State Grants Issued Locally for Open Space and Recreational Trails

On Monday, the Governor’s Office along with the Department of Environmental Protection announced a state grant rollout to plan, built, expand, and improve 50 trails across the state. Two of which that will directly improve trails in East Haddam and East Hampton. Last week, the Town of Salem was awarded a state grant through the Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Program and Community Gardens Program for the Salem Land Trust.

East Haddam

A $32,000 grant has been awarded to the Lower Connecticut River Valley Heritage Trail & bike path to be used for planning, design, and outreach. This trail will be used to connect the towns of East Haddam, Haddam, Chester, and Moodus. Here in scenic eastern Connecticut, pedestrian infrastructure is important to residents and tourists alike.

For more information on the Lower Connecticut Valley Heritage Trail, click here.

East Hampton

For the use of planning, design, and construction, a $404,800 state grant was awarded for Phase 4 at the Air Line State Park Trail. These trails date all the way back to 1870 and stretches from Thompson, Connecticut down to East Hampton. This project will help complete the Air Line Trail Gap.

For more information on Air Line State Park Trail, click here.

Salem

On May 10^th, Governor Lamont announced a $139,750 grant for the Stahlschmidt Preserve Project, which is sponsored by Salem Land Trust, Inc. The Governor’s Office released the following specifics on this project-

This entirely forested property features a stream and around 15 acres of inland wetlands. Its wetlands and watercourse drain into a stream which feeds Latimer Brook, headwaters of the Niantic River watershed. The forest includes a mix of tree species such as oak, birch and maple, and shrubs such as highbush blueberry, winterberry and mountain laurel. The forested inland wetlands host flora and fauna such as wood frogs, salamanders, marsh marigold, jack-in-the-pulpit, and wood anemone. The Salem Land Trust will clear some trees to create a public parking area at the road and a single loop trail for passive recreational and environmental educational use. If timber foot bridges are deemed needed, the Salem Land Trust will seek local inland wetland permits to install bridges to minimize erosion, maintain surface water flows, and protect wetland resources from pedestrian use and travel. A management plan including public use, environmental education, and natural resource stewardship needs will be developed for the property.