Meet the Volunteers Who Steward Our Preserves
Welcome to Hands on the Land, our new series spotlighting the dedicated volunteers who give their time and energy to caring for our natural spaces. Throughout the series, we’ll introduce you to a land steward who plays a vital role in maintaining the preserves we all enjoy.
This month, we’re pleased to feature Robb Evans, a longtime steward with the Middlesex Land Trust. From repairing bridges to tackling invasive species, Robb shares his journey, favorite moments, and advice for anyone looking to make a difference.
Q: Robb, what inspired you to become a volunteer land steward, and what do you enjoy most about it?
“I have lived in the suburban part of Middletown since 1973. I raised my family here. We have always enjoyed being in the outdoors and we visited local state parks, town open space, and land trust properties. I didn’t think much about who or how these areas were maintained.
“When I retired in the early 2000s and my sons were grown and gone, I heard about the stewardship program at the Middlesex Land Trust (MxLT). I joined the group. I learned that a small group of men and women, who enjoy the outdoors like I do, maintain the existing MxLT properties. They are a diverse group with many outdoor skills. I have enjoyed learning and working with them to maintain the many MxLT properties.”
Q: Can you share a favorite experience or accomplishment during your time as a steward?
“Recently, it was brought to the stewardship’s attention that a bridge in the Palmer Taylor Preserve was in need of repair. It was around 20’ long and was 4’ above a seasonal water flow. The whole bridge leaned to the east, and it was uncomfortably bouncy. It clearly needed repair. A group of five stewards worked on the bridge on two consecutive mornings. We jacked up the low side of the bridge and installed a reinforcing joist on the east side. The next day, we installed a similar joist on the west side. Just as we were finishing, four hikers walked down the path and wanted to cross the bridge. We hadn’t tested the bridge yet, but they said they trusted our work and tested it for us. The lean was gone and it held the weight of four people without bouncing.
“They thanked us for our work, and we all felt good about a job well done.“
Q: What are some of the tasks you regularly perform to help care for the Preserves?
“The most frequent job for the stewardship group is to remove trees that have fallen across the trails in the preserves. Sometimes we work to prevent water erosion on the trails by installing water bars or rocks across the trail to divert the water from washing out the trail. We also work to remove invasive plant species, like barberry, Asiatic bittersweet vine, or tree of heaven, using clippers, weed eaters, etc. We work to cut back paths using clippers from being growing in from surrounding shrubs.
We will also walk the trails in the preserves to look for problems like those mentioned above and report them so a work party can be formed to address the problem.“
Q: Why do you believe land conservation and stewardship are important for the community and the environment?
“I enjoy the outdoors and being in the woods. I get to see new wildlife, birds, flowers, and mushrooms that I can’t see anywhere else. I like finding quiet spaces and views. I like to see the changes that the seasons bring to those spaces. There is a need for housing and development, but I hope that there will always be open spaces for the future generations to enjoy like I do. Without the help of federal, state, town, and private organizations like MxLT to create and maintain them, the world and its citizens will lose a valuable resource.”
Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in getting involved or reducing their environmental impact?
“The best way to become involved in the Middlesex Land Trust is to look at the resources on their website: https://middlesexlandtrust.org. There are links on the site that will give you information about joining the MxLT or becoming a steward. I would love to see new active stewards to help with maintaining our existing Preserves.
“I also would recommend just to get out and enjoy the MxLT’s Preserves and help wherever or whenever you can.“