The Land Trust of West Haven Connecticut

Poetry Contest Award Ceremony
2025-05-02 18:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | CT
In celebration of National Poetry Month and Earth Day, the Land Trust of West Haven joined forces with the West Haven Board of Education to host its 2025 Poetry Contest. Students from Grades 3 through 8 were invited to submit nature-themed poems, showcasing their creativity and environmental awareness.
This year’s winners demonstrated exceptional talent across three categories:

Elementary (Grades 3-4): Madilynn Kritz (Grade 3, Seth Haley School) for her poem Nature on Earth.
Intermediate (Grades 5-6): Lucus Mejia Miranda (Grade 5, Carrigan School) for his poem Clean the Water, Save an Otter.
Middle School (Grades 7-8): Adrianna Kelly (Grade 8, Bailey Middle School) for her poem From Summer to Fall.

The students will be honored at an awards ceremony and read their poems on May 2 at 6 p.m. at the Land Trust’s Poetry Post along the scenic Savin Rock Boardwalk. In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held in the Rotunda of the facilities building. The event is free and open to the public.

Beach Clean-Up
2025-05-10 09:00 - 11:00 | CT
Join volunteers from the Land Trust of West Haven, Inc. to help with a beach clean-up. All are welcome, including children if accompanied by an adult. Come to the Park/Rec Activities Building in Old Grove Park on the Bike/Walk path between Oak Street and Alschuler Plaza any time between 9-11 AM.

There is parking in either Oak Street or Alschuler Plaza lots, and paid parking along Palace Street.
Gloves and trash bags will be provided. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be canceled and not rescheduled.

Annual Meeting of the Land Trust of West Haven
2025-10-16 18:30 - 2026-03-15 13:02 | West Haven City Hall
The Annual Meeting is an important opportunity for members to come together, hear updates on the progress of our projects, and help shape the future of the Land Trust. We will review accomplishments from the past year, share plans for the year ahead, and welcome input from members.

We are excited to have Juliana Barrett speak on “The Connecticut Coast – What makes our beaches unique?” at the start of our meeting. She is an ecologist and educator with the Connecticut Sea Grant College Program at UConn. Ms. Barrett’s presentation will explore the Connecticut coast, focusing on its geology, ecology, plants, and animals. Connecticut’s beaches are different from those directly along the Atlantic Ocean. How does this shape what we see, and how are our shorelines changing over time? Copies of Connecticut’s Sandy Shores: An Introduction to the Geology, Plants and Animals, a 130-page field guide, will be available for purchase.

In addition, the Annual Meeting is when elections for the Board of Directors are held. Serving on the Board is a meaningful way to support land conservation and stewardship in West Haven. If you are interested in being considered for election, please contact Marilyn Wilkes at 203-415-4712 by October 1.

We encourage all members to attend—your voice and participation make a difference. Following the business portion of the meeting, there will be time for informal conversation and refreshments.

Beach Clean Up
2026-05-09 09:00 - 11:00 | Old Grove Park Facilities Building, West Haven, 06516, United States
Join volunteers from the Land Trust of West Haven to help with a beach clean-up. All are welcome, including children if accompanied by an adult. Come to the Park/Rec Activities Building in Old Grove Park on the Boardwalk between Oak Street and Alschuler Plaza any time between 9 AM and 11 AM.
Please register here: https://yaledayofservice.volunteerhub.com/vv2/event/859cd3e9-c0db-4cd4-a4ff-c41716af59c8
There is paid parking in either the Oak Street or Alschuler Plaza lots. Residents park for free.
Gloves and trash bags will be provided. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be canceled and not rescheduled.

City of West Haven and Land Trust Announce Grand Opening of Eco Park
2026-06-11 18:00 - 19:00 | Eco Park, 1 Palace Street, West Haven, CT, 06516, United States
The City of West Haven and the Land Trust of West Haven are proud to announce the grand opening of Eco Park, a new coastal environmental space designed to restore native habitat and provide environmental education opportunities for the community.
The public is invited to attend a Grand Opening Celebration on Thursday, June 11, from 6:00 to 7:00 PM, along the West Haven shoreline. The event will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, remarks from the city and the Land Trust, refreshments, music, and family-friendly activities.

Book Event: Saving Our Shore
2026-06-18 17:30 - 19:00 | First Congregational Church on the Green, 1 Church Street, West Haven, CT, 06516, United States
Thursday, June 18
5:30 PM
First Congregational Church on the Green
We are pleased to invite you to a special meeting of the Land Trust to introduce a remarkable new book by Land Trust founder Steve Hildrich.
Steve’s book, Saving Our Shore – West Haven’s 40-Year Struggle to Keep the Savin Rock Shore Public: A Documentary History, is a 450-plus-page collection of more than 230 historical documents, including newspaper articles, letters, court decisions, and other materials chronicling the effort to preserve public access to West Haven’s shoreline.
The book includes a 13-page historical summary that was previously published in Dan Shine’s History Corner in the West Haven Voice, as well as material documenting the early history of the Land Trust of West Haven, which Steve founded in 1991.
A limited number of printed copies are being produced and distributed to local organizations, including the Land Trust, the City of West Haven, the West Haven Historical Society, and the West Haven Public Library. Digital versions will also be made available through the Land Trust, the First Congregational Church, and the Historical Society, with plans to make the book available through Amazon.
