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 and connect our community to Westport’s natural beauty. Today we are spotlighting Clem Desjardins for his dedication to trees.
In the spring of 2023, WLCT planted hundreds of nut tree plugs at Herb Hadfield Conservation Area off Cornell Road. We could not have undertaken this enormous task without Clem Desjardins keeping an active eye on the saplings!
An arborist by training, Clem sees the nut tree plantings as an effort to establish species diversity in the HHCA. Nut trees make up a substantial portion of our native mid-level trees and this initiative restored many species to the property.
Clem and Linda’s home abuts HHCA and Clem takes an active role in maintaining the Cornell Road entrance, so that he and everyone else can enjoy the remarkable conservation area.
People come here from great distances to fish, hunt, birdwatch, and simply to enjoy this small but special landscape. I’m so glad that they do, and hope they will continue to wander these woods and streams as I do now and have done for so many years. I can’t tell you how many interesting conversations I’ve had with visitors to the HHCA, and I look forward to more in the coming years.
Clem Desjardins
Thank you, Clem! The habitat at Herb Hadfield, and throughout Westport, is richer thanks to you!