Salisbury Association opens new preserve

SALISBURY — Another 47 acres of pristine Salisbury woodland are now open to the public, thanks to the completion of a hiking trail on the Hecht Preserve located on Route 112.

The Salisbury Association Land Trust acquired the land from John and Mary Belter and Helen Belter Hill in late 2023, aided by funding from the Connecticut Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Program, U.S. Fish & Wildlife’s Highlands Act, and a generous donation from the Anne and Rollin Bates Foundation.

A little over a year after purchase, the parcel is now available for public use via a 1.3 mile loop trail, which the Trust rates as moderately difficult. Parking for the trail is located at the entrance to Wack Forest along Route 112 about a half mile west of the intersection with Wells Hill Road.

The trail was originally meant to be opened by summer 2024, though the process was delayed as the parking is along a state highway, meaning the Trust had to apply for approval from the Department of Transportation, Trust Co-chair John Landon said.

As it abuts the town-owned Wack Forest, the opening of the Hecht Preserve has created a much larger publicly accessible protected area. The terrain comprises a wooded hillside and ridgeline, and is dissected by a clean, cold-water stream that provides valuable habitat for native fish and other aquatic species. The rest of the property is ecologically rich with a mixture of younger and older forest and several key habitat types.

“There’s definitely a lot of wildlife in that area,” Landon said, noting that he’s seen bears several times nearby.

The preserve was named to honor Lou and Elaine Hecht, longtime contributors to the Trust. Lou was co-chair of the Trust for 17 years and remains an emeritus trustee.

“Lou and Elaine have been huge supporters of the Land Trust for many years,” Landon said. “They’ve just contributed so much to the town and have educated people about the importance of the environment.”