Today, State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport) applauded the announcement this week by Governor Lamont that Connecticut will invest over $1.5 million of the Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program to support the purchase of two properties in the 26th District. These investments in Redding and Wilton will preserve roughly 109 acres of land to protect natural wildlife, public drinking water quality and new recreational opportunities for our community.
“When I met families who are new to Fairfield County, they often tell me that they were drawn here by Connecticut’s beautiful outdoors,” said Sen. Haskell. “As a member of the Environment Committee, I constantly fight for additional funding to preserve our natural resources, and I’m thrilled to see those dollars going to good use Redding and Wilton. Thank you to Governor Lamont for making open space a priority — I know our community will benefit from this investment for decades to come.”
“As the climate changes, we must work to protect the landscapes that provide refuge for plants and animals adapting to a warmer world,” said Frogard Ryan, state director for The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut. “We are excited to work with the State of Connecticut to expand Devil’s Den Preserve, the largest expanse of protected land in Fairfield County and our most frequently visited preserve, to help keep our promise to protect the lands and waters on which all life depends.”
Of a larger announcement of $7.5 million in grants to preserve open space properties, the state announced local acquisition projects including: