Nancy Watson-Symington Woodlands Tour Guide
By Justin Podlesak, 2014 New Canaan Land Trust Summer Intern
“Come to the woods, for here is rest.” - John Muir
Welcome to the Nancy Watson-Symington Woodlands!
Protected by the New Canaan Land Trust, this 47-acre woodland sanctuary offers approximately 1.5 miles of
beautiful nature trails for the enjoyment of local residents and visitors. This magnificent preserve was donated
in 1996 by Nancy Watson-Symington, wife of the late Arthur K. Watson and late Senator Stuart Symington of
New Canaan, to be “preserved in perpetuity in its wild and natural state.” It is one of the many jewels that make
up the 365 acres of New Canaan Land Trust protected open spaces. In addition to being the largest of the land
trust preserves, the Watson-Symington woodland is also the oldest. Take a look around and notice the majestic
trees -- some of the largest in New Canaan’s local preserves due to the extensive amount of time they have been
granted the freedom to grow.
“In wilderness is the preservation of the world.” - Thoreau
Begin Your Nature Walk
“An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” - Thoreau
“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” - John Muir
Enter the Watson-Symington Woodlands through the Land Trust gate on Wellesley Drive. Refer to the trail map
(on back page) that illustrates the 1.5 miles of open trails numbered 1 though 6 identified by trail markers at
each intersection. You can complete the walk at a leisurely pace in about 30-45 minutes. In the course of your
walk, keep an eye out for a stone dam with pond, small waterfall near the center of the preserve, historic apple
and pear orchard, a massive mound of field rocks cleared from the area’s farmlands many years ago, as well as
glacial erratics at various locations, a fern meadow, as well as a pine grove, where you will suddenly find you
are walking on a cushion of pine needles.
Trees, Plants and Invasives
“The wonder is that we can see these trees and not wonder more.” - Emerson
“Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world.” - John Muir
As you walk, be sure to look up! Notice the height of some of the trees that have been standing for centuries.
In colonial times, trees that were particularly tall and straight would be marked with an “x” to be designated for
the production of a ship’s mast. (Tulip trees and white pines were particularly favored by shipwrights.) If you
challenge yourself to find the tallest, straightest tree, you will be in awe of the sheer magnificence and stature of
the oldest trees you pass along the trails. So enjoy the wonders of above!
Many of the trees that are indigenous to Connecticut can be seen throughout the preserve, including Red, White
and Pin oak, White Ash, White Pine, Yellow Birch, Shagbark Hickory, American Beech, Red Cedar, Mountain
Laurel, various conifers and sugar maples, to name a few. Unfortunately, you can also see the many invasive
plants that are threatening the health of much of the woodlands, including Japanese Barberry, Winged
Euonymus, Multiflora Rose, Bittersweet Vine, Wineberry and Garlic Mustard. Poison ivy can be easily spotted
by its distinctive three-leaf structure. (Be sure to watch out for those furry vines wrapping around trees -“Hairy
is Scary”!) In the spring it is easy to see the invasive wild Wineberry bushes taking over the open areas. (Try a
wineberry! They are edible and delicious when ripe.)
“Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth.” - Herman Hesse
Birds & Wildlife
“I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I
felt that I was more distinguished by the circumstance than I should have been by any epaulet I could have
worn.” – Thoreau
There is a rich wildlife among these woodlands, although you may not be fortunate enough to spot the
inhabitants on a single short walk. You may run across an occasional deer, but most likely will never catch a
glimpse of the fox or coyotes that have been known to build their dens in hidden corners of the woodlands. In
the Spring, however, you will not be able to miss the constant background noise of the “peepers” who inhabit
the woodland watersources. Look out for an occasional salamander or a snake that might be basking on a sunny
rock.
Make a point of noticing the variety of birds that love to call these woods their home. If you explore these
woods often enough, over time you will be able to spot robins, bluebirds, nuthatches, chickadees, tufted
titmouses, cardinals, swallows, sparrows, finches, and mourning doves, as well as the less common scarlet
tanager and worm-eating warbler. Soaring above the highest branches are the red-tailed hawks, often circling in
pairs. Just before dusk you may glimpse an occasional small bat, and on an evening walk you may be able to
hear the hoot of a barned owl.
Rocks, Streams & Structures
At the start of your walk you will pass by a stone-lined stream with a small dam that may be almost dry in
August, but that will gush at full force when the Spring rains arrive. You will also pass two areas that have
natural rock piles – one glacial erratic on the right side of a hill halfway through the course, and near the trail’s
end, a stockpile of fieldstones (sometimes referred to as “Connecticut potatoes”) cleared from old farmlands.
Many of the larger boulders taken from the earth were used to build the numerous stone walls that meander
throughout the preserve and surrounding properties. (Robert Frost’s famous poem “Mending Wall” reminds us
to ask, “Before I built a wall I’d ask to know/What I was walling in or walling out,/And to whom I was like to
give offense.”) While most stone walls marked pasture boundaries, some were more architectural, like the
particularly fine stone wall with heavy capstones near the orchard.
At about the halfway point you may notice Native American-style shelters made of tree branches, set around a
firepit. There is a particularly fine overview from the top of the nearby ledge.
Towards the top of the central trail hill, a wonderfully preserved apple and pear orchard flourishes just beyond
the woodland boundaries. You can still see the old stone archway that frames the woodlands from the viewpoint
of the estate house. A white pine grove stands along the same view-line, just at the woodlands’ edge, likely
planted as an ornamental grove framed by the arch. Not far beyond, grapevines grow wild.
Experience the Woodlands with the Changing Seasons
“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the
influence of the earth.” – Thoreau
Come back and enjoy these woodlands in all their glory as each season gives way to the next. Return to
experience the changing foliage as Fall progresses. See the vistas open up as Winter strips the trees of their
leaves and snow covers the open trails. Winter is the best time to see trees as individuals. Watch the woodlands
return to life as Spring arrives and the peepers fill the woodlands once again with their calls.
“Take long walks in stormy weather or through deep snows in the fields and woods, if you would keep your
spirits up. Deal with brute nature. Be cold and hungry and weary.” – Thoreau
Protecting our Open Spaces
As you finish your walk, consider how wonderful it is to have these pristine woodlands preserved for all to
enjoy. It takes a concerted effort of people who value open space to preserve and protect the remaining jewels
in our own backyard of New Canaan. Our common love of nature may start in our own backyard, yet it
ultimately reflects upon how we view our planet as a whole. Whether we are aware of it or not, everyone has a
love of nature somewhere inside of them. These open spaces are for the enjoyment of all, thanks to the
generosity of a few.
“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really
going in.” – John Muir
“The Fallen Trees” by Justin Podlesak
The fallen trees scatter the woods.
The trees that are still standing simply look down upon them
As lesser beings.
But long ago, the fallen trees once stood
High off the ground
Towering over the soft dirt of the earth.
The fallen are no less, and no greater,
Than the standing.
They are simply the ones that could not keep standing.
As they begin to decay,
So does the rest of their tree generation.
They die together.
They become one with the dirt,
Creating new soil for the next generation.
Their seeds sink into the ground
Along with the rest of the trunk and branches,
Soon sprouting new life,
A new beginning, a new chance to shine.
The saplings grow tall and strong.
They blossom with their own unique figure.
Some are taller than others, some thicker.
No two are exactly alike.
So, too, are we born, and will eventually die.
Making the most of our time on the earth is important,
Doing our best to make a change
For the betterment of life’s forest,
Before we fail, before we are cut down,
When it will be our time
To make a new seed blossom.
Nancy Watson-Symington (1918 - 2012)
~ Photo courtesy of Kitt Watson
New Canaan Land Trust was founded in 1967 by Jack Gunther and a group of leading citizens to preserve open space, wildlife
sanctuaries and the scenic beauty of New Canaan. Today, the Land Trust protects 365 acres, including stewardship of 56 acres
formerly held by the New Canaan Audubon Society. For more information, go to www.newcanaanlandtrust.org.