State Senator Beth Bye (D-West Hartford) and state Representative Mike Demicco (D-Farmington) today welcomed a $650,000 open space state grant for Farmington that will help preserve 107 acres of wooded town land located along the Farmington/Plainville town line, near South Ridge Road, which includes nearly two-thirds of a mile of the Metacomet Trail (part of the New England Trail).
“I know Farmington residents value their natural resources, and they want to manage and preserve them, so I’m happy to provide some state funding to make that happen,” said Sen. Bye. “This is just another example of how the state legislature invests in the things that make Connecticut one of the top states in America for quality of life, and that’s what I’m working to maintain and improve.”
“This is a welcomed investment that will help preserve the natural beauty and character of Farmington,” Rep. Demicco said. “Farmington residents will now be able to enjoy this open space with the knowledge that it will be preserved for future generations.”
The Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition program, administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), assists local governments and land trusts in purchasing open space. This grant program requires a conservation and public recreation easement that will ensure that the property is forever protected for public use and enjoyment.
Open space grants like these are helping Connecticut achieve its goal of protecting 673,000 acres of land and preserving 21 percent of state land by 2023. To date, Connecticut has over 500,000 acres designated as state or local open space lands, which is close to 75 percent of the goal.