Special MMM Trail Edition! NEWSLETTERCONNECTICUT OF THE CONNECTICUT FOREST PARKFOREST ASSOCIATION PARK ASSOCIATION CFPA News Notes Conserving the land, trails and natural resources of Connecticut since 1895 Spring 2009 Volume 2 Issue 1 Trails Day Events Conservation Corps Family Rambles Announced Comes Full Circle Well loved program gets Find us on National Trails Day Governor Rell an- new name and invites will be held Saturday nouncement of a families to hit the trails. and Sunday, June 6th new CCC has CFPA facebook Page 6 and 7th this year, with recalling our own rich (Just look for this link on events throughout history. Connecticut. www.ctwoodlands.org and be Page 5 sure to become a fan!) Page 3 within ten miles of the MMM Trail, and designation, you may wonder what is MMM Goes National certain sections such as Talcott Moun- going to change. One change is that On March 30th, CFPA was joined by Con- tain, Ragged Mountain, Chauncey Peak, the National Park Service is now autho- gressman Chris Murphy, Senator Christo- Higby Mountain, Castle Craig and the rized to provide funding and technical pher Dodd, and Mike Gildesgame of the Hanging Hills are well known region- assistance to help CFPA and others to Appalachian Mountain Club at a press ally for providing amazing views of the maintain and protect the Trail. Another conference at the Hill-Stead Museum to Connecticut River valley. The MMM Trail is that a “Trail Stewardship Council” celebrate the national designation of the which town, landowner, trail user, and MMM Trail. Then at 3 p.m., President many other representatives will over- Obama made the designation official by see maintenance and protection of the signing into law H.R. 146, the “Omnibus Trail’s national scenic values. Finally, a Public Land Management Act of 2009.” “Trail Management Blueprint” is for- In addition to the MMM Trail designa- mally established as the framework for tion, this legislation also designated the managing the Trail. This Blueprint was Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary designed during a Trail Feasibility Study Route National Historic Trail and autho- and extensive public input sessions over rized funding for the Quinebaug-Shet- the past several years which determined ucket National Heritage Corridor. the MMM Trail was eligible to become a National Scenic Trail and enjoys signifi- With the designation, the MMM (Meta- cant community support. comet Monadnock Mattabesett) Trail officially becomes the “New England At the same time, many things will National Scenic Trail.” The New Eng- not change one bit. CFPA volunteers land National Scenic Trail winds over 200 CFPA Executive Director Eric Hammerling speaks will continue to maintain the Trail in miles along traprock ridges, through for- at the MMM press conference in Farmington. Connecticut. Land/Trail protection will ests, and across a patchwork of state, mu- continue to be accomplished through travels through several “classic New nicipal, and private lands in 39 commu- existing state and local entities on a will- England landscapes” and harbors diverse nities spanning central Connecticut and ing seller basis only, and the National natural resources fostered by the special western Massachusetts. Since 1931, the Park Service would not own or manage soils and micro-climates associated with Metacomet and Mattabesett Trails have any lands. Because of the wide variety of traprock ridges. Just one walk along one been maintained as Blue-Blazed Hiking landowners along the Trail, landowners section of the New England National Trails by volunteers of the Connecticut are featured in the Blueprint which calls Scenic Trail will make you a believer . Forest & Park Association (CFPA). for the following: This is a special place indeed. Approximately two million people live (Continued on page 3) Under this new National Scenic Trail CFPACFPA News News Notes Notes 1 1 CONNECTICUT FOREST PARK ASSOCIATION Board Of Directors President: From the Executive Director’s Desk David Platt, Higganum York, and Rhode Island would all be less Vice-Presidents: Legislative Update than ours). We would support a mod- Jean Crum Jones, Shelton Every February since our inception, est increase in fees, but otherwise we are Eric Lukingbeal, Granby CFPA has been actively engaged with the concerned that this increase would not David Sullivan, Higganum state legislature to ensure Connecticut only increase costs, but also would likely Treasurer: has the best laws and funding available reduce revenues. to support sustainable forestry, well- Gordon Anderson, Glastonbury Sustainable Forestry: last year CFPA managed state parks and forests, natural Secretary: successfully worked on new legisla- resource/open space protection, and Eric Hammerling, West Hartford tion ensuring that more revenues from outdoor recreation/trail use. This year, At Large: sustainable timber harvests on state the combination of a sagging economy, Mark Ashton, New Haven lands would come back to support the large federal and state budget deficits, Richard Bauerfeld, Branford CT DEP’s forestry program through the political concerns with raising taxes, William D. Breck, Killingworth Conservation Fund. This year, the Gov- and large fiscal stimulus initiatives has Russell Brenneman, Westport ernor’s budget has proposed folding the presented unique challenges. Because George M. Camp, Middletown Conservation Fund into the state’s Gen- of these challenges, the pace of activity Starling W. Childs, Norfolk eral Fund. Although this move would has been notably brisk at the Legislature, Ruth Cutler, Ashford result in personnel savings for the DEP and CFPA has been working hard on the James Dombrauskas, New Hartford overall, it may become more difficult to following issues: Laurence Diamond, Coventry target funding to support the Forestry Recreation/Trail Use: of course, we Caroline Driscoll, New London division. are thrilled about the action in Congress Astrid T. Hanzalek, Suffield Natural Resource /Open Space to designate the MMM Trail as the New David Leff, Collinsville Protection: the Governor’s Budget has England National Scenic Trail and thank Scott Livingston, Bolton proposed “raiding” $12 million from the Congressmen Murphy (CT) and Olver Geoffrey Meissner, Southington Community Investment Act Fund. This (MA) as well as Senators Dodd (CT), Fairfield important fund over the past 3 years has Karen Mignone, Kerry (MA), and all their colleagues utilized a $30 fee for the recording of Bob Morrison, Manchester for their support (see cover story). At land records in municipalities to sup- James Ritchie, Sandy Hook the same time, a bill was introduced port over $35 million in grants and $75 Starr Sayres, East Haddam in the state Legislature, Proposed Bill million in matching funds to 130 towns Donald L. Snook, Westport 5108, An Act Preserving Certain Horse in support of farmland protection, open Deborah Spalding, Madison Trails, which proposed that the MMM space conservation, low income hous- Colin Tait, Norfolk Trail (yes, the same one just designated ing assistance, and historic preservation. Richard Whitehouse, Glastonbury as a National Scenic Trail) and another We have testified on numerous occa- Staff Blue-Blazed Hiking Trail become “horse sions and are talking with Legislators to Jennifer Benner, WalkCT trails.” CFPA opposed this bill, and we encourage that this fund remain intact, Communications Coordinator thank the AMC and Housatonic Valley especially as other open space and agri- Lori Paradis Brant, Education Association for signing-on to our testi- cultural land protection funds are being Director mony against it. After working with the cut elsewhere in the budget. Steve Broderick, Forest & Program bill’s sponsor to remove the Blue-Blazed Director, Goodwin Forest Center Hiking Trails and make other changes, Other Budget Issues: As a way to slim Ann T. Colson, Trail Conservation we are now able to support a revised bill. government, the Governor’s budget pro- Director & GIS Specialist posal has suggested cuts and consolida- State Parks and Forests: in the Gov- Linda Cunningham, Financial tions of over 50 Boards & Commissions. ernor’s Budget, attendance fees would Management Assistant This list originally included some Boards double for state parks, forests, beaches, Eric Hammerling, Executive Director that both are important to some of our campgrounds, hunting and fishing Damon Hearne, Land Conservation state’s most important natural resource licenses, and all licenses/permits cur- Director issues and, in our opinion, would result rently under $150. We are concerned James W. Little, Director of in no real budget savings. Fortunately, that this will reduce the ability for the Development a few of these Boards such as the Forest public to enjoy our state facilities and Leslie Lewis, WalkCT Director Practices Advisory Board and State Tree encourage tourists to visit neighboring Teresa Peters, Office Manager Protection Examining Board have re- states rather than Connecticut (the park Dan Donahue, Volunteer Forester cently been removed from the “cut list.” and user fees in Massachusetts, New 2 CFPA News Notes CONNECTICUT FOREST PARK ASSOCIATION Join us for Connecticut Photo by Janet Ainsworth Trails Day 2009 and Take In the Outdoors! National Trails Day will be held Saturday and Sunday, June 6th and 7th this year, with events taking place throughout Connecticut! The Trails Day theme for 2009 is “Take in the Outdoors”, an invita- tion to get outside and experience every- thing Connecticut’s great outdoors has to offer. Events range from hiking and biking to paddling, horseback-riding, trail maintenance, orienteering, letterbox- ing - a great variety of fun activities for everyone to enjoy! Connecticut has consistently held the Day events. All members will receive highest number of events of any state in a brochure, but if you want to suggest Connecticut Forest & Park Association the nation! someone to add to our list, send an e- has served as American Hiking Soci- mail to [email protected] with “TD ety’s state coordinator for Trails Day Want to get outdoors and join one of brochure” in the subject line, or call Terri since 1993.