In 1997, actor Paul Newman donated 7.5 acres to Connecticut's Westport to stop development. 14 years later, his land formed part of the 39-acre Newman-Poses Nature Preserve, now public land

In 1997, actor Paul Newman donated 7.5 acres to Connecticut’s Westport to stop development. Fourteen years later, the land became part of the 39-acre Newman-Poses Nature Preserve, a public open space in Westport, Connecticut. The preserve brought together land connected to Newman’s family and to Lillian Poses, a neighbor and friend of the Newmans. The preserve protects fields, forests, trails and parts of the land near the Aspetuck River. It also provides space for birds, plants and other wildlife. The property is managed through a partnership involving the Town of Westport and the Aspetuck Land Trust.

How Paul Newman’s land became a preserve?

The story began in 1997, when the Town of Westport bought about 30 acres from the family of Lillian Poses. Poses was a friend and neighbor of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. She had also served in the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.


That same year, Newman and Woodward donated about eight acres of their own land to the town. The donation was intended to encourage the town to protect both their property and the land purchased from the Poses family as open space.

The focus keyword describes the donation as 7.5 acres. The larger historical account refers to about eight acres. Together, the properties eventually formed the land base of the Newman-Poses Nature Preserve.

Melissa Newman, daughter of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward, said the idea of preserving the property came from her father. She said he started the effort but did not have the opportunity to complete it.

Paul Newman also had a long relationship with the Aspetuck Land Trust. The organization works to protect open space in Westport, Weston, Fairfield and Easton. It manages more than 1,700 acres in those communities.

Jonathan Wagner, chairman of the land acquisition committee, said Newman supported the organization's conservation work and provided financial support for projects, including the acquisition of Trout Brook Valley in Weston.

A family connection to the Westport preserve

For Melissa Newman, the property was connected to her childhood. She and her two sisters explored the land after school when they were growing up. She described walking through fields, forests and areas beside the Aspetuck River. The land was only a short distance from the family home.

Newman said the property gave her a place where she could spend time outdoors without restrictions. She later became a board member of the Aspetuck Land Trust and remained involved in efforts to protect the property.

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward had bought their home near the property in 1961, the year Melissa Newman was born. She said the preserve reminded her of the land as it existed when her family first lived there.

Newman-Poses Preserve takes shape after 2008

The nature preserve did not become a specific memorial project until after Paul Newman died in 2008. Following his death, the Westport community discussed ways to remember the actor and philanthropist. Melissa Newman and her younger sister, Clea, proposed using the land acquired by the town in 1997 as a designated nature preserve.

They presented the proposal to the Aspetuck Land Trust and then-Westport First Selectman Gordon Joseloff. In 2009, the Planning and Zoning Commission approved the property's rezoning as open space. The decision allowed the land to move forward as a preserve rather than being developed. The project later involved an 18-month restoration effort.

The improvements included:

• A new boardwalk built with help from Westport Boy Scout Troop 100.
• Three pedestrian bridges over watercourses.
• More than one mile of new trails.
• The planting of 1,000 narcissus bulbs at the Bayberry Lane Extension entrance.
• Improvements to the entrance and access areas.
• Signage and other facilities for visitors.

The Aspetuck Land Trust paid about $20,000 for the improvements. The Town of Westport continues to own the land, while funds from the land trust support maintenance.

What visitors can find on the property?

The Newman-Poses Nature Preserve is about three miles from downtown Westport. The property contains fields, forests, watercourses and areas connected to the Aspetuck River. The preserve is also home to different forms of plant and animal life. These include ground-nesting birds and Highbush Blueberry shrubs.

Aspetuck Land Trust Executive Director David Brant described the property as having a strong connection to undeveloped nature. He recalled seeing a group of about 12 turkeys while visiting the preserve.

The preserve also supports the 2007 Town Plan of Conservation and Development. That plan identified the need for more open space in Westport. Westport Conservation Department Director Alicia Mozian said the property was significant because the northern part of town had few other town-owned open spaces.

Community groups helped improve the preserve

The Newman-Poses Preserve was developed through contributions from several groups and individuals. In spring 2018, the Aspetuck Land Trust worked with interns from Staples High School to improve the entrance area. Gault Energy donated topsoil and gravel, while the Town of Westport provided help from its public works crew.

Barts Tree Service removed invasive trees from the property. Oliver's Nursery donated native plants. Easton woodworker Dan Magner designed a new preserve sign. The work helped improve public access to the site.

The Aspetuck Land Trust also worked with the Town of Westport and the Newman family to keep the property as open space. The land trust added and maintained facilities such as the driveway, parking lot, trails, bridges and signs.

Why the preserve is connected to Paul Newman’s legacy?

The Newman-Poses Preserve is the only public memorial approved by Paul Newman's family as a way to honor the actor and philanthropist. Melissa Newman has described the preserve as a place that reflects her father's connection to the land. She has also said that she believed he would have supported using his name for the property. For her, the preserve provides a way for other people to experience a place that was part of her childhood.

Her account of the property also shows how closely she connected with the natural surroundings. In a letter about the preserve, she recalled exploring the area with dogs after school and moving through the land while following trails, mud and deer tracks.

The preservation effort therefore connects several elements: a 1997 land donation, the Poses family's land, Paul Newman's conservation work, the Newman family's connection to Westport and the community's effort to protect open space.

Where is the Newman-Poses Nature Preserve?

The preserve can be accessed from Bayberry Lane, north of Easton Road, also known as Route 136. The entrance is located between 307 and 313 Bayberry Lane. A small three-car parking lot is available at the entrance.

If the parking area is full, visitors can park near the turnoff at the intersection of Easton Road/Route 136 and Bayberry Lane. From there, the preserve entrance is about 500 feet north. The location allows residents and visitors to reach the preserve while keeping the property as public open space.