Connecticut Audbon Society

Deer Pond Farm: 835 Acres in Western Connecticut

Cathy Hagadorn, program director at Deer Pond Farm, in Sherman.

Sherman, CT, June 1, 2017 – The Connecticut Audubon Society announced today that it has received a generous bequest, from the estate of Kathryn D. Wriston, of 835 acres of rugged hardwood forest, meadows, and wetlands straddling the state border of Connecticut and New York.

Called Deer Pond Farm, approximately half the property is in Sherman, and half in Pawling, N.Y.

The bequest gives the Connecticut Audubon Society a major new location in the western part of the state, to go along with its centers in Fairfield, Milford, Glastonbury, Pomfret, and Old Lyme. The bequest also includes an endowment to manage the property and conserve it as wildlife habitat.

“The generosity and foresight of Mrs. Wriston can’t be overstated, and we are extremely grateful to be able to conserve this property according to her wishes,” said Nelson North, Connecticut Audubon’s executive director. “This not only ensures that the land will be conserved but it helps us fulfill our mission in a new part of the state.”

The property sits in the highlands along the Connecticut-New York border. About 620 of its 835 acres are upland forest; 125 acres are forested wetlands, and 59 acres are meadow. About 100 species of birds have been reported on or near the property during breeding season, including forest birds such as Broad-winged Hawk and Scarlet Tanager, marsh birds such as Virginia Rail, and birds such as American Woodcock, Eastern Towhee, and Chestnut-sided Warbler, which nest in young forests or shrubby areas.

“This rivals our 700-acre Croft Preserve in Goshen and our 700-acre Bafflin Preserve in Pomfret in terms of biodiversity and ecological importance,” said Milan Bull, Connecticut Audubon’s senior director of science and conservation.

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