At its 48th Annual Meeting, the Old Lyme Land Trust (OLTT) presented its “Volunteer of the Year” award to members of the Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) Environmental Club. On hand to receive the award were Isabel Ritrovato, club president, Madalyn Gibson-Williams, Hugh Cipparone and Philip Hallwood, as well as club adviser and LOLHS teacher, Heather Fried.
The Club has provided OLLT with critical stewardship assistance, clearing trails on the OLLT Goberis-Chadwick Preserve and blazing a new trail on the Esther and Bob Heller Preserve.
“There is discussion among environmental groups that today’s youth is not connected to nature and the outdoors, and concern about where the next generation of conservationists will come from,” said OLLT President Christina Clayton. She noted Ritrovato and Fried had participated on a panel devoted to this subject co-sponsored by OLLT, Lyme Land Conservation Trust and Connecticut Audubon Society in the autumn of 2012.
Clayton continued, “But it was a pleasure to behold how efficient these high school students were; how comfortable they were in the woods; and how they were enjoying themselves. You would have no concern about the future of conservation if you watched them.”