Preserve & Restore
Grace Farms was designed to contribute to the public’s quality of life by providing a peaceful respite that inspires the exploration of wilderness, wildlife, and open space. Grace Farms Foundation has retained the property’s beauty as a rare piece of the Fairfield County landscape. Approximately 77 of the 80 acres at Grace Farms are protected in perpetuity as open meadows, woods, vital wetlands, and ponds.
Explore
Nature programming emphasizes multigenerational engagement, encouraging the public to discover the wonders of the natural world through experiential and educational programs. During all seasons, we welcome experts and guides who present native wildlife (e.g., hawks, owls, falcons, and reptiles), teach wilderness survival skills, and guide walks along our nature trails for our visitors. Grace Farms has also become a recognized birding enclave, hosting more than 100 species of birds on-site.
Meet Horticulture Director Kimberly Kelly
Kim currently serves as member of the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Master Gardener Association and is the President of the Board of Director of the International Association of Butterfly Exhibitors and Suppliers. She brings over 25 years of experience to Grace Farms. During her career, she has fostered inclusive and meaningful ways to connect the public to the natural world, through horticulture, ecology, and regenerative land-use practices using both formal and informal educational programs.
Our Nature Initiative has raised awareness and accelerated change around some of our most intractable environmental issues, building an impactful model to ensure a sustainable future.
Species of birds have been identified at Grace Farms, an increase from 40 species in 2015, as a result of restoring our native meadows
Pounds of trash have been collected along Norwalk River and Five Mile River during our annual Source to Sound river clean ups
Pounds of carbon are sequestered from the atmosphere each year by trees on Grace Farms' property
2023
The National Wildlife Federation certified Grace Farms as a Wildlife Habitat and a Monarch Way Station by Monarch Watch.org. We also signed the Pollinator Pledge with the Xerces Society, an international nonprofit that protects the natural world by conserving invertebrates such as bees and their habitats.
2021
Grace Farms provided written testimony to the Connecticut State Legislature in support of Public Act No. 21-52, an Act Prohibiting the Import, Sale, and Possession of African Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Black Rhinoceros, White Rhinoceros, and Giraffes. The act became law and serves as another means to address the modern-day threats of illegal wildlife trafficking and unethical trophy hunting.
2019
Joined the local and regional Pollinator Pathway initiative, a nation-wide movement that protects and establishes essential native habitats for pollinators, including bees and butterflies.
2017
Brought back the American Kestrel to Grace Farms by restoring native meadows and installing nesting boxes. The Kestrel, the smallest and most common falcon in North America, is beneficial to the environment and farmers due to its consumption of crop pests.
2015
Established year-round free nature programing for people of all ages, offering exploratory opportunities of the natural world within our 80-acre preserve.