Schaefer Property, Bloomfield

Donated December 2001, 48 acres, Parcel 1 and 2 at 91 Duncaster Road
The largest property held by the WLT, this preserve is rich with diversity. This property offers a mix of rolling terrain with hardwood forests, seasonal wetland, and small ponds in the lowland pockets. Most of the property is dense forest and thick brush, creating ideal habitat for upland game such as beaver, bobcat, wild turkey, fox, and deer. This property is also unique because it forms part of the Bloomfield Divide between the ‘Park River Basin’ flowing to the south and the’ Farmington River Basin’ that flows to the north. The lowland sections of this parcel also contribute to the ‘Great Drain’ wetlands.

Merritt Preserve,Bloomfield

Donated November 1995 by Mr. And Mrs. Robert Merritt. A 3 acre wetland preserve with outflow from seasonal waterfall on Tariffville Road.

This property features an aggressively flowing stream and bubbling waterfall year- round and can be easily viewed along Tariffville road. However, in the spring this stream becomes a raging waterfall that empties into a small pond on the property. The source of all this energy is the expansive wetland along the base of Penwood Ridge, commonly called the ‘Great Drain’. This wetland / swamp actually flows north into the Farmington river basin via many streams; the Merritt pond outflows under Tarriffville Rd. and into the Farmington river near the Tariffville Gorge. We believe this water feature is the only permanent waterfall in Bloomfield not associated with seasonal flows from the Avon/Penwood Ridge. Dale Bertoldi