Land trusts preserve millions of acres of land nationwide. Here in Connecticut, there's over 200,000 acres that have been preserved through land trusts.

Naturalist and adventurer Mark Fowler is the son of Jim Fowler, the famous wildlife expert and naturalist who hosted Mutual of Omaha's "Wild Kingdom."

Fowler says when his family decided to move, they thought the best way to preserve their family legacy would be to work with the land trust in Connecticut. In order to keep the property open to the public, the Fowler family created the Silvermine-Fowler Preserve in New Canaan, Connecticut. 

It started with a donation back in the '50s, with the Kelley Audubon parcel and the Hicks parcel - and then most recently the acquisition of 6.5 acres that used to belong to the Fowler family.

The Silvermine-Fowler Preserve is now used to conserve open space and provide wildlife habitat, but it's also available in some instances for passive recreation.

A pond on the property is home to frogs and salamanders. Fowler says they come from vernal pools, which are made up of little ponds in the woods that are important for biodiversity.

The pond is also home to turtles and many species of birds that thrive in the area.

"My father used to say that this land was his soul, and so the beauty is we've actually preserved it. And I know that in spirit he is with us, and he's so happy that we're all enjoying it, and now Mother Nature is thriving on our land again," Mark says.

Fowler says to celebrate on Earth Day, get out there and explore your local land trusts.