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Native Plants In Westwood

The Guilford Land Conservation Trust and the Guilford Library will host a presentation on Native Plants in Westwoods on Wednesday, May 29, from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Guilford Free Library, 67 Park Street, Guilford.

Admission is free, and all adults are welcome.

Landscape architect Crystal Gaudio will identify a variety of native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants common to Westwoods and available for purchase locally. She will discuss their identifying characteristics, ecological value, and optimal growing conditions. By focusing on native plants common to our area, Gaudio hopes to enrich people's experience while hiking in Westwoods as well as offer ideas for plants they may be able to grow on their properties.

Westwoods is a significant natural area near downtown Guilford and adjacent to the Long Island Sound that is made up of land owned by the Guilford Land Conservation Trust (GLCT) and a portion of the Cockaponset State Forest. Westwoods contains a wide diversity of fascinating natural formations such as cave structures, waterfalls, saltwater and freshwater marshes, an inland tidal lake, carved rock sculptures, and rock formations. Much of the area is heavily wooded and contains extensive hiking trails. The first seven miles of the Westwoods trail system were blazed in 1966, and today, there are approximately 32 miles of trails maintained exclusively by GLCT volunteers.