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PINE SWAMP WILDLIFE CORRIDOR
324 Acres of Protected Open Space

Avalonia Land Conservancy conducted a campaign to raise $150,000 to create the Pine Swamp Wildlife Corridor in 2003. Avalonia received the 79-acre Pine Swamp in Ledyard given by the descendants of Milton O. Slosberg and an abutting 56 acres of wetlands and forest donated by Harry Leiser. Pine Swamp contains the aquifer from which the Southeastern Connecticut Water Authority (SCWA) supplies 800 households with water.

To complete the Corridor, Avalonia agreed to purchase, in a bargain sale, two important neighboring parcels totaling 74 acres:

1. The 17-acre parcel along the west and north sides of Pine Swamp, which contains a well-used trail from which to view the swamp.
   
2. The 57-acre parcel north of Pine Swamp, which contains a boulder morrain, large ponds, unusual plants, and amazingly diverse shrub and forest habitats. A well-used path with wide trails provides access.

The Pine Swamp Wildlife Corridor is further expanded by Avalonia’s own 97-acre Dow Centennial Preserve, a gift of the Dow Chemical Corporation in celebration of their centennial in 1997. The Town of Ledyard also gave Avalonia eight additional parcels of open space totalling seventeen acres. Thus, the Pine Swamp Wildlife Corridor comprises a total of over 324 acres of permanently protected open space.

The importance of the Pine Swamp Wildlife Corridor is enhanced by other preserved areas in its vicinity – the Town of Ledyard-owned Nathan Lester House property (100 acres) to the east along with Avalonia’s 101-acre Avery Preserve to the north and 55-acre Barrett Preserve to the south.

Local scientists and naturalists have observed the area and found it of vital interest. To quote the late Dr. William Niering in 1972, “This wetland represents an invaluable water storage and flood control feature, and it is probably playing a vital role in ground water recharge. It is an excellent wildlife refuge…. It should be preserved in its present natural state.” Robert Dewire, founder of NatureScapes, observed, “This area is certainly diverse in habitat…By itself, it is very worthy of acquisition but when coupled with the already existing natural areas, it creates a several hundred-acre virtually unbroken wildlife corridor. In my opinion, its protection is a very high priority.” In addition, according to Gregory Leonard, manager of SCWA, “It will be wonderful to have Pine Swamp fully protected. We share an interest in the environmental integrity of the area.”

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For more information contact ALC at (860) 887-6786 or email us at avalonialc@yahoo.com