A breath of fresh air

Conn's Arboretum opens for safe nature walks and relaxation.

Despite a lingering chilly breeze, the distinct clucking of wood frogs in the Connecticut College Arboretum announces the arrival of spring in New England.  

After a short pause, the Arboretum is open once again, and the public is invited to visit the space to shake off any sense of cabin fever they may be experiencing from the Covid-19 isolation.   

"We are thrilled to be welcoming the community back to the Arboretum and hope our landscape will be a sanctuary for wellness in these challenging times,” said Miles Schwartz Sax, the Charles and Sarah P. Becker '27 Arboretum Director. 

“Nature has the capacity to nurture, heal and support mental and physical health and we are happy that the Arboretum landscape can be a resource for the New London, Connecticut College, and broader communities.” 

Sax said that of particular note right now is the Arboretum’s wildflower garden with its diversity of early blooming spring ephemerals, and a variety of early season migratory birds such as the hooded mergansers, and wood ducks that enjoy fishing in the pond. 

The College asks that visitors to the Arboretum respect the personal space of other visitors and arboretum staff by maintaining six feet of separation, as well as following other hygiene rules put out by the CDC. A list of these guidelines is posted to the front gates of the Arboretum. 

For more information about the Arboretum and the diverse plant and wildlife that can be found there, visit conncoll.edu/the-arboretum/.