Posted By auntie on November 23, 2016

1.42 miles, Ledyard, CT

I decided to do two shorter walks today on properties that were on my “Hikes I’d Like to Do” list. The first was on this Avalonia Land Trust preserve.

Avalonia, I love you. I love your properties, and I love what you do. But really? Creating “rabbit-tat” on this little tiny preserve entirely surrounded by houses?

Signage

I mean, I know the New England Cottontail Rabbit is endangered. I get it.

Destruction

But this kind of destruction is just… depressing.

Bounded by Suburbia

And it’s not as if this particular small property is part of a larger wildlife corridor. It’s in the middle of suburbia.

One of the rabbits above is an Eastern Cottontail. The other is a New England Cottontail. I’d be surprised if even they could tell the difference

Perhaps the New England Cottontail, which is distinguishable from its evolutionarily more successful cousin, the Eastern Cottontail only through DNA testing, is just, I don’t know, maybe sucky at being a rabbit? And New England hasn’t always looked like it does now. It was once densely forested, and there wasn’t anyone clear cutting to provide it habitat then.

I guess this makes me a bad environmentalist, or perhaps just a cranky one, I don’t know. But I don’t understand the purpose of creating such a mess on such a small suburban preserve.

You can find out more about the Barrett Preserve on the Avalonia website.

Categories: Connecticut, Walks and Hikes
Tags: 2 miles or less, CT, Ledyard CT