The Friends of Bristow Park and Bird Sanctuary’s goal is to raise the necessary funds and awareness to revitalize and restore the stewardship of this nearly 100 year old park and bird sanctuary, adding 17 acres of an accessible and valuable park into New Canaan’s ‘Green Link’ trail system.

Over arching long term goals include the following: 

Bird and Wildlife Habitat
  • Create diversity of habitats within sanctuary.
  • Selective tree removal to provide areas of full sun and flyways.
  • New native shrub plantings for additional food and cover.
  • Improve and create more under-story and woodland edge plantings. 
  • New wildflower meadows for additional plant diversity and increase pollinator habitats.
  • Protect watercourses and wetlands and ecologically sensitive areas. 
  • Provide and maintain bird and wildlife houses and bird feeders.
  • Develop strategy for long term management of invasive species, refer to 1999 Yale Study. 
Infrastructure
  • Improve all trails including keeping vegetation back from edges.
  • Widen central Greenlink Trail, re-grade sections and upgrade surface locations. 
  • Create destinations with seating and potential structures in key locations. 
  • Improve signage and way-finding including entrance signs, trail and destination maps, identification markers and naming. 
  • Repair/Replace fencing in stages.
  • Repair and upgrade bridges and boardwalks. 
  • Dredge closewater pond and improve all watercourses as appropriate and maintain.
  • Create pull-off parking area near the Old Stamford Road entrance. 
  • Construct new sidewalk along Old Stamford Road.