The Stamford Land Conservation Trust’s Mayapple/Tanglewood

preserve in North Stamford covers 9.5 acres of forest, ponds and vernal

wetlands, which were acquired in two separate donations in

1996 and 1997.  

 

The peaceful tranquility of the property today belies a more complicated past.

The original piece of the preserve (8.14 acres) was purchased in 1952, by a family who settled in North Stamford seeking refuge from city life. As animal lovers as well as nature lovers, the donors, who wished to remain anonymous, assembled a diverse menagerie including China deer, English fallow deer, African Crowned Cranes, 22 pairs of different varieties of ducks, and even emus. They fenced in the property to contain and protect

their exotic species.

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This “Noah’s Ark” of North Stamford continued through the 1980s, after which its upkeep became burdensome. After the animals passed away or were donated to others, the donors gave the property to the SLCT in 1996, so that it could be kept as open space in perpetuity.

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In 1997, a second donor gave the SLCT an additional 1.42 acres, visible at the top right of the drone photo. While valuable in its own right, its location next to the original donation enhanced both pieces of property from an ecological standpoint. The more access our wildlife has to contiguous open space, the better!

Today, these valuable properties are home to white tail deer, red fox, gray fox, owls, hawks and other native wildlife. They are forever preserved from the threat of development, and help to make Stamford the special place it is today.

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Note: The Mayapple/Tanglewood preserve is not open to the public. Admission is permitted only with prior arrangements with the SLCT.