Bill Heffernan

A recent allocation of state funding will go toward preserving open space and creating local community green areas throughout Connecticut.

This round of grants total $15 million and are designated to help with the purchase and preservation of over 2,270 acres in 22 municipalities. This includes $725,000 specifically for the creation of six new local green spaces.

These type of investments in our environment and natural resources help improve the overall quality of life in Connecticut and provide beautiful outdoor recreational spaces for everyone to enjoy.

Since the state’s open space program began in 1998, more than 48,000 acres of publicly accessible land has been protected. Funding is provided through the state’s Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program (OSWA) and the Urban Green and Community Gardens Grant Program (UGCG), both administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

The largest tract to be protected as open space is the 380-acre forested "Abbott" property in Pomfret. This preservation project is sponsored by the Wyndham Land Trust, and will include public access to new hiking trails connected to existing trails on the adjacent 365-acre WLT Townshend Preserve.

One of the community green space grants is going toward enhancing Riverfront Recaputure's Riverwalk in Hartford. This project includes installing trailside amenities such as plantings, signage, and benches.

The legislature has set a goal of preserving 21% of state land as open space. This includes 10% as part of the state’s system of parks, forests, fisheries, and natural resource management areas. The remaining 11% is to be held by municipalities, nonprofit land conservation organizations, and water companies.

These lands are state and community assets that provide not only free recreational spaces but also serve to improve our overall air and water quality.

You can find the complete list of the open space grants and projects here. Read more about the state's open space grants and programs in this article from CT New Junkie