Sixty-four acres of land that had been designated for development now make up Stamford’s newest open space for the public to hike, walk their dogs or just enjoy the outdoors. The Stamford Land Conservation Trust recently opened the Harry Day Preserve in North Stamford, which includes a pond, trails, woodlands and an abandoned foundation dating back 100 years.

“These two parcels, which together are 64 acres, were under imminent threat of development. They were literally being marked out by surveyors,” explained John Stone, president of the Stamford Conservation Trust.

Instead, the nonprofit stepped in, acquiring the property with help from the city, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and private donors. The preserve, which can be accessed on Riverbank Road across from Newman Mills Park, was named in honor of the Stamford Land Conservation Trust’s prior president.

“I didn't create that,” said Harry Day pointing to the sign for the preserve and laughing. “That was created by other people that I guess felt it was deserved.”

Day spearheaded the project, which he told News 12 took about four years to get done.

“To me it was important because the property was spectacular, and it would be very valuable to the people of Stamford and other people in the state to save this property,” Day said. “I’m just so proud that we were able to have this beautiful place preserved and not developed.”

That’s especially since it connects to the existing Helen Altschul Preserve and Chuck Scarborough Preserve.

“Making it total area of 216 acres contiguous, which is very important for both recreation—because now we have a large integrated trail system—and also for the environment and habitat because wildlife likes contiguity,” Stone stated.

The Stamford Land Conversation Trust began in 1972, but it's mission may be even more important today.

“There's so much development going on in the city and redevelopment. And we need to preserve these open spaces because once they're lost, they're gone,” Stone told News 12. “The great thing that we do, we think on a time scale not of weeks or days or years but decades and even centuries.”

Stone said with the recent acquisition, the Stamford Land Conservation Trust now oversees about 500 acres of open space including 47 preserves, but the nonprofit’s work is far from done. About half of the land is open to the public, while the rest is reserved for scientific research and preservation, according to Stone.

To learn more about the Stamford Land Conservation Trust, click here.