2022 Winners


The Diana Atwood Johnson Photo Contest

Congratulations 2022 Winners

The Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC) in partnership with the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) are pleased to announce the winners of The Diana Atwood Johnson Photo Contest.

A huge thank you to our judges for their time to look at each photo! We would also like to thank the many people who submitted a photo for consideration.

Contest Details

Both amateur and professional photographers are welcome to submit photos. All photos must feature a property from the Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition (OSWA) Grant Program.

Diana Atwood Johnson

The Diana Atwood Johnson Photo Contest is named in honor of Diana Atwood Johnson, an avid birder and accomplished amateur bird photographer.

Overall Winner — "Best in Show"

Libby Lord Hummingbird Hilltop Farm 1

Hummingbird Garden Attraction

Libby Lord

Hilltop Farm, protected by the Town of Suffield and the Friends of the Farm at Hilltop

This photo was taken in Libby Lord's garden at Hilltop Farm in Suffield.

"When I plan my garden, I make sure to include lots of flowers to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. There's a method to my madness... look who comes to visit when I do!"

Wildlife Winners

Libby Lord Indigo Bunting Hilltop 1

Taking in the Sun(flower)

Libby Lord

Hilltop Farm, protected by the Town of Suffield and the Friends of the Farm at Hilltop

"The gardens at Hilltop sometimes attract some unexpected visitors. That's what happened when I looked up to see this vibrant Indigo Bunting perched on the sunflowers taking in the sunshine one afternoon! What wonderful surprises nature has in store for us if we just look around."

Lisa Adriani Frenchs Hill Shelton 1

Jeweled Treasures in Nature

Lisa Adriani

White Trail at French's Hill, protected by the Town of Shelton

"I saw the Green Frog when I was about to cross a seasonal stream. I was drawn to its eyes which reminded me of gold. I crouched down so that could capture the frog at a low angle while managing to avoid too much reflection so I could still see its body. The eye in this picture is a jewel and this moment was a reminder to me that our creatures are treasures."

Lindsay Pettinicchi Smiling Baby Fox Hollister Preserve And Whitehouse Family Nature Preserve An

Appreciating Their Natural Environment

Lindsay Pettinicchi

Hollister Preserve and Whitehouse Family Nature Preserve and Bogdan Parcel, protected by Kongscut Land Trust

"Lindsay Pettinicchi came across this beautiful red fox while going for a walk on the Hollister Preserve and Whitehouse Family Nature Preserve and Bogdan Parcel, Kongscut Land Trust, in Glastonbury, CT. She took out her camera to get its picture very quickly before it ran into the woods (It was taken off of the Tall Timbers Road trail entrance where Smith Brook flows through the trail). Finding a good picture always makes her smile when she encounters it. She has developed an appreciation for wildlife and all of her wonderful adventures taking photos reminds her of how important it is to take time to relax and discover things. With photography, she takes time to appreciate nature’s beauty and captures it in its natural environment."

Connecticut Landscapes/Waterscapes/Wildlands

Meg Aldrich Touched By A Leprechaun By Aldrich Laurel Hill Simsb Blfld Image 1

Touched by a Leprechaun

Meg Aldrich

Laurel Hill, protected by the Town of Simsbury

"The green in the photo was so beautiful that it appeared to have been painted by a leprechaun."

With financial assistance from the OSWA grant program, the town of Simsbury protected Laurel Hill Property. This 50+/- property, on the northerly portion of Talcott Mountain Ridge, is within the Talcott Mountain Greenbelt (640+ acres) and part of the Metacomet Trail corridor. It contains rocky outcrops, upland wetlands, forest, and portions are Level A/B Aquifer Protection Areas for the Tariffville Water District's well field. It is a primary Habitat Area containing 5 imperiled communities on the DEEP Natural Diversity Database Map and the Farmington Valley Biodiversity Project Map. This property protects multiple valuable resources for recreation, forestry and wildlife habitat in addition to protecting spectacular vistas of the Farmington Valley. (Source:  CT DEP Press Narrative for Summer 2007 OSWA Grant Recipients)

Niki Maskaitis River Trail Fisher Dairy Farm Farmington River 2

Spiritual Spark in the Air

Niki Maskaitis

Farmington River at Fisher Farm, protected by the Town Avon

"On a grey and rainy early evening of New Year's Day of this year, though not terribly cold, I decided to walk alone along my favorite river to mark the beginning of the New Year. The walk along the trail that cuts between Fisher dairy farm and the Farmington River was quiet and blissful, and when the fog came off the water I couldn't help but feel a spiritual spark in the air."

Russell Caron Gateway Airline Trail

View from an Old Beaver Den

Russell Caron

Gateway to the Airline Trail, protected by the Colchester Land Trust

Walking along and admiring an "Old beaver den."

This property borders Salmon River State Forest and the Airline Trail State Park greenway. This 18-acre forested parcel contains brooks and waterfalls, making it a great spot to spend an afternoon.

Urban Community Garden

Growing kale at an urban community garden

Growing an Abundance of Kale

Eliza Caldwell

220 English Street Garden, protected by Gather New Haven

Gather New Haven manages the English Street Garden, which grows an abundance of beautiful flowers and delicious food such as this bountiful lacinto kale. This garden also hosts the Incubator Garden Program, "...an innovative joint venture between [their] Farm-Based Wellness program and the community gardens." Participants in this program have the opportunity to cultivate their own garden plot while sharing knowledge and fostering a sense of community.

People

People working at an urban community garden

Working Together in the Community

Eliza Caldwell

220 English Street Garden, protected by Gather New Haven

Gather New Haven manages the English Street Garden, which grows an abundance of beautiful flowers and delicious food. This garden also hosts the Incubator Garden Program, "...an innovative joint venture between [their] Farm-Based Wellness program and the community gardens." Participants in this program have the opportunity to cultivate their own garden plot while sharing knowledge and fostering a sense of community.

Honorable Mention

Elanah Sherman Tobacco Leaf Meadowood Simsbury

Portrait: Tobacco Leaf

Elanah Sherman

Meadowood, protected by the Town of Simsbury and The Trust for Public Land

"I took this photograph during a tour of the property sponsored by Trust for Public Land (CT). The tour occurred shortly before finalization of the contracts. Sometimes, the particular encapsulates a universe of meaning. To me, this dried leaf hung on the interior wall of a deteriorating barn communicates age, purpose, and the struggle of endurance. The tiny spots of white are holes through which light casts some illumination. Preservation is always, always illuminating."