Groton Open Space Association

State Heritage Trust Program’s Open Space Acquisitions A Record In 2002

HARTFORD — Governor Rowland announced that the State acquired a record amount of land for open space in Fiscal Year 2002 under the Recreation and Natural Heritage Trust Program of the Department of Environmental Protection. He said at a Salem ceremony July 25 that 3,681 acres were acquired during the year, up from the previous record, in 1999, of 3,550 acres. The 2002 total didn’t include the state’s acquisition of land and easements amounting to 15,300 acres of Bridgeport Hydraulic Co. (Kelda) watershed land announced in March. Kelda was financed outside the Recreation and Natural Heritage Trust Program. The 2002 total of 3,681 acres did include the purchase of 57 acres that were added to the Haley Farm State Park in Groton, largely as a result of a 32-year campaign waged by GOSA. Mr. Rowland made his announcement at the recently acquired 331-acre Moore property in Salem.