In 1994, Congress designated the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley a National Heritage Corridor, recognizing the region as a unique national resource. In 1999, they enlarged the Corridor to include towns in both Massachusetts and Connecticut, now numbering 35 in all. This area of northeastern Connecticut and south-central Massachusetts is often called “The Last Green Valley” because at night, when viewed from satellites or aircraft, the region appears distinctively dark amid the urban and suburban glow of the Boston-Washington corridor.

For many years now, The Last Green Valley conservation organization has sponsored a series of events during the month of October which highlight the natural and historical treasures of the Quinebaug-Shetucket River corridor. “Walktober,” which includes guided walks, rides and paddles, is now in its 18th year and has something for everyone.

I don’t participate in the October events every year, but I decided that I wanted to do something this year and picked a hike in Union, Connecticut, a 45-minute drive from my house, that was scheduled from 2-4 pm this afternoon. According to the brochure,

Lost Pond Preserve possesses significant plant communities, wetland habits, and interesting local lore. The Nature Conservancy’s Quinebaug Highlands Landscape director Holly Drinkuth and Ralph and Cecilia Otto, donors of the preserve, lead a moderate 2-hr walk exploring the forest and freshwater habitats of the region.

At least 50 people showed up, which I think was more than the walk leaders expected, so we split into two groups. Holly led my group, while Ralph Otto led the other.

Lost Pond is spring-fed, a natural body of water filling a depression formed by a retreating glacier. It’s estimated to be about 40 feet deep at the center; if I am remembering the story correctly, it derived its name because many years ago, a team of horses which was harvesting ice slipped and fell through and were lost in the depths.

The Preserve includes wetlands such as this bog; the soil here is acidic, unlike the sweeter alkaline soils in the Taconic Highlands in western Connecticut and the Berkshires.

The hemlock forest here is healthy.

Here is another view of the Pond, looking through the forest.

Across Route 171 is the most recently acquired parcel of land, which includes this meadow.

Here you can see yet another stone wall running through the woods, an indication that this land was heavily farmed in the colonial era and into the nineteenth century, before reverting back to forest. Because the ground is rocky and the soil thin, farmers in this area probably raised sheep and kept dairy cows instead of trying to grow crops such as corn or wheat. The early settlers also logged extensively, although by the early twentieth century most of the forest cover had grown back. However, the hurricane of 1938 devastated this area, which is why the forest you see today is comprised of relatively young trees.

According to the Nature Conservancy of Connecticut, the protected parcels of land in the Quinebaug Highlands altogether comprise a 34,000-acre forest block stretching across four towns in Connecticut (Ashford, Eastford, Union, and Woodstock) and two in Massachusetts (Southbridge and Sturbridge). To put this number in perspective, consider that many scientists believe that a working natural landscape ought to include a minimum of 10,000 contiguous, undeveloped acres in order to withstand various environmental changes.

I, for one, am grateful that individuals like the Ottos and conservation organizations like TNC have made land protection a top priority.