The Coords Preserve was donated in 2005 by Priscilla Coords—Warren’s Town Treasurer from 1969 to 1981—and her children, reflecting the family’s gratitude to the community. As Mrs. Coords said: “We love this town. We moved here in 1949 and have wonderful memories of our life in the country. Our donation is our thank you to the people of Warren.” The Preserve is adjacent to the Wyantenock State Forest and features a beaver pond, a wild grape arbor, and cellar holes with stone walls that mark the remains of late 18th- and 19th-century homesteads that once lined the former City Hill Road. Primary access to the Preserve is via the Coords/Graham-Brush Preserve Trail.
The 40-acre Graham-Brush Preserve was purchased by WLT in 2002 and named in honor of founding member Graham Brush for his many contributions to WLT. The acquisition was supported by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program, which holds a conservation easement to ensure its permanent protection. The Preserve is adjacent to the Wyantenock State Forest and the City of Waterbury Water Preserve Area. The preserve is primarily hardwood forest interspersed with white pine and can be accessed from Angevine Road via WLT's Coords/Graham-Brush Preserve Trail as well as the CT Blue-Blazed Mattatuck Trail from the trailhead located at the end of Valley Road.
Acquired in 2023, the 237-acre Cunningham Nature Preserve offers forests, trails, streams, vernal pools, and dramatic rock formations. Together with the adjoining Kent Land Trust property and Wyantenock State Forest, it contributes to more than 1,000 acres of protected land in the Lake Waramaug and Aspetuck River watersheds. This area, highlighted by the Housatonic Valley Association’s Greenprint Collaborative Follow the Forest initiative, is recognized as critical for wildlife migration, habitat diversity, and climate change resilience. Acquisition of the preserve was made possible through funding from state, federal, and private sources, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program and the John T. and Jane A. Wiederhold Foundation. Hikers can enjoy the Preserve via trails of varying distance and difficulty.
The Coords Preserve was donated in 2005 by Priscilla Coords—Warren’s Town Treasurer from 1969 to 1981—and her children, reflecting the family’s gratitude to the community. As Mrs. Coords said: “We love this town. We moved here in 1949 and have wonderful memories of our life in the country. Our donation is our thank you to the people of Warren.” The Preserve is adjacent to the Wyantenock State Forest and features a beaver pond, a wild grape arbor, and cellar holes with stone walls that mark the remains of late 18th- and 19th-century homesteads that once lined the former City Hill Road. Primary access to the Preserve is via the Coords/Graham-Brush Preserve Trail.
The 40-acre Graham-Brush Preserve was purchased by WLT in 2002 and named in honor of founding member Graham Brush for his many contributions to WLT. The acquisition was supported by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program, which holds a conservation easement to ensure its permanent protection. The Preserve is adjacent to the Wyantenock State Forest and the City of Waterbury Water Preserve Area. The preserve is primarily hardwood forest interspersed with white pine and can be accessed from Angevine Road via WLT's Coords/Graham-Brush Preserve Trail as well as the CT Blue-Blazed Mattatuck Trail from the trailhead located at the end of Valley Road.
Acquired in 2023, the 237-acre Cunningham Nature Preserve offers forests, trails, streams, vernal pools, and dramatic rock formations. Together with the adjoining Kent Land Trust property and Wyantenock State Forest, it contributes to more than 1,000 acres of protected land in the Lake Waramaug and Aspetuck River watersheds. This area, highlighted by the Housatonic Valley Association’s Greenprint Collaborative Follow the Forest initiative, is recognized as critical for wildlife migration, habitat diversity, and climate change resilience. Acquisition of the preserve was made possible through funding from state, federal, and private sources, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program and the John T. and Jane A. Wiederhold Foundation. Hikers can enjoy the Preserve via trails of varying distance and difficulty.
Eel Pond Preserve
Located along Route 341, WLT’s Eel Pond Preserve was donated by the McMurtrey family in 1996. This scenic pond provides habitat for waterfowl, turtles, amphibians, fish, and mammals such as otter, deer, and raccoon. It also supports wetland plants including water lilies, and attracts birdlife such as herons and egrets. Spring-fed waters flow eastward into Sucker Brook and eventually into Lake Waramaug. Visitors may enjoy this Preserve from the Eel Pond Viewing platform which is easily accessible for people of all abilities.
The Keith Preserve, a 74-acre bequest from long-time Warren resident Joyce Keith, lies at the corner of Keith Road and Cornwall Road. The property honors the Keith family, remembered for their close ties to Warren’s woodlands, where generations played, explored, and built lasting memories. Now permanently protected, the preserve invites the community to do the same on the recently developed trail system. The property encompasses a steep wooded knoll, gently sloping woodlands and a level open field bordering Cornwall Road. There are several large bedrock outcrops on the crest of the knoll overlooking steep slopes to the east and west. The Preserve can be enjoyed via a 3.0-mile trail network of easy to moderate difficulty.
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This 32-acre preserve was donated in 2001 by local residents and named in honor of Dorothy Maier, Warren Land Trust’s first president. Situated on a rocky, northeast-facing slope adjoining wetlands in the Lake Waramaug watershed, the parcel reflects Dorothy’s deep commitment to conservation and to Warren’s community life. The Dorothy Maier Preserve was the first Warren Land Trust property to feature a marked trail, and in celebration of our 30th anniversary, the trail was extended into a 1.5-mile loop.
Eel Pond Preserve
Located along Route 341, WLT’s Eel Pond Preserve was donated by the McMurtrey family in 1996. This scenic pond provides habitat for waterfowl, turtles, amphibians, fish, and mammals such as otter, deer, and raccoon. It also supports wetland plants including water lilies, and attracts birdlife such as herons and egrets. Spring-fed waters flow eastward into Sucker Brook and eventually into Lake Waramaug. Visitors may enjoy this Preserve from the Eel Pond Viewing platform which is easily accessible for people of all abilities.
The Keith Preserve, a 74-acre bequest from long-time Warren resident Joyce Keith, lies at the corner of Keith Road and Cornwall Road. The property honors the Keith family, remembered for their close ties to Warren’s woodlands, where generations played, explored, and built lasting memories. Now permanently protected, the preserve invites the community to do the same on the recently developed trail system. The property encompasses a steep wooded knoll, gently sloping woodlands and a level open field bordering Cornwall Road. There are several large bedrock outcrops on the crest of the knoll overlooking steep slopes to the east and west. The Preserve can be enjoyed via a 3.0-mile trail network of easy to moderate difficulty.
This 32-acre preserve was donated in 2001 by local residents and named in honor of Dorothy Maier, Warren Land Trust’s first president. Situated on a rocky, northeast-facing slope adjoining wetlands in the Lake Waramaug watershed, the parcel reflects Dorothy’s deep commitment to conservation and to Warren’s community life. The Dorothy Maier Preserve was the first Warren Land Trust property to feature a marked trail, and in celebration of our 30th anniversary, the trail was extended into a 1.5-mile loop.
The Skidmore Preserve, a 64-acre gift from the estate of Lorraine Skidmore in 1999, lies at the intersection of Milton Road in Warren and Blue Swamp Road in Litchfield. The preserve is ecologically significant both for its diversity of habitats and its location beside the City of Waterbury’s Shepaug River reservoir system, contributing to a large, unfragmented protected landscape. The Preserve can be enjoyed via a 1.0-mile trail of easy difficulty.
The 53-acre Strong Preserve on Above All Road was purchased by WLT in 2015 with the support of conservation-minded neighbors. Named for the Strong family, longtime residents of Warren, the property has both historical resonance and ecological value. Former WLT board member Dave Schneiderbeck and Warren-based Arbor Services, Inc. created a 0.75-mile trail of easy difficulty that meanders through the wooded preserve, availing hikers of its many scenic pleasures.
Sunset Ponds Preserve encompasses 17 acres of wetland and forest along Cunningham Road, and was donated to WLT in 1991 by the New Milford Savings Bank, making it one of WLT’s earliest acquisitions. Its ponds and surrounding woods support a wide range of wildlife, including fish, amphibians, turtles, snakes, deer, raccoon, fox, and the occasional bear. The Preserve can be explored via a trail that is approximately 0.9 miles long and of easy difficulty.
The Skidmore Preserve, a 64-acre gift from the estate of Lorraine Skidmore in 1999, lies at the intersection of Milton Road in Warren and Blue Swamp Road in Litchfield. The preserve is ecologically significant both for its diversity of habitats and its location beside the City of Waterbury’s Shepaug River reservoir system, contributing to a large, unfragmented protected landscape. The Preserve can be enjoyed via a 1.0-mile trail of easy difficulty.
The 53-acre Strong Preserve on Above All Road was purchased by WLT in 2015 with the support of conservation-minded neighbors. Named for the Strong family, longtime residents of Warren, the property has both historical resonance and ecological value. Former WLT board member Dave Schneiderbeck and Warren-based Arbor Services, Inc. created a 0.75-mile trail of easy difficulty that meanders through the wooded preserve, availing hikers of its many scenic pleasures.
Sunset Ponds Preserve encompasses 17 acres of wetland and forest along Cunningham Road, and was donated to WLT in 1991 by the New Milford Savings Bank, making it one of WLT’s earliest acquisitions. Its ponds and surrounding woods support a wide range of wildlife, including fish, amphibians, turtles, snakes, deer, raccoon, fox, and the occasional bear. The Preserve can be explored via a trail that is approximately 0.9 miles long and of easy difficulty.
Willis Tanner Farmland Preserve
Donated in 2017 by Patricia Tanner Downes in honor of her father, former First Selectman Willis Tanner (1948–1979), this 25-acre preserve protects prime farmland soils at one of Warren’s highest elevations. Still actively farmed for hay, the fields also provide nesting and foraging habitat for birds. Development rights were previously conveyed to the CT Department of Agriculture, ensuring permanent protection of its agricultural value. After final harvest in October and prior to spring planting in March, visitors are welcome to walk the 1.0-mile perimeter of the fields. There is NO public access during the farming season, to allow for farming operations and ensure public safety.
Tanner Farm Preserve
WLT completed the acquisition of the 198-acre Tanner Farm Preserve in 2025 and protected one of the most iconic agricultural landscapes in Warren and the surrounding region. Owned and operated by one of Warren's oldest farming families for nearly 250 years, the land will continue to be farmed while securing prime agricultural soils, extensive forestland, critical wildlife habitat, and high-quality water resources. Flowing through the farm, Sucker Brook is the largest feeder to Lake Waramaug—one of only two Connecticut Heritage Lakes; protecting the riparian corridors of this cold-water stream helps sustain the lake's clean water and sensitive ecosystem. The preservation of the Farm was generously funded by a combination of state and federal grants. The Connecticut Department of Agriculture's Farmland Preservation Program, together with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program. A picturesque trail network that skirts the perimeter of the fields and travels through core forest woodlands is currently in development and will be open to the public in 2027.
WLT acquired the 151-acre Mountain Lake Preserve in 2026. The site of a former summer camp, the protection of this property adds to adjacent protected land to create a contiguous bloc of nearly 1200 acres in the Lake Waramaug Watershed. Through this acquisition, the Warren Land Trust permanently protects valuable core forest, wildlife habitat and high-quality water resources - including streams that flow into Lake Waramaug, one of only two Connecticut Heritage Lakes - and the broader East and West Aspetuck watersheds. In addition to private donations, the acquisition was generously funded by state and federal grants including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services' Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program, and private foundations including the John T. and Jane A. Wiederhold Foundation and The Nature Conservancy's Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program. The Mountain Lake Preserve features pristine lake scenery, dramatic rock formations and sweeping meadows. Currently short trails of easy to moderate difficulty are open to the public. Eventually a more extensive trail network on adjacent protected land including WLT's Cunningham Nature Preserve, Kent Land Trust's East Kent Hamlet Nature Preserve and potentially Connecticut's Wyantenock State Forest will open to the public.
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Willis Tanner Farmland Preserve
Donated in 2017 by Patricia Tanner Downes in honor of her father, former First Selectman Willis Tanner (1948–1979), this 25-acre preserve protects prime farmland soils at one of Warren’s highest elevations. Still actively farmed for hay, the fields also provide nesting and foraging habitat for birds. Development rights were previously conveyed to the CT Department of Agriculture, ensuring permanent protection of its agricultural value. After final harvest in October and prior to spring planting in March, visitors are welcome to walk the 1.0-mile perimeter of the fields. There is NO public access during the farming season, to allow for farming operations and ensure public safety.
Tanner Farm Preserve
WLT completed the acquisition of the 198-acre Tanner Farm Preserve in 2025 and protected one of the most iconic agricultural landscapes in Warren and the surrounding region. Owned and operated by one of Warren's oldest farming families for nearly 250 years, the land will continue to be farmed while securing prime agricultural soils, extensive forestland, critical wildlife habitat, and high-quality water resources. Flowing through the farm, Sucker Brook is the largest feeder to Lake Waramaug—one of only two Connecticut Heritage Lakes; protecting the riparian corridors of this cold-water stream helps sustain the lake's clean water and sensitive ecosystem. The preservation of the Farm was generously funded by a combination of state and federal grants. The Connecticut Department of Agriculture's Farmland Preservation Program, together with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program. A picturesque trail network that skirts the perimeter of the fields and travels through core forest woodlands is currently in development and will be open to the public in 2027.
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WLT acquired the 151-acre Mountain Lake Preserve in 2026. The site of a former summer camp, the protection of this property adds to adjacent protected land to create a contiguous bloc of nearly 1200 acres in the Lake Waramaug Watershed. Through this acquisition, the Warren Land Trust permanently protects valuable core forest, wildlife habitat and high-quality water resources - including streams that flow into Lake Waramaug, one of only two Connecticut Heritage Lakes - and the broader East and West Aspetuck watersheds. In addition to private donations, the acquisition was generously funded by state and federal grants including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services' Highlands Conservation Act Grant Program and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program, and private foundations including the John T. and Jane A. Wiederhold Foundation and The Nature Conservancy's Resilient and Connected Appalachians Grant Program. The Mountain Lake Preserve features pristine lake scenery, dramatic rock formations and sweeping meadows. Currently short trails of easy to moderate difficulty are open to the public. Eventually a more extensive trail network on adjacent protected land including WLT's Cunningham Nature Preserve, Kent Land Trust's East Kent Hamlet Nature Preserve and potentially Connecticut's Wyantenock State Forest will open to the public.
KEITH FAMILY PRESERVE
Coords-Graham Bush Preserve
EEL POND PRESERVE
skidmore preserve
strong preserve
sunset ponds preserve
DOROTHY MAIER PRESERVE
Tanner Farm Preserve
Mountain Lake Preserve
Cunningham Preserve
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