The Southbury Land Trust has been awarded $1.29 million in state funding to help preserve the 148-acre DuPont Farm property, a tract of land that serves as a critical link between protected open spaces in Southbury and Oxford.
The $1,293,500 grant was among more than $9.4 million in funding announced Tuesday through the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s (DEEP) Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program (OSWA), assisting in the purchase and protection of open space across the state.
The preservation of the 148-acre property has been viewed as a top strategic goal of the Town of Southbury, the Town of Oxford, and conservationists for over a decade, according to a CT DEEP press release.
Located along Hulls Hill Road in Southbury and Thorson Road in Oxford, the property sits near Southford Falls State Park. The acquisition would connect Southbury’s open space corridor with a 340-acre parcel recently acquired by Oxford.
“The Southbury Land Trust is proud to have been awarded one of the DEEP OSWA Grants this year. In fact, this is the largest State OSWA grant we’ve ever received, and for one of the region’s most strategic and environmentally important properties,” said Southbury Land Trust (SLT) President Joe Ruggiero.
“We are so grateful to CT DEEP for partnering with SLT as we work to make the DuPont Preserve a reality,” Ruggiero continued. “This keystone property connects existing protected open space in both Southbury and Oxford, benefitting both communities.”
According to GIS land maps, approximately 67 acres of the property are in Southbury, with the remaining 81 acres across the town line in Oxford.
The property contains significant state-listed wildlife habitat and protects high-quality natural waters, including four vernal pools, perennial springs, and the headwaters of a stream that feeds Eight Mile Brook.
According to DEEP, the property offers opportunities for public passive recreation, as well as protection of a scenic ridgeline view. Prime and statewide important soils are present on the property, and it also holds historical value in the form of a Native American site authenticated by the Institute for American Indian Studies.
In total, Tuesday’s announcement of state grants will support the purchase and protection of more than 1,243 acres of open space across 14 properties in 15 communities. An additional $2.4 million was awarded to support the improvement of 15 urban green and community garden spaces.
“DEEP is proud of the recent statutory changes made in conjunction with advocates and the state legislature that have increased access and equity in these two programs,” said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes. “DEEP is excited to work with all these wonderful partners to bring tangible benefits to more communities across Connecticut.”
Southbury was among several surrounding communities to receive grant money, with the Flanders Nature Center and Land Trust in Woodbury receiving $422,500 to protect a 23-acre forested parcel on Cowles Road. In Washington, the Steep Rock Association was awarded $790,400 for a 40-acre agricultural property in the Shepaug Watershed.
The Roxbury Land Trust was awarded a $531,050 grant for the protection of a 65.8-acre property along Route 317 and Lower County Road in Roxbury.
Since 2019, almost $66 million has been awarded through OSWA to protect nearly 14,000 acres.
By Evan Triantafilidis
The Southbury Record 