Turtle Cove, an important wildlife and recreational area at the head of New London’s Pleasant Lake, received protection from a conservation easement donation by Judy and Jim Oates of Elkins. Their action safeguards two acres on Lakeshore Drive that are bisected by Great Brook.

The land is adjacent to the 20-acre, Rachel and Murray Sargent conservation easement, held by the Town of New London Conservation Commission. The Oates parcel is an undeveloped stretch of shoreline that provides a beautiful view of Pleasant Lake for those walking, riding or driving by. Judy Oates’ family, which includes the Everetts and Lamsons, has been on Pleasant Lake for six generations. Judy and her husband Jim own additional property on Lakeshore Drive.

In years past, the site’s shoreline had become eroded, prompting the Oates to purchase the land in 1997 in order to conserve and protect it. The Oates are longtime members of Ausbon Sargent and are active in the weed watcher program on Pleasant Lake. If milfoil, a troublesome exotic weed, is ever to become a problem in Pleasant Lake, it is likely to be in Turtle Cove, which is a sensitive area. The Oates easement will help reduce the risk of milfoil introduction.

Canoeists and kayakers enjoy the cove’s "quiet water" and naturalists appreciate its role as a wildlife nursery for waterfowl, fish, beavers and other creatures.