Lamentation Mountain
Photos above are from a BLT sponsored guided hike on Saturday, November 5, 2022 conducted by Mat Jobin from "Reach Your Summit". Participants hiked the Blue Trail to the top of the traprock ridge and experienced the Alice Fern Bruce Preserve. The panoramic views of the fall foliage were spectacular. Hikers descended the mountain using the White Trail which was blazed for the Berlin Land Trust by the folks at CFPA (Connecticut Forest & Parks Association).
- Introducing the Alice Fern Bruce Preserve -
In December of 2019, the Berlin Land Trust purchased 47 acres of pristine land on Lamentation Mountain to preserve in perpetuity. The property is very close to other open space property that has, in large part, already been protected. Its purchase is the culmination of a long-term, co-operative program of open space protection on the historic mountain, which began about fifty years ago. It is one of the final pieces of the puzzle needed to protect the entire Lamentation Mountain ecosystem. Purchase of the Alice Fern Bruce Preserve was made possible by an Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant (OSWA) from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
- See the Preserve on Video -
Take a virtual hike on Lamentation Mountain along with Ray Archacki. See where people park to access the mountain trail. Hike virtually on the trail up to the mountain ridge and the mountain top views. Ray provides running commentary on the geology of the area and the trap rock ridge that makes up Lamentation Mountain. This is a fun little experience and great chance for you to preview the Alice Fern Bruce Preserve. Please give it a try.
Take a Hike and See the Beauty of This Preserve
and Lamentation Mountain For Yourself
The trail head for the Berlin Side of Lamentation Mountain is off of Lamentation Drive. Parking is along the trail side of the road. Look for the red gate across the old Stantack Road (See photo below). This historic old road is the access way to the mountain trails. Please be considerate and respectful to the people that live in that neighborhood. Click her for a TRAIL MAP
The significance of the Alice Fern Bruce Preserve is magnified by its central, interior location, and the fact that it is very well buffered on all sides by other undeveloped land. The land contains five distinct critical habitats, three basalt ridges and easy access to the Connecticut Blue Blazed Trail. The cliff line, described by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association as "perhaps the most scenic traprock ridge walk in the state", is a prominent feature- visible for miles.
“This piece of property has it all, critical habitats for raptors, box turtles and other wildlife,
a rare and state-threatened Swamp Cottonwood grove,
and cliffs and ridgelines that offer sweeping views of central Connecticut”
Sigrun Gadwa, Ecologist, Carya Ecological Services
Ms. Gadwa performed a detailed ecological assessment that gave the Berlin Land Trust the information they needed to submit its OSWA grant to DEEP. It was our first-ever grant to the OSWA program and we were fortunately awarded funding from DEEP for 65% of the appraised property value. The trust then raised funds to pay for the difference as well as the additional costs required by the state for a boundary survey and signage for the property.
The establishment of the Alice Fern Bruce Preserve is particularly meaningful to the land trust members, who worked together with Alice Fern Bruce. She was a founding member of the Berlin Land Trust and she was deeply invested in the preservation of Lamentation Mountain. In fact upon her passing, she donated 41 acres to the Berlin Land Trust along the northern end of Lamentation Mountain. This new preserve in her name provides a unique opportunity to honor her commitment to land conservation and fulfill her desire to further preserve Lamentation Mountain for generations to come- a fitting tribute to a life well-lived.
The Berlin Land Trust could always use your help. To join us in our preservation efforts, please contact us at:
berlinlandtrustct@gmail.com or call (860) 828-4393.