Senator Hartley Welcomes $1 Million to Flanders Nature Center

Today, state Senator Joan Hartley (D-Waterbury) is welcoming $1 million approved by the State Bond Commission for Flanders Nature Center for renovations to its facilities in Woodbury. The investment will support the construction of a new Agricultural Education Pavilion and code compliance renovations to the center’s early childhood education program facilities.

The funding, secured through Senator Hartley’s initiative, reflects her longstanding commitment to environmental education and land conservation in the communities she serves.

“Flanders Nature Center is a treasure for Woodbury and for the entire region,” said Senator Hartley. “It has opened children’s eyes to the natural world and provides hands-on learning experiences that simply cannot be replicated in a classroom. This investment will ensure that Flanders can continue and expand that vital work for years to come, and that its youngest learners have a safe, modern facility where they can thrive.”

The funding will support two key priorities at the center. The new Agricultural Education Pavilion will create dedicated space for programming that connects children and community members to farming, food, and land stewardship, and hands-on experiences that are increasingly rare and increasingly important. Alongside the new pavilion, the grant will fund critical code compliance renovations to the facilities that house the center’s early childhood education programs, ensuring those spaces meet current safety and accessibility standards.

The effort to secure this funding drew broad community support. Waterbury and Middlebury Board members championed the project, recognizing Flanders as an invaluable regional resource. Their advocacy underscored the deep ties between the center and the communities it serves.

The Waterbury Public School students have participated in the center’s programming enriching their classroom learning with real-world environmental and agricultural experiences. That relationship has made Flanders a meaningful extension of Waterbury’s educational community, and this investment will allow that partnership to grow and serve even more students in the years ahead.

Flanders Nature Center serves as a cornerstone of environmental education and land conservation in the greater Woodbury area. Its early childhood programs introduce young learners to the natural environment at a formative age, building a foundation of environmental awareness, curiosity, and stewardship that lasts a lifetime.

The addition of an Agricultural Education Pavilion will expand the center’s capacity to offer programming that connects participants directly to sustainable farming and food production, critical knowledge in an era of growing concern about food security and environmental sustainability.