| OCTOBER 18, 2010 -- Gov. M. Jodi Rell announced that the state has received a $1.97 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to fund numerous programs throughout the state to protect forests on state, municipal and private lands, including Enders State Forest in Granby.
“The start of the autumn season is an ideal time to receive this important funding for the protection and preservation of Connecticut’s forests,” Rell said. “This money will be used for crucial programs such as training local firefighters to battle wildfires, protecting the state’s natural legacy by purchasing open space and making our forests more resilient to threats such as invasive species and diseases. Connecticut’s forest lands are one of our greatest natural resources and we have a responsibility to current and future generations to protect and enhance them.
“Not only are our forests an essential part of our state’s heritage, they are also crucial to the environmental and economic health of Connecticut,” the governor said. More than 60 percent of Connecticut is covered in forests – about 1.8 million acres. The 107 state parks and 32 state forests are some of the most popular recreation destinations the state has to offer and the half-billion-dollar forest products industry, including lumber and maple syrup, generates thousands of jobs.”
The nearly $2 million provided to the state through the USDA grants funds programs at the state and local level. The money is used for a variety of projects and programs, including the purchase of conservation easements and open space to improve access to state and local forests; public outreach campaigns on invasive species such as the Asian longhorned beetle and the Emerald ash borer; training state and local firefighters in safe techniques for fighting wildfires; and enabling communities to purchase firefighting equipment and supplies. |
