Annual Appeal Needs Your Support

New Canaan Nature Center offers a wide variety of natural and physical science programs designed to connect people of all ages with nature in meaningful ways, leaving lasting impressions, imparting knowledge of the world around us, encouraging respect for our environment and all living things.

With your help this past year, we were proud to have offered a popular Speaker Series on Human Health and the Environment; new horticulture programs; continuation and enhancement of our award-winning LINKS program which annually brings over 3000 urban and suburban fourth and fifth grade students together to explore science and issues stemming from cultural diversity. This fall we launched a Preschool LINKS program with children from the Stamford school district. We increased our School Scholarship Fund so that we now serve over 25 school districts with demonstrated need that would otherwise not be able to offer similar enriching science programs.

Integral to the resources supporting our environmental education initiatives is our 40-acre town-owned site encompassing a unique diversity of habitats and animal species. The Nature Center is deeply committed to responsible land stewardship and protection. Our multi-year, $1 million+ Habitat Restoration project is essential to reversing the degradation of the Nature Center's ecological communities, restoring maximum biodiversity of the habitats and preserving the Center's value as a teaching laboratory for environmental education. Without this site, we have neither an outdoor classroom nor a sanctuary in the heart of New Canaan.

We were proud this year to have begun renovating our gardens, "Go Green" in our classrooms, upgrade our trails and natural areas including new boardwalks, picnic tables, benches, and further develop a trail interpretation program. A Land Manager has been hired to direct on-going habitat restoration; a Director of Horticulture Education was hired last spring to oversee expanded adult programming.

This year, Annual Appeal proceeds are especially important to support financially two core initiatives - continued Habitat Restoration and enhanced Facility Utilization.

It is imperative to begin crucial pond dredging at a cost of almost $100,000. Additional goals are to complete trail interpretation for final installation in spring 2008, build a handicapped accessible pathway to accommodate individuals with impaired mobility, add to our collections including live animal exhibits and build a children's garden and natural playground. We want to increase the number of middle and high school students served through expanded programming including internships, volunteering and field study opportunities. We want to enhance our adult program component to include another speaker series, art shows, increased horticulture and natural science classes and volunteer opportunities.

Much has been accomplished in 48 years, but there is more that can be done. Our goal is to raise $700,000 this year so that we may fulfill our goals while ensuring New Canaan Nature Center continues to be a part of our children and grandchildren's heritage. We are grateful to you and all our neighbors who have supported this vital community treasure in the past. Please join us today in keeping the Center vibrant and resilient in the future.

At your request, a gift of $2,500 or more may be designated to a specific program or project;
all others will support our Annual Fund. Thank your for your support.

For more information about giving opportunities, please email Ann Breakey Billik or call (203) 966-9577.