News
On Saturday, May 2nd, Connecticut Land Conservation Council, Flanders Land Trust and Nature Center, and Middlebury Land Trust hosted a Bird and Hike event for the Afro-Caribbean Cultural Center’s Black and Taino Youth Leadership Council. Additional co-leads included Reginald Saint Fort Colin from Sovereign Land Trust, along with Amy Hernandez and Cristian Alvarado from Latino Outdoors. The event was part of a series of hikes designed to engage Waterbury residents with their local greenspaces and was made possible by a grant from the Connecticut Community Foundation.
Thirteen middle schoolers visited Middlebury Land Trust’s Sperry Preserve and hiked a one-mile trail through forest and wetland habitats. In the forest, the youth encountered Witch Hazel—prompting one to exclaim, “My mom uses that on her face!”. The students were surprised to learn that Witch Hazel is a native plant that grows abundantly in Connecticut. As we continued, we met two MLT volunteers who had just finished sawing a recently fallen birch tree, and we pointed out the sweet scent of birch sap lingering in the air.
Once we reached the wetland, we saw Geese, Mallard Ducks, and many busy Red-Winged Blackbirds. We also found a patch of Wintergreen that the youth were eager to taste. “Mmm, this tastes just like the gum,” one of them remarked. They were less enthusiastic about smelling Skunk Cabbage, preferring to avoid firsthand experience with how the plant earned its name.
Although we originally planned to have a lunch discussion at the Sperry Preserve, light rain led us to adjust our plans. We enjoyed a quick lunch at the preserve before traveling together to the North End Recreation Center in Waterbury, where the Black and Taino Youth Leadership Team usually meets. Despite being just ten minutes apart, neither group had previously visited the other’s space. This exchange offered a meaningful opportunity for reciprocity: the youth explored the unfamiliar greenspace of the Sperry Preserve, while land trust staff and volunteers experienced the urban environment of the North End Rec Center.
Rafael Feliciano-Romano, CEO and Founder of the Afro-Caribbean Cultural Center, led a discussion on the relationship between Caribbean people and nature. He explained how colonization and immigration have shaped the connection Caribbean Americans have with the natural world. However, days like this serve as important steps toward rebuilding that connection. When everyone shared their highlights from the day, a common theme emerged: being in nature together—especially with other people of color—was the most meaningful part of the experience.
Most of the youth expressed interest in returning to the Sperry Preserve, and the Middlebury Land Trust looks forward to welcoming the Afro-Caribbean Cultural Center’s Black and Taino Youth Leadership Council for another hike this summer.
