NEWSLETTERCONNECTICUT OF THE CONNECTICUT FOREST PARKFOREST ASSOCIATION PARK ASSOCIATION CFPANews Notes Conserving the land, trails, and natural resources of Connecticut since 1895 Summer 2010 Volume 3 Issue 2 CT Trails Day was a Great Suc- New England Trail Marker Thank You for Supporting the cess See the new official logo for our Annual Fund More than 2,000 people hit the national scenic trail. Due to your generosity, the 2009 Important Forest trails around the state on June 5 campaign exceeded its goal. and 6. Page 4 Page 5 Pest Alert Page 3 Page 7 while competing in a high school tennis CFPA Advocates for Trails not Trials tournament on a public tennis court in CFPA has advocated for many years Liability Statute has been extremely suc- Wilton. Since the Wilton case, there have that municipalities should emphasize cessful at protecting private landowners been dozens of bills introduced to restore the multiple benefits of getting people (individuals, corporations, nonprofits, strong liability protection to municipali- outdoors and worry less about issues like and private utilities) against liability as ties. Each time this has been attempted liability. Sadly, the jury verdict in May long as they do not charge a fee to access over the past 15 years, the bills were of $2.9 million for a mountain biker who their land. This Statute has been essen- defeated in the General Assembly largely was injured at the Metropolitan District tial when we are talking with private due to opposition from trial lawyers. Commission (MDC) Reservoir in West landowners who host Blue-Blazed Hik- We thank the MDC for providing this Hartford reminds us why towns are often ing Trails on their properties. The MDC recreational jewel for the public’s enjoy- consulting with attorneys before opening also hosts approximately 12 miles of ment for many decades. At the same recreational facilities. Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails (the Metacom- time, we are asking the General Assem- Similarly, the MDC consulted with its et/New England Trail and the Tunxis bly to leverage the strong public interest legal counsel and then decided to hold a Trail), but they clearly do not share the in this case into fixing the Recreational public meeting of its Water Bureau at the same protection as private landowners. Liability Statute for municipalities once West Hartford Town Hall on July 20th As it turns out, and for all. to re-visit its recreational access policy. municipalities The public turned out in droves—some once were protect- estimated the crowd at 800. The audito- ed under the Rec- rium and area outside Town Hall were reational Liability busting at the seams. Six CFPA board Statute. However, members and staff testified at the meet- this protection ing and signed-up hundreds of attendees was lost in 1996 to be a part of both the savethemdctrails. through the Con- org coalition and GREAT (Grassroots way v. Wilton case Recreation Email Action Team). CFPA where the Con- supports the interest in keeping the MDC necticut Supreme trails open, but also appreciates the sig- Court upheld the nificance of this issue for all municipali- right of a private ties (the MDC is a nonprofit municipal individual to corporation that shares the legal status of sue a municipal- a town). ity when she sus- Since 1971, our state’s Recreational tained a leg injury Citizens gather at Town Hall in West Hartford to voice their concern about the MDC trails. Photo: Bill Flood CFPACFPA News News Notes Notes 1 1 CONNECTICUT FOREST PARK ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: David Platt, Higganum From the Executive Director’s Desk Vice-Presidents: William D. Breck, Killingworth CFPA: Conservation Facilitator and Incubator Eric Lukingbeal, Granby Starr Sayres, East Haddam Since our earliest days, CFPA has served as both a facilitator and incubator for con- Treasurer: servation in Connecticut. As you probably know, CFPA has stepped in to provide Gordon L. Anderson, Glastonbury funding and other forms of support for dozens of notable properties (e.g., Gillette Asst. Treasurer: Castle) and lands (e.g., Talcott Mountain) that were then conveyed to the state. You James W. Dombrauskas, New Hartford may not realize that we continue to play this valuable role today for many conserva- Secretary: Eric Hammerling, West Hartford tion partners. Forester: Dan Donahue, Ashford Directors: This January, CFPA began serving as the fiscal sponsor for the Connecticut Land Richard Bauerfeld, Branford Conservation Council (CLCC)—a coalition of over 90 land trusts, town commissions, Russell Brenneman, Westport garden clubs and other conservation organizations dedicated to increasing the pace Robert Butterworth, Deep River Starling W. Childs, Norfolk and effectiveness of land protection in Connecticut. CLCC’s Steering Committee has Ruth Cutler, Ashford enhanced this partnership by hiring its first executive director, Amy Blaymore Pater- Laurence Diamond, Coventry son. Amy, an experienced land-use attorney who most recently worked for the Trust Caroline Driscoll, New London for Public Land, is an outstanding resource who has been working with us in Rockfall Astrid T. Hanzalek, Suffield since May. Jean Crum Jones, Shelton David K. Leff, Collinsville Friends of Goodwin Forest (FGF) is another unincorporated but energetic group Scott Livingston, Bolton that has benefitted directly from CFPA’s role as catalytic incubator. CFPA’s history is Hamden Lauren L. McGregor, connected to the Goodwin family in whose name our headquarters (James L. Good- Geoffrey Meissner, Plantsville Jeffrey O’Donnell, Bristol win Forest and Park Center) and community meeting room (Genevieve H. Goodwin James Ritchie, Sandy Hook Conference Room) are named. A partnership between CFPA and the CT DEP in man- Deborah C. Spalding, Guilford aging the Goodwin Conservation Center and State Forest in Hampton was a natural. David Sullivan, Higganum To further enhance the value of Goodwin Forest as an eastern Connecticut “destina- Richard Whitehouse, Glastonbury Honorary Directors: tion” for its ecological, recreational, and historical significance, FGF was established Harrol W. Baker, Jr., Bolton by an outstanding cadre of volunteers led by FGF President Lynne Warren. With Richard F. Blake, Milford outstanding support from Steve Broderick, CFPA’s Forester and Program Director at Ann M. Cuddy, Lakeville Goodwin, FGF is doing great work and now features a joint membership with CFPA. Samuel G. Dodd, North Andover, MA Goodwin is also benefitting by adding two new but experienced staff to implement John E. Hibbard, Hebron environmental education programs (Juan Sanchez) and to protect and restore the Philip H. Jones, Jr., Shelton Edward A. Richardson, Glastonbury Center and its environs (Jim Poole). L.P. Sperry, Jr., Middlebury CFPA has also served as the incubator for the Merritt Parkway Trail Alliance Sally L. Taylor, Mystic (MPTA) since 2005. MPTA is a group of organizations and individuals who advocate Henry H. Townshend, New Haven for the creation of a non-motorized trail along the entire length of the Merritt Park- STAFF way for users of all ages and abilities. We are pleased to announce that Keep Stam- Eric Hammerling, Executive Director ford Moving, a project of the Stamford Partnership led by Josh Lecar, has stepped Jennifer Benner, Communications Manager forward to take on the stewardship responsibilities for MPTA and will bring focus to Lori Paradis Brant, Education Director the first step in establishing the trail—implementing a pilot project along a section of Steve Broderick, Forest & Program the Merritt in Stamford. Director, Goodwin Forest Center Clare Cain, Trail Stewardship Director Lastly, we wish to recognize many decades of excellent work by the Natural Re- Linda Cunningham, Financial sources Council of Connecticut (NRCC), which recently decided to phase-out as an Management Assistant organization. NRCC was launched in 1949 with support from CFPA and the Feder- Marty Gosselin, Membership Coordinator ated Garden Clubs of CT to “educate the public concerning the need to protect the James W. Little, Development Director Leslie Lewis, WalkCT Director natural resources of Connecticut.” NRCC became well-regarded for its visionary Teresa Peters, Office Manager annual conferences that raised awareness on critical issues such as the future of Long Island Sound, water management and the use of water utility lands, solid waste man- Connecticut Forest & Park Association agement, the importance of family farms, and many other topics that NRCC always 16 Meriden Road addressed in a neutral, fact-based manner. CFPA thanks Otto Schaefer, Claire Bennitt, Rockfall, Connecticut 06481 Telephone: 860-346-2372 and the tremendous conservation leaders who dedicated time and energy to the out- www.ctwoodlands.org standing mission of NRCC over the years. CFPA also thanks the outgoing board of www.walkct.org the NRCC for entrusting the remainder of its funds to CFPA. We will continue to fa- Office Hours: M-F 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. cilitate and incubate organizations (which always start as great ideas) in your honor. 2 CFPA News Notes CONNECTICUT FOREST PARK ASSOCIATION Hooray for CT Trails Day! 6TH ANNUAL FOREST FORUM Despite the inclement weather and fore- casts (with tornado warnings), this year’s at the UConn West Hartford campus Connecticut Trails Day celebration was TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2010 a huge success. More than 2,000 people hit the trails around the state on June 5 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 6. With 162 scheduled events offered in the CFPA published booklet, it wasn’t Join us for the 6th Annual Connecticut Forest difficult to find an outing that fit any Conservation and Research Forum, where we will taste and desired activity level. Many explore alternative ways the state can achieve its events took place on CFPA maintained visions for the future of private and public forests. Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails as well as on Morning speakers will include David Foster, Director of the Harvard Forest; one of the three national trails found Helene Hochholzer, CT State Forest Planner; and Allan Giffen, Maine State within Connecticut’s borders.