Gov. Malloy: Open Space Grants Will Preserve Nearly 950 Acres of Land Across Connecticut

Press Release

Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced grant awards of almost $6 million to support 17 communities in the purchase of 949 acres of open space, to assist three urban communities in enhancing or developing community gardens, and to allow a fourth urban community to establish a natural habitat for environmental education.

"Preserving the best of Connecticut's open space is critical to protecting our land, water, and wildlife and ensuring Connecticut maintains its natural beauty," Governor Malloy said. "Through these grants, we will increase the availability of open space for our residents to enjoy - whether they live in our state's beautiful cities, suburbs or rural areas."

The Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition program, administered by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), assists local governments and land trusts in purchasing open space using funding from the 2005 Community Investment Act and state bond funds. This grant program requires a conservation and public recreation easement that will ensure that the property is forever protected for public use and enjoyment.

With $5.9 million in state open space grants, the public will soon have 17 new places in which to enjoy all that nature has to offer. In addition, more than $500,000 in grant funds will assist in the creation or enhancement of eight community gardens in three urban areas and the creation of a conservation area with a focus on environmental education in a fourth community.

In total, over 665,000 of Connecticut's residents (or 19% of our population) will be within a ten minute drive of one of these resources. DEEP prioritizes funding for projects that meet the multiple goals of open space, such as protecting vital habitats, creating and enhancing recreational resources, and protecting our valuable water resources.

Open space protection projects help Connecticut achieve the goal to protect 673,210 acres of land by 2023. Connecticut has 500,242 acres designated as state or local open space lands, 74.3 percent of the goal. More than $125 million in state funding has been awarded to municipalities, nonprofit land conservation organizations, and water companies to assist in the purchase of 32,237 acres of land in 135 cities and towns.

"When we work with our partners to protect open space, we protect our natural resources, we enhance our communities and sense of place, and we have new locations where we can connect with the natural world," DEEP Commissioner Rob Klee said. "This funding is another step toward meeting our goal of preserving twenty-one percent of Connecticut's land, or 673,210 acres, as open space by the year 2023."

The Urban Green and Community Garden Initiative is available to targeted and/or distressed municipalities. These grants can be used to reclaim or enhance an existing open space or community garden. The benefits of this program is not only to open an area up to recreation and environmental education but to improve community health through various actions such as producing various vegetables and fruits and providing much needed green space in more highly developed areas.

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