Do you think about how fortunate we are to live in a state that is so beautifully green?
About 60% of Connecticut’s 3.1 million acres is forested. Most of this state is rated as “Great” by NatureQuant, an organization that maps the U.S. for green quality of life and health. (See maps here.) Although Connecticut’s six major urban areas need serious green improvement, it is also true that everyone who lives in, or visits, Connecticut benefits from being surrounded by forested land that allows us to breathe air that is cleansed by trees and plants, and drink water filtered through forest soils.
We do not need to travel far to find a wetlands, river, or pond that nurtures shorebirds, amphibians, and wildlife. We can enjoy a walk in the woods on the fringes of suburban or on rural natural land or find a remote area for a challenging hike.
Do not take it for granted, however.
Connecticut needs a plan to ensure that our green resources remain unspoiled and to protect a substantial proportion of untouched wild land and water for healthy wildlife habitats. There is increasing competition to find land suitable for housing, and pressures for commercial and municipal entities to buy forested land for alternative energy use. There are also land demands for AI tech and goods distribution centers with large bankrolls behind them and the promise of jobs. Stiff competition for green space.
How will we protect our forests and watersheds?
The issue is land: Who owns Connecticut forests? Surprisingly, there is very little federal protected land — think national parks, forests, or wildlife recreation areas. Connecticut has the least designated federal land of any of the 50 states, just .3%. In contrast, nationally, the federal government owns about 27% of the land.
Most of Connecticut’s forests are privately owned. The amount of forest land has held mostly steady over the four decades as forest removal has been balanced by agricultural land gradually reverting to productive young and middle-aged forests. But there has been loss of “core” forests, lands of five hundred acres or more that are truly wild and protected by their location far from roads and development. Core forests connect wildlife habitats and migration paths, allowing native species to quietly thrive. In addition, these core forests help Connecticut native plants flourish, and sustain ancient seed banks and microfauna habitats crucial to healthy and diverse ecosystems—and agriculture.
In 2019, the Connecticut legislature created a statute that would conserve 21% of the state’s open land for future generations. The goal was for 10% of the land to be designated state land and managed by the state. The other 11% would be protected by Connecticut’s conservation partners, which include conservation organizations like land trusts, municipalities, and water companies. Land trusts hold a large portion of the acreage. Conservation partners have been steadily adding land and nearly reached the 11% portion of the goal. The state, however, has lagged. At the current rate of acquisition, it would take 58 years for the state to acquire enough land to reach its goal.
Not enough money has been allocated for state-managed lands.
Land trusts figure importantly, crucially, in Connecticut for open space conservation. Unlike many other states whose public lands are overseen by federal or state entities, Connecticut leans more heavily on land trusts to acquire and steward open space, or “land in fee.” Connecticut has the third highest number of land trusts in the nation, after California and Massachusetts.
The 120-plus Connecticut land trusts are loosely affiliated with one another through voluntary membership in organizations like Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC) and the Land Trust Alliance (LTA). CLCC guides land trusts in their work, helps facilitate acquisitions, and coordinates with state environmental agencies. The LTA is a national group that can accredit land trusts seeking recognition for the quality of their work. Accreditation also opens doors for trusts to obtain more grant money from the state or nonprofits, enabling the acquisition of larger tracts of land such as core forest land.
People (like me) who have moved to Connecticut recently, are surprised to learn that a large portion of Connecticut’s protected forestland is stewarded by land trusts, rather than by federal or state entities. In other states, it is easy to rely on federal or state land management systems, and not think much about this at all.
On the other hand, people who have lived in Connecticut for a long time, even generations, may take land trusts for granted. They appreciate a nearby preserve where they can walk their dog, or the marshland where they view migrating waterfowl. But unless directly involved, it is easy to underestimate the importance of land trusts, or the scope of the work done by their local volunteers who maintain green places.
We are all neighbors to one or more of Connecticut’s 120 land trusts.
We can identify local land trusts, learn about the properties that they conserve, and how they are organized. (See this to find local land trusts.) As good neighbors, we can support trusts through donations, small or large. A local municipality may want to donate land, or designate funds to purchase and protect a parcel of land in collaboration with a trust. If this is a good idea, then it needs citizen support. Volunteers work on conserved lands to maintain trails, post signs, or keep invasive species at bay. Myriad other ways to help in the land trust office or online can present themselves. Sometimes, garden clubs, scouts, or rotary clubs pitch in to fund a trust project, or to simply work alongside land trust volunteers to get a job done.
Keeping our green, healthy, and thriving Connecticut open spaces nurtured and protected requires that everyone understand land trusts and their contributions a little better. It will help to protect the health of our forested environment and our quality of life.
Sharon J. Lynch of Stonington is a Member of the Avalonia Land Trust Board.