I attended the 19th annual clean-up day at Haley Farm State Park. The Groton Open Space Association began stewardship of Haley Farm in 1963 when duplex housing had been proposed to replace the farm. GOSA raised matching funds in 1970 helping to create the State Park. It is approximately 200 acres and has a tremendous view of Long Island Sound. Originally a 17th century farm, the property is now home to diverse plants and wildlife and has recreational opportunities such as hiking, biking, running, walking and picnicking. The mission of GOSA is to establish an association of persons interested in conservation, environmental preservation, open space and recreational areas in Southeastern Connecticut; and to educate the public about the value of open space, conservation and environmental preservation; and to enlist public support and funding to promote, acquire and maintain, open space for public use, alone or in cooperation with local, state or federal agencies or with other non-profit organizations http://gosaonline.org/. In conjunction with GOSA, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is responsible for conserving, improving and protecting the natural resources and the environment of the State of Connecticut. DEEP was established in 2001 when the Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Public Utility Control were consolidated. Ironically the Environmental Protection Agency was established in 1971 around the same time GOSA raised funds to protect Haley Farm from urbanization. DEEP is responsible for managing the state’s natural resources specifically fish, wildlife and forests and the conversation and management of statewide recreation lands. http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=2690&q=322476&depNav_GID=1511 The clean-up was held on Saturday, April 25 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Haley Farm in Groton. I had contacted Sidney Van Zandt, the founder of the Groton Open Space Foundation, and she was the first person I saw when I arrived around 8:50 a.m. after she introduced herself to me. As we were standing there and she was providing me with the history of the farm and other open space areas in the Groton area, individuals began arriving. I was given the go ahead to meet up with Jim and the others by his truck to pick up my loppers and gloves. There were about 12 others there helping out as well; two from the Coast Guard (Nikki and Gina) as well as other members who lived in the surrounding area. After listening to the history of the farm, I was thinking how are 12 of us going to make a dent in the clean-up of 200 acres. I also had thought I was going to be picking up trash so when I was told to gather up my tools to cut back the vines I was slightly surprised. The community problem we addressed was to maintain and enhance one of our state parks. I was not familiar with this particular park so I stayed with the pack as we entered the paths and forest area. I was then told to begin cutting back the bittersweet and Japanese honeysuckle which I was told were imported when the farm was originally built for their shade and beauty. However, now they needed cut back as the vines climb up the tree and literally strangle the tree to death. Thankfully as people gathered together, Jim showed us the particular vines we were to cut as I was not familiar with these plant species nor was I used to using loppers. Jim explained that we were only going to cut back the vines on the trees on one path which certainly eased my worries of having to complete 200 acres. He also told us that the Coast Guard cadets had been there on Earth Day and cut back a different area. I then started in on the vines and realized that this was going to be a laborious and tough day. The vines were very thick – however we only needed to cut them at their roots as they would wither and die without the roots attached. We proceeded to go systematically on the path and into the nearby recesses of the trees following the path downward toward the water. About two hours in, Jim gathered us all back together as a group and brought us to an area which I would have called a deer thicket and told us to start cutting back the vines in this area. We leaned down low to get through the thicket and began to cut the vines in this area. At this point, I was very thankful for the long sleeves, long pants and gloves as I only received scratches on my face as the dirt and twigs clung to my fleece sweatshirt and pants. Around noon, Jim gathered us together again and we went back to the parking area for water and lunch. It was apparent while we were talking that I was the only “new” person to this group as they began discussing the other projects that they completed and shared some stories about previous events. The President of GOSA, Joan Smith, arrived to thank everyone for their assistance and ensure our picture was taken for their website as well as for The Resident newspaper. Sidney made it a point to introduce me to Joan as she was very excited to have me there and potentially add another member to their group. In fact, I will be returning in May to assist them with some planting. I guess they do not need to know that I do not have a green thumb and my idea of fun on a Saturday is not to be cutting back vines. Strolling through the woods picking up trash would have been much more appealing. I thought it was great that the founder of the organization and the President were both there to support the importance of our efforts and to thank us. This was a very amiable group and a lively conversation ensued regarding the park and efforts put forth to maintain it and other open space areas in Groton. Not being timid at social gatherings I was able to easily contribute to the conversation and was the center of attention as I was the “new kid on the block” and I definitely got the impression they were excited to have a new person in the organization with hopefully new ideas and energy. I believe we functioned as a cohesive group and that Jim provided the necessary guidance and leadership in order for us to function well. The demographics of the group were typical of our locale in Groton Long Point. The group was comprised of all Caucasian individuals of varying ages - the youngest one being 23 and the oldest one being 82. Some of the demographic information is from information I gathered as well as my perceptions of the people I was working with which was actually my labeling them which may or may not be correct. I assessed the vehicles they drove in as well as the clothing they were wearing, not that these are true indicators of a person’s societal class as I could drive a Mercedes and live in poor housing. My perceptions were also biased from my own personal views and traits of the type of people who are able to afford living in Groton Long Point and Noank which again does not necessarily mean they are part of the upper middle class or upper class. I did not feel there was any social inequality in our group. There was social consensus as we were all working toward a common goal - beautification of this state park. There was a functionalist approach in or efforts. There was no social stratification between the members of the group and we were not divided into subgroups by race, class, gender, religion, or political affiliation. Although if I had not wanted to contribute to the group, I may have leaned on gender bias in regard to the manual labor I was performing, but in today’s society many woman do the same work as the men and it is part of my personality to give 110% regardless of what task I am given. There was a strong sense of community and pride in this group and their belief in giving back to the community and the environment. This was evident from the group leaders and their discussions. They were very vocal on creating a better quality of life through land conservation, maintaining our open areas and environmental issues. The volunteers all had the same purpose in mind to strengthen their community assets (open spaces) and build relations with the local and state government to assist in the upkeep and funding of Haley Farm. This service learning project enhanced my understanding of how the state, local governments and associations need to work together to protect our natural resources. Although this particular project was not as altruistic as directly helping others like when I work at the soup kitchen, it was still rewarding to know that I had made an impact to an area which brings great joy to people. The work itself was tough and not exactly what one would think of as a beautification project. This was evident even while I was working as I saw many people enjoying the cool spring day. There were many people on the trails walking or jogging. There were kids laughing and dogs barking creating memories as I had in my youth. This service learning project contributed to the overall population in Connecticut as all residents are welcome to utilize the property. However I was not familiar with this state park until I volunteered there and there is no signage with the name or recreation area in the surrounding area like our other state parks. As members of society, we all need to give back to our communities and commit to making our communities better places to live and work. This is not a one-time event, but rather a lifelong commitment. I am joining GOSA and am on the list of volunteers with the Connecticut DEEP State Park Volunteers.

For confirmation of my participation, please contact Sidney Van Zandt at svanzandt3@aol.com or call 860-572-5715/GOSAmail@gmail.com. Thank you!