What can fireflies teach us about the future of community life, ecological stewardship, and the health of the landscapes we inhabit? 

Open space advocate and SoBro Conservancy Founder Tom Denny will explore that question Tuesday, May 26 at the Sarotoga Springs Holiday Inn in a public presentation hosted by the Saratoga Torch Club. 

Denny’s talk, “Got Fireflies? Thoughts on Partnering with Nature to Strengthen the Web of Life,” will describe how communities can work more thoughtfully with nature to create healthier, more connected communities. 

The evening will begin at 5 p.m. with a guided tour of the SoBro Triangle, the innovative ecological restoration and pollinator habitat that Denny established at 209 South Broadway in 2021. That will be followed by a cash bar at 5:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn and dinner at 6 p.m. Denny will make his presentation at 7 p.m.

One of Saratoga Springs’ leading voices for ecological restoration and civic stewardship, Denny has helped lead efforts ranging from neighborhood gardens to broader conversations about urban forestry, walkability, biodiversity, and open-space preservation.

At the center of Denny's recent work is the once-vacant 0.2-acre gas station parcel at 209 South Broadway that Denny has been transforming into a vibrant ecological commons since 2021. That's when he simultaneously acquired the property and established the SoBro Conservancy. 

Leading a team of conservation advocates and volunteers, Denny has created what has become one of Saratoga’s most visible experiments in community-led regreening. What had long been an asphalt scar along one of Saratoga’s busiest corridors is now alive with pollinators, birds, flowering plants, and public activity.

The project has become a model of civic partnership with volunteers building planting beds, installing irrigation systems, and building a tool shed with the assistance of local students and community organizations. City agencies, nonprofits, educators, and residents have contributed expertise, funding, labor, and imagination to the effort. 

The result is a living demonstration of what Denny describes as working “with nature to strengthen the web of life."

Using the presence — or absence — of fireflies as a symbol of environmental health and ecological balance, Denny will reflect in his remarks on the ways native landscapes, pollinator habitats, urban forestry, trails, and thoughtfully designed public spaces contribute not only to environmental sustainability, but also to human well-being and community identity.

 Dinner reservations -- at $40 per person -- may be made by emailing Richard Lynch at torchman999@gmail.com by Friday, May 22, 2026 with your dinner selection.
Menu options include Tortellini & Broccoli Alfredo or New England Crusted Cod.