A half-century ago, our founder, Carmen Mathews had her wooded swamp transformed into a wetland system — a “New Pond” and an adjoining marsh — to promote wildlife diversity and to provide exciting outdoor classrooms. Through the years, despite repeated costly repairs, strong storms continued to erode the structures that maintained the water level in the pond, so that it is no longer supplied water to the marsh, as originally designed. Consequently, the marsh has been drying up and has been overtaken by aggressive grasses and sedges. To compound the challenges to the marsh, the grove of towering white pines, that once provided its shade, was toppled by Super Storm Sandy, leaving this delicate habitat in full sun and compromising the survival of the sensitive amphibian species that had thrived there for decades.
•Our pond has been cleaned and reconfigured to its original depth
•Three vernal pools have been created to the west of the pond, where amphibians will benefit from the shade of our hillside
•Over a thousand native plantings now surround these areas. Discreet fencing has been installed to discourage our visiting flocks of geese from their usual “march through the gardens”
•A collection basin has been created at the southern end of the pond which is designed to trap the sediment that makes its way down the stream in times of high water. This can be “cleaned” as needed, and it will extend the life of the pond
•An accessible teaching platform is ready for our student explorers and our members to enjoy
• A renewed and functioning wetland system will once again serve as a natural filter for waters flowing through the watershed and into the Saugatuck River.
•Our wetlands are one of our most vital outdoor classrooms. Our hands-on field trips are shared with 5,000 children a year, bringing their school curriculum to life as they make discoveries in the natural world. At least 1,500 of these students focus on wildlife habitats and learn about their importance.
•Our staff members will be able to educate the next generation of scientists through relevant hands-on research. Working with their teachers at Joel Barlow, high school students will collect and compile valuable data on water quality and on the evolving range of native flora and fauna.
•Our members and friends will also benefit from seasonal exploratory programs at these wetland habitats-connecting them with the natural world.
As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, we are the grateful recipients of ARPA Funding from the Town of Redding. The $200,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds provided us with the essential financial foundation for this project, which will cost over $500,000. Although significant commitments from generous Education Center donors, and planned-for grant proposals, will help us to reach our goal for this important project-there is always more to be done in terms of funding and we would love your help!
Please consider making a donation towards the creation of a bird blind, or purchase a bench & plaque to honor your family or a loved one, or support the upkeep of our wonderful native pollinator garden. Please reach out to Executive Director Priya Desai for more information.
101 Marchant Rd West, Redding, CT 06896
Phone: (203) 938-2117
Email: info@newpondfarm.org
Learning Center Hours: 9 AM-5 PM
Dairy Annex Hours: 7 AM – 7 PM
© 2025 New Pond Farm Education Center, All Rights Reserved. Website by Social Graces Communications.
An Avian Success Story: In the early 1900s European Starlings and English Sparrows were introduced into the northeast. For decades, these aggressive cavity nesters out-competed the more docile bluebirds for nest sites, so their populations were in serious decline. Environmental groups and individuals came to the rescue. Wooden nesting boxes were installed throughout the area and thankfully the Bluebirds proved to be quite adaptable, successfully raising their families in these new homes.
As you walk through our lower pastures and wildflower meadow, you may be fortunate enough to see bluebirds sitting on our nesting boxes. The males have brilliant blue plumage on their wings and back, a rusty colored breast and sides, and white undersides. The wings and back of the females are a more subtle grayish blue.
Once you learn the warbling vocalizations of these members of the thrush family, you will hear them frequently throughout your walk.
In addition to the many insects that make up their summer diet, our bluebirds feast on the berries of native shrubs throughout the fall and winter. We have planted stands of native winterberries (Ilex verticillate) and flowering dogwoods (Cornus florida) to add to our native staghorn sumacs (Rhus typina), and elderberries (Sambucus nigra).
Another bird that DEEP considers a species of special concern is the Purple Martin. Once commonly seen flying over open agricultural lands across the State, these aerial acrobats have been in decline for decades due to lack of open fields and pastures, lack of suitable nesting sites, and competition from aggressive non-native European starlings and house sparrows
For several decades, conservation efforts have been in place across the State to bring back the Purple Martins, and efforts are paying off! Arrangements of specially-sized, artificial hollow gourds have been hung from tall poles in appropriate habitats. Groups like the CT Audubon Society have well established banding programs, and DEEP reports that the Martin populations are on the rise.
New Pond Farm’s pastures seem like a perfect habitat, so during the nesting season, we too have positioned an arrangement of hanging gourds near the white fenceline along the pasture. If you venture over here during the early morning hours in the spring, you may hear the loop of pre-recorded twittering calls that we play in an attempt to attract any migrants. So far, we have just attracted a few scouting birds. Hopefully the spring of 2024 may be our lucky year
Back in the 1980s, a pair of kestrels nested reliably in a box positioned in the large sugar maple along our Farm Road. These exquisite, robin-sized, falcons were an absolute joy to behold as they would soar, hover, and plunge over the pastures and lawns searching for insects, small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles.
For many years we have been without a nesting pair, and for the past several decades DEEP has listed American Kestrels as a species of special concern.
Working with Art Gingert, who is well known in the State for his decades of d devotion to reestablishing nesting pairs of kestrels, we have installed a kestrel box on the eastern side of our pasture. No takers yet, but the box will be back up early in the spring of 2024, and we are hopeful.