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‘If Greenwich Walls Could Talk’ Presentation, Walk

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The community is invited to join Greenwich Land Trust (GLT) Saturday, November 2 for an educational evening with Dr. Robert M. Thorson, professor and author, who will present “If Greenwich Walls Could Talk: The Fascinating History of Connecticut Stone Walls.”

Dr. Thorson is a professor of geology at the University of Connecticut, and an award-winning author, scientist, and journalist. Dr. Thorson — known to colleagues and friends as “Thor” — became interested in stone walls after moving his family from Alaska to Connecticut in 1984. What began as a hobby, led to writing two books on the subject, Stone by Stone: The Magnificent History of New England’s Stone Walls, and Exploring Stone Walls and Stone by Stone, which was awarded the 2003 Connecticut Book Award for nonfiction. Today, Dr. Thorson works to promote a scientific understanding of the walls and advocate for their protection as cultural and ecological resources.

“Stone walls are part of Greenwich’s agrarian past, and are present throughout many of GLT’s preserves,” noted GLT Executive Director, Will Kies. “It is our mission to protect and care for the land and open space, as well as the ecological integrity, historic character, and scenic beauty of our community.”

Dr. Thorson also co-authored an award-winning children’s book with his wife Kristine, Stone Wall Secrets, which explores what the rocks in old stone walls tell us about the earth’s history. The book was honored as a Smithsonian Notable Book for children. Together, they also founded the Stone Wall Initiative, an online resource designed to enhance rural New England’s sense of place by focusing public attention on its iconic signature landform, the historic fieldstone wall. stonewall.uconn.edu

“If Greenwich Walls Could Talk” kicks off with a nature walk at 4 pm, led by Dr. Thorson, through the 350+ acre Westfall and Babcock Preserves on North Street. He will discuss how the stones were stacked to delineate fields from the forest, their geological history and more.

Dr. Thorson will present his talk at 6 pm, followed by a Q&A and book signing. Attendees may participate in only the nature walk or cocktail reception, or the entire program. To sign up, visit gltrust.org/program/if-greenwich-walls-could-talk

The mission of Greenwich Land Trust is to conserve open space, connect our community with the natural world, and inspire the next generation of conservationists. Learn more at gltrust.org

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