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• Board of Directors Meetings
Click the icon at left for the monthly Board of Directors meeting schedule.
• Kids and books -- story trail walk
Come visit the Story Trail any time!
Kids, families, and adults are invited to our outdoor story trail. Park at the Land Trust’s cider barn, 330 Bush Hill Road, Manchester, and walk along the dirt road to the pavilion, to walk, read, and explore along the storybook trail. In cooperation with the Manchester Public Library, we periodically install a new book. The half-mile trail curls its way through a former apple orchard. Read more about the story trail here: story trail on our website.
• Earth Day cleanup party
Saturday, April 20, 2024 from 9:00 to 1:00
• Birdwatchers walk
Saturday, May 4, 2024 at 8:00 a.m.
• Giant Fundraising Tag Sale
Friday, May 17 through Saturday, May 25, 2024 from 10:00 to 3:00
• Annual meeting and dinner
Friday, May 24, 2024 5:30 p.m. at Georgina's Restaurant, 275 Boston Turnpike, Bolton
• Connecticut Trails Days
Saturday, June 1, and Sunday, June 2, each at 1:00 p.m. PLUS an E.H. collaboration, Sunday, June 2 at 10:00 a.m.
• Cheney Railroad history walk
Saturday, July 27, at 1:00 p.m.
• Cheney Railroad history walk
Sunday, August 18, 2024 at 1:00 p.m.
Volunteers welcome to clean up at the Cheney rail trail and Center Springs Park. Meet at 39 Lodge Drive, Manchester. A collaboration of the Manchester Land Conservation Trust, Town of Manchester Sustainability Commission, the Youth Commission, the Conservation Commission, and the Manchester High School Environmental Club. Supplies will be provided: gloves, trash bags, etc. Come when you can, you are not required to stay the whole time. Dress for the weather; event will be held rain or shine. Bring what you’ll need, such as a water bottle, sunscreen, sweatshirt, etc. Pizza will be provided at the end of the event to volunteers.
All are invited to attend this free birdwatching event at our 177.5-acre property in southeastern Manchester. Newcomers, experts, young, old, families, and singles are welcome. NO DOGS, due to the nature of this event. We'll view and hear birds with bird experts Paul DesJardins and David Funke, members of the Hartford Audubon Society. The month of May is a good time to see migrating birds. Park near the cider barn at 330 Bush Hill Road, Manchester. We'll walk on fairly flat terrain on a farm road through former orchards, taking about an hour. Or explore four+ miles of trails at the property on your own
each day.
At the former cider barn, 330 Bush Hill Road, Manchester (between Keeney Street and Hillstown Road), the Land Trust's farm property. The tag sale raises funds
to benefit the Trust and its land-preservation work. We will be selling loads of books, tools, golf clubs, dishes, artwork and frames, curiosities, furniture, machinery, household and sports items, near-antiques, glassware, toys, tablecloths, music CDs, DVDs, holiday decor, and items both useful and decorative. Proceeds from the tag sale help fund the Land Trust and its mission of preservation of open spaces for the public to enjoy. Questions: Terry at 860-643-1823. You can 
All welcome to an evening of conviviality and good food. $45 for members, $48 for non-members, $27.00 for children age 12 and under. Social time and cash bar at 5:30, buffet dinner at 6:00, followed by a brief annual meeting and election of board members, then an illustrated program by Jack Swatt, President of the Connecticut Chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation: The American Chestnut and Chestnut Bark Disease (a.k.a. “The Blight”). Jack works with our volunteers establishing experimental Chestnut plantations at Bush Hill. wildlife biologist Jane Seymour, who manages the Belding Wildlife Management Area in Vernon. The dinner is always a highlight of the Land Trust year. The restaurant requires a final number of guests a couple weeks before the date, so we're asking for RSVPs by May 7 -- we need to receive your form and payment by then. We can't offer tickets "at the door," so to speak. Details and the signup form:
dinner invitation
Kids, families, and adults are invited to our Trails Days events:
• Saturday, June 1 at 1:00 p.m. at Center Springs Park, Manchester; meet at 39 Lodge Drive, for a 1.25-mile urban walk around the pond.
• Sunday, June 2 at 10:00 a.m., we'll collaborate with the Town of East Hartford on a 2.5-mile East Hartford Nature Trail walk that includes a view of our M.J. Williams park near the E.H. property; meet at 350-R Long Hill Street, East Hartford; led by Town of East Hartford staffer Sean Dwyer.
• Sunday, June 2 at 1:00 p.m. a 2.5-mile Risley ramble; meet at 366 Lake Street, Vernon. Hilly and bumpy terrain, with some wet spots.
These hikes are free. New hikers are especially encouraged to attend. Hike leaders will show the blazes on the trail that mark the way. Rain or shine, but extreme weather cancels. No dogs, please.
South to North! NOTE LOCATION for beginning of this walk: Meet at the office steps, Fuss & O'Neill, 146 Hartford Road, Manchester. Hikers will trace the route of the former railroad, built in 1869 to connect the Cheney silk mills to the
main rail line in the North End. At 2.5 miles, it was the shortest private freight-and-passenger railroad in the United
States. We will start our hike in the South End, heading north toward Center Springs Park. We will see the town of Manchester improvements at the Park Street bridge and trestle over Center Street. Some of the hike will be along roads. About 3 miles round trip. Extreme weather cancels. No dogs, please. FREE. 1900 photo at right shows the depot of the South Manchester Railroad, located at that time just to the east of Cheney Hall. The depot was moved farther north in 1910, and is no longer in existence.
To enjoy the trail on your own, print a copy of this railroad map.
North to South, meeting north of the tracks that intersect Main Street near North Main Street (details below). Hikers will have an easy, fairly flat, walk along the former railroad, built in 1869 to connect the Cheney silk mills to the
main rail line in the North End. At 2.5 miles, it was the shortest freight-and-passenger railroad in the United
States. We will hike at a moderate pace along the one-mile portion owned by the Manchester Land Conservation Trust and then on to the bridge overlooking Center Springs Park and Bigelow Brook, about three miles round trip. Participants will hear about the history
of the railroad. Meet at the north
end of Main Street in Manchester, in the parking lot of the strip mall on the north (right) side of the tracks, across from Farr's Sporting Goods, 2 Main Street, Manchester,
CT 06042. Park at the southeast end of the strip mall or at the Eighth Utilities District office building, 18 Main Street (please do not park in
Farr's parking lot). A special favor will be given to children who attend the hike. We will hike if light rain -- bring an
umbrella -- but extreme weather cancels. No dogs, please. Free.
To enjoy
the trail on your own, print a copy of this
• Highland Park history hike and climb
Saturday, November 30 at 1:00 p.m.
Meet at the Land Trust boulder at the small parking lot on Spring Street near the bridge and waterfall, not far from the intersection of Spring Street and Glen Road, Manchester (GPS 670 Spring St.). The Land Trust owns several properties in the Case Mountain area, including this half-acre parcel. We'll start with commentary on the Case Brothers National Historic District and then visit the paper mill and mansion areas. Those who want a short history walk may end their walk at the dam at Case Pond near Spring Street. For those who want a more strenuous event, we will continue uphill to the summit of Lookout Mountain. Steep, bumpy, and rocky terrain, but worth the effort, especially on a clear day, when the Heublein Tower is visible to the west. Free. Please wear sturdy sneakers or hiking boots, and bring water. No dogs, please. Extreme weather cancels. Please check the street signs carefully before parking to avoid parking tickets. Photo by Stacey Zackin of hikers pausing at the former tennis courts on a March 2019 walk. For vintage pictures of the Highland Park section of Manchester, visit John Knoll photos.
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