“Preserving and conserving the special and unique characteristics of Colebrook…”
Welcome to The Colebrook Land Conservancy
The CLC was formed to preserve the rural character of Colebrook, CT, by protecting open space. The town’s most important scenic areas were identified several years ago in a Town Character Study & Open Space Plan commissioned by The Colebrook Land Conservancy and Colebrook Inland Wetlands Agency and carried out by professional planners.
Scenic New Trail in Colebrook
You’re invited to take a hike on the Colebrook Land Conservancy’s new Sandy Brook Trail in North Colebrook. Located on the Colebrook Land Conservancy’s Sandy Brook Forest Preserve in North Colebrook, the Sandy Brook Trail is a 1.5 mile long loop trail where elevation rises from about 1050 feet to about 1150 feet. The trail is categorized as a medium level of difficulty. Trail guides are available at the trailhead, which is on Beech Hill Road on the left just after the bridge when you turn from Sandy Brook Road. Park in the grassy area off the road.
For more information, photos, and a trail map >>
CLC’s Earth Day 2024 Book Donation
In honor of Earth Day 2024, the Colebrook Land Conservancy
is pleased to announce its annual book donation
to the Colebrook School library. more >>
Recent Events
Pollinator Pathways
Creating a Backyard Habitat for Pollinators
Sunday, March 17th at 4:30 P.M.
in the Colebrook Town Hall Meeting Room
Presented by John Markelon: President of the Litchfield Land Trust
We invite you to join the Colebrook Land Conservancy for a presentation at the Colebrook Town Hall with guest speaker, John Markelon, on Sunday, March 17th at 4:30 p.m. John will give us tips on how to create backyard habitats and help pollinators.
“Skygazing” at Norbrook Brewery
With special guest Carol B. Ivers, CCSU Planetarium Director Saturday, October 21st, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Please join the Colebrook Land Conservancy for a lively presentation by special guest Carol B. Ivers, Central Connecticut State University Planetarium Director, which will begin in the tent next to Norbrook Brewery, followed by skygazing outside, weather permitting.
October 21st is International Observe the Moon Night…
The Fabulous Life of Honey Bees
Presented by Catherine Wolko
Sunday, September 17th, at 4:00 p.m. | The Colebrook Town Hall
Join the Colebrook Land Conservancy for a presentation about honey bees with Catherine Wolko, a full-time, second-generation beekeeper and owner of The Humble Bee Honey Company and the Hive @ The Pin in Oakville, CT.
Your Photos & Wildlife Videos
The Covelli Family Hikes the Deer Hill Trail
We are so thankful to have such a fun trail right by our house. We live on Colebrook River Road and my teenage son has hiked that mountain many times up the rock scramble side. That would be a little too hard for myself and my grandchildren but now we have a way up! We were a afraid my little grandchildren wouldn’t be able to make it up but they did great. We really enjoyed climbing up the rope at the top! Thank you so much to the Colebrook Land Conservancy for all the hard work making these trails possible for all of us to enjoy our beautiful woods. We have now been on 2 of the trails and hope to do the third this weekend.
Thanks so much, Michele Covelli & Family
Wildlife
Common loons can be found on northern ponds and lakes. Their backs are black-and-white checkered in summer, gray in the fall. Loons are great swimming and diving birds, known for their distinctive, often eerie calls, including the wail, hoot, yodel and tremolo.
Click to listen to the call of common loons swimming in a local pond in this video shot by Robert (Bobby) Nyul (July 2019).
Black bears are on the rise in Connecticut with over 8,300 sightings reported between July 2018 and July 2019. You can report bear sightings to the CT Dept. Energy and Environmental Protection Wildlife Division at 860-424-3011 or call DEEP’s 24-hour hotline at 860-424-3333 for immediate assistance. Click to see a video of a black bear shot by Janice P. Nimura on Sandybrook Road in Colebrook (July 2019).
Early in its life a fawn is devoid of scent.
A mother deer will leave her fawn on its own for a few days for fear her own scent will attract predators. This little one was in our back field foraging when I looked up to see it staring me down from about 6 feet away.
You needn’t look far in this town to be nuzzled by mother nature.
Click to watch this video, taken by F. Thompson on Colebrook River Road in Robertsville (2018).
Blue Heron
This beautiful creature alighted 60′ up in a massive Eastern White Pine in the front yard. It sat there for about 20 minutes before gracefully gliding to the ground next to the brook where this video was taken.
Click (right or below) to watch the video, taken by F. Thompson on Colebrook River Road in Robertsville 06 June, 2021.
Barred Owl
Barred Owls are quite widespread in CT. They are strongly territorial and mate for life. Although they are often heard at night, they are known to be crepuscular, which means they are mainly active at dawn and dusk. They can also be seen during the day. They tend to nest in the large tree cavities found in cedar, fir, pine and spruce forests, or in wooded swamps. They have a distinctive call which many say sounds like “who cooks for you.”
Dark-eyed, with a scaled breast and striped belly, the Barred Owl is nearly as large as the Great Horned Owl but with different markings and no ear-tufts. The Great Horned Owl is much more aggressive, and will prey upon other owls if the opportunity arises. As a result, Barred Owls tend to avoid areas with resident Great Horned Owls.
Only a few other North American owl species have dark eyes: the closely related Spotted Owl, the tiny Flammulated Owl of western pine forests, and the widespread Barn Owl.
Click to see a video of a barred owl taken by Chris Sinclair at Bartholomew’s Cobble, not far from Colebrook. If you listen carefully, you can hear the sounds of the forest. (June 2022).
You can help us keep the country in Colebrook!
Hikers Welcome
The Hale, Rockwell and Deer Hill Trails right here in Colebrook await your exploration. Join our email list to watch for notice of guided hikes, offered periodically, where you’ll learn about trees, wildlife, vegetation and local ecosystems. Read about the trails >>
Tax Deductible Donations
Tax deductible donations
may be made payable to:
The Colebrook Land Conservancy
Post Office Box 90
Colebrook, CT 06021
or donate online:
Donations will be acknowledged
with appropriate tax-compliant
documentation. We thank you
in advance for your generosity.
Board of Trustees,
The Colebrook Land Conservancy
Your Photos & Videos Wanted
We’re looking for your photos/videos featuring the natural beauty of Colebrook to post on this site. (Vistas. Trees. Wildlife. Sunsets. Wild Flowers. Ponds. Starry Nights, Hikes. Fields. Mountains. Sunrises. Rivers. Weather, Rocks. Changing Seasons… and more) Go to Membership/Support >>
The Colebrook Land Conservancy
Post Office Box 90
Colebrook, Connecticut 06021
info@colebrooklandconservancy.org
Our Mission
Preserve and conserve the special and unique characteristics of Colebrook—rural, historic and scenic—using accepted land conservation techniques and education in cooperation with the Town, the community and other groups.