Monday, December 4, is National Wildlife Conservation Day, a day that seeks to spread awareness about preserving and protecting the natural world and its inhabitants. Additionally, the observance strives to put an end to wildlife crime and supports the Endangered Species Act.

In Connecticut, endangered species include (mammals) the least shrew; (birds) American bittern, common moorhen, grasshopper sparrow, king rail, long-eared owl, northern harrier, pied-billed grebe, red-headed woodpecker, roseate tern, sedge wren, sharp-shinned hawk, upland sandpiper, vesper sparrow, and yellow-breasted chat; (reptiles) bog turtle, Atlantic Ridley sea turtle, leatherback sea turtle, and timber rattlesnake; (amphibians) blue-spotted salamander and eastern spadefoot; and (invertebrates) puritan tiger beetle. This doesn’t even include threatened species or species of special concern.

Preservation of our wildlife and wild spaces for our future generations is important. While the large tracts of forest and undeveloped property that the older of us may remember are either much smaller or gone today, it is important for us as stewards of the land to do as much as possible so that our children, grandchildren, and beyond are able to enjoy the lovely natural vistas that we can today.

In Newtown, just over outgoing First Selectman Dan Rosenthal’s tenure, three large pieces of property were preserved — Castle Hill Farm, land off Boggs Hill, and a large portion of Cherry Grove Farm.

Now Newtown Forest Association is looking to preserve 63 acres of pastoral land at Deep Brook Farm.

According to NFA’s website, “This parcel has the potential for high-density development in the borough, which will be followed by the permanent loss of multiple nearby dirt roads, increased impact on the nearby Deep Brook watershed, and an increase in education and other tax burdens for Newtown residents. Preservation of the Deep Brook Farm under the NFA will mitigate all of these potential outcomes. We’re calling on you to help make this happen.

“To continue to preserve the rural character of Newtown for generations to come we are collecting donations from local residents who support the preservation of this wildlife habitat and desire to expand the surrounding green corridor of open spaces. If we are able to raise the funds to purchase the Deep Brook Farm, this land will never be developed; it will remain protected open space with public access in perpetuity.”

Visit newtownforestassociation.org for more information or to donate.

Not all land conservation is done through nonprofits or the town. Sometimes a developer steps up and makes sure a large portion of the land they are developing is preserved. Such is the case with 20-60 Castle Hill Road, owned by Joseph Draper and developed by George Trudell. The duo proposed to build 112 homes clustered together on 40 acres of the 132 acre property, with 75 acres near Taunton Lake to be left untouched, with a conservation easement so it will never be developed.

It is our hope that Newtown will see more efforts to maintain, preserve and conserve its local forests and wildlife habitats, to keep this town the beautiful place it is now.