect the beauty of our natural. Prosek’s talk “Trespassing and Conservation,” will be held on April 6 at 7 p.m. at the Westport Library Forum will draw attention to the beauty of our natural world while urging us to protect, conserve and connect our lands restoring a healthy ecosystem for all.

by Gabby DeBenedictis, Patch Staff

WESTPORT, CT — James Prosek, a conservationist and author whose career was inspired by his childhood spent "trespassing" the Aspetuck Reservoir area, will talk conservation at the Westport Public Library next month.

Director of Landowner Engagement Mary Ellen Lemay talks about upcoming events and answers questions on the Lisa Wexler Show.

The wolf I have in mind is really a type of tree. Even though they are rare, there are quite a few here in Easton. The term wolf tree does not refer to any one species but rather it is a designation based on age and traits.

Executive Director David Brant talks about our recent land acquisitions in the Weston Wilton Forest Reserve on the Lisa Wexler Show.

Weston, CT - Aspetuck Land Trust reports the great news that this week it closed on a property -- one it had been working to attain for 10 year. It is the the 10-acre Montanaro property show in the attached map.

"As you can see, it is located in a critical spot — a doughnut hole in the Weston Wilton Forest Reserve," shared ALT Executive Director David Brant. "If the planned two large houses had been built there, cars and trucks would have driven right through one of our oldest preserves, 119-acre Honey Hill."

Last week you may have received a pamphlet from Citizens for Responsible Government (CRG) about Aspetuck Land Trust’s (ALT) proposed purchase of 18.6 acres of the 29.5- acre South Park property owned by the Town of Easton. We’d like to offer a few clarifications.

ALT’s mission is the preservation and conservation of open space for the benefit and education of the public and future generations. Founded in 1966 as a nonprofit member-supported organization, we have already conserved 1,450 acres in Easton. ALT’s interest is solely in saving the land, not in local politics.

Aspetuck Land Trust executive director David Brant writes:

We need the help of all Weston voters to come out today (Saturday, September 18, noon to 8 p.m., Weston Town Hall), to cast your ballot approving the town’s sale of the 85-acre Fromson Strassler property to Aspetuck Land Trust to preserve it forever as open space.

Representatives of the Aspetuck Land Trust (ALT) recently briefed Wilton’s Board of Selectmen (BOS) on the group’s ongoing efforts to acquire two Wilton properties at the end of an old abandoned town road. If successful, the purchase will expand and enhance the ALT’s already sizable holdings along the Wilton/Weston border.

Whether you enjoy hiking — with or without the dog — biking, fishing, or simply taking in the sights and sounds of nature, Aspetuck Land Trust has a lot to offer with its unspoiled properties throughout the region, featuring forest and pasture lands brimming with wildlife.

Aspetuck Land Trust is growing due to a merger with the Monroe Land Trust and a grant to acquire more than 18 acres of open space in Easton.

Aspetuck Land Trust is announcing a merger with the Monroe Land Trust and Tree Conservancy (MLT) that will become effective July 1, 2021.

With the merger, ALT extends its land conservation work from its original four town focus (Easton, Weston, Fairfield and Westport) to five towns. The addition of Monroe brings an additional 20 acres of conserved land in Monroe under ALT’s overall watch and protection.

Aspetuck Land Trust Preserves Mill River Site — article from the Easton Courier. A partnership between the Aspetuck Land Trust, the state, and Easton will preserve environmentally sensitive areas of the town-owned property at 22 South Park Avenue as open space in perpetuity.

Read the ‘Pollinator Pathways and Green Corridors’ article by Mary Ellen Lemay in the latest edition of Connecticut Gardener Magazine.

The Harsh Realities Wildlife Face Every Spring — article from the Easton Courier. Read about what our local wildlife experience in springtime and see videos of animals captured on Aspetuck Land Trust trail cameras.