Conservation Commission honors Ron Klattenburg

Ron Klattenburg was honored and thanked for his long service to the environmental community at the Conservation Commission's regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 18th. It is with much gratitude and appreciation that he was honored. Ron was surprised and thankful for he recognition. He spoke briefly about his time in public service.

Ron gave years of leadership in the preservation of the City's natural resources and had a long time role in land and energy conservation. Ron's efforts will increase the quality of life for citizens of Middletown and beyond for years to come. He started in public service as a Conservation Commissioner when the CC was resurrected in 1989 after some time on hiatus. Later he served on the Common Council. Among his many accomplishments, he was instrumental in promulgating and passing an important bill to restrict the use of outdoor wood furnaces which have unhealthy particulate emissions and are detrimental to air quality.

The Conservation Commission wishes Ron all the best in his future endeavors.

Ron Klattenberg with two current Conservation Commission members (and past Chairs) Sheila Stoane (left) and Ellen Lukens (right). 
[this post has been edited to correct Ellen's last name. Thanks for the comment] 

Environmental Activist Honored

Long time Conservation Commission member Katchen Coley was honored Thursday night at the City Council chambers by having 50 acres of land in the Maromas section of town named the Katchen Coley Mountain Laurel Preserve.

The above video captures a few of the many, many people who attended to thank Katchen for her years of service on behalf of the people of Middletown.

New Officers Elected to Conservation Commission

On Tuesday night there was a regular meeting of the Conservation Commission, and Ellen Lukens and Joan Liska were elected as the new Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively.

Outgoing Chair Jane Brawerman offered her thanks to all the Commission members for their support over the years that she and Sheila Stoane served together to lead the Conservation Commission. Both Jane and Sheila look forward to continuing to work as members to ensure that the City's conservation interests are effectively represented and considered in land use planning and development; that our special natural resources are protected for future generations; and that our environment is healthy for all of our residents, human and otherwise.

Dog Park Proposal news

At it's March 20th regular meeting, the Conservation Commission heard a presentation from Common Council member Todd Berch about a dog park that Berch proposes for Tynan Park on Higby Road. After much discussion, the Commission ultimately voted not to support the location of the proposed dog park at Tynan. The Commission sent a letter of opinion to the Planning and Zoning Commission which is shown below in it's entirety. The P&Z will be the next group to hear the proposal. The next Planning and Zoning meeting is scheduled for April 11th, but the Agenda is not yet posted online so it is not clear when this will be on the agenda.

More information about Tynan Park and all of the City's open space lands can be found in the Middletown Trail Guide.

March 28, 2012

Richard Pelletier Chair, Planning and Zoning Commission

245 deKoven Drive, Suite 202

Middletown, CT 06457

Dear Mr. Pelletier and Members of the Planning and Zoning Commission,

I am writing concerning Councilman Berch's proposal for a dog park at Tynan Memorial Park, one of the city's conservation areas. Councilman Berch presented his proposal to the Conservation Commission at our meeting on March 20, 2012. Everyone agreed that the proposal was well thought out and researched; however, after careful deliberation the Conservation Commission voted that this location is not appropriate for a dog park. The primary reason for our vote against supporting the proposal is that having a dog park at Tynan would limit and restrict public access and use, as a significant part of the land would become unavailable to members of the public who are not dog owners and do not wish to use it as a dog park. Further, the experience of going to the park for passive recreation, its original intended use, would be changed forever once it is developed for use by dogs and their owners, making the park unsuitable for activities it is currently used for such as hiking and bird-watching.

Conservation Commission members believe that it is inappropriate to use designated Open Space Property for this type of use, and that a favorable decision on this proposal would set a bad precedent. In the past, there have been several occasions when a special use was proposed for part of a conservation area, including a proposal to create a therapeutic equine riding center. These proposals were rejected because they would create a limitation on the use of the land that would change the ability of the general public to enjoy it as open space. The Commission voted on the dog park proposal in a manner that remains consistent with such past decisions.

The Conservation Commission supports development of a dog park in the city, and has explored possible locations in the past. We would be very interested in working with Councilman Berch and others to investigate options and help locate a suitable site for a dog park.

We appreciate very much having the opportunity to hear Councilman Berch's presentation at our

meeting, and to provide comments to the Planning and Zoning Commission. consideration of our concerns.

Sincerely,

Jane L. Brawerman, Chair Middletown Conservation Commission

cc: Mayor Daniel T. Drew Councilman Todd Berch Members of the Common Council William Warner, Director of Planning, Conservation and Development

Land Deal No Deal

At its regular monthly meeting (the 4th Monday of every month at 7pm in room 208 of City Hall) on Monday May 23rd, the Conservation Commission voted to oppose the transfer of 17 acres of open space in Haddam from the State Department of Environmental Protection to private commercial developers. This action by the Conservation Commission is in line with similar actions by The Jonah Center, reported in the EYE previously here. The Commission signed an online petition requesting that the Haddam Land Swap be removed from Senate Bill 1196. The petition can be read in its entirety or signed via this link.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/landswap2011/

It states in part:

“ Senate Bill SB1196 ... authorizes a land swap by the State of 17 acres of public land (Clark Creek Wildlife Management Area) overlooking the Connecticut River in Haddam to private developers for a boutique tourist complex, shops, and an entertainment venue. This land ... was paid for by tax dollars and deeded to be preserved as open space. This bill constitutes a violation of the public trust. 

We believe a trade of these 17 acres will set a very dangerous precedent as it is the first such divesting of conservation land in this manner in the state of Connecticut. It will make all Connecticut open space currently set aside for public use vulnerable to developers. If it happens in Haddam, it can happen anywhere in the State.
”

More information about the proposed land swap is available at the Connecticut River Gateway Commission, which reports that "the conveyance controversy and the rally [Stop the Swap on May 21st], which have both received substantial coverage in local newspapers including the Hartford Courant and from the online newspaper Patch.com, is now attracting national coverage through the Associated Press with an article appearing in this past weekend's Boston Globe Online."

Now is the time to get educated about the facts surrounding the proposed deal, and to take actions to reach out to your legislators and voice your opinion prior to this bill coming up for a vote.

Conservation Commission Meeting Notes / lack thereof

The monthly Conservation Committee meeting did not occur as scheduled for August 12th due to lack of a quorum. It's the third meeting that was cancelled this year. There was no meeting in February or May. Historically it is tough to get a quorum in the summer months and also in December and it is very common to end the year having held 9 or 10 regular meetings rather than all 12 as scheduled. Sometimes we "make up" for the missed meetings with special meetings that are typically called when there are important current events that the Commission wishes to address immediately. Members of the Commission are experts in various aspects of environmental issues. Among the members are engineers, biologists, river conservation specialists, experts in geographic information systems and mapping, and experts at getting things done in Hartford and Washington D.C. Just as important as the expertise, we also have a collective passion and drive to do what's best for the City and to enable and promote smart and sustainable growth, which is just plain common sense. Everyone brings something to the table. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday September 9^th at 7pm in Room 208 of the municipal building on deKoven Drive. Members of the public are always welcome to attend.

Why Be Involved? My First 2 Years on a City Commission

I am not an ambitious person, and I am not particularly interested in politics or government service. But, I am a person who cares deeply about the place where I live and work, and so when I was asked to consider joining Middletown's Conservation Commission I took on the challenge with little hesitation. It is not a very large commitment at just one meeting per month. The Conservation Commission is an advisory board that is enabled by state statute to research land use issues and to provide opinions to the Planning and Zoning Commission, Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency and the Common Council . Sitting on this Commission also provides the opportunity to assist the City with acquiring and preserving land as open space. I just completed the second year of my appointment, which means I have attended approximately 20 or so meetings. As the newest member of the Commission, it has taken some time to get accustomed to the pace and the manner in which things get accomplished. But in just two short years, I have been a participant in what has resulted in small and large victories alike. In addition to an impressive amount of land that we have successfully preserved, we have had small victories too like drawing over a dozen out of town hiking enthusiasts to our spring hiking event last year, and providing a voice during the revision process for the City's Plan of Conservation and Development.

Below are my thoughts on some basic questions that may arise in the mind of anyone who is curious about what it is like to sit on the Commission.

Is the work difficult? No, it is not. Mostly it requires a willingness to show up and to listen. Particpation in discussion is, of course, encouraged.

Is it frustrating? At times yes it can be. Despite this, there are obvious rewards. Most notably, working towards a common goal with a group of like-minded peers is one great feeling.

For me, what has been most rewarding about sitting on the Commission is getting to know all of the wonderful people that have thanklessly given their time and efforts towards conservation.

First, in memory of James Fortuna, who was a fixture of the commission, and a member for many years. His dedication to Middletown was always obvious. He was an exemplar of giving and public service who will be greatly missed.

Katchen Coley is a walking history book whose knowledge and list of contacts have no bounds. Her passionate advocacy and action on behalf of the environment have taken her from the State House in Hartford to Washington, D.C and beyond. Her energy has inspired many.

Jane Brawerman is unwavering in her convictions and her dedication to the work of the Commission.

Eric Mosher has spent countless hours donating his mapping and drafting skills to improve on and contribute to the production of our maps and trail guides.

Kate Miller has a powerful academic mind and is always able to thoroughly analyze every issue from simple to complex, and then articulately and eloquently present her thoughts to the Commission.

Michael Ennis is a character. His comedic one-liners aside, it is clear that he cares deeply about the environmental health of Middletown and has worked tirelessly for open space preservation.

Sheila Stoane is, well, no pun intended, a rock. The fearless leader of the Commission, we wish her speedy recovery and want to see her back at the next meeting. Her wisdom and strength keep the meetings in check without compromising her natural warmth.

Nancy Newman is a dynamo. Nancy is always very clear, concise and helpful. Her knowledge of every road and street, parcel of land, and nook and cranny throughout Middletown is impressive and essential to the Commission.

David O'Brien and Howard Reid are dependable and pensive people whose presence is much appreciated.

Stephen Ladd is an engineer with technical knowledge who has been an active and loyal member for many years.

Ellen Lukens is a hardworking member known for her thoughtfulness and diplomacy. She has dedicated much of her time to evaluating and securing new properties as well as successfully advocating for funding and state and federal grant money applications. Ellen was instrumental in Middletown's being selected to host the 2007 BioBlitz project.

In the Conservation Commission, nobody expects to receive attention or aspires to climb into politics. We are all there for one reason and that is because we believe in the process and the protection of our community for future generations. It's easy to have an opinion; almost everybody does. What takes it to the next level is turning an opinion into concrete actions. Service on local Commissions is one way to achieve this. To learn more about opportunities to serve, please visit the website of the Department of Planning, Conservation, and Development and click on “contact” in the lower left: http://www.middletownplanning.com/. You may also contact Matt Dodge via email at matt.dodge@cityofmiddletown.com or by telephone at (860) 344-3425

Conservation Commission Meeting Notes 11/12/2009

The Conservation Commission meets on the second Thursday of every month. The November meeting was held on 11/12. There were two members of the public present to address the Commission.

David Bauer addressed the commission to say that it has been nearly a year since we celebrated the 90th birthday of Artie Schiemann, who so generously donated land to the city's Open Space program. Mr. Bauer would like to see a continued annual recognition of Mr. Schiemann, which the Conservation Commission is happy to participate in.

Mr. Bauer also presented a conceptual idea for use of the 252 acres of CVH property in the Maromas section. This land is currently under consideration for several uses, including a golf course, a home for ARTFARM, hiking trails and others (many previous articles in the EYE). Mr. Bauer presented his idea as an undeveloped concept with the overall objective of restoring agriculture to the lands, as they were once used. This would provide multiple benefits by stimulating the local economy with new jobs, encouraging local farming, providing new sources of healthy local food for Middletown residents, and promoting collaboration among many local groups. It was discussed that the Conservation Commission is not in a position to take any direct action on this idea, which would require a great deal of work to develop.

On the same subject, the Commission discussed the need to follow-up with the Economic Development Commission concerning the use of former CVH lands. There has been no response to a letter sent requesting that public input provided during many public hearings held over a two-year period be incorporated into any plan of development for this property. The Commission will send a second letter to reiterate our request, and also express concern about entering into a 99 year lease, which all agreed seems excessively long for any active land use or applicant.

Cindy Jablonski Pashley addressed the commission to indicate her desire to preserve her property as City open space, either through an outright sale or by selling the development rights. The Commission is currently scheduling site walks for several properties that have been offered to the City and are under consideration for preservation as open space, and will include this property in the site walks. Properties are evaluated using a scoring system that provides a consistent way to rank the properties, and determine which properties to pursue for acquisition.

The Commission is working on an update of the current Middletown Trail Guide that will have more accurate maps and include new properties acquired since the last guide was published. The Commission is considering options for presenting the trail guide in various formats and media (online, print), and ways to make the online guide more interactive.

Concerning the Army Base, the Army is currently evaluating several properties as possible wetland mitigation sites. The Commission would like to know if there is any opportunity to provide input into this process and the selection of an appropriate wetlands mitigation site and will follow-up with City staff (none were in attendance).

There are plans in the works for upgrades to the Melilli Plaza parking lot behind Main Street Market and next to the City Hall. The Commission would like the parking lot design to be as low impact as possible and incorporate elements that allow for infiltration and treatment of storm water runoff. As an example, suggested changes that were made by the Conservation Commission for the design of recent improvements to the Palmer Field parking lot on Washington Street were taken into account and are helping to reduce the impact of the lot on the Coginchaug River. The Commission will seek a response to a letter sent to the City recommending changes to the Melilli parking lot design.

June Conservation Commission Meeting - New logo, new members? and nothing new…

From Kate Miller:

The Eye’s anniversary has spurred me out of my guilty negligence to offer a brief report on the Conservation Commission meetings I attend as a member. Last week’s was a sort of a “conservation light” kind of meeting. Sparked by the City’s recent acquisition of a conservation easement on the Merriam tree farm property – the first time Middletown has bought the development rights, rather than the property outright - the only vote taken was a unanimous request to Planning Department staff that they look into what other towns and entities do when they have ensured public access to private land. Is access 24/7? Do owners post signs holding them harmless? What about hunting or other activities that might conflict with passive recreation?

A logo to be used on new signs at the City’s open space properties, including many new ones, was finalized, and staff was asked to look into moving ahead on the getting the signs made an installed. The idea here is to encourage more use of the many amazing properties we’ve got.

Somewhat dishearteningly Commissioners heard reports about how the Army’s development plan was reviewed by staff without comment, and approved by the City Council and Planning and Zoning without review by the Conservation Commission or Inland Wetland. There was a brief discussion about a letter written by members to various City officials requesting the addition of specific “best management practices” to the plan to merge the Melili and City Hall parking lots, in order to reduce pollution entering the Connecticut River and use the public project to educate developers and others about stormwater control options. This comes under the disheartening category as well, since by the time the Conservation Commission was told about the project, the plans had already been approved. However, the changes being proposed by the commission are integrated into the current layout and plan, and shouldn’t be too difficult or costly to incorporate.

Planning and Zoning Commissioner Catherine Johnson (bless her) is moving ahead with her courageous project to rewrite the Plan of Conservation and Development as a single, usable product, rather than the duel(ing) documents originally proposed by staff. She’s seeking more input at a meeting Wednesday, June 17th, 6:30pm, at the Russell Library.

Lastly, it was noted that there are two vacancies on the board. Patient, optimistic and hard-working souls, especially, encouraged.

And a birthday note…
The Middletown Eye makes my roots grow just a little deeper. Lucky, lucky to be in such a colorful, compassionate, community! Happy Birthday, Eye!

Conservation Commission Requests Council Make Good On Resolution

Sheila Stoane, chair of Middletown's Conservation Commission has sent a letter to Mayor Sebastian Giuliano, and the Common Council questioning the decision to use proceeds for the sale of Cucia Park to the Army Corps of Engineers, to balance the city budget.

The following is the unedited text of the letter:

May 17, 2009

Dear Mayor Guiliano and
The Members of the Common Council,


We understand that the Common Council voted, last Thursday, to use the proceeds of the sale of Cucia Park as revenue for balancing the current budget.

This contradicts Common Council’s Resolution 10-12, passed by the Common Council in October, which required that "monies sufficient to replace the park and open space land as a result of such sale would be placed in a special City Account for the purchase of park and/or open space land." The sale of Cucia Park was agreed to only after Councilmen Serra and Daley introduced an amendment that stated that the money from the sale of Cucia Park be specifically dedicated to replace the loss of open space. The current situation specifically contradicts a previously agreed upon resolution.

Although times are very difficult for the city, the Conservation Commission believes that Open Space purchases continues to be an important investment in the future. There should be no net loss of Open Space!

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Sheila Stoane, Chair
Conservation Commission

Rockfall Foundation Awards 2009 Grants to Middletown Groups

The Rockfall Foundation Awards 2009 Grants to Middletown Groups

Middletown, CT—The Rockfall Foundation recently awarded grants to six Middletown groups in support of local agriculture, food security and environmental education and outreach projects.

A total of nearly $9000 will be distributed in Middletown in 2009, with the one-year grants ranging from $500 to $2500. This represents more than half the total funds awarded this year by the foundation, which has provided environmental education and planning grants to organizations and towns throughout Middlesex County since 1971.

Anthony P. Marino, Chair of Rockfall’s Grants Committee, said that “Our choices continue to reflect Rockfall’s focus on grassroots programs that encourage residents to spend more time outside and to better understand our communities’ natural resources and unique character,” The foundation, says Marino, seeks programs that inspire both young and old to go outside, take a walk or trail hike, paddle a local river and dig in the dirt. “Direct, hands-on experiences often translate into life-long appreciation and care for our natural world,” explains Marino. “The heart of our mission at Rockfall is to encourage long-term stewardship of our county’s natural environment.”

The Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District has received a grant to produce a guide and presentation on how to control invasive plant species in private yards, which will be an invaluable resource for ecologically minded gardeners.

The city of Middletown will use one if its two 2009 Rockfall grants to produce a detailed city walking guide.

[ related story in Eye http://middletowneyenews.blogspot.com/2009/04/walk-ct-to-be-featured-in-westfield.html ] “Development of a comprehensive walking guide to the city can go a long way toward getting residents out of their cars and into a more active lifestyle,” believes Leslie Lewis, director of the Connecticut Forest & Park Association’s WalkCT project. “I believe this is the first step (no pun intended) toward making the city the first WalkCT community in the state.”

The Jonah Center for Earth and Art received a grant in general support of environmental education and outreach projects, particularly those that will involve school children. Programs that engage children are of special interest to Rockfall. "Through Rockfall’s K-12 grants- to- schools initiative we hope to encourage educators to incorporate nature lessons into their classrooms,” explains Marino. “Groups like the Jonah Center provide valuable experiences and resources for teachers who may not have time to develop their own materials or programs.”

A number of this year’s grants also reflect Rockfall’s new specially-designated interest in encouraging local farming and sustainable agriculture in Middlesex County, especially through the marketing and distribution of locally-produced foods. “Middletown has always valued local farms for their beauty and the diversity of foods they bring to our tables and local restaurants,” says Jane Harris, Chair of Rockfall’s Environment and Education Committee and a member of the Grants Committee. “Now there is more awareness of just how vital local farms can be to keeping food costs low while safeguarding the health of our natural resources.”

Middletown’s Department of Planning, Conservation and Development has been awarded a Rockfall grant to bring farmers, land-use commissioners, city officials and the public together in a series of facilitated meetings called charettes to explore how to establish a sustainable farmer’s market in Middletown.

Another Rockfall grant will support Wesleyan University’s Long Lane Farm’s expanded program to assist food security programs in Middletown. “With the help of the Rockfall Foundation, Long Lane Farm is embarking on another phase of its development,” believes Dr. Barry Chernoff, Director of Environmental Studies at Wesleyan and a project participant. “The Farm has made a decision to substantially increase its ability to provide food that it grows for low income families through organizations such as The Amazing Grace Food Pantry, as well as others. According to Chernoff, the new effort seeks to respond to “the true need that is building in our communities for free food for people who have been hurt by the economic depression that our country is in.”

With its grant from Rockfall, the Russell Library will plant a few seeds of its own that may help nurture a new generation of local farmers. On library grounds, the Green Children ecology group will grow a variety of vegetables from around the world and teach its young farmers how to prepare a variety of ethnic dishes with their harvest.

While modest, the foundation’s grants often provide critical seed money and support for groups that don’t have large budgets or staff to attract major benefactors or grants. Such funding is difficult to acquire in times of economic cutbacks and belt tightening.

A recent national poll conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press revealed in January that protecting natural resources and major environmental issues such as global warming are no longer considered to be important priorities by the American public as concerns over the economy and job losses predominate. “This reinforces the importance of not only continuing but strengthening our mission here in the county,” believes Rockfall President Brian McCarthy, “especially through our grants program. “Our goal in the next few years,” he explains, “is to increase membership and donor support so we will not have to turn away any worthy applicant in the future.”

Rockfall 2009 grants also were awarded in Middlesex County to the Connecticut River Museum, the Town of Essex, the Essex Land Trust, Incarnation Center and the Henry Carter Hull Library.

Founded nearly 75 years ago by Middletown resident Clarence S. Wadsworth, Rockfall is named after the falls in Wadsworth Falls State Park. In addition to its grants program, the foundation continues to preserve and help sustain open space land holdings in Middletown and support the Wadsworth/Kerste deBoer Arboretum, a Wadsworth legacy property on Long Lane, which will mark its 100th anniversary this April.

Rockfall is headquartered in the historic deKoven House on Washington Street, which it maintains and operates as a community center, and provides office space for locally-based environmental groups.

Every fall, the foundation sponsors an annual symposium that explores issues related to municipal growth and how to balance conservation and economic development. This year’s symposium will focus on the economics of greening for towns and businesses, and will be held at Middlesex Community College on October 9th.

Grants are awarded by the foundation annually. Application information and schedules are available by calling the office at 347-0340 or visiting the website http://www.rockfallfoundation.org/.

Submitted By: Claire Rusowicz, The Rockfall Foundation(203)530-4004; crusowicz@rockfallfoundation.org

CT Letterboxers Converge on Middletown

The Middletown Conservation Commission held its first annual Letterbox Launch today at the Daniels-Schwarzkopf Conservation Area, drawing dozens of letterboxing enthusiasts from around central Connecticut. Letterboxing is part hiking, part orienteering, part sleuthing, and lots of fun, not to mention that a community has cropped up around this sport/hobby that could be likened to a subculture of its own. Letterboxers came from Berlin, Enfield, Torrington, West Hartford, Middlefield and other towns around Connecticut for this event. Each letterboxer has a trail name which is personified by a custom stamp which each carries. Some of the stamps are hand carved. When the hidden boxes are found, the participants can stamps their books with the stamps that are hidden in the boxes. The Conservation Commission planted one letterbox for this event and listed it on various online forums including AtlasQuest, a popular website for letterboxing. After signing up for the event on AtlasQuest, a few letterboxers surreptitiously planted about 8 other boxes around the trails at Daniels-Schwarzkopf Conservation Area, so that when the event kicked off and the crowd hit the trails they had plenty of boxes to find and stamps to collect.

Many letterbox enthusiasts have established friendships and connections through the sport. One person spoke about having connected with a fellow letterboxer while on a trip to Arizona, thereby securing well-guided tours throughout the state by a knowledgeable escort. In addition she stated that letterboxing websites are a great way to plan activities for out of town trips because the boxes are planted anywhere and everywhere and the search for them can lead you off the beaten path, sometimes to beautiful sites that are not typically advertised in tourbooks. It was estimated by one of the other boxers that there may be up to 10,000 letterboxes hidden around Connecticut. One of the most devoted fans who turned out today has found nearly 6,000 boxes and another has found nearly 3,000.

Letterboxer and his daughter sport patches collected from the Department of Environmental Protection, LbCT organization, and others.

Letterboxing is a wonderful way to commune with like-minded souls and get the entire family out for an active and fun day in the outdoors. It turned out to be a perfect way to get the word out about Middletown's successful conservation program.

Middletown's Trail Guide is available online at: http://www.middletownplanning.com/documents/MdtnTrailGuide.pdf

Members of the Conservation Commission Ellen Lukens and David O'Brian

Poster collection of trail stamps from all of the letterboxers who attended the Conservation Commission's Spring Launch today. Thank you all!

Statewide Conservation Conference A Success

On Saturday April 4th, the Connecticut Land Conservation Conference was held in Middletown, drawing hundreds of Connecticut Conservation and Land Trust volunteers and members from around the state. The conference was a wonderful opportunity for conservationists to connect and meet peers from around the state as well as to see and hear about the great work that is being done around the state for conservation. Not to mention, it was a huge showoff of Middletown and our convenient central location, University resources and generally enjoyable destination town. I heard from many attendees how enthused they were to be travelling to Middletown for this event.

The Conference featured twenty-five workshops on a a range of topics directly affecting citizens and environments across Connecticut, as well as keynote speaker and an introduction to the Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC), featuring enhanced member services and grants. Of course there were also many displays including brochures on organic land care and organic farming just to name a couple.

Especially poignant was the well-represented work of The Bridgeport Land Trust. The BLT had wonderful presenters on Community Gardens (Bridgeport has dozens!) and the Ash Creek Sand Spit Sanctuary preservation. Christine Cook and her colleagues from Bridgeport had an excellent presentation with amazing photos of wildlife, flora and fauna all found right in Bridgeport, and tales of engaging neighborhood kids in some good old-fashioned digging in the dirt.

The Keynote Presentation was delivered with skill and humor by Russ Brenneman, who participated in the formation of the first land trusts in CT, drafted the CT conservation easement law, and served as president of the CT Forest and Park Association. He has been a Trustee of The Nature Conservancy and was a founding member of the Great Meadows Land Trust. He currently teaches environmental law and policy at Trinity College and is of counsel to the law firm of Murtha Cullina LLP.

Representatives from Land Trusts in the towns of Southbury, Branford, and Canton had nice presentations on how they have engaged the community about the preserved land in their towns. Their work has spanned countless events which all looked like a load of fun while connecting people with the land and the towns.

The Middletown Conservation Commission is hard at work on many such events as well. More information is always available at http://www.middletownplanning.com/ . Click on "Conservation" at left to go to the Conservation Commission's page.