Earth Day Celebration Welcomes Community To Mitchell College

NEW LONDON, CT - From Mitchell College: Mitchell College invites the public to attend our Earth Day Celebration fair, to be held on Wednesday, April 18 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Clarke Center. The 13th Annual Earth Day Celebration will include a Keynote Address from Chris Cryder with Save the Sound, discussing Plum Island and other local restoration efforts.

Join us for a presentation on Plum Island, including a virtual tour. Learn about the ways the community can help preserve this incredible public resource, and watch a 10-minute film produced for PBS, “Conservation of a Precious Island,” starring actor Sam Waterston. Attendees can immerse themselves in a virtual tour of Plum Island, and hear the latest efforts to protect it. Plum Island, located in eastern Long Island Sound, is home to the nation’s foreign animal disease center, as well as several endangered species and unique habitats. However, the island is to be sold by the federal government to the highest bidder. Many organizations would rather see the amazing island conserved and are fighting to save it.

Chris Cryder, Lands Campaign Manager for Save the Sound, will speak at Mitchell College’s Earth Day Celebration, and he will show new imagery of Plum Island. Chris has been working at Save the Sound for the past 10 years, and he is currently an outreach coordinator for the Preserve Plum Island Coalition, a group of conservationists in both Conn. and N.Y. He will also highlight efforts to save the Oswegatchie Hills in East Lyme.

The purpose of the 2018 Earth Day Celebration is to raise awareness of Mitchell’s commitment to playing a vital role in local habitat restoration and to foster community engagement. Environmental-related activities appropriate for all ages, including seaweed art, seedling starting and coloring stations, will be available during the expo. Throughout the day, Radio Mitchell will be broadcasting from inside the Clarke Center. Mitchell College students will also be presenting their work in the areas of nature photography, beach restoration work, conservation research and ongoing environmental projects.

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