Chairing Wilton’s Conservation Commission is a walk in the park…literally. That’s one of the things that Wilton resident Dan Berg gets to do in his role as the chairman. Last Saturday, Feb. 22 he was walking the snow covered trails of the town’s Cherry Park with a few dozen fellow resident nature lovers. The Snowshoe Hike was one of several such guided hikes through Wilton’s parks that the Commission hosts throughout the year.
The Conservation Commission manages the town owned open space lands and guides the development and conservation of natural resources. It also functions as an advisory board to the Planning and Zoning and Inland Wetlands Commissions, and works to educate the public on conservation issues and encourage recycling and “green energy” practices. Residents are probably most familiar with the Commission on Wilton’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day.
For our new series, “5 Questions With…,” we asked Berg to fill us in on when the next hike will be and what else is happening in the world of conservation in Wilton.
1. How many miles of trails does Wilton have for people to explore?
Berg: Town-owned parks and preserves have over 10 miles of trails to explore. Publicly-accessible Wilton Conservation Land Trust, Nature Conservancy, private parcels with public easements, and state-owned land add at least another 10 miles of trails in Wilton. Many of the parks are comprised of adjoining parcels under different ownership, but this is not something that hikers would notice or need to be aware of. Strategic acquisition and careful planning over the last 50 years have resulted in some large and beautiful tracts of woodland, meadow and riverfront to explore.
2. What tips do you have for people exploring Wilton’s parks and trail system in the winter?
Berg: Our parks are wonderful to explore at all times of year and winter hiking is great exercise in an otherwise sedentary season. There are landscapes and vistas that become apparent in the winter that you might miss when the trees are in full bloom.
For winter hiking, it’s important to have appropriate clothing, hats, and footwear. Many of the trails are snowshoe-friendly and the town is in the process of rolling out a showshoe lending program for residents. More to come… As in all seasons, it’s important to use good judgment regarding trail conditions and have your phone with you, just in case. Excessive snow and ice on hilly trails can be treacherous, but in our meadows and on more gently rolling hills, a snowshoe hike can be great, meditative exercise, or a fun family activity.
3. We heard Wilton is going to be moving to single stream recycling. What does that mean for Wilton and what impact does that have on the environment?
Berg: Yes, we’re moving to single stream recycling, as are many towns in our area. This is mainly a function of improved technology for large scale sorting, separation and recycling. For residents and the town, this is great news in that it requires less effort and thought to recycle, and less waste for the town and private haulers to collect, manage, and send off to landfills. The positive impact on the environment is immediate and obvious.
As an aside, for those readers who travel on Metro-North, City Carting has just built out a very large collection and separation facility just north of the Stamford station. As you travel by in the morning, you can get a sense of the scale and efficiency that’s now possible and see with your own eyes how much waste can get recycled rather than end up in dumps and landfills. Since Wilton is serviced almost exclusively by private haulers, please contact your hauler directly if you have questions about single stream recycling collection from your home.
4. What do you want Wilton residents to be aware of, when it comes to the Conservation Commission?
Berg: One of the many important initiatives in which the Conservation Commission is engaged is community outreach. We want everyone to know, love, and take advantage of our parks, hence our park walks. We want everyone to understand how the actions they take on their own properties affect the community and the watershed as whole. Hence the talks and workshops we co-sponsor on invasive species, home gardening and related topics, and the information we make available regarding managing fall leaves, use of pesticides and fertilizers, and more. We want everyone to participate in keeping our town beautiful, hence our yearly town-wide cleanup days. This year’s will be Saturday, March 28, and we’d like every resident, family, boy scout and girl scout troop, church group, and neighborhood association to pitch in and help us tidy up after the long, cold winter. More info to come over the next few weeks!
5. When is the next guided park walk?
Berg: Our next park walk will be Sunday, March 22 at 1 p.m. at Black’s Farm on Olmstead Hill Road, and will be led by Lars Cherichetti. More info to come! Please “like” the Wilton Conservation Commission’s page on Facebook to receive updates regarding this walk and many other activities in which you can get involved!
