Hi! Dan, GOSA President, here with a late summer update on GOSA activities and accomplishments. Our Board of Directors, Committees, and Volunteers are doing amazing things, and it is a pleasure to share these updates with you.
Our Community Outreach Committee hosted numerous hikes for Groton Public Schools elementary schoolchildren again this year as part of the GOGROTON partnership. We made a tremendous impact on students, teachers, staff, and families by getting children outside for an important and rewarding experience. We are proud of our accomplishments which included fifteen guided hikes on GOSA properties resulting in 662 schoolchildren learning the benefits of being in nature. Imagine a child seeing a stream in the woods filled with sights and sounds for the first time, or touching moss, seeing a turtle or snake! Can you hear their shrieks of excitement? We gave them an adventure with each outing. Our connections with teachers and administrators made the fieldtrip process smooth, and we look forward to more success in the coming school year.
GOSA also hosted 5 weekly hikes with children from Groton’s Park and Recreation summer Discover camp program. The hikes provided children ages 5-12 with opportunities to explore, learn about, and enjoy being immersed in nature. Hikes were held on GOSA’s Avery Farm Nature Preserve, Candlewood Ridge, Sheep Farm, and The Merritt Family Forest properties, as well as a hike at Haley Farm. Big thanks to the GOSA volunteers who made all the hikes possible.
Our Finance Committee continues to be the strong and steady backbone of our organization. Aside from bookkeeping duties, they work hard to provide oversight, security, budgets, sustainability, and more. They are a talented and dedicated group focused on ensuring we continue to be financially managed nonprofit.
Our Grant Specialist has been remarkably busy this year researching grants and specific for funding for projects and property needs. We were recently awarded several generous grants through her endless efforts. This money allows us to acquire appropriate properties, fund stewardship needs, and support our committees in their efforts to fulfill our mission.
Our Property Planning Committee is continuing work on forestry management studies and recommendations for our properties. Working with the surveyor regarding the Center Groton Preserve property has been a lengthy process. Fortunately, this work is mostly completed, and we hope to start working on trails and other projects in the coming weeks. Our Acquisition & Land Research Committee continues to keep watch for properties that match our purpose and mission in partnership with our Property Planning and Management Committee.
Our Stewardship Committee is actively mowing grassy areas, performing continuous trail maintenance, and supporting targeted projects for each property as needed. Usually, by mid-August, the grass is turning brown, and the frequency of mowing starts to slow. This year has been wetter than usual, so we could barely keep up with the growth. Our properties and trails are in great shape thanks to our hardworking volunteers.
Recently, we hosted 25 Pfizer volunteers at Sheep Farm to help build an elevated bog bridge over swampy areas by the waterfall. Our building crew did a great job planning, purchasing the materials, and putting it together. The Pfizer volunteers pitched in to carry over 1000 pounds of lumber and materials to the site and assist in the bridge building. It was a fun and rewarding day for all of us. Invasive plant management continues, and the effort by our talented group has been making a big difference.
Our Communications Committee, in partnership with Firesite Films, has completed interviews with a variety of people connected with GOSA both past and present for a short video series highlighting the history of GOSA, Sidney Van Zandt’s impact on our community and organization, through to today’s efforts with community outreach. We cannot wait to share the final series of videos with our members, partners, and friends.
The Nominating & Recruitment Committee is always looking for people to join our organization. We are currently seeking a secretary to join our Board. If you are interested and would like to know more about the position, please contact us. We would love to have more volunteers at the committee level to keep things going. Please visit our website GOSAonline.org to get involved.
Groton has an abundance of open spaces that help make our community special. With over 700 acres of property, GOSA offers many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and connect with nature. We are proud to fulfill our mission by protecting and maintaining our properties, offering them for passive recreation and education, and fostering an appreciation of nature. Thank you to all who have supported or donated to this worthy cause, and of course, a big thanks to our hardworking volunteers. We appreciate all you do for GOSA.
See you out there,
Dan O’Connell, GOSA President