Environmental Agency Assesses The Condition Of Forests

Connecticut’s environmental agency has completed a plan that documents the condition of the state’s forests and how best to protect them. WNPR’s Nancy Cohen reports by completing the study, Connecticut becomes eligible for about $2 million in federal funding to sustain healthy forests.

The document catalogs the size of the state’s forests along with the species and age of the trees. As part of the project the state, working with the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, met with members of the public to discuss the best way to conserve woodlands. Chris Martin, the Director of the Division of Forestry, says in recent years larger forest parcels in the state have been sold off, fragmented and in some cases developed. That means more paved surfaces and less forested land to filter rain water.

“What we lose is intact core forest and wildlife corridors and in a larger sense, within the watershed. increased impervious surface which directly affects water quality, the health of streams and eventually it affects aquatic insects and fishery.”

By completing the document, Connecticut becomes eligible for federal funding to pay for tree planting in cities, volunteer fire departments in small towns, detection of invasive forest insects and purchasing the development rights of forests.

For WNPR, I’m Nancy Cohen.