LEBANON — The Upper Valley Land Trust is bringing back an Earth Day tradition this Friday with a hike at Starr Hill in Lebanon.
From 4 to 5 p.m., volunteer steward Eric Agterberg and Upper Valley Land Trust Programs Director Alison Marchione will lead a one-mile hike through Starr Hill Conservation Area. Participants are asked to meet at the end of Wheatley Street. The event has been on pause the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This property, we think, really embodies the spirit of Earth Day, of one person really advocating for change and getting something done on their own,” Marchione said.
That one person is the late Laurel Letter, who worked tirelessly to conserve the land that became known as the Starr Hill Conservation Area, according to a write-up from the UVLT. In addition to writing letters, fundraising and attending meetings to advocate for conservation, Letter and her husband, Sydney, took out a second mortgage on their home to put money toward purchasing 15.2 acres of the land in 1991.
In 2011, the Lebanon Conservation Commission placed a conservation easement on two other properties, which expanded Starr Hill to nearly 40 acres. The easement is held by UVLT.
“Laurel Letter’s story can teach us all something about the power of human spirit and the connection we have with nature,” according to a write-up the UVLT published when the easement was made. “Her actions bring the statement ‘home is where the heart is’ to life.”
During Friday’s walk, participants will visit a rock with a plaque honoring Letter. They’ll also stop by vernal pools, keep an eye out for wildflowers and hear the story of Letter and her husband. The route is relatively flat, making it a good fit for people of all ages and ability levels.
“We’re holding it later in the day in hopes that people will bring their kids out,” Marchione said. “Kids always like seeing frog and salamander eggs.”
For more information, visit uvlt.org/events.
Here’s a look at other Earth Day events taking place in the Upper Valley:
Bradford, Vt.: Gather at Denny Park (Main Street) from 7 to 8 a.m. for an Earth Day Climate Emergency Rally. The event will be held rain or shine. Bring signs, waves and mutual support.
South Strafford: Gather outside Barrett Hall (248 Route 132) from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. with members of Strafford Climate Action. Signs provided, or bring own.
Earth Day story hour in Bradford, Vt.: 10 to 11 a.m., Bradford Public Library (21 S. Main St.). Visit the library for a reading of Be Kind to Earth, an Earth Day-inspired board book, along with other books about sustainability. Create collage artworks with recycled materials, and plant seeds in mini pots to bring home.
Earth Day story hour and author event in Newport: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., Richards Free Library (58 N. Main St.). Visit the library for a reading of Kris Cairelli’s Earth Day-inspired book, Be Kind to Earth, along with other books about sustainability. Create tissue paper collage artworks and plant seedlings to bring home.
“An Evening with Winona LaDuke” online program: 6 p.m. LaDuke, a Harvard-educated economist, environmental activist, author, hemp farmer, grandmother and a two-time former Green Party vice president candidate with Ralph Nader, gives a presentation. Sponsored by Sustainable Woodstock and Pentangle Arts. Registration required at winonaladuke_earthday.eventbrite.com.
Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
