Friends of Topsmead State Forest

If you are like most visitors to Topsmead State Forest, you
are enchanted the minute you venture onto the grounds on foot or by
car. Topsmead State Forest is the former 510-acre summer estate of Miss
Edith Morton Chase of Waterbury, who upon her death, bequeathed the estate to
the citizens of Connecticut to enjoy year-round. The property is owned by
the State of Connecticut and managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy
and Environmental Protection (DEEP) under the direction of Jared Rice, property
manager, a full-time maintainer, plus one part-time staff member.

In 2018, a group of admirers got together and formed
the Friends of Topsmead State Forest (FTSF) to support DEEP's maintenance
and beautification efforts as well as to enhance the overall visitor
experience. Since the start of the group, the Friends have re-created the Orintas
Family Butterfly Garden, restored the Songbird trail, and installed
the boardwalk over the wetland on the Stairs Trail. The Friends also
continue to offer a variety of educational offerings, including Lectures on the
Lawn (in-person and online), our Annual Members Day event in the fall, and pop-up
programs with DEEP specialists and local guest lecturers.  

Additionally, FTSF volunteers assist DEEP
by collecting data on the bluebird population at Topsmead, help
with gardening and weeding of the gardens as well as training docents to
lead tours of the Chase Cottage. During the pandemic, the Friends created
a Visitors Welcome Center near Chase Cottage and installed educational
panels, new benches, and visitors' notebook for guests to share observations
and brief stories about their time spent at Topsmead. Some of these entries
make it into the group's monthly e-newsletter from time-to-time. In recent
years, the Friends launched the FTSF Fostering Scholarship to give to a
graduating senior who plans to study environmental science or historical
preservation at an accredited college or university and DEEP offers All Access
to all of Topsmead through the use of motorized wheelchairs that can be reserved
online for three-hour blocks through the ReserveAmerica website.

Periodically, the Friends will collaborate with other
like-minded partners such as the CT Rivers Alliance, Housatonic Vally
Association, Litchfield Audubon Society, Litchfield Historical Society, and
White Memorial to educate our supporters about the many varieties of birds and
types of wildlife that live at Topsmead. These partnerships allow us to offer
programs that allow our supporters to experience and deepen their knowledge of
the Bobolinks who nest in the meadows at the estate, learn about the return of
Kestrels to Topsmead, and enjoy a Hawk Watch during our Members Day event.

Your contribution today will help the Friends of
Topsmead preserve the past for the future by supporting DEEP's effort to
maintain the grounds, make repairs to the exterior of the cottage, and
reupholster select pieces within the cottage or dry clean hand-hooked rugs that
are on view during cottage tours. The Friends' plans for the near future
include continuing to support DEEP, increasing our current educational
offerings, and initiating new plans suggested by our visitors to enhance their
outdoor experience at this natural oasis.

Your donation in any amount has become more and
more vital for preserving open spaces like Topsmead State Forest for recreation,
mental health, and deepening our connection with nature! Thank you for your
support and we look forward to meeting you at Topsmead.



Please visit our website at friendsoftopsmead.org and follow us
on Facebook and Instagram for the latest information about cottage tours,
educational programs, volunteer opportunities, and more.



Who We Are

The Friends of Topsmead State Forest Inc.(FTSF) is a volunteer run, non-profit that partners with the Connecticut DEEP providing programs and activities to engage visitors with the history, and environmental grandeur of Topsmead.