WLCT’s week of thanks features individuals, community members, and more who make our work possible. Each year we highlight just some of the many people who strive to preserve the best of Westport!
WLCT would like to thank Wendy and Jeff for all they do for WLCT! One of the coolest projects they helped with was the recycling of non-native spruce WLCT removed from Westport Woods. Jeff milled the wood to be used for trail planks, new benches on trails and in the children’s discovery garden, and much more.
What is your connection to WLCT and the world of conservation? We have been members of WLCT for years and assist with caretaking the Wertz parcel off of Drift Road. Wendy joined the WLCT Stewardship Committee 3 years ago. Jeff has volunteered tractor work prior to WLCT obtaining their own Kubota and is always willing to share his Kubota experience, having maintained his own equipment. Jeff recently used his band sawmill to mill the non native spruce trees, culled from Westport Woods, into the lumber used in many of the recent WLCT construction projects. How long have you been involved in WLCT? We have supported WLCT for over 35 years, with a growing appreciation of all they have accomplished and continue to be focused on. What are your favorite things about WLCT and Westport in general? We were attracted to Westport for its working farms, the river, its harbor and the comfort of an unpretentious small town. WLCT’s ongoing efforts to preserve and maintain valuable farmland and open spaces, with a growing effort to focus the preservation efforts to maintain contiguous open space corridors are why we support the organization. Future plans in working in conservation? We have conveyed a parcel of land comprising over 80% of the watershed of Lyons Brook, one of Westport’s native salter brook trout streams, to conservation, which we continue to steward. We have also placed a conservation easement on a portion of our remaining property further protecting the Lyons Brook and Westport River watershed. We hope to continue helping with WLCT projects in the future including stewardship of the Wertz parcel. |