Grass Island, and a Resolution

First, the resolution: I want to get better at broadening my natural history practice beyond identification, so I resolve to a) start journaling about my excursions, b) get at least one landscape shot per trip that shows something about the ecosystem / landscape and not just the individual organisms, and c) record and answer the questions which always pop up, either ones that I ask myself or that others ask me and I can't answer.

Since I just made these resolutions up just now, I was not able to apply them all this afternoon at Grass Island in Guilford, CT, where the fam and I went for a short stroll... or rather everyone else strolled while I slowly puttered and looked at birds and shells. No landscape shot, but I will say that anyone visiting this cool little spot by the mouth of the East River should ignore the stupid sign that says no public access. According to the Guilford Town Website, this beach is administered by the town and there is access for walking, fishing, clamming, etc., and I assume that sign was just put there by a mean-spirited resident trying to keep people off their lawn, but also off the beach.

A question did pop into my mind: how did this beautiful patch of sand and mud flats become public property? From a Californian perspective, one of the most striking aspect of the northeastern seaside is how developed and privatized it is, so I often wonder how little access points like this became accessible to those of us who can't afford to buy a beach. Anyway, this one wasn't too hard to answer: if we trust this old Courant article, the land was donated to the town by the Munroe family in 1963. I've no idea who the Munroes were (are?) or why they donated the land, but power to 'em.

Posted on 01 January, 2017 23:30 by kueda