SHARINGSHARING THETHE LANDSCAPELANDSCAPE A Publication of The Friends of Connecticut State Parks Summer 2016 July 10, 2016 for Connecticut’s state parks, forest recrea- NEWS from HARKNESS MEMORIAL STATE PARK tion areas, historic sites, conservation areas Page 11 and much more. NEWS from FRIENDS OF HAMMONASSET STATE PARK Page 12 MORE NEWS from HAMMONASSET STATE PARK CONTENTS Page 13 FCSP MISSION Page 1 NEWS from FRIENDS OF FORT TRUMBULL STATE FCSP MISSION PARK Page 13 GREETINGS from PRESIDENT PAM Page 2 NEWS from DINOSAUR STATE PARK Page 14 FCSP was the brainchild of then State Park A LETTER from CONNECTICUT FOREST & PARK Director Robert Freedman and Sleeping Giant ASSOCIATION Page 2 NEWS from THAMES RIVER HRITAGE PARK Page 15 Assoc. member, Randall Miller. As the pair ATTORNEY GENERAL GEORGE JEPSEN HOSTS AMENDMENT EVENT Page 4 NEWS from GFRIENDS OF AMERICAN LEGION & hiked the Giant on sunny afternoon, they PEOPLE STATE FOREST Page 15 BUDGET DEAL GIVES DEEP A NEW STATE PARK discussed the benefit to the state parks in Page 5 NEWS from FRIENDS OF HEUBLEIN TOWER AT TAL- COTT MOUNTAIN STATE PARK Page 15 having an organized volunteer group serve as a CFPA—ANNUAL MEETING at NEW CT GROWN support system for a park. Connecticut State STRUCTURE Page 6 IMPORTANT DATES—FRIENDS OF CONNECTICUT Parks had nine “Friends” groups at the time, NEWS from CONNECTICUT FOREST AND PARK STATE PARKS Page 17 ASSOCIATION Page 6 each with its own mission to support a specific FRIENDS OF CONNECTICUT STATE PARKS Page 17 2016-2017 BUDGET IMPACTS STATE PARK & focus of a single park. The discussion turned to FOREST RECREATIONAL AREAS Page 7 A CALL TO GIFT SHOP MANAGERS Page 17 the need for a conduit to communicate with all PRESS RELEASE from Dennis Schain of DEEP FRIENDS and SOCIAL MEDIA Page 18 of the Friends groups as well as, to support the Page 7 STATEWIDE NETWORK OF FRIENDS Page 19 many park and forest recreation areas that did FRIENDS OF CONNECTICUT STATE PARKS—2016 LEGISLATIVE DAY Page 9 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS Page 19 not yet have a support group. The seed for the NEWS from FRIENDS OF CONNECTICUT STATE IMPORTANT LINKS Page 19 creation of The Friends of Connecticut State PARKS Page 9 GALLERY Page 19 Parks was planted. CONNECTICUT OPEN HOUSE DAY Page 10 FRIENDS OF CONNECTICUT STATE PARKS Page 19 The first members of FCSP were a small group NEWS from FRIENDS OF CONNECTICUT STATE PARKS Page 11 of energetic and enthusiastic folks with a vision for a statewide volunteer support system for NEWS from GROTON OPEN SPACE ASSOCIATION Sharing the Landscape 1 GREETINGS from which it was taken and, with no notice to the volumes about the passion the Conservation PRESIDENT PAM State’s Land Managers and its citizens. The community and the citizens of Connecticut have opening language of the Conveyance Bill, for their State Parks and Forests. With the con- “Provisions of the General Statutes notwith- tinued support of Friends groups and our standing”, allows Legislators to disregard any state’s many conservation organizations, the Dear Friends: existing statute that protects the property. A fervent hope is that the Amendment will be This year of 2016 has been very busy for Constitutional Amendment is not so easily pushed over the finish line in the next session. Friends of Connecticut State Parks, Friends ignored. Keep up the great work and thank you all. Groups, the Connecticut General Assembly and The Connecticut Forest & Park Assoc., the for the DEEP State Parks Division. This edition Friends of Connecticut State Parks (and the 24 of Sharing the Landscape will be more of a Sincerely, Friends Groups), the Connecticut Lands photo journal of the year to date. Legislative Coalition and many more organizations Pamela Aey Adams issues do require some explanation and worked tirelessly advocating for the passage FCSP President information can be found in this publication. of the Amendment. Passage of this first-time I would like to take this opportunity to thank all Amendment would require a 3/4 majority of our Friends who supported the effort for a vote in both the Senate and House then, be Constitutional Amendment to better protect placed on the State Election ballot in the state lands. The Amendment passed … sort of. upcoming even-year election and passed by More explanation on that in paragraphs to popular vote. Just days before the close of follow. the 2016 session, the Senate passed the For those not familiar with the issue, here is Amendment with the requisite majority of some information. In 2016, Conservation Senators voting to support the Amendment. organizations in Connecticut proposed a Literally minutes before the closing of the session, the House passed the Amendment Constitutional Amendment which would better A LETTER from CONNECTICUT protect State Park, State Forest and but, did not achieve the required majority. Agricultural Lands. One might believe that such While this means that the Amendment will FOREST & PARK ASSOCIATION a significant piece of Legislation would not be not appear on the 2016 Election Ballot in needed as state land is already protected. This November, the legislation can be reintro- 2016 Legislative Session Final Recap is not the case. Unbeknownst to most citizens, duced in the next session (or subsequent ses- a piece of legislation known as the Conveyance sions) and, requires only a simple majority to Teaser Text: The 2016 Legislative session along Bill allows Legislators to give appear on the 2018 Ballot. with the budget, bonding, and conveyance act away state land to Historically, Amendments to Connecticut’s are finally over. This was a BUSY year, so read government or private Constitution often fail or, take ten or more on to see the full story of the good, the bad, entities without monetary years to pass and become law. The fact that and the ugly. compensation to the this Amendment to Protect State Lands taxpayers or program from gained so much support in its first year speaks Continued on page 3 Sharing the Landscape 2 Continued from page 2 Passage of SJ 36 was an ENORMOUS first step opportunities from 1) a per-person admission toward better protecting your state lands, fee at all state parks, and 2) funds raised from The 2016 session opened on February 3rd and and many legislators were wonderfully state park concessions, services, and concluded at midnight on May 4th. Every supportive to make this happen (though amenities. This is another step toward finding moment counts in the frenetic 13-weeks of Senator Kevin Witkos and Representative a more sustainable funding source for session, and CFPA was busy working for your Roberta Willis pictured above deserve extra Connecticut’s beautiful but under-resourced forests, parks, walking trails, and open spaces special mention)! State Parks. up until the very end. H.B. 5150/P.A. 16-86: Public Notice of SB504/P.A. 16-1: The 2016 Conveyance Act But it seemed that the unfinished business Planned Tree Removals along Municipal (the annual bill that allows the General remaining after the clock ran out on May 4th Roads. This bill requires: 1) utilities to Assembly to sell, swap, or give away public would never actually end. There were two provide a plan for their proposed tree pruning lands) was voted on during the Special Session. special sessions held after May 4th to vote on and removals to each town annually by the There were 7 new sections of the Conveyance bonding, the budget, the budget implementer, end of January. Towns have 14 days to make Act that never had a public hearing as did the and the conveyance act. Following is our recap these plans publicly available; 2) utilities must earlier version of the bill (HB 5619). One new of the most significant bills that CFPA was remove or dispose of debris from their section renewed a 30-year lease (for $1/year) directly involved with this year: authorized vegetation management; and 3) of CT DEEP lands in Ridgefield for athletic fields Municipal Tree Wardens are authorized to and enabled the town to install lights on that Key Bills Passed post a group of shrubs proposed for removal land. S.J. 36/Resolution Act 16-1: Constitutional rather than individual shrubs. Representatives Amendment to Better Protect Public Lands. Mike D’Agostino and James Albis were critical Cuts to Key Environmental Programs S.J. 36 passed both chambers on the last day of in negotiating this important bill. The bonding and budget revisions at the end of the regular legislative session. This priority the 2016 session made deep cuts to resolution (which has to be passed again in the H.B. 5627/P.A. 16-72: Remove Requirement environmental priorities as well as many other 2017-18 legislative session to make it onto the to Pay Sales Tax at Gates to State Parks. The programs across state government as part of November, 2018 ballot) would ensure a public “budget implementer” passed at the end of approximately $1 billion in cuts. Following are process before state-owned public lands could the 2015 session added a 6.35% sales tax on some of the key programs that were impacted: be sold, swapped, or given away by the top of regular parking fees at State Parks, mu- General Assembly. Specifically, the General nicipal lots, and hospital/nursing home park- Community Investment Act (CIA) – which Assembly could not require a State agency to ing areas with over 30 spaces. Thankfully, this gives grants for farmland preservation, historic sell, swap, or give away public lands without 1) sales tax requirement (which had led to mak- preservation, open space protection, and a public hearing, and 2) a ing a LOT of change and increased waiting affordable housing projects – had $1 million 2/3rd majority vote on a bill times to enter State Park gates) was removed.