Let’s Go

Florence Griswold Museum
Art & Holiday Magic
The Florence Griswold Museum presents three exhibitions through January 4, 2026. From Art Colony to Connecticut Collection celebrates Connecticut’s rich art history through pieces from the museum’s collection, including idyllic mid-19th century rural scenes, Impressionist landscapes, and thought-provoking contemporary works.

While traditional exhibitions use text labels to communicate information, Inside Out: Contexts for American Art experiments with the varied ways people learn. Visitors use their five senses to understand the art on display.

For artists including Fidelia Bridges, Charles Ebert, Frank Vincent DuMond, Breta Longacre, Willard Metcalf, and Theodore Robinson, fall presented the opportunity to contemplate nature in transition. Visitors to Fall Into Impressionism not only enjoy seasonally inspired artwork but can also explore the museum’s gardens, grounds, and trails where artists flocked to paint autumn’s colorful glory.

November 29 through January 4, the museum campus lights up for the holidays! Don’t miss Holiday Magic, a beautiful tradition. For more information visit flogris.org.

Audubon Vermont
Explore the Green Mountain Audubon Center
Winter is a quieter time of year at the Green Mountain Audubon Center in Huntington, Vermont. Traverse the snow-packed trails by snowshoe, cross-country ski, or foot. Don’t forget your binoculars to spot Vermont’s resident birds or follow the tracks of the active wildlife that call the Audubon Center home. Open to the public everyday year-round at no charge, the Audubon Center offers over 255 acres of diverse habitats, including wetlands, meadows, and forests, with trails suitable for all skill levels. Come explore on your own or join one of its guided programs or events! Audubon Vermont invites you to visit this winter—all are welcome at Audubon! Visit vt.audubon.org for details.

Kestrel Land Trust
For Anyone Who Loves the Land
In the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts, nature, culture, and community come together through public events for anyone who loves the land. Kestrel Land Trust offers nature walks on themes from winter wildlife tracking to geology to learning trees by their bark, as well as programs for well-being, like mindfulness in nature.

This winter Kestrel Land Trust hosts its second Enchanted Evening Stroll at Bright Water Bog Nature Retreat where colorful stained glass sculptures dance and twinkle with lights. Also, find solace in the turning of the season with a quiet evening Winter Solstice Walk on the longest night of the year, or start the New Year off right with a New Year’s Day group hike in the valley.

New events are always being posted on Kestrel’s website. Visit kestreltrust.org to learn more and register!

Rivers Alliance of Connecticut
Go Wild for Water!
This winter Rivers Alliance invites you to go wild for water! As the 2026 Connecticut legislative session flows closer, Connecticut’s rivers need champions. From protecting clean water by “wilding our edges” with natural river buffers, to ensuring septic and alternative sewage system regulation and oversight are strong enough to safeguard our waters, to keeping our lakes and rivers safe and enjoyable for all, it’s shaping up to be a big season for water policy.

You don’t have to be a policy wonk to dive in. Visit riversalliance.org to explore its Wild Edges campaign, stay current on legislation that impacts Connecticut’s waterways, and get the scoop on when and how to speak up for the issues that matter to you.

Join the growing wave of people who believe our waters should run free and clear and be enjoyed by all. Let’s make a splash this session. Go wild for water with Rivers Alliance!

East Haddam Land Trust
Warm Up with Hikes, Reading, New Year Cheer
The season is right for heading into nature revealed after the leaves have fallen! The East Haddam Land Trust (EHLT) offers two guided hikes every month for enjoying awesome views. One hike—usually on the second Sunday—is relaxed-paced with opportunities to see and learn about flora and fauna; the other, generally on the last Sunday, is brisk-paced for those seeking a workout while delighting in nature. Confirm times and locations on their website and in weekly e-newsletters (subscribe at ehlt.org). Visit EHLT’s Facebook and Instagram pages, too.

You’re invited to the monthly “Words from the Woods” book circle, the third Monday of the month, 1:30 to 3 p.m., St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, East Haddam. Even if you haven’t finished the book, you’ll share the enjoyment of writings that deepen awareness of our vital natural world.

Mark your calendar for EHLT’s annual New Year’s Day hike for land trust members at The Nature Conservancy’s Burnham Brook Preserve in East Haddam. A gathering for fellowship and refreshment follows. Visit ehlt.org for more details.

Connecticut River Museum
Holiday Train Show, Eagle Cruises, and America’s 250th
Get ready for the holidays. Artist and train enthusiast Steve Cryan unveils a new model train layout every fall, signaling the holiday season at the Connecticut River Museum. Each year his intricate miniature world of trains enthralls the crowds of people who make visiting the Train Show an annual family tradition. The 32nd annual Train Show will be on view from November 20, 2025, to February 1, 2026.

Don’t miss Winter Wildlife Eagle Cruises February 10 to March 18, 2026. Enjoy an intimate, two-hour cruise to see bald eagles that traveled south to Connecticut for easy fishing and nesting. In the new year, the Connecticut River Museum will celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a special exhibition about Black and indigenous maritime workers. This is part of an initiative to tell a more complete and inclusive history of the Connecticut River valley.

Visit ctrivermuseum.org for information about holiday events, boat trips, special exhibitions and more.

Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments
Help Update Hazard Mitigation Plan
Happy Holidays to All! We all need to help protect our shelters from storms, so please watch for public meeting notifications and a survey regarding the five-year update to the Lower Connecticut Valley region’s natural hazard mitigation plan. Notices will be posted at rivercog.org on its natural hazard mitigation plan page at rivercog.org/plans/natural-hazard-mitigation-plan.

Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center
Science is the Attraction!
The Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center (RTPEC) protects wildlife, restores ecosystems, and promotes sustainable practices. From field research and habitat monitoring to data-driven recovery plans, its team works with scientists, policymakers, and local communities to turn knowledge into action. Whether tracking endangered species, studying extreme weather impacts, or developing tools for biodiversity protection, science is the attraction—and the foundation of lasting conservation solutions.

But science doesn’t stop in the field—it comes alive through people. RTPEC invites community members, students, and families to experience conservation firsthand. From shorebird walks to school programs, RTPEC’s work connects people to the estuary and inspires stewardship. Together, we can ensure healthier waterways, thriving wildlife, and a resilient future for generations to come. Explore upcoming opportunities to get involved at ctaudubon.org/rtp-programs-events.

Connecticut River Conservancy
Currents at the Conservancy Live Stream
As another year of restoration and advocacy for clean water, healthy habitats, and resilient communities throughout the watershed concludes, the Connecticut River Conservancy invites you to join an environmental impact live stream and other winter events both virtually and in-person. December’s Currents at the Conservancy Live Stream is a popular virtual event that brings program staff together to share their accomplishments from 2025, including restoration projects (such as dam removals, floodplain forests, and tree-planting); advocacy and policy updates; aquatic invasive species; migratory fish; river cleanups; water quality monitoring; and more. It’s a great opportunity to better understand the hands-on work of protecting our rivers and to ask questions of the people leading these initiatives. Find out more and RSVP to this and other free events at ctriver.org/events.

Connecticut River Salmon Association
48th Annual Dinner & Fundraiser
Join Connecticut River Salmon Association (CRSA) Saturday, January 24, 2026, to honor the memory of John Swan, one of the most accomplished artists of his generation! Additionally, join them in welcoming its 2026 President’s Award recipient and Guest speaker Brad Burns, US President of the Miramichi Salmon Association. Your attendance will also support CRSA’s Salmon-in-Schools program and its mission to educate and advocate for the migratory fish of the Connecticut River watershed. Visit ctriversalmon.org to receive an invitation and lend your support.

As you read this, the 2025/2026 Salmon in Schools program is well underway and is celebrating 30 Years! Registration is complete, orientation has been held, and teachers are preparing their tanks, testing their chillers, and introducing their students to the life cycle of a migratory species. This all leads up to the much-anticipated delivery of eyed salmon eggs in early January. Another year exploring the ecosystem of migratory fish with our dedicated teachers and inspired students has begun! Visit ctriversalmon.org to learn more.

Connecticut Land Conservation Council
42nd Annual Conference
You’re invited to the 2026 CT Land Conservation Conference! Join Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC) and 600+ of your closest friends and allies for Connecticut’s premier land conservation gathering. The 42nd annual conference will take place on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut.

Participants can look forward to informative workshops led by experts from across the land conservation landscape. Dive deep into discussions, learn from your peers, make new connections, and contribute to the ever-evolving dialogue about preserving Connecticut’s natural beauty. Whether you’re interested in protecting biodiversity and wildlife, land stewardship for climate resilience, community-centered conservation, accessing funding and technical assistance, or just want to spend time with great people, there’s something for everyone.

Discover more about the conference, connect with CLCC, and find your local land trust by visiting
linktr.ee/CT_Conservation.

Great Meadows Conservation Trust
Explore the Great Meadows of the Connecticut River
The Great Meadows Conservation Trust (GMCT) owns 54 parcels scattered throughout 4,500 acres of the Great Meadows of the Connecticut River floodplain in the towns of Glastonbury, Rocky Hill, and Wethersfield. Driving on I-91 one can see this vast open space and perhaps wonder what it is like over there and how can one visit it?

Most GMCT parcels were acquired for strategic protection against inappropriate development and lack publicly accessible hiking trails. Anyone interested in seeing these normally inaccessible GMCT parcels up close and learning more about them can come to GMCT’s Brisk Winter Walks that occur every year beginning January 1. Winter conditions often allow access to areas not easily accessible unless the ground is frozen. All are welcome to attend. It is a great way to explore this most vast area of Connecticut River floodplain. For details and a Winter Walk Schedule, visit gmct.org or its Facebook page.

The Norcross Wildlife Foundation
Explore, Learn, Experience
The Norcross Wildlife Foundation, 30 Peck Road, Wales, Massachusetts, invites you to step into nature and explore its two and a half miles of trails winding through the heart of its 8,352 acres of conserved land along the Massachusetts and Connecticut state border. Enjoy a free program, tour, or hike, including its upcoming winter lecture series.

The foundation’s mission is to protect, restore, and enhance habitats that support the greatest diversity of wildlife in all its forms, tailored specifically to its unique eco-region. Through environmental education, scientific research, and community-driven knowledge, the foundation aims to foster a deeper understanding and respect for the natural world.

Come explore, learn, and experience how conservation in action helps both people and wildlife thrive. For details, visit norcrosswildlife.org,
and follow on Facebook and Instagram at @NorcrossWildlifeFoundation.

Save the Sound
Become an Advocate
Save the Sound leads on environmental action across Connecticut and the whole Long Island Sound region—and you can be a part of it.

Protecting clean air, drinking water, and a vibrant sound means activating political support for policies that keep people and wildlife safe and healthy. That’s why you’ll find Save the Sound advocating for you and your environment in local town halls, in Hartford and Albany, and in the halls of Congress.

This fall and winter, Save the Sound is meeting with partners and carefully evaluating the best ways to shape policy in the 2026 Connecticut legislative session—policy to protect us from water pollution, shape a healthier climate, and safeguard our environment rights.

The next step? YOU. Using your voice to demand action from your state legislators is one of the most effective ways to make a difference.

Visit SaveTheSound.org/advocacy for Save the Sound’s latest policy priorities and how you can act.

Lyme Land Trust
Become Star Struck
The Lyme Land Trust (LLT) has something for everyone! Tuesday Treks led by staff and board members at a different preserve every week are for all ages; Wednesday Walks with Wendy are for Seniors; and Family Trail Time with Tori are for families with small children.

Monthly Astronomy sessions offer the opportunity to view the dark skies of Lyme at a private observatory. LLT offers a wide variety of presentations and expert-led hikes throughout the winter season. Visit lymelandtrust.org to learn more and sign up!

The Rockfall Foundation
Annual Symposium, Scholarship, and More
The Rockfall Foundation invites high school seniors from the Lower Connecticut River Valley (LCRV) to apply for the Virginia R. Rollefson Environmental Leadership Scholarship. This $1,000 scholarship recognizes a student who carries out a program, project, or activity that benefits preservation, conservation, restoration, or environmental education in the LCRV. Learn more and apply by March 2026 at rockfallfoundation.org/programs/vrrscholarship/.

Mark your calendar for Rockfall’s Annual Symposium in late winter to explore the connections between birds and climate change. And save the date for Oysters at the Point, May 3, 2026, at Saybrook Point Resort and Marina—an evening celebrating local conservation and community. Proceeds support Rockfall’s environmental grants program. Visit rockfallfoundation.org for updates.