Sherry Jagerson, co-chairman of the Sherwood Mill Pond Committee, said that interest was so high that more than 100 local volunteers, many of them teens, came to plant more than 3,000 wetland grass plugs and 500 shrubs according to a landscape artist's master plan, enabling visitors to wander through the Preserve's newly planted terrain but not encroach upon the sensitive habitat. A designated area for launching kayaks and canoes and educational signage will provide information about the pond's flora and fauna.
The Preserve, situated on land that served as little more than a parking lot for the old Allen's Clam House for decades, is the culmination of work which has taken more than 10 years to bring to completion. In 1997 the town bought the land for $750,000 with some public funds and with private support including donations from well-known Westport residents Paul Newman, Martha Stewart and Arthur Leavitt. The Clam House restaurant was condemned and demolished several years later in 2004 and the area was a passively used launch for kayaks and small craft.
The current endeavor, the conversion of the little used pocket park into a beautiful nature preserve, was the result of the imagination and determination of a group of environmentalists wishing to beautify and preserve the waters of the Sherwood Mill Pond.
Like many projects in Westport, it took a while but finally, the combined efforts of two members of the Parks and Recreation Commission, George Fransiscovich and Wendy Crowther; Liz Milwe and Sherry Jagerson from the First Selectman's Sherwood Mill Pond committee and several area residents got the project off the ground.
According to Jagerson, original plans for the wetlands preserve put the cost at more than $250,000 and did not win approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection. The members of the Sherwood Mill Pond Preserve Committee worked at the plan and the budget until they had a feasible project that cost just over $100,000. Private donors came forth and to date, the fundraising efforts have amassed about $75,000, with grants coming from a variety of sources including a private foundation known as TRIP, run by locals Pete Romano and Robin Tauck; the Green Village Initiative, which has been supporting various green energy projects in town; Newman's Own, the Fairfield County Community Foundation and even Connecticut Light & Power, plus contributions from individual neighbors and environmentalists.
A recent fundraiser held at a private residence which overlooks the Sherwood Mill Pond and one to which the public was invited, raised more than $10,000 for the project. The town helped with in-kind labor from the Department of Public Works.
Jagerson said the planners still need another $25,000 which they are continuing to press for from donors. Some bits and pieces of the project are still to be done this fall, including the parking lot which will be installed in November.
Jagerson said the motivation for the project came from a core group of dedicated volunteers committed to preserving the waters of the Long Island Sound. "People are thrilled with the park and with our efforts. We are motivated to protect our waters. We know what happens when the wrong thing gets in our waters. There is no better way to protect it than to protect our estuaries and protect our shore."
To find out how you can help, contact Committee Chairperson, Sherry Jagerson at 203-227-7413.