A new wildlife viewing area and sanctuary for Middletown at the heart of where the Coginchaug and the Mattabesset River meet.
Explore this page to learn more about the Midden project.
Join the Trail Blazers distribution list to get involved. We welcome anyone who would like to spend some time outside with us, cutting, weeding, planting, and building this community space in Middletown’s North End.
Contact Us to share questions or comments. Go to the Next Event section to see what we are up to and join upcoming events. Access the Learn More section to read about featured steps in this project. We’ll update this as the project continues!
Imagine yesterday’s trash turned into a treasure for our community.
At Middletown’s retired landfill, visitors are treated to stunning views of three rivers, a 1000-acre tidal marshland, the Arrigoni Bridge, and hills of neighboring towns. This quarter-mile path (rising 80 feet to the top) is next to the city’s transfer station and the Keating Building. It even has its own soundtrack…bird songs!
This is a transformation in progress that’s worth seeing for yourself.
In partnership with the City of Middletown, the Jonah Center for Earth and Art staff is leading this transformation with help from experts and volunteers.
Community involvement and support is welcome and truly needed.
Join the Trail Blazers distribution list to get involved. We’ll send updates and periodic calls for help to this group of Trail Blazers throughout the year. Join us for any work parties that fit your schedule.
This project will be funded by various community grants first, followed by individual donors. We will be grateful for support during fundraising campaigns and events later this year.
Next Event
Date TBD – Stay Tuned!
Our next mission: Lay out cardboard and spread woodchips as Part 1 of our Mugwort suppression plan, guided by our Landscape Designer and invasive species expert.
Learn More – Spring Topic is Mugwort
Our first big challenge on the Midden is to reclaim the area from an overgrowth of Mugwort.
Learning about Mugwort
What is Mugwort? Mugwort is a very common and prolific invasive weed that chokes out other native plants. It emerges in areas that have been disturbed where native plants are not intentionally planted or maintained. It creates a barrier for paths and critically limits the biodiversity of the area.
What’s the big deal? Can’t we just mow it down? Suppressing and eventually eliminating Mugwort will take years of dedicated tactics. We will be working with the Middletown Garden Club and invasive species experts to plan and support a more diverse ecosystem. This will help our bird population sing with joy and improve this habitat for all other creatures who call the Midden home.
Learn even more from our past articles that show our progress from our first public walks to when we got the blessing from Mayor Gene Nocera and the Common Council to move forward. (Click to expand this list.)
May-June 2025 Walking Parties in May and June
July 2025 July Work Party to Tackle Mugwort
August 2025 – Walk with Mayor
December 2025 – Common Council Resolution & Drone video
February 2026 – Spring 2026 work parties
What is a Midden?
Quite literally, A midden is a refuse heap. This recreation area exists due to decades of town trash deposits that created the mound we stand on now. We are reclaiming and restoring this area to heal from those old land use practices.
Photo Credits this page: Mick Bolduc, Kristen Colombo and Heather Kennedy
This project is made possible by partnerships with Jonah Center volunteers, The Middletown Garden Club, City of Middletown Departments of Land Use, Public Works and Economic Development. With landscape design and invasive species expertise from Kathy Connelly, Speaking of Landscapes, LLC. Special thanks: to Plummer Landscaping for initial mowing of the cap area, to Matt Stauble, Stauble Media for the drone photography and Mick Bolduc for event and nature photography.