If you have any questions that you would like to explore in next month’s newsletter, please email me at Jhoni.ada@sierraclub.org with the subject line: Ask Jho

Q. I’m new to the Sierra Club and I’m curious about conservation. What is Save Remington Woods? And where exactly is it?

A. That’s a great question. Over the past few years, I have worked on the Save Remington Woods campaign, a conservation effort to save approximately 420 acres of forest nestled in Bridgeport and Stratford.

This ongoing effort began in response to Corteva, the property owners' decision to develop the forest into an eco-business park. In 2024, we delivered over 2,300 petition signatures on Valentines’ Day and later that year, the property owners announced that in tandem with community requests, they would pursue the conservation of Remington Woods!

(Learn more about the Nature for All Plan for this urban forest)

Q. So what’s going on with Remington Woods?

A. The big buzz about Remington Woods is the owner’s approach to conservation. The current path forward for Corteva is to transform the already capped 51 acres of the property into a source for renewable energy which would help preserve the remaining hundreds of acres of forests and wildlife habitat while providing additional support to the grid.

Paul Michaud and I had the chance to chat with Melissa in the Morning about the project. Take a listen!

And Governor Lamont had the chance to pay Remington Woods a visit!

Q. Jhoni, you’re always talking about birding and taking people outdoors. What's that all about?

A. The journey to protect Remington Woods has been possible because of the tireless efforts of our supporters and volunteers (like you!) and OUTINGS!

We have found that our advocacy for conservation is most successful when we engage folks through outings filled with exploration and joy. Although our campaign to Save Remington Woods has reached a major milestone, our efforts to bring folks outdoors to enjoy, explore, and protect nature won’t end.

This past summer has been a testament of that commitment. It was filled with nature and many joyful moments. All across our state, communities explored nature, celebrated history, and supported our chapter’s efforts to advance conservation. We introduced young people to birding and environmental stewardship and celebrated major milestones for Remington Woods.

As always, I am grateful for the growing number of people in our state who believe that everyone deserves access to healthy, vibrant natural spaces.

Q. Over the summer, I kept seeing posts about Black Birder’s Week. What's that?

A. This year's CT Black Birders Week was our biggest yet. Through the BlackWing Coalition, a coalition of black birders and nature enthusiasts across several environmental organizations, we hosted 11 free events across Bridgeport, Simsbury, Hartford, New Haven, and—for the first time—Waterbury.

We were guided by the national theme, "Flyways & Freedom," and explored the connections between migration, movement, history, and environmental justice. We visited Black historic sites, birded along Connecticut's coastlines and forests, participated in guided hikes and bike rides, and contributed to community science by documenting birds and wildlife.

This week of events continues to showcase that birding is about much more than identifying species—it builds community, reclaims outdoor spaces, and supports the protection of the places we all call home. (Learn more about community science)

Q. What cool conservation things did you do this summer?

A. This summer marked our second summer co-hosting “Faith Take Flight” events in Connecticut. In collaboration with the Inter-Religious Environmental Justice Network (IREJN) and the Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC), we work with communities of faith with land trusts to offer birdwalks where congregations can explore creation and affirm their stewardship commitments. This year, CLCC led a group of 20+ participants through the Great Mountain Forest and St. John’s Episcopal Church led their first birdwalk at Sandy Point.

We are especially thrilled about the excursion led by St. John’s Episcopal Church as their commitment to Creation Care has also included an established community pollinator garden and micro food forest—which received an additional 150 native plants this year and a birdbath through the Sierra Club Pollinator Grassroots Fund. These outings are great activation points and help to reinforce congregational commitments and introduce new parishioners to community science for the first time.

Q. What about the kids—how do you get them outside and involved with conservation?

A. Youth are at the heartbeat of the conservation work that we do—they are eager to learn and always have a hoot when they get to go out doors. This year, we worked with a local Bridgeport school, High Horizons, to take thirty 7th and 8th grade students to Remington Woods! It was a fun-filled day. Students had the chance to travel back in time with Corteva and learn about the site and human activity that made Remington Woods what it is today. Students did some birdwatching and engaged in a BioBlitz. We also had the chance to take graduate students and professors from the University of Bridgeport out to Remington Woods to talk through the educational impact an urban forest could provide to cross disciplinary research and K-12 learning outcomes.

I was most inspired by our time spent at the 100 Girls Leading Summit, with over 300 girls from Bridgeport in attendance, and I am so glad that they had the chance to engage with the Sierra Club and the work that we have been doing in the community. But my absolute favorite part was hearing girls screaming at the top of their lungs, filling downtown Bridgeport with one singular message, "BRIDGEPORT NEEDS MORE TREES!” It was a great reminder of the importance of my work to save and protect forests, nature, and our green spaces.

Q. What do you have planned for the fall?

A. Autumn is one of my favorite seasons because it is one of the few times Remington Woods opens up for the public. At the end of September, Corteva will be holding an update meeting which includes a bus tour through the property. If you would like information about the tours and the meetings, please let me know by signing up here: RSVP HERE FOR BUS TOUR INFO. I will provide you with the registration link and directions as soon as details are finalized.

September 29, in partnership with the Bridgeport Community Historical Society, we will be hosting a conversation about Remington Woods. This meeting will be held at the North Branch Library in Bridgeport at 2:30 p.m.

Celebration Time! Just in time for fall festivities and the season of gratitude, this October, we will be hosting an in-person get-together party celebrating the conservation of Remington Woods. If you are interested in attending please sign up for more updates RSVP HERE

Q. What other ways can I get involved with conservation in Connecticut?

A. The best way to plug in is with our Nature Conservation Committee. The Nature Conservation Committee seeks to advance Connecticut’s Green Plan by supporting conservation advocacy efforts across the state. The committee started earlier this year and will continue its meetings in September. If you are interested in joining, please email remington.woods@sierraclub.org

If you would like to chat with me about your interests and troubleshoot ways you can plug in, feel free to email me at Jhoni.ada@sierraclub.org for a 15-30 minute conversation.

And of course, to stay current with all of our work follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Till next time!

Jhoni