Thanks to all who helped!
With heartfelt gratitude, Pond Mountain Trust proudly announces the successful acquisition of the 12-acre Harper Lot on July 6th. Gaining perpetual preservation for this property, made possible through the remarkable generosity of numerous contributors, is a momentous achievement.
This parcel holds important conservation value as it serves to cement the connection between the 800-acre Pond Mountain Natural Area and the expansive 2,300 acres of Macedonia State Park. Additionally, its proximity to other protected lands under the stewardship of organizations such as the National Park Service, Kent Land Trust, Sharon Land Trust, and the NW CT Land Conservancy, further consolidates it as an integral part of The Macedonia Forest Block Important Bird Area. Named by The Nature Conservancy as one of Connecticut's "last great places," this special area stands as a testament to the irreplaceable wonders of nature.
We extend our deepest appreciation to all those who wholeheartedly joined us and lent their invaluable support to this endeavor. It is through your unwavering dedication that Pond Mountain Trust will preserve this land for posterity, creating a sanctuary where future generations can forge their own connections with the outdoors and honor the memory of James Tufts Pener. Jamie's adoration for nature was kindled amidst the woods and fields of Pond Mountain. Our hope is that this land will inspire others to emulate his reverence for the natural world and join us in its protection.
Stay tuned for news and updates as we work to integrate this wonderful addition into Pond Mountain Natural Area.
Annie Adams and Dan Chiasson
Joanna Alexander & Kyle Johnson
Joy Alferness
Mary Anderson
Scott and Kate Anderson
Samuel and Kitty Arie
Catherine Bachrach
Darcy Bacon
Sarah Bacon
Jill Bassett
Eliza Beckwith
Susan Beeson
Elizabeth Bellin
Michael Benjamin
Robert and Suzette Berkey
Monty and Fran Besmer
Nikhil and Kunika Bhojwani
Shannon Blanton
Antoinise Brice
Grace Buchanan
Ciara Burnham
Win and Barbara Burr
Steven Burwell
Margaret Canniff
Michael Caporizzo
Joan Casey
Amelia Cason
Tina Cassidy and Anthony Flint
Joe and Sara Cerrell
Deborah Chambrian & Ed Martinez
Darrell Cherniske
Kathryn Clair
Mary Clancey
Colin Clarke
Jeff and Christa Collins
Mariana Cook
Ellen Corsell
Jamie Costello
Francis and Betty Couvares
Oona Coy
Donald Cramer
Aaron and Adrianne Davenport
Morgan and Tiffany Deal
Dave and Margaret DeBruin
Margaret Diaz
Beth Dooley
Kenneth and Jackie Dooley
Sam and Debbi Dooley
Alan Dybner
Alexander Ely
Benjamin Etherington
Lara Fitch
Katie Flynn
Amanda Fox
Carol Franken
Steven Friedman and Valentine Burr
Dan and Darcy Frisch
Dan and Darcy Frisch
Elizabeth Galvin
Thomas Galvin
Dan Gingert
Ira Goldspiel
Maria Grace
Elizabeth Greenwood
Agnes Gund
Tom Ryan and Ellen Gutierrez
Fred and Caroline Hagen
Peter and Abigail Hanby
Peter Hansen
Joanna Herrera
Jeffrey Herrmann
Lisa Hoadley
Tom and Marty Holcombe
Ellen and Jean Marie Horovitz
Preble Jaques & Jessica Shattuck
Alex Jarislowsky and Kevin Snow
John Johnson
Jesse and Claire Johnson
Walter and Peggy Jones
Kenneth and Anna Juster
Seth and Rachel Kalvert
Katherine Kane
Francie and Jon Karlen
Rebecca Katz
Kate Kelderman
Julie King
Barbara Koegel
Jennifer Kordell and Tim Moran
Vincent and Maria LaFontan
Ronald Leal
Mary LeBlanc
Geoff Smith and Jamie Levitt
Roger and Florence Liddell
Bobby and Wendi Love
Emma Lozman
Jennifer Luning
Dave Mallison
Clara Markowicz
Sarah Marshall
Jessica Masters and Rikus Lombard
Rick and Lisa Matchett
Tatiana Maxwell
Paul McCarron
Hilary McClellen
Sharon McGuire
Amy Mellen
Emily Miles Terry
Mark and Rebecca Moore
Emily Moore
Anne Mortara
Braden and Julia Neff
Kathleen Nolan
Caitlin O'Neil
Aaron and Marisa O’Toole
Anne O’Toole Salinas & Carlos Salinas
Julia Parker
Joe Pelletier
Anne Pener
Degen Pener and Eric Bushard
Mark Pener and Katie Bacon
Steve Pener and Christine Sinclair
Phillip Perez
Heather Perrault
Donald Petry
Dave and Cindy Phipps
Adam Pomerantz and Joanne Robinson
Betsy Renwick
Bill and Olivia Reyelt
Lygeia Ricciardi
Ben and Donna Rosen
Ronald Sandler and Emily Mann
Dylan and Candice Schiesel
Lorry Schiesel
Melissa Schipul
Jill Scholsohn
Brett Schwartz
Katherine Seib
Eileen Shields-West
Margaret Smith
Damian and Erin Sorce
Owen and Molly Stearns
Kathleen Stewart
Sage Stossel
Donna Summers
Joe Terrell
Eli Thompson and Deborah Raisner
Alex and Mary Anne Toppan
Alejandra Traub
Omri and Flora Traub
Herb and Nancy Tully
Michael Ward
John and Erika Werner
Andrew Wilson and Jennifer Kranz Wilson
Cassandra Worthington
Maggie Wray
Bibie Wu
Jess Yagid
Nick and Lynn Zerbib
Amanda Zucker
Gretchen Zucker
The Brookline Greenspace Alliance
The Brothers Brook Foundation
Connecticut Land Conservation Council
The Gimon d’Ansembourg Foundation
The Kent Land Trust
The Seth MacFarlane Foundation
Charles and Anne Murphy Memorial Fund
Northwest Connecticut Land Conservancy
The Rattner Family Foundation
Watercolors by Shannon Blanton
In Honor of Jamie Pener
In honor of their 18-year-old son, Jamie, whose life was tragically cut short by a car accident last year, Mark Pener and Katie Bacon matched our first $100,000 worth of donations. Visits to Pond Mountain during his childhood helped Jamie grow into an avid outdoorsman; he hiked the 7-mile Macedonia State Park loop at age 7 and by age 14 had hiked all 46 peaks above 4,000 feet in the Adirondacks. Jamie is deeply missed by his family and many friends—he was the best of us.
“We find great comfort being in the woods, enjoying nature, and thinking about him. Katie and I would love to honor Jamie by continuing Myra Hopson’s legacy.” - Mark Pener