Webb Mountain Discovery Zone

Last updated October 10, 2023

The Webb Mountain Discovery Zone is a 170 acre park and outdoor learning center in Monroe, Connecticut, United States. The adjacent 135 acre Webb Mountain Park connects up to a 13.5 mile trail network.

The park covers 170 acres (0.69 km²) and has 3 loop trails, each with marked interpretive signs. There is also an outdoor classroom for schools and groups, and a scavenger hunt scorecard.^[1] There are no other visitor facilities. The park provides additional educational resources for teachers, as well as programs for school groups, daycare centers, and scouts. The park is owned by the Town of Monroe and administered by the Friends of Webb Mountain. The park is currently under the direction of Tom Ellbogen.

History

In 2004, the Town of Monroe, with help from the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), purchased 171 acres (0.69 km²) of open space between Webb Mountain Park to the north and Aquarion Water Company property to the south.^[2] A comprehensive review of the property identified significant opportunities to leverage the land’s unique biodiversity including vernal pools, wildlife habitats, varietal forestation for educational purposes at several grade levels.

Under the guidance of Hank Gruner, Vice President of Programs at the new Connecticut Science Center in Hartford and Project Coordinator of the Connecticut Amphibian Monitoring Project, a second study that examined the wetland resources on the property to determine the extent and quality of the 11 active vernal pools.

With this information, the Monroe Conservation Commission, led by Tom Ellbogen, worked closely with Mr. Gruner, Diane Joy, Assistant Director of Parks, Connecticut DEP, and Monroe Schools Science Coordinator Bonnie Maur, to pilot an outdoor education program that utilizes the natural resources found on the site and conforming to the State of Connecticut’s science curriculum standards. A successful field test of two fourth grade classes was conducted in May 2007 by Mr. Gruner and his staff.

The Webb Mountain Discovery Zone was officially opened to the public in October, 2007. Private funding was used to develop a comprehensive interpretive trail system with interpretive signs and a self-directed scavenger hunt, created by Mr. Gruner, centered on the theme of “How People and Animals Have Used the Land - Past and Present,” using the highest quality signage and eco-friendly materials. Twenty-eight learning stations covering subjects such as rocks and minerals, plants and wildlife, ecology, biology, and Native American and Colonial history were identified and developed by Mr. Gruner and Nick Bellantoni, Connecticut State Archeologist. The construct of the park, including installing all signs and benches and creating a comprehensive trail system spanning over 4 miles (6.4 km), was completed almost exclusively by volunteers.

Trails

Webb Mountain Discovery Zone has 3 marked trail loops.

Loop #1 is 1.1 miles (1.8 km) long, with highlights including a 19th-century quarry and a 19th-century kiln.
Loop #2 is 1.8 miles (2.9 km) long, and goes past ponds and hayfields, as well as stand of mountain laurel and birch.
Loop #3 is 1.6 miles (2.6 km) long and passes a large vernal pool.

Programs and activities

In addition to being open for hikes and exploration, the park sponsors numerous activities, including an annual Spring Egg Hunt.^[3] Classes of all ages visit from local public schools. It is also a site for Connecticut Trails Day guided hikes.

Related Research Articles

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References

↑ "Webb Mountain Discovery Zone, Webb Mountain Park, Monroe, CT". Webbmountaindiscoveryzone.com. Retrieved 2010-06-09.
↑ "Connecticut, 171 Acres Protected for Webb Mt. Park (CT): The Trust for Public Land". Tpl.org. 2004-06-14. Retrieved 2010-06-09.
↑ Meg Barone, Correspondent (2010-04-04). "Kids learn about nature in eggs-ceptional way". Connecticut Post. Retrieved 2010-06-09.

41°21′38″N73°10′14″W / 41.3605°N 73.1705°W / 41.3605; -73.1705

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[1] "Webb Mountain Discovery Zone, Webb Mountain Park, Monroe, CT". Webbmountaindiscoveryzone.com. Retrieved 2010-06-09.

[2] "Connecticut, 171 Acres Protected for Webb Mt. Park (CT): The Trust for Public Land". Tpl.org. 2004-06-14. Retrieved 2010-06-09.

[3] Meg Barone, Correspondent (2010-04-04). "Kids learn about nature in eggs-ceptional way". Connecticut Post. Retrieved 2010-06-09.

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v t e Protected areas of Connecticut
National Park Service	Weir Farm National Historic Site
National Wildlife Refuges	Silvio O. Conte Stewart B. McKinney
National Trails	Appalachian Trail New England National Scenic Trail Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route
Wild and Scenic Rivers	Ashaway River Eightmile River Farmington River Green Fall River Housatonic River Pawcatuck River Salmon Brook Shunock River Wood River
State Parks	Above All Air Line Beaver Brook Becket Hill State Park Reserve Beckley Furnace Industrial Monument Bennett's Pond Bigelow Hollow Black Rock Bluff Point Bolton Notch Brainard Homestead Burr Pond Camp Columbia Campbell Falls Chatfield Hollow Collis P. Huntington Connecticut Valley Railroad Dart Island State Park Day Pond Dennis Hill Devil's Hopyard Dinosaur Eagle Landing Farm River Farmington Canal Fort Griswold Battlefield Fort Trumbull Gardner Lake Gay City George Dudley Seymour George Waldo Gillette Castle Haddam Island Haddam Meadows Haley Farm Hammonasset Beach Harkness Memorial Haystack Mountain Higganum Reservoir Hop River State Park Trail Hopemead Hopeville Pond Horse Guard Housatonic Meadows Humaston Brook Hurd Indian Well John A. Minetto Kent Falls Kettletown Killingly Pond Lake Waramaug Lamentation Mountain Larkin State Park Trail Lovers Leap Macedonia Brook Machimoodus Mansfield Hollow Mashamoquet Brook Mianus River Millers Pond Minnie Island Mohawk Mountain Mono Pond Moosup Valley State Park Trail Mooween Mount Bushnell Mount Riga Mount Tom Old Furnace Osbornedale Penwood Platt Hill Pomeroy Putnam Memorial Quaddick Quinebaug Lake Quinnipiac River River Highlands Rocky Glen Rocky Neck Ross Pond Salt Rock State Campground Satan's Kingdom State Recreation Area Scantic River Selden Neck Seth Low Pierrepont Sherwood Island Silver Sands Sleeping Giant Southford Falls Squantz Pond Stillwater Pond Stoddard Hill Stratton Brook Sunnybrook Sunrise Talcott Mountain Tri-Mountain Trout Brook Valley Wadsworth Falls West Rock Ridge Wharton Brook Whittemore Glen Windsor Locks Canal State Park Trail Windsor Meadows Wooster Mountain
State Forests	Algonquin American Legion Centennial Watershed Cockaponset Enders James L. Goodwin Housatonic Massacoe Mattatuck Meshomasic Mohawk Mohegan Nassahegon Natchaug Nathan Hale Naugatuck Nehantic Nepaug Nipmuck Nye-Holman Pachaug Paugnut Paugussett People's Pootatuck Quaddick Salmon River Shenipsit Topsmead Tunxis Wyantenock
Wildlife Management Areas	Aldo Leopold WMA Assekonk WMA Babcock Pond WMA Barber Pond WMA Barn Island WMA Bartlett Brook WMA Bear Hill WMA Belding WMA Bishops Swamp WMA Black Pond WMA Candlewood Hill WMA Cedar Swamp WMA Charles E. Wheeler WMA Cromwell Meadows WMA Durham Meadows WMA East River Marsh WMA East Swamp WMA Eightmile River WMA Franklin Swamp WMA Goshen WMA Great Harbor WMA Higganum Meadows WMA Housatonic River WMA King's Island Coop WMA Kollar WMA Larson Lot WMA Little River Fish and Wildlife Area Lord's Cove WMA Maromas Coop WMA Meadow Brook WMA Menunketesuck WMA Messerschmidt WMA Newgate WMA Nod Brook WMA Nott Island WMA Pease Brook WMA Plum Bank WMA Quinebaug River WMA Quinnipiac River Marsh WMA Ragged Rock WMA Raymond Brook Marsh WMA Robbins Swamp WMA Roger Tory Peterson Wildlife Area Roraback WMA Rose Hill WMA Ross Marsh WMA Salmon River Cove and Haddam Neck WMA Sessions Woods WMA Simsbury WMA Skiff Mountain Coop WMA James V. Spignesi WMA Stanley Works WMA Suffield WMA Talbot WMA Tankerhoosen WMA Wangunk Meadows WMA Wopowog WMA Zemko Pond WMA
Reservoirs	Aspetuck Reservoir Barkhamsted Reservoir Beaver Dam Lake Candlewood Lake Easton Reservoir Far Mill Reservoir Hemlock Reservoir Hop Brook Lake Lake Lillinonah Mansfield Hollow Lake Means Brook Saugatuck Reservoir Trap Falls Reservoir West Hartford Reservoir West Pequonnock Reservoir Lake Zoar
Private	Aspetuck Land Trust Aton Forest Audubon Center at Bent of the River Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens Bear Mountain Branford Land Trust Beckley Bog Case Mountain Cathedral Pines Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Fairfield Connecticut College Arboretum Devil's Den Preserve Earthplace Great Mountain Forest Higby Mountain Highstead Arboretum Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust McLean Game Refuge New Canaan Nature Center Peter's Rock Pine Mountain Reserve Saltonstall Mountain Stamford Museum & Nature Center Steep Rock Association Weantinoge Heritage Land Trust White Memorial Foundation Woodcock Nature Center Yale-Myers Forest
Trails	American Legion State Forest Trails Aspetuck Valley Trail Blue-Blazed Trails Chatfield Trail Hancock Brook Trail Housatonic Range Trail Lillinonah Trail Mattabesett Trail Menunkatuck Trail Metacomet Trail Narragansett Trail Natchaug Trail Naugatuck Trail Nehantic Trail Nipmuck Trail Paugussett Trail Pequot Trail Quinnipiac Trail Regicides Trail Salmon River Trail Shenipsit Trail Tunxis Trail Westwoods Trails Whitestone Cliffs Trail Zoar Trail
Nature centers	List of nature centers in Connecticut
Local Government Forest/Parks	Bear Mountain Reservation Beardsley Park Burr Farm Open Space East Rock Park Gurski Farm Open Space Happy Landings Open Space Lighthouse Point Park Lillinonah Woods Mill River Park Old Bridge Sanctuary Pleasure Beach Roosevelt Forest Salt Meadow Park Seaside Park Webb Mountain Discovery Zone Webb Mountain Park
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (web)

v t e Nature centers in Connecticut
Fairfield County	Audubon Greenwich Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens Brookfield Nature Center Connecticut Audubon Society Birdcraft Museum and Sanctuary Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Fairfield Darien Nature Center Earthplace Highstead Arboretum New Canaan Nature Center New Pond Farm Old Quarry Nature Center Sherwood Island State Park Soundwaters Stamford Museum & Nature Center Trumbull Nature & Arts Center Webb Mountain Discovery Zone Woodcock Nature Center
Hartford County	Barnes Nature Center Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Glastonbury Eleanor Buck Wolf Nature Center Holcomb Farm Indian Rock Nature Preserve Northwest Park Nature Center Oak Grove Nature Center Roaring Brook Nature Center Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area Stratton Brook State Park Westmoor Park
Litchfield County	Flanders Nature Center Pratt Center Sharon Audubon Center White Memorial Conservation Center
Middlesex County	Bushy Hill Nature Center Chatfield Hollow State Park Platt Nature Center
New Haven County	Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center Audubon Center at Bent of the River Bauer Park Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point Henry Hamel Environmental Center Kellogg Environmental Center Meigs Point Nature Center Riverbound Farm Shoreline Outdoor Education Center West Rock Nature Center
New London County	Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center Rocky Neck State Park
Windham County	Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Pomfret Goodwin Forest Conservation Education Center