"This Glorious Earth," Paul Winter’s musical celebration of our planet home, will be a concert of compositions inspired by his experiences making music in wilderness habitats and featuring voices of Whale, Wolf, Wood Thrush and other creatures from what he regards as "the greater symphony of the Earth.” Introducing people to the variety of species and ecosystems on Earth through the beauty of sound, he has used his music as a means to assist groups supporting local cultural and biological diversity, to connect people to a sense of place, and promote relatedness to the larger community of life.

The event will include commentary by Keetu Winter, Executive Director of Wellspring Commons, a nonprofit dedicated to bioregional regeneration.

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The Roaring Brook Nature Center presents this engaging program featuring live reptiles and amphibians native to Connecticut. Discover the fascinating world of reptiles and amphibians and the unique adaptations that help them survive and thrive. During this presentation, you’ll observe live animals up close while exploring how they meet their specific needs.

Which species call Connecticut home? What environmental challenges do they face? 

You’ll also learn how the presence of native frogs and toads can be an indicator of your local ecosystem's health. Gain practical tips on creating a garden that supports amphibian populations, helping to protect these vital species in your yard and beyond.

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Vicki Nelson leads this family-friendly workshop where children will create habitats for native toads. Building a toad house using a clay pot is a simple and enjoyable project that provides a safe shelter for toads in your garden. In this activity, we will decorate clay pots with hand-painted designs featuring plants and small animals, adding a charming and personalized touch.

Toads play a vital role in maintaining a healthy garden ecosystem by naturally controlling pests. They consume insects such as mosquitoes, beetles, grubs, and worms—reducing the need for chemical pesticides.

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Craig Repasz, Co-chair of Lights Out Connecticut, and Dr. Ming Huang, a wildlife biologist for DEEP, present findings from the Connecticut Bird Atlas project and discuss their implications for bird conservation throughout the state. Learn about population trends, habitat requirements, and specific actions communities and individuals can take to protect bird biodiversity.

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 Location: Meet at the Chestnut Grove, Undermountain Road, Falls Village

Dr. Michael Zarfos, Executive Director of Great Mountain Forest, leads this special walk focused on spring ephemeral wildflowers – those fleeting blooms that appear briefly before the forest canopy leafs out. Learn identification tips, ecological importance, and conservation challenges facing these delicate species.

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Click HERE to learn more about Great Mountain Forest

Lace up your hiking boots and join us for a Books & Boots discussion of The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben. We’ll meet at the South Norfolk Woodland Trail at 220 Bruey Road on Saturday, April 26 at 9:00 am. Hartley Mead of the Norfolk Land Trust and Bina Thomson of the Library will meet people at the trailhead. All hiking abilities are welcome and you don’t have to have read the book to attend. Please dress appropriately for the weather. This program is part of the Norfolk Earth Forum Weekend and is co-sponsored by the Norfolk Land Trust.
View the trail map here.

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This documentary explores the history and legacy of the solar panels installed on the White House during Jimmy Carter's presidency. The screening will be followed by a Q&A session with Tom Strumolo, who informed the Carter administration’s energy policies featured in the film, and who will discuss the film's relevance to current renewable energy and climate challenges.  For 50+ years, Tom has advised states, municipalities, universities, other nonprofits, and homeowners on clean energy solutions to make over 10,000 buildings energy-efficient. He remains active in climate advocacy and environmental education throughout the country. 

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Tim Abbott, Conservation Director of the Housatonic Valley Association, presents "Loved Locally, Important Nationally." This compelling presentation examines how local conservation efforts contribute to regional and national biodiversity protection, with a focus on the interconnections between local habitats and broader ecosystems.

The reception is hosted by the Norfolk Land Trust and the Norfolk Hub, offering light refreshments and an opportunity to explore the exhibition "Imperiled Species in Our Community", on loan from the Salisbury Association, and complemented by the Norfolk Land Trust's poster on local endangered species.

Click HERE to learn more about the Norfolk Land Trust. Click HERE to learn more about The Norfolk Hub.

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Author Talk with Scott Smith, On Compost: A Year in the Life of a Suburban Garden

Composting is a common practice in gardening, of which the benefits are numerous. It’s a solution to food waste, an economical way to amend soil, and an exciting sort of backyard science experiment.

Westport-based journalist, author, and composter Scott Smith will share about his experiences from almost two decades of composting from his book, On Compost: A Year in the Life of a Suburban Garden. On Compost chronicles the cultivation of a suburban backyard as a way to highlight the larger story of how to live more sustainably and with ecological purpose—and lots of freshly made living soil. The tale the author found himself telling is also about raising a son, befriending a whole neighborhood, and engaging with the larger world upon which his humble compost heap is just a speck.

This program is perfect for anyone wanting to live a more sustainable life, regardless of if they compost or not. There will be time for Q&A after the talk. Please register below.

On Compost, published in 2024, received a Kirkus Star Review and was rated one of their top books of 2024. Read the review here.

Click HERE to register.